Program Overview

Program Overview

The PhD program in Law gives qualified students the opportunity to engage in sustained research in an area of interest to them, under the supervision of our diverse, energetic faculty members.

Program Details

Completing this Program

• Core Courses: Graduate seminar in legal research and methodology, graduate seminar in legal theory, and independent, supervised research.
• Thesis/Dissertation Proposal
• Written Field of Study Examinations
• Oral Candidacy Examination
• Completion of Original Thesis/Dissertation: Approximately 300 pages in length.

Outcomes

The PhD program is for students passionate about research and writing in a focused area of law, and who may be interested in an academic or research career.

Thesis-based Program

Students are required to prepare a thesis/dissertation and successfully defend in an open oral defense.

Courses

Three core courses.

Classroom Delivery

The program is delivered in a classroom setting.

Time Commitment

Four years full-time

Supervisor

A supervisor is required; potential supervisors must be listed when applying to the program

Fees and Funding

See the Graduate Calendar for information on fees and fee regulations, and for information on awards and financial assistance.

Admission Requirements

GPA

Minimum GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0 on JD, LLB or equivalent Law degree, plus 3.0 out of 4.0 on Masters of Law of equivalent. Generally, successful applicants will have a GPA of at least 3.7 out of 4.0 in their Masters degrees.

Minimum Education

An LLM or other relevant and appropriate master's degree.

Work Samples

Writing sample required.

Documents

• Applicants must provide a 10-page statement describing their research interests and propose a dissertation project.
• A C.V.
• Writing Sample: Should be approximately 10-30 pages long. It must be your own original writing. It should be reasoned scholarly or professional work that serves to demonstrate to a committee of professors that you have a well-developed capacity for writing, analysis and research. It may be published or unpublished. Be prepared to explain in your application the circumstances under which you wrote it. Do not submit writing that you co-authored with someone else: application files relying on co-authored work will be treated as incomplete. Do not submit any material that is confidential or to which others might have claims of privilege, e.g. confidential or privileged memoranda prepared for clients or employers.
• You will be asked to identify two referees. Ensure that the contact information you provide is accurate. At least one, and preferably both, of your references should be provided by individuals who have worked with you at the Master’s level and is well familiar with your past work and research proposal.
• Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions that you have attended, including any that you may currently be attending.

Reference Letters

Two academic.

Test Scores

None

Supervision and Funding

Applicants must identify a potential supervisor in their application.

English Language Proficiency (ELP)

An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL ibt) score of 97 (minimum of 25 on the reading and writing components).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 (minimum of 6.0 in each section and a reading and writing band minimum of 7.0).
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 68, or higher (Academic version).
• Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL) score of 70 (minimum score of 70 on writing and reading sections and 60 in all other sections).
• Academic Communication Certificate (ACC) score of A- in the Academic Writing and Composition course, a minimum grade of “A-” in the Research Writing and Form course, and a minimum grade of “B+” in all other courses.
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency minimum score of 191.

Dates and Deadlines

For admission September 1:

• Application portal opens September 1.
• Application deadline: December 1.
• Deadline for submission of supporting documents and reference letters: December 15.

Supervisors

The following faculty members are available to supervise this degree:

1. Lyndsay Campbell
2. Gideon Christian
3. Greg Hagen
4. Lorian Hardcastle
5. Howard Kislowicz
6. Emily Laidlaw
7. Sharon Mascher
8. Michael Nesbitt
9. Evaristus Oshionebo
10. Bryce Tingle

Research Areas

The Faculty of Law includes endowed chairs in natural resources and business law. Our graduate programs in energy and environmental law are world-renowned. We have experts in a wide variety of areas of law, including international environmental law, internet and cybersecurity law, business law, and legal theory and history.