Cultural Studies (BA in Combination)

Explore human culture and its impact on societal issues like class, race, gender, and power through Cultural Studies. This interdisciplinary program combines social sciences, humanities and the arts within an innovative learning environment where you tackle unique assignments and draw critical conclusions about everyday experiences. Develop skills to engage with contemporary issues, empower others, and drive positive change. Graduates of this program are well-prepared for diverse career opportunities.

This program must be combined with another Bachelor of Arts program.

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:

  • Connect Culture and Business: The Management Option or our BA+MBA co-op pathway maybe just for you if you want to make your way in accounting, marketing, human resources, operations, policy, and finance.
  • Pop Culture Courses: A focus on mass culture goes with an interest in popular culture. From popular music to cartoons and comics (KS205) and monsters, Cultural Studies seeks to understand how cultural objects and processes matter in everyday life.
  • Prepare for a Teaching Career: The Teaching Option gives you a glimpse of your future teaching career and prepares you for further studies – especially if you want to pursue a Bachelor of Education.

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!):

  • Study abroad: Spend an academic term immersed in a new culture, broadening your global perspective and enriching your educational experience.
  • Ignite Your Inner Entrepreneur: Turn your innovative business ideas into reality by joining the StartUp Lab, where you can launch and develop your own venture. 
  • Community Service-Learning: Community Service-Learning placements integrate hands-on experience in the community with what you are learning in your classes.
  • Grad School Prep: Engage in faculty-led research opportunities to strengthen your preparation for advanced studies and deepen your academic expertise.

Courses, Options and Pathways

Combinations or Combined Degrees

This program must be completed in combination with another Bachelor of Arts program. You can easily pair your studies with Ancient Studies, Archeology and Heritage Studies, English, Film Studies, Global Studies, History, Philosophy, or Political Science, among others.

First-Year Core Courses

Begin your studies by taking the program's two required courses:

  • Exploring Cultural Studies
  • Studying Popular Culture

And choose from 8 more courses in topics that interest you, including Communication Studies, Sociology, Women and Gender Studies, or Anthropology.

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Cultures Today
  • Canadian Communication in Context
  • Introduction to Women and Gender Studies
  • Introduction to Sociology

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Cartoons and Comics
  • Cultural Studies of Popular Music
  • Game Cultures
  • Networked and Digital Cultures

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:

  • Teaching Option
  • Film Studies Minor
  • Digital Humanities Minor
  • Intercultural Understanding Option
  • Public Policy Minor

Check out other options to enhance your degree

Business Pathway

Enhance your degree with a Management Option or get a head-start on graduate studies by applying to the BA + Master of Business Administration with co-op. Apply directly to either on the Ontario Universities' Application Centre.

Admissions

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

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.

  • client support specialist
  • communications writer
  • community manager
  • copywriter
  • cultural anthropologist
  • digital media assistant
  • human resources professional
  • museum curator
  • reporter
  • social media strategist
  • technical writer

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.

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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 Global 2000 World University Ranking

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2023

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2023

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.

Chat with Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be in this program? U Community is our Discord server where future Golden Hawks like you can connect with current students to get their 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?