LLM program information

Required courses include Research Integrity Tutorial GRAD7300, Academic Integrity Tutorial GRAD7500 and the graduate Legal Research and Theory seminar LAW7110 in the Faculty of Law.

Two additional courses relevant to one’s research area (at least one Law course and a second that may be from outside the Faculty of Law).

Students pursuing one of our below-listed LLM streams must take two courses from those approved for the stream. Streams of study include: Human Rights, Business, Indigenous Studies, Law and Society, Criminal Law, and Public Policy. The LLM may also include Practice based courses which include our featured clinics.

This Program Chart summarizes the requirements to compete the Thesis-based LLM program.

Legal Research & Theory Graduate Seminar LAW7110

This is a mandatory course exclusively for students enrolled in the LLM. This course introduces students to select theoretical and methodological approaches to law.

Faculty members at the Faculty of Law engage in scholarly work on the cutting edge of legal issues relevant to our local, national, and international communities. Our research is used by lawyers, courts, legislative bodies and policymakers across the country, and is published in leading journals and books by renowned presses.

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The Faculty of Law is proud of our ability to offer individualized, careful supervision for each of our graduate students. In addition to offering fellowships to high-achieving students and support for conference travel, we offer graduate students a quiet study space in the secure Graduate Student lounge in the 100 level of Robson Hall, and full access to the E.K. Williams Law Library.

Q1: Why a Thesis?

The Thesis prepares students intending to pursue thesis-based academic qualifications. The thesis program provides the opportunity to engage in sustained and substantial academic original research on a topic of interest.  An essential feature of the Thesis is demonstrated competence to complete a research project and present the findings.

Q2: How do I find a Thesis Advisor?

Students take the initiative to contact a potential advisor from the faculty pages of the Law website. Once students have chosen a Thesis Advisor and conferred with the Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, the Advisor Student Guidelines (on JUMP) must be completed.

Q3: Tell me about the Thesis Proposal process.

The Thesis Proposal is a 10–15-page proposal for thesis research prepared under the supervision of the Thesis Advisor. It is to be submitted to the Advisor after 9 credit hours of LLM work is complete and must be approved by the Thesis Advisory Committee before any research work can begin.There is no oral defence of the Proposal, but the Thesis Advisory Committee passes or fails the Thesis Proposal by majority vote.

Q4: Tell me about the Thesis process.

The Thesis demonstrates one’s mastery of a specific field of legal research and that one is fully conversant with the relevant literature. The document is 20,000-25,000 words of double-spaced typescript, including notes and bibliography, and makes an original contribution to knowledge in the field of law. This normally involves original research (i.e. interviews, surveys, participant observation, the analysis of jurisprudence, archival research, etc.) Thesis guidelines are strict, including that all candidates must receive ethics approval for any research that involves human subjects, and no data collection may commence until written approval is received.

Q5: How do I defend and pass my Thesis?

There is a public, oral Thesis defence in front of the Examining Committee, which is normally the same at the Thesis Advisory Committee. The final examination for the LLM Thesis proceeds in two stages: a) the student will first present a summary (10-15 minutes) of the research contribution; and b) the examination of the candidate’s thesis. The examination portion should not exceed 70 minutes. Typically, two (2) rounds of questioning are permitted: the first of 10 minutes for each Examiner, and the second of 5 minutes for each Examiner. The Examining Committee then meets in private to determine whether the Thesis passes and whether revisions are necessary. The Thesis is graded on its merits according to the following categories:

• Acceptable, without modification or with minor revision(s); or
• Acceptable, subject to modification and/or revision(s); or
• Not acceptable.

Once the Thesis is approved, the Advisor and Examiners must submit the Thesis final report to the Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Law, who submits it to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The student must upload their final Thesis in correct format to MSpace.

• Human Ethics Index
• Thesis Guidelines

Required courses are Graduate Legal Research and Theory LAW7112 (3 credit hours), and the Capstone Seminar LAW7002 (3 credit hours)

18 credit hours of electives, at least 12 credit hours of which must be taken within the Faculty of Law; up to 6 of the 18 credit hours may be graduate courses in another faculty. All electives within the Faculty of Law must be at the 7000 level.

Students pursuing one of our below-listed LLM streams must take two courses from those approved for the stream. Streams of study include: Human Rights, Business, Indigenous Studies, Law and Society, Criminal Law, and Public Policy. The course-based LLM may also include Practice-based courses (which include our featured clinics).

This Program Chart summarizes the requirements to compete the course-based LLM program.

*The number of electives taken in Term I or Term 2 may vary. At least 12 of the 18 credit hours must be taken within the Faculty of Law. Up to 6 of the 18 credit hours may be graduate level courses in another faculty.

• Legal Research & Theory Graduate Seminar LAW7112
• Capstone Seminar LAW7002

Q1: Why a course-based LLM?

A course-based LLM appeals to practicing lawyers or to those employed in the legal sector with law-adjacent education and experience (for example, members of the public service). The degree offers further specialized knowledge relevant to one’s career, while providing practical skills and knowledge not obtained from one’s undergraduate education.

Q2: What do I need to do for the Capstone Seminar?

The Capstone Seminar is taken in the final term of one’s course-based LLM, and after the LAW 7112 Graduate Legal Research and Theory prerequisite. The Seminar is designed to provide a venue for students to pursue individual research projects in an area of law that is of personal and/or professional interest. In addition to other evaluated components, students must produce a 7,500 word research paper.

Q3: Tell me about the electives.

In addition to the required 6 credit hours of the course-based LLM, students are required to pass 18 credit hours of electives. At least 12 of the 18 credit hours must be taken within the Faculty of Law at the 7000 level. Up to 6 of the 18 credit hours may be graduate level courses in another faculty.

Q4: Do I need to find an Advisor?

All course-based LLM candidates will be assigned a Study Advisor with expertise in their chosen field of study by the Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies.

Application Deadline:

The annual application deadline for Canadian, US and International Applicants to the LL.M. program is December 15.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis. The Admissions committee for Law reviews applications between January and March.

Applications open up to 18 months prior to starting term.

The Master of Laws program has only one application deadline per year, and applications are accepted for September entry only. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:

• $100 application fee (non-refundable)
• CV/Resumé
• Research proposal
• Statement of Intent
• Three letters of recommendation

All students admitted into the LLM program are considered for funding opportunities; no separate application is required.

The Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies ensures that graduate education at the Faculty of Law is the best it can be. The office is committed to supporting self-directed learning, fostering the timely completion of the LLM, and providing exceptional administrative and academic services.