Students studying in Social Sciences Building

What can I do with my studies?

Program Overview

Program Requirements

Acquired skills

University education stimulates the development of many valuable skills transferable to the workplace. Employers increasingly demand a set of skills from their employees; communication, research, data use, analytical, decision-making, problem-solving, planning and organizational, responsibility, adaptability and autonomy, and teamwork skills are sought after. While they can seem limited to each program of study, skills are adaptable and extendable to a variety of situations and they can also be used to acquire other aptitudes and abilities hence ensuring the development and advancement of one’s career (to further develop your skill set, see Experience section). The list of skills below can then help in the process of choosing occupations that best fit your education and aptitudes and it can also be used to communicate your employability.

Skills [Coming soon]

Further studies

Many graduate programs are available for people with an undergraduate degree interested in expanding their knowledge, specializing or conducting research. The graduate programs below are examples selected from the list of graduate programs offered by the University of Ottawa. While they are related to this program of study, it is important to consult the admission requirements of the programs as not all types of degrees qualify one for admission. Moreover, additional programs and other universities could be considered depending on your career plan.

Graduate programs

Potential occupations

Universities studies lead to multiple occupations. Furthermore, certain professions require talent, special aptitudes, additional skills and experience beyond degrees themselves. By targeting a profession, it can make decisions easier during your schooling, throughout your job search and, finally, when choosing among job offers. The choices can change over time based on academic, personal, and professional paths and on the knowledge of occupations and of the labour market.

In order to list your choices, visit the Job Bank Canada website and, using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes, view job postings, wages, employment prospects and other important information that can help you make a decision. If need be, additional and complementary information can be found via two online career exploration tools (Careercruisingand Choices Planner)* also designed to facilitate your career advancement. The occupations found below are examples derived from the National Occupational Classification. They are presented by their occupational group title, in bold, followed by bulleted occupational titles specific to the program of study. Immediately after the occupational titles, the hyperlinked NOC code for the occupational group is provided. Overall, the occupations are presented side by side with their employment requirements and the establishments where to find a job.

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 is the authoritative resource on occupational information in Canada providing a standard taxonomy and framework for dialogue on Labour Market Information. It gathers more than 30,000 occupational titles into 500 Unit Groups, organized according to skill levels and skill types.

Occupations related to this program

Lawyers and Quebec notaries

  • Attorney
  • Civil lawyer
  • Commercial lawyer
  • Criminal lawyer
  • Immigration lawyer
  • Lawyer
  • Prosecutor

Two to three years of undergraduate studies; a bachelor's degree from a recognized law school; successful completion of the bar examination; completion of a period of articling; licensing by the provincial or territorial law society is required

Court officers and justices of the peace

  • Clerk of the court
  • Co-ordinator of court services
  • Court officer
  • Judicial officer
  • Justice of the peace

A bachelor`s degree in law; completion of a justice registrar, justice of the peace or other court training program is required; several years of experience as a court clerk or in another court service occupation

Paralegal and related occupations

  • Law clerk
  • Legal researcher
  • Legal technician
  • Paralegal
  • Trademark agent

A bachelor’s degree in law; knowledge of legal principles and procedures usually obtained through industry-sponsored courses and through experience

Judges

  • Chief justice
  • County Court judge
  • Court of Queen's Bench justice
  • District court judge
  • Family Court judge
  • Federal court justice – trial division
  • Provincial court of appeal justice
  • Small claims court judge
  • Supreme Court justice

Extensive experience as a lawyer or as a professor of law; membership in good standing with a provincial or territorial law society or bar association is required

Other business services managers

  • Accounting firm manager
  • Legal firm manager

A bachelor's degree in law or related discipline is usually required

Several years of experience in a field related to the business service provided are usually required

Licenses, certificates or registration may be required for some business services managers. For example, accounting firm managers usually require accounting certification

University studies in business administration may be required

Executive assistants

  • Committee clerk
  • Legislative assistant
  • Parliamentary committee clerk

A bachelor’s degree in law or a related discipline; experience in a related administrative occupation is usually required

Other managers in public administration

  • Elections planning director
  • Federal-provincial relations director
  • Intergovernmental affairs director

A bachelor’s degree in law; several years of experience in government policy development, research or program administration, or a professional occupation in law; progression to senior management positions in this field is possible with experience

Senior government managers and officials

  • Chief electoral officer
  • High commissioner
  • Vice-president – government services 

A university degree in law or related discipline is usually required

A graduate degree in law or related field may be required

Several years of managerial experience in the public or private sector are required

Other administrative services managers

  • Chief, legal department
  • Chief, financial and administrative services

A bachelor's degree in law or related discipline is usually required

Several years of experience at a professional level in business administration, finance or administrative services are usually required

An Associate of the Institute of the Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ACIS), Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (FCIS) or a Professional Administrator (P Adm) designation may be required for some occupations in this group

Certification in health information management by the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA) may be required

In Quebec, certification with the Association québécoise des archivistes médicales may be required

University professors and lecturers

  • Department head
  • Lecturer
  • Professor
  • Visiting scholar

A doctoral degree in the field of specialization is required for university professors; a master's degree in the field of specialization is required for university lecturers; licenses or professional certification may be required for professors teaching future practitioners in certain professionally regulated fields, such as medicine, engineering, architecture, psychology or law; university professors who are also practitioners in their field of specialization must have the appropriate licenses or certification

Administrators – post-secondary education and vocational training

  • Assistant dean
  • Dean
  • Faculty administrator

Faculty administrators require a graduate degree in a field related to the academic faculty and several years of experience as a university professor or college teacher

Post-secondary teaching and research assistants

  • Discussion group leader – post-secondary teaching assistance
  • Post-secondary research assistant
  • Post-secondary teaching assistant

Enrolment in a university or college program is required

Related field

Although many students believe that they will pursue a career path directly connected to their university studies, quite often, graduates tend to work in related fields. Below is a list of possible related fields of work based on a given program of study. These fields present opportunities that are not typically considered as first choices when choosing a career path based on a program of study. Hopefully, this list will allow students to further consider the various fields that are loosely connected to their program of study. These results were compiled through a research of the University of Ottawa's alumni profiles which were found on the business-oriented social networking service, LinkedIn. 

Related Fields

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Education
  • Administrative
  • Media and Communication
  • Human Resources

Acquiring experience

Experience is acquired by participating and trying new personal, educational and professional activities, where it is possible to discover preferences, increase confidence and improve skills. As for professional experience, it is acquired through volunteering, internships, self-employment and full-time or part-time jobs. And certainly, experience working on campus or in other settings adds to the set of skills acquired in your degree (see Acquired Skills section). The Employability Skills 2000+presenting the skills employers look for in their employees as well as its complementary checklist can help target experience opportunities that will improve your skill set necessary for employment. In addition to developing these skills, performing work related to your program of study can strengthen your expertise and increase your employability.

All examples of volunteer experience and potential employers were selected specifically for this area of study and according to occupational groups in which it is possible to acquire experience. Examples of volunteer organizations in Canada and abroad are preceded by a list of directories that can help to find more volunteer opportunities. Examples of potential employers in Canada and abroad have been compiled in light of events held in partnership with employers, searches in company directories and well-established rankings.

Volunteer opportunities

In addition to providing an opportunity to apply theories and knowledge learned during your university studies outside the classroom, in real world situations, volunteering is a way to help the community and its many organizations. The Community Service Learning also allows students to contribute to their community by participating in projects that are related to their program of study.

Directories

Canada Abroad

Potential employers

The following examples of employers can offer internships or employment opportunities related to students’ program of studies. The examples are presented according to geographic location: Ottawa and Gatineau, Ontario, Quebec and other provinces.

In Canada

Ottawa/Gatineau Region Ontario

Quebec Other provinces and territories

Abroad

The requirements for working abroad consider factors like administrative laws, professional standards and work permits in some countries. To learn about requirements in various countries, visit Skill Clear or MyWorldAbroad (registration with a @uOttawa.ca email is required to use MyWorldAbroad).

Established globally North America (excluding Canada)

South America Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania Others

Job search resources

The job search resources are designed to stimulate networking activities, develop marketing strategies and facilitate access to job postings. Networking events offer employers the opportunity to learn about the available workforce, and they give students a chance to be considered in the recruitment process. Career Development Centre offers helpful tips on networking, interview preparation techniques and different tools that can also be used to help with the preparation of resumés and cover letters.

Professional organizations

Examples of professional organizations, presented by location, provide essential information on professional development opportunities and networking activities, the examples can also provide access to publications and job opportunities.

Canadian Provincial and territorial

American International

Job search sites

Here are a few websites posting jobs available in Canada and abroad related to this field of study.

Canadian International

General Job Search Websites

Modified date: 2017-03-20