| Location | Email Address | Program Website |
|---|---|---|
| 0015 Ignat Kaneff Building | pa-opd@osgoode.yorku.ca | osgoodepd.ca/graduate-programs-and-courses/ |
The Osgoode Professional Development LLM program is primarily course-based; its programs focus on a variety of legal specializations, with most specializations done on a part-time basis and several available on a full-time basis.
Admission Requirements
Master of Laws
To be eligible for admission, an applicant normally must meet the following criteria:
A Bachelor of Laws degree or its equivalent from a university outside Canada or a Bachelor of Civil Laws (not a common law degree) from a Canadian university, with an overall B (75%) average or equivalent.
An LLB or JD degree with an overall B average or equivalent. Applicants with less than a B average in the LLB or JD will be considered provided they also have five years or more of relevant practice experience.
In cases where an applicant has relevant experience (typically five years) or where an applicant completed an LLB prior to 1985, a C+ average will usually be considered adequate for admission.
Applicants without an LLB or JD degree will be considered provided they have a university degree, a superior academic record and significant work experience related to the specialization for which they have applied. A graduate degree is preferred.
Applicants without an LLB or JD degree will be conditionally admitted based on completion of the one-week intensive course
General Law 6149 3.0: Introduction to Graduate Legal Studies.
Note: General Law LLM is only open to applicants who hold an LLB or JD.
Some students will also be required to take summer preparatory courses and foundational courses in Introduction to Canadian Law and/or Legal Research and Writing. These courses are generally required for students who have completed their law degree in a country other than Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom, and students admitted without an LLB or JD degree.
Applicants whose first language is not English must produce proof of a score of 7.5 on the International English Language Testing System or any of the equivalent scores listed at http://www.osgoodepd.ca/graduate-programs-and-courses/admissions-requirements/#Language. Applicants who have completed at least ONE year of full time study at an accredited university where English is the ONLY official language of instruction at the institution level (not only the program level) are not required to provide a language test.
Degree Requirements
Master of Laws
Students in all specializations (except Canadian Common Law, where there is no research requirement) must successfully complete 36 required credits including a research requirement to fulfill their degree requirements. At least 18 of the required 36 credits must be completed from among the home specialization, and up to 6 credits of electives must be completed from outside of the home specialization and a research requirement.
The research requirement can be fulfilled through the following options:
- A major research paper (70 pages; six credits)
- An independent significant research paper (30 pages, three credits)
- A significant research paper (30 pages) completed as the means of assessment for one of the courses within the specialization.
Students completing their degree requirements though the major research paper or independent significant research paper option are required to complete General Law 6101: Advanced Legal Research and Writing Skills.
Administrative Law Required Courses
Administrative Law 6765 3.0: Administrative Law Remedies
Administrative Law 6761 3.0: Some Theoretical Perspectives on Public Law and Administration
Administrative Law 6740 6.0: Overview and Current Developments
Business Law
Business Law 6735 3.0: Boards of Directors
Business Law 6749 3.0: Corporate Governance
Business Law 6870 3.0: Advanced Corporate Law
Business Law 6902 3.0: Corporate Finance
Business Law 6908 3.0: Corporate Remedies
Business Law 6909 3.0: Corporate Transactions
Canadian Common Law Required Courses
There are no required courses in this specialization, instead students are required to take at least 18 credits of courses that are listed as “core” courses. If students choose to take all their credits from the Canadian Common Law core offerings, there is no significant research paper component to the degree requirements. Rather, students will do shorter research and writing assignments in each course, along with a final exam as required by the program’s accrediting body.
Constitutional Law Required Courses
Constitutional Law 6728 3.0: Constitutional Remedies
Constitutional Law 6726 3.0: Constitutional Theory
Constitutional Law 6725 3.0: Evidence and Procedure in Constitutional Litigation
Criminal Law & Procedure Required Courses
Criminal Law & Procedure 6786 3.0: The Theory and Practice of Punishment
Criminal Law & Procedure 6784 3.0: Problems of Proof
Criminal Law & Procedure 6782 6.0: Criminal Law & the Charter
Criminal Law & Procedure 6781 6.0: Issues in Criminal Law
Dispute Resolution Required Courses
Dispute Resolution 6300 6.0: Introduction to Dispute Resolution
Dispute Resolution 6301 6.0: The Theory and Practice of Dispute Resolution
Energy & Infrastructure Law Required Courses
There are no required courses in this specialization, instead students are required to take at least 18 credits of courses that are listed as “core” courses.
Financial Law Courses
Banking & Financial Services Law 6800 3.0: Introduction to Financial Law (non-LLB students)
Banking & Financial Services Law 6901 3.0: Advanced Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law
Banking & Financial Services Law 6914 3.0: Advanced Banking Law
General Law
There are no required courses in this specialization. Instead, students select courses from any specialization, excluding Canadian Common Law, provided that they have the prerequisites for the courses if applicable.
Health Law Required Courses
Health Law 6860 3.0: The Canadian Health Care System: Legal Frameworks
Health Law 6861 3.0: The Canadian Health Care System: Bioethics and the Law
International Business Law
International Business Law 6501 6.0 Comparative Legal Studies in International Business. In addition students must complete at least 18 credits of courses that are listed as “elective” courses for the International Business Law specialization.
Intellectual Property Law Required Courses
Intellectual Property Law 6750 3.0: Introduction to Intellectual Property: Theoretical Frameworks
Labour & Employment Law Required Courses
Labour & Employment Law 6805 3.0: Theories and Perspectives in Labour & Employment Law
Privacy & Cybersecurity Law
Privacy & Cybersecurity Law 6161 6.0: Privacy and Data Security from a Legal, Business and Technological Perspective
Privacy & Cybersecurity Law 6162 6.0: Privacy Law in Canada
Privacy & Cybersecurity Law 6163 3.0: Internet Censorship and Global Surveillance
Privacy & Cybersecurity Law 6164 3.0: The Law of Confidential Information
Privacy & Cybersecurity Law 6165 3.0: Special Topics in Laws Governing Data Use and Data Disclosure
Securities Law Required Courses
Securities Law 6118 3.0: Foundations of Securities Law**
Securities Law 6119 3.0: Securities Law: Theoretical Approaches
Securities Law 6741 6.0: Products, Transactions and Legal Structures
Securities Law 6745 6.0: Litigation and Enforcement
**Only required for students in the Securities Law LLM program who have not had practical or regulator training as securities lawyers in Canada. Students with this experience are not required to take this course.
Tax Law Required Courses
Tax Law 6100 6.0: Tax Policy, Statutory Interpretation and the Foundations of the Taxation of Individuals
- BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY LAW
- CHARITIES AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT LAW
- CIVIL LITIGATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
- FAMILY LAW
- MUNICIPAL LAW
- REAL PROPERTY
The Professional LLM program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis depending on the specialization. Some specializations operate on a cohort basis, as all students commence the program at the same time, either in the fall or winter terms. Other specializations have rolling admissions so that new students can start in fall, winter, or summer terms.
The Professional LLM program specializing in International Business Law can be completed on a full-time basis. Entry is fall and winter terms.
The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is three terms (the equivalent of one full year) or six terms (equivalent to two full years) for part-time students. Students who complete degree requirements earlier than three full-time or six part-time terms, will be billed fees for remaining terms upon completion of degree requirements. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (the equivalent of four full years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.