The thesis-intensive LLM offers law graduates the opportunity to demonstrate advanced legal scholarship, through the writing of a long or short masters-level dissertation. Students can write a thesis of between four (50-60 pages or 15,000 words) and 16 credits (150 pages or 45,000 words).
The LLM program is designed as a twelve-month program commencing in September, involving a course of studies and a thesis which, combined, are valued at 24 credit hours. Students in the thesis-intensive LLM program can design a program in almost any area of law and legal theory that will meet that student's interests and needs.
All LLM candidates participate in the graduate seminar, Alternative Approaches to Legal Scholarship, with other graduate students. The seminar is designed to expose students to various approaches to legal scholarship, including law and philosophy, law and economics, feminism and the law, legal history, law and society, analytical jurisprudence and critical legal theory. Graduate students choose their other courses from those available in the JD program, which are posted on-line in the summer. Graduate students are expected to choose upper-level and seminar courses.
In addition to the Degree Requirements, we also offer an intensive course, Introduction to the Canadian Legal System, in late August for students who are new to Canada and/or common law. We also hold a mandatory, non-credit LLM Writing Workshop, with sessions on legal research and writing throughout the year. Students also participate in the Comparative Legal Systems Seminar, where international LLM students present research about the legal systems in their home countries.
A part-time thesis-intensive LLM program may be taken over a period of two years; preference is given to those students writing a long thesis. A part-time candidate must successfully complete the course requirements (as above) by May 31 of the first academic year of attendance, and complete and present a satisfactory thesis by August 31 of the second academic year of attendance. Application to the Associate Dean (Graduate) is required for this part-time option.
Note: an LLM does not qualify foreign-trained candidates to practise law in Ontario, and LLM students are not permitted to take courses from the first year JD program. Contact the National Commitee on Accreditation for information on practising law in Ontario. See also information on NCA-related offerings at the Faculty of Law.
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