Join us at Laurier

Becoming a Golden Hawk means more than just cheering on our (really good) varsity teams – it means being a student who cares about your community, who works hard in the classroom, and who takes advantage of all the learning opportunities that can happen outside the classroom, too.

Steps to Apply

Undergraduate Admissions Graduate Admissions

Steps to Apply

Undergraduate AdmissionsGraduate Admissions

Religion and Culture (BA)

waterloo  and  online

Explore the rich diversity of faiths in many regions of the world and study how religion interacts with culture. Discover and discuss issues relating to human rights, religious rights and freedoms, the status of women, identity and belonging, inter-group conflict and coexistence in a multicultural society. Examine ancient and contemporary spiritual experiences using data such as sacred texts, oral narratives and works of visual or performing art.

Apply Your Learning

Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you. Volunteer work, campus clubs, leadership programs, studying abroad, work experience – there are so many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world.

Here are just a few examples of the experiences you can add to your Religion and Culture program:

  • Apply for co-op at the end of your first year and gain real-world work experience.
  • Complete a course with a Community Service-Learning component to be involved in the local community.
  • Add a language to your degree, such as French or Spanish, and gain practical translation skills that you can add to your resume.
  • Study abroad for an academic term and experience another culture for yourself.

Check out the Religion and Culture Experience Guide.

 

2020 graduates who secured employment or went on to postgraduate studies

 

Laurier ranks in the top 6 percent of universities worldwide*

 

students who gained hands-on learning experiences at Laurier in 2019/20

*Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)

Admissions

Format: full time or part time      Duration: four years     Start: September (fall term)     OUAC code: UH
Ontario High School Admission Requirements
  • Minimum admission range: low 70s.
  • Competitive admission range based on last year’s admitted students: low 80s.
  • English at 60%.
Canadian Admission Requirements (Outside of Ontario)

Students applying to this program from a Canadian province outside of Ontario are encouraged to review our course equivalents by province chart. This chart will show you what courses from your province are equivalent to the admission requirements listed under Ontario High School Admission Requirements.
International Admission Requirements

Students applying to this program from an international curriculum are encouraged to review our curriculum-specific requirements; you must also meet all program-specific requirements listed under the Ontario High School Admission Requirements section.

English-Proficiency Requirement

Laurier's language of instruction is English, and so we may require you to provide evidence of your English proficiency to help make sure you experience success in your academic courses.

Your three most recent years of full-time education must be in English without taking any ESL (English as a Second Language) courses. If you do not meet this requirement, you must provide evidence of your English proficiency.

We reserve the right to request an English-language test from any applicant.

If you do not meet Laurier's English proficiency requirement but are academically qualified for your program, you may be eligible for a conditional offer of admission.

Laurier English and Academic Foundation (LEAF) Program

The Laurier English and Academic Foundation (LEAF) program is an academic English program for Laurier applicants who have to prove English proficiency. If you have received an offer to Laurier with a condition to meet our English- proficiency requirement, you can meet that condition by successfully completing the LEAF program.
College Pathways

Graduates from a two-year general Arts and Science diploma program can apply to Religion and Culture within the Faculty of Arts on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. To be considered for admission to the Faculty of Arts, graduates must have an overall average of 75% in their program and achieve a minimum of 60% in a 4U English course or equivalent.

Learn more about our college transfer agreement.

Other Admission Requirements

Visit our admission requirements section to find specific requirements for university students, indigenous applicants, mature learners, homeschooled applicants, senior citizens, refugees, and more. 

Your Next Steps

Apply Now Strengthen Your Application Important Dates

Program Details

Religion and Culture at Laurier

If issues in Religion and Culture excite you, this program offers courses that provide an excellent basis for engaging debates. You'll discover and discuss issues about human rights, religious rights and freedoms, the status of women, identity and belonging, inter-group conflict and coexistence in a multicultural society.

Our popular first- and second-year intro courses explore the rich diversity of religion in many different regions of the world and study how religion interacts with culture. Our fourth-year capstone course allows you to develop an individualized research project connected to your professional interests.

The department encourages students to take language courses, and up to 1.0 credit of language study at the senior level can count toward your Religion and Culture requirements.

Graduates of the Religion and Culture program include, but are not limited to, social workers, teachers, professors, counsellors, librarians, editors, government workers, community organizers, filmmakers, artists, and writers.

Learn Online

This program is offered both as an on-campus degree and as a fully online degree, giving you the flexibility to choose how you want to learn and what works best with your lifestyle.

Study Abroad

This program encourages students to complement their degrees with international experience. The Religion and Culture program makes it easier for you to study abroad for one or two semesters by offering upper-level courses without demanding prerequisites, counting certain language courses toward an honours major, and not requiring that you take specific courses in your third year.

Past Religion and Culture majors have studied abroad in places such as France, England, Japan and Morocco.

Program Options and Courses

Options and Minors

These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:

  • Community Engagement Option
  • Education Minor
  • Leadership Minor
  • Management Option
  • Muslim Studies Option
  • Public Policy Minor

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

First-Year Courses

You'll choose two of the following courses:

  • Evil and Its Symbols
  • Love and Its Myths
  • Religion and Cinematic Culture
  • Religion and Visual Culture
  • Religions of the Americas: Asian and Middle Eastern
  • Religions of the Americas: Indigenous, African and European
  • Sports and the Sacred

Plus 4.0 elective credits in courses that interest you.

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Harry Potter and Medieval Culture
  • Mediterranean Culture and Civilization
  • Modern Standard Arabic

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Archaeology of Religion
  • Religion, Culture and Society
  • World Religions in Global Perspective

Similar Programs

Co-op

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 with work experience.

You can apply for admission to co-op in your first year and may be eligible for an admission interview early in your second year. As a student in this program, you will be eligible to complete paid work terms lasting 12 to 16 weeks.

Interested? Learn more about co-op.

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.

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"Not only have I gained knowledge in a variety of areas of interest, but I was also given the opportunity to hone my skills in reading, writing, research, communication, interpersonal relations and critical thinking. Since we are living in the era of globalization, these softer skills have become more relevant as they are the base for which dialogue can occur – both within the workplace and out."

Brandi May, Religion and Culture graduate

"On a personal level, Religion and Culture afforded the opportunity and focused time to be introspective: as I read about and reflected on the varied ways that people around the world mark life events, navigate transitions, and make sense of their existence, I articulated my own aspirations."

Elysia Guzik, Religion and Culture graduate

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • activist/advocate
  • community program manager
  • filmmaker
  • foreign services worker
  • humanitarian aid worker
  • journalist/editor
  • lawyer
  • non-profit program facilitator
  • public administrator/policy analyst
  • social services director

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.

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.

"Taking a course called the Hindu Tradition during my second year at Laurier ignited a passion for all things religious that will never leave me. […] Courses on Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity widened my perspective and appreciation of these traditions and the cultures they are a part of. "

Shane Glosnek, Religion and Culture graduate

Interested in More Info?

Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 519.884.0710 x3385 or see all contact information.

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