Program Overview

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J.D.-MA (Affaires internationales)

Overview of the Program

The Common Law Section of the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) at Carleton University offer a combined four-year program leading to a Master of Arts (International Affairs) and a Juris Doctor. The program provides excellent foundational training for careers in the public or private sector, as well as for advanced studies in international affairs and international law.

Simultaneous preparation of these two degrees allows students to unify their research interests in international law and international relations and to benefit from the substantial work in international affairs and international law being done by these two institutions located in the national capital region. The number of credits normally required to complete the two programs separately is reduced, as is the period of study, which would otherwise be three years for the J.D. and one and a half years for the M.A.

Program Requirements

• The program is offered in both English and French.
• Students must apply separately to the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University and to the Common Law Section of the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law.
• Admission to the program requires acceptance by each institution, according to their regular admission requirements. In each application, students must indicate their desire to enroll in the combined program.

First Year

• The first year of study in this program is the regular first year of the J.D. program.
• In accordance with changes made to the program, students in the English Common Law program must enroll in the course "Public International Law" offered to first-year students in the winter term.

Second Year

• The second year takes place at Carleton University.
• In the second year, students pursue either a course-based master's program or a master's program with a research paper or thesis. During this second year, students also enroll in the mandatory combined program course.
• As full-time graduate students at Carleton University, they are eligible to apply for various forms of financial assistance offered to graduate students.

Third and Fourth Years

• The third and fourth years of study take place at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law.
• In the third and fourth years, students must take upper-year courses in the J.D. program, as well as prepare a research paper or thesis that meets the requirements of the NPSIA's M.A. program, if this option is chosen.
• During each of these years, students must take a half-course from NPSIA. This half-course counts towards both the Carleton University (0.5 credits) and the University of Ottawa (3 credits) requirements. Courses must be approved by NPSIA.

Research Paper or Thesis

• Students who do not choose the course-based master's program must submit a research paper or thesis as a condition of completing the M.A. degree.
• The research paper or thesis is supervised by a professor from each university. NPSIA ensures that a person from each university is designated for this purpose.
• Since September 2007, anyone enrolled in the combined program whose research is co-supervised by someone from the Faculty of Law may receive 6 credits from the University of Ottawa for this work, under the course code CML4203: Directed Research, in the third or fourth year when the research paper or thesis is completed or at any other suitable time. No credit is given for work in progress, although the grade may be deferred for a limited time if the work continues.

Joint Course

• All students in the combined program take the mandatory joint course INAF5509: Law, Politics and Economics in International Affairs.
• Students in the English J.D. program take this course in the second year, while students in the French J.D. program take it in the third year.

Course Sequences

Students Admitted from September 2025

Year 1 - 33 credits (8 courses)

• CML 1101 - Legal Foundations: Research, Strategy, Analysis (1 credit)
• CML 1102 - Contracts (5 credits)
• CML 1106 - Dispute Resolution and Professional Responsibility (3 credits)
• CML 1108 - Property (5 credits)
• CML 1307 - Law, Reconciliation & Decolonization (3 credits)
• CML 1206 - Introduction to Public Law and Constitutional Law (6 credits)
• CML 1103 - Criminal Law and Procedure (5 credits)
• CML 1107 - Torts (5 credits)

Year 2

• Students enroll at Carleton University and complete the NPSIA curriculum.

Year 3 - 30 credits (usually 10 courses)

• CML 2313 - Constitutional Law II (3 credits)
• CML 3131 - Public International Law (3 credits)
• CML 2309 - Civil Procedure I (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• CML 2312 - Administrative Law (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• CML 2302 - Business Organizations or CML3102 Special Course in Business Law (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• Half-course NPSIA (3 credits)
• Optional CML courses (12-21 credits, depending on enrollment in upper-year required courses)

Year 4 - 30 credits (usually 10 courses)

• CML 2309 - Civil Procedure I (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• CML 2312 - Administrative Law (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• CML 2302 - Business Organizations or CML3102 Special Course in Business Law (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• Half-course NPSIA (3 credits)
• Optional CML courses (18-27 credits, depending on enrollment in upper-year required courses)

Students Admitted from September 2016

Year 1 - 33 credits (8 courses)

• CML 1506 - Introduction to Dispute Resolution and Professionalism (3 credits)
• CML 1508 - Property Rights (3 credits)
• CML 1511 - Legal Skills and Abilities (3 credits)
• CML 1613 - Constitutional Law I (3 credits)
• CML 1704 - Legislation (3 credits)
• CML 1602 - Contracts (6 credits)
• CML 1603 - Criminal Law and Procedure (6 credits)
• CML 1607 - Civil Wrongs (6 credits)

Year 2

• Students enroll at Carleton University and complete the NPSIA curriculum, including CML3531 Public International Law, taken at the University of Ottawa as a visiting student.

Year 3 - 30 credits (usually 10 courses)

• CML 2713 - Constitutional Law II (3 credits)
• CML 2702 - Business Organizations (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• CML 2709 - Civil Procedure I (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• CML 2712 - Administrative Law (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• Half-course NPSIA (3 credits)
• Optional CML courses (15-24 credits, depending on enrollment in upper-year required courses)

Year 4 - 30 credits (usually 10 courses)

• CML 2702 - Business Organizations (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• CML 2709 - Civil Procedure I (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• CML 2712 - Administrative Law (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• Half-course NPSIA (3 credits)
• Optional CML courses (18-27 credits, depending on enrollment in upper-year required courses)

Previous Course Sequences

Students Admitted from September 2012

Year 1 - 34 credits (9 courses)

• CML 1101 - Principles of Legal Research (1 credit)
• CML 1102 - Contracts (5 credits)
• CML 1104 - Public Law and Legislation (3 credits)
• CML 1109 - First-Year Thematic Course: Public International Law (3 credits)
• CML 1106 - Dispute Resolution and Professional Responsibility (3 credits)
• CML 1108 - Property (5 credits)
• CML 1213 - Constitutional Law I (3 credits)
• CML 1103 - Criminal Law and Procedure (5 credits)
• CML 1207 - Torts (6 credits)

Year 2

• Students enroll at Carleton University and complete the NPSIA curriculum.

Year 3 - 30 credits (usually 10 courses)

• CML 2313 - Constitutional Law II (3 credits)
• CML 2309 - Civil Procedure I (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• CML 2312 - Administrative Law (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• CML 2302 - Business Organizations or CML3102 Special Course in Business Law (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• Half-course NPSIA (3 credits)
• Optional CML courses (15-24 credits, depending on enrollment in upper-year required courses)

Year 4 - 30 credits (usually 10 courses)

• CML 2309 - Civil Procedure I (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• CML 2312 - Administrative Law (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• CML 2302 - Business Organizations or CML3102 Special Course in Business Law (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• Half-course NPSIA (3 credits)
• Optional CML courses (18-27 credits, depending on enrollment in upper-year required courses)

Students Admitted Before September 2012

Year 1 - 35 credits (8 courses)

• CML 1502 - Legal Research (1 credit)
• CML 1506 - Introduction to Dispute Resolution and Professionalism (3 credits)
• CML 1613 - Constitutional Law I (3 credits)
• CML 1704 - Legislation (3 credits)
• CML 1602 - Contracts (6 credits)
• CML 1603 - Criminal Law and Procedure (6 credits)
• CML 1608 - Property Law I (6 credits)
• CML 1637 - Civil Wrongs (7 credits)

Year 2

• Students enroll at Carleton University and complete the NPSIA curriculum, including CML3531 Public International Law, taken at the University of Ottawa as a visiting student.

Year 3 - 30 credits (usually 10 courses)

• CML 2713 - Constitutional Law II (3 credits)
• CML 2709 - Civil Procedure I (may be completed in Year 3 or Year 4) (3 credits)
• Half-course NPSIA (3 credits)
• Optional CML courses (21-24 credits, depending on enrollment in upper-year required courses)

Year 4 - 30 credits (usually 10 courses)

• CML 2709 - Civil Procedure I (if not completed in Year 3) (3 credits)
• Half-course NPSIA (3 credits)
• Optional CML courses (24-27 credits, depending on enrollment in upper-year required courses)

Notes

1. Students must distribute their courses as follows:
   • Fall term: 13-17 credits;
   • Winter term: 10-14 credits.
2. Note that the research paper requirement and the oral advocacy requirement should be completed in the second or third year. By the end of Year 4, students must have completed a course that satisfies the oral advocacy requirement and a course in which the research paper requirement is met.

The research paper is a requirement of the J.D. program and must be written in the context of a common law course. The research paper requirement cannot be satisfied in the context of an NPSIA course. The paper required by NPSIA does not satisfy the research paper requirement for the J.D.