Criminal Law Concentration
Our Criminal Law concentration offers comprehensive study spanning theory and policy, historical development, and current doctrine, in both domestic and international contexts. You'll gain a nuanced understanding of key debates in this multifaceted field that intersects multiple academic disciplines while addressing critical issues in domestic and international public policy and social justice.
Study with leading Criminal Law scholars who bring diverse methodological approaches to complex legal questions. Explore how criminal law intersects with other disciplines while examining its role in shaping policy and advancing social justice both domestically and globally.
If you're wishing to specialize in, or pursue advanced academic work in Criminal Law, you'll find this concentration particularly helpful in expanding both your doctrinal and theoretical knowledge of the subject.
Admission requirements for the Criminal Law concentration are the same as for the general LLM program. Students who wish to be considered for admission to the Criminal Law concentration are encouraged to demonstrate their interest in and suitability for the concentration in their personal statement. Applicants to the thesis LLM program with a Criminal Law concentration, are expected to be pursuing a thesis in Criminal Law or a related area. Admission to the program is competitive and not everyone who applies to the concentration will be admitted. If you are not accepted into the Criminal Law concentration, you may still be accepted into the LLM program.
For more information about our program and admission process (including how to apply), please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
All students in this concentration may pursue either the LL.M. program coursework-only option, or the long or short thesis option.
Coursework-only option (28 course credits):
Students in coursework-only stream, with a concentration in Criminal Law, must complete:
- LLM seminar (1 credit)
- At least 12 credits of courses from an approved list of Criminal Law courses.
- Students are also able to take courses at U of T Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies to count towards their Criminal Law concentration credits, up to a maximum of two graduate-level courses per academic year. This arrangement further expands the range of courses that students in the concentration can take in Criminal Law.
- Additional courses, either within or outside of the list of Criminal Law courses to bring them to 28 total credits.
- A writing requirement, by either:
- Designating a three (3) or four (4) credit course from the approved list of Criminal Law courses, as a writing requirement course and producing one piece of writing that is at least 5,000 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.
- Completing a two (2) or three (3) credit directed research project on a topic related to Criminal Law, requiring a written assignment of 7,000 and 10,500 words, respectively.
- Designating a three (3) or four (4) credit course from the approved list of Criminal Law courses, as a writing requirement course and producing one piece of writing that is at least 5,000 words (or approximately 20 pages)
Short thesis option (24 course credits):
Students enrolled in the short thesis stream, with a concentration in Criminal Law, must complete:
- Alternative Approaches to Legal Scholarship (3 credits) and LLM Seminar (1 credit).
- A short, 4-credit thesis in a subject related to Criminal Law.
- At least 8 credits of Criminal Law coursework from an approved list of Criminal Law courses.
- Students are also able to take courses at U of T’s Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies to count towards their Criminal Law concentration credits, up to a maximum of two graduate-level courses per academic year. This arrangement further expands the range of courses that students in the concentration can take in Criminal Law.
- Students would take 8 additional credits of coursework, either from the list of Criminal Law courses, or from outside of that list.
Long thesis option (24 course credits):
Students enrolled in the long thesis stream, with a concentration in Criminal Law, must complete:
- Alternative Approaches to Legal Scholarship (3 credits) and LLM Seminar (1 credit).
- A 16-credit thesis in a subject related to Criminal Law.
- Up to 4 additional credits of coursework, either from the approved list of Criminal Law courses, or from outside of that list.
Your course selection will be reviewed in order to ensure that an appropriate number of credits are devoted to criminal law. Please note that you can take up to three graduate-level courses at the Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies to count towards your concentration credits.
- Comparative Criminal Law
- Crime & Punishment: Mandatory Minimums, The Death Penalty & other Current Debates
- Criminal Procedure
- Crimmigration
- Evidence Law
- Sentencing and Penal Policy
- The Criminal Process
- Wrongful Convictions
The LLM does not qualify foreign-trained candidates to practise law in Ontario.
View our NCA-related offerings or contact the National Committee on Accreditation for information on practising law in Ontario.