Five JD students walking and talking in front of Flavelle House, back lawn

Coursework-only LLM

Coursework LLM students design their own course of study to reflect their interests while also engaging in advanced research and writing through coursework or directed research projects.

If you wish to specialize in a specific area of law or explore law at an advanced level in several fields of study, our coursework-only program may be ideal. You'll earn all your degree credits by choosing courses from among the more than 100 offered annually, allowing complete customization of your focus areas.

You will develop advanced research and writing skills through dedicated graduate seminars and the opportunity to complete a directed research project under the supervision of a faculty member while maintaining full control over your areas of study and research topics, allowing you to explore multiple legal fields in depth without the commitment of a thesis.

Coursework LLM Requirements

Coursework-only LLM students must:
- Be in residence for two academic terms (September to April)
  In residence means you will be present to take part in all on-campus classes, events, and workshops. You are not required to live on-campus/in student residence so long as you are able to to travel to campus and attend your academic commitments.
- Complete 28 credits of coursework, including the mandatory LLM Seminar (1 credit).
  Please note that you are expected to enroll in upper-level or seminar courses that are also available to JD program students. LLM students are not permitted to take first-year JD courses.
- Complete a writing requirement by either:
  Designating a three (3) or four (4) credit course as a writing requirement course and producing one piece of writing that is at least 5000 words (or approximately 20 pages)
  Only courses requiring a written assignment of at least 5,000 words will qualify as a designated writing requirement course.
  LAW1000H Alternative Approaches to Legal Scholarship does not qualify as a designated writing requirement course.
  Completing a two (2) or three (3) credit directed research project (LAW8002H or LAW8003H), requiring a written assignment of 7,000 and 10,500 words, respectively.
The LLM program is a one-year full-time graduate degree that commences in September and concludes the following July. Students are required to be in Toronto for three terms: Fall (September – December), Winter (January – April), and Summer ( May to August). Coursework LLM students are enrolled in courses during both the fall and winter term and must submit their writing requirement or directed research project by July 31st.
Students may pursue the program on a part-time basis in limited circumstances.

The LLM does not qualify foreign-trained candidates to practise law in Ontario.

Internationally trained lawyers looking to satisfy the requirements assessed by the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) can do so in the Global Professional Master of Laws Program.

If you want to learn more about the process of becoming licensed to practice law in Canada as an internationally trained lawyer, please contact the National Committee on Accreditation and review our explanation of the process by which internationally trained lawyers can become eligible to start the licensing process in Canada.

Coursework-only LLM

Coursework LLM Requirements

Degree requirements

Program Length