The Master of Laws with thesis option (without concentration) is a joint endeavour of the Common Law and Civil Law Sections. It welcomes jurists from all backgrounds and lets you work at the crossroads of Canada's two major legal systems and its two official languages.
Over two years full-time, you carry out a substantial research project on the topic of your choice, under the supervision of a faculty member. Classes are offered in person, in English or French, and begin each year in September.
The thesis option is designed for those who wish to explore a legal question exhaustively. This two-year program gives you the time needed to build original research, test your hypotheses, and arrive at a substantial contribution.
The concentration-free format gives you great flexibility: you are the one who defines your subject of study in dialogue with your research supervisor. In addition, the Faculty's bijural and bilingual environment enriches your work by giving you direct access to the scholarship and professional cultures of both common law and civil law.
The result is the most direct route to the doctorate and to careers centred on legal research, whether in academia or within the organizations that develop and analyze the law.
The program runs full-time over twelve months with a maximum of twenty-four months to complete the requirements. Courses begin in September.
It combines a course component and a research thesis, which forms its core. The thesis addresses the topic of your choice, provided it falls within the field of law and that a faculty member agrees to supervise it.
For course details, requirements and possible sequences, consult:
To be eligible, you must hold an undergraduate degree in law (LL.B., LL.L. or equivalent).
Applications are submitted online through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). Deadlines vary by profile; consult the official deadlines before preparing your file.
For applicants trained abroad
The LL.M. is an academic degree that enriches your professional profile and opens the way to research; on its own, it does not authorize the practice of law in Canada. Admission to the bars or to the Chamber of Notaries falls to the provincial regulatory bodies and involves a separate accreditation process. If practising in Canada is your main goal, it is worth checking with the relevant regulator before applying.
The thesis option prepares above all for careers where legal research and analysis are central:
Tuition fees vary according to your status (Canadian or international student). As the program is offered full-time only, there is no part-time fee regime.
For current amounts, visit the University of Ottawa's tuition fees page, select your academic year, then choose "Regular student."
Graduate studies funding resources are also available.
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