Women and Gender Studies (BA)

Co‑op

Available as a Minor

Learn how gender is central to how humans understand their true selves and how we organize our relationships across the globe. Critically analyze issues that are happening locally and around the world by focusing on questions of social justice and equity.

Women and Gender Studies at Laurier graduates are prepared to find employment in the legal, scientific, teaching or medical professions or to pursue advanced degrees. Engage with feminist scholarship, enhance your critical thinking, and apply your knowledge through co-curricular activities, research and community involvement.

Program Details

Degree Highlights

Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete, and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:

  • Comprehensive Curriculum
    Combine Women and Gender Studies with areas like Communication Studies, Sociology, or Global Studies to gain a holistic view of social justice and equity. This interdisciplinary approach equips you with versatile skills and insights for a broad range of career paths.
  • Turn Your Passion into a Career
    Combine Women and Gender Studies with fields like Communication Studies, Sociology, or Global Studies to gain a well-rounded understanding of social justice and equity. This interdisciplinary approach builds versatile skills that prepare you for careers in both the public and private sectors.
  • Pathway to MBA
    Begin your Women & Gender Studies degree with a conditional offer to Laurier’s full-time MBA program, providing you with a clear path from undergraduate studies to graduate-level business education. This competitive option allows you to complete your MBA in just one year, including three academic terms. 
  • Accelerate Your Degree
    Fast-track your future by completing your degree in just three years. By working with your Academic Advisor and taking courses during the summer semesters, you can graduate early and get a head start on your career or graduate studies. 

Top Experiences

Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Experience Guide for even more):

  • Apply to Co-op
    Honours Arts students in Women and Gender Studies can join our new co-op program to complete three four-month work terms. Gain hands-on experience and develop skills in your chosen career path while studying.
  • Connect and Advocate
    Engage with campus Diversity and Equity associations, including the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the Rainbow Centre, and the Centre for Women and Trans People. These organizations promote education, advocacy, and support.
  • Lead and Learn Through Research and Teaching
    In your final year, dive into independent research and gain practical experience as a Research or Instructional Assistant in the Women and Gender Studies program.
  • Ensure a Supportive Start
    Ease your transition into university with our first-year courses, AF105S (Skills) and AF105W (Writing). These courses help you build the foundations for academic success developing key skills in time management, critical thinking, research, and writing. You’ll also be backed by our dedicated Arts Advising team, who offer one-on-one support with course selection and academic planning, ensuring you feel confident, connected, and set up to thrive from your very first term.  

Courses, Options and Pathways

Courses 

Get a glimpse of what you will study throughout your degree. See what your first-year classes will look like through sample courses and start exploring what your upper academic years can offer.

Program Options

Explore a variety of courses, specializations and pathway options that let you shape your degree around your unique interests and goals. Find out how you can customize your experience and prepare for what’s next.

Admissions

  • Format: full time or part time
  • Duration: four years
  • Start: September (fall term) or January (winter term)

Your Career Awaits

Recent changes in policies and practices in the public and private sectors have led to an increasing number of job possibilities for people knowledgeable about women and gender issues. Human resources offices, public policy-makers, government, police forces, social services agencies and educational institutions are all interested in employees with such knowledge, especially for positions that address employment equity and sexual harassment concerns.

Women and Gender Studies courses can also help you prepare for a variety of careers:

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • children's rights advocate
  • community development
  • counsellor/therapist
  • crisis worker/intake/referral
  • human resources
  • lawyer/paralegal
  • non-profit organization director
  • policy analyst
  • social worker
  • victims advocate
  • women's centre organizer

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

Your Co-op Experience

Co-op is a way to integrate what you are learning in the classroom with practical experience in your field of study. Build your resume, earn money, develop your network, and graduate future-ready.

Future Laurier Arts students have two options to engage in co-op. You can apply in first-year to our co-op program and complete three-work terms of four months’ duration and gain valuable experience during their studies.

You can also get a head-start and apply for direct admission to our brand-new co-op program straight from high school in select Arts programs. In both pathways, you will gain 12 months of career experience.

Interested? Learn more about co-op in the Faculty of Arts.

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99%employment rate for co‑op students – 2024 / 2025

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Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

 

Laurier is among the top 6 percent in the Center for World University Rankings

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2024

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2024

Waterloo Campus

The Waterloo campus is tucked into about one city block, so you’re steps away from your classes, food and your new favourite study spot.

There are many ways to tour our Waterloo campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

students in a classroom

Delivered In Person

Join us on campus and experience university life firsthand.

Attend all your classes in a physical classroom on scheduled days and times, which you will see and choose from when you register for courses.

Connect face-to-face with your professors, learn alongside your classmates and be part of the campus community from day one.  

Hear From Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be a Laurier Golden Hawk? Student Life at Laurier is your social media source to get unfiltered content, first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.

Connect with Us

Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.


You Belong Here

Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?