Law
Program Overview
The Master of Laws (LLM) is a one-year degree program that provides students with an opportunity for more profound study beyond their first law degree. (Please note: the LLM program is an academic program and is not designed to meet National Committee on Accreditation [NCA] requirements.)
The LLM program can be thesis intensive (with either a shorter or longer thesis) or coursework only. The longer thesis option is for law students who have demonstrated a strong potential for advanced research and writing in a common law system. The shorter thesis option and coursework-only formats are for law students who wish to specialize in a specific area of law or explore common law at an advanced level.
Within the LLM program, students also have the option of applying to pursue one of four areas of concentration: Business Law; Criminal Law; Health Law, Ethics and Policy; or Legal Theory. Students accepted into a concentration will receive a designation on their transcript. The number of places available for students in each of the areas of concentration will be limited, and acceptance into the concentrations will be on a competitive basis.
The Master of Studies in Law (MSL) is designed for scholars with no prior training in law who wish to acquire knowledge of law in order to add a legal dimension to scholarship in their own discipline.
The Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD), a thesis degree program which normally takes three years to complete, is for outstanding law students seeking to pursue careers in teaching, policy, and research.
The Faculty of Law also offers the Global Professional Master of Laws (GPLLM).
Quick Facts
| Domestic | International | |
|---|---|---|
| Application deadline | LLM: Fall 2025 entry 20-Jan-2025 (11:59pm EST) MSL:Fall 2025 entry 20-Jan-2025 (11:59pm EST) SJD:Fall 2025 entry 31-Jan-2025 (11:59pm EST) | LLM: Fall 2025 entry 20-Jan-2025 (11:59pm EST) MSL:Fall 2025 entry 20-Jan-2025 (11:59pm EST) SJD:Fall 2025 entry 31-Jan-2025 (11:59pm EST) |
| Minimum admission average | LLM: B+ MSL:B+ SJD:SJD: B+ SJD U: A- | LLM: B+ MSL:B+ SJD:SJD: B+ SJD U: A- |
| Direct entry option from bachelor's to PhD? | SJD: Yes – SJD Direct Entry (SJD U) | SJD: Yes – SJD Direct Entry (SJD U) |
| If a supervisor is identified after admission (as per question above), is admission conditional upon securing a supervisor? | LLM: Supervisor identified during the admission process SJD:Supervisor identified during the admission process | LLM: Supervisor identified during the admission process SJD:Supervisor identified during the admission process |
| Is a supervisor assigned by the graduate unit or secured by the applicant? | LLM: Graduate unit SJD:Graduate unit | LLM: Graduate unit SJD:Graduate unit |
| Are any standardized tests required/recommended? | LLM, MSL, SJD: N/A | LLM, MSL, SJD: N/A |
““Florence is the model of an engaged scholar, doing high-quality research and always looking for new ways to reach out to the wider world through popular writing, policy work, and community engagement"”
- Florence Ashley
- SJD student, Faculty of Law , 2021–22 Adel S. Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award