The Peter A. Allard School of Law is fortunate to be able to offer its students a wide variety of specializations and concentrations. By completing certain course requirements, students can, depending on the program, either obtain a transcript notation or certificate evidencing their successful fulfillment of the program requirements. Choose from:
Specialization in Indigenous Legal Studies
In order to earn the Specialization in Indigenous Legal Studies certification, students must complete the requirements as set out on the specialization requirements (PDF)
Business Law Concentration
In order to earn the Business Law Concentration, students must complete the requirements as set out on the Centre for Business Law website. Students should visit the Centre for Business Law website for a full list of courses and to learn more about the concentration.
Specialization in Law & Social Justice
In order to earn the Specialization in Law and Social Justice certification, students must complete the following requirements:
(1) Enrolment in Law 305: Law, Society and State;
(2) Enrolment in at least one course with an applied, clinical, or community-based component, as listed below; and
(3) Enrolment in at least three social-justice related courses, selected from at least two of the clusters listed below.
Students who wish to enrol in the Law and Social Justice Specialization must also contact faculty coordinator, Margot Young.
(1) Law Society and State
This course focuses on the use of law by groups and individuals interested in social justice. In particular, the course will explore both the potential and the problems of using law in the quest for social justice and the role of legal education. Law’s role in constructing and maintaining social, economic and political inequalities as well as the potential of law to shift inequalities will be examined. This course is required for students who wish to obtain the Specialization in law and Social Justice.
(2) Applied and Clinical Courses
To complete the Specialization, each student must also enrol in a course with a practical or community based component. This requirement can be satisfied by taking any of the following courses:
- Law 350C Issues of Equality and Social Justice
- Law 429/431D Rise Women’s Legal Clinic
- Law 380B/380C International Justice and Human Rights Clinic
- Law 381 Disabilities and Law
- Law 488/489 Indigenous Community Legal Clinic
- Law 493/496 Directed Research that includes work for a community group
- Law 470 Innocence Project
- Law 490 Clinical Criminal Law
- Law 491 Law Students Legal Advice Program
If the applied or practical component is optional within the course, the student must fulfill the component in order to satisfy this requirement.
Please note that due to changes in course offerings year by year, not all courses will be offered each year. Students who wish to count a course outside these lists towards their Specialization must obtain special permission from the Social Justice Coordinator.
Students enrolled in the Law and Social Justice Specialization are also encouraged to enrol in procedural courses such as Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Mass Tort and Class Action, Evidence, or Appellate Advocacy. These courses provide useful extra expertise in the subject area.
(3) Eligible Social Justice Courses
To complete the Specialization, each student must also enrol in at least three social-justice related courses, selected from at least two of the clusters listed below.
Aboriginal Law Cluster
- Law 352 Aboriginal Peoples and Canadian Law
- Law 353D.001 Aboriginal and Treaty Rights: Aboriginal and Treaty Rights Litigation
- Law 355.001 First Nations and the Administration of Justice
- Law 358D.001 Topics in First Nations Law: Introduction to Indigenous Legal Orders within the Settler State
- Kawaskimhon Aboriginal Rights Moot
Law and Health Cluster
- Law 382 Health
- Law 426D Topics in Law & Technology: Law, Robotics, and Society
Intellectual Property Cluster
- Law 422 Intellectual Property Law
- Law 423D Topics in Intellectual Property: Intellectual Property and Human Rights
International, Historical, and Comparative Dimensions Cluster
- Law 303 Legal Traditions and Ideas of Law
- Law 312 Topics in Philosophy of Law and Theoretical Perspectives: the Rule of Law
- Law 313 Legal History
- Law 319 International Human Rights
- Law 326D Globalization and Law
- Law 339 Human Rights in Asia
- Law 342D Topics in Comparative Law: Domestic Law in a Borderless World
- Law 343D Topics in Public Law: Animal Law
- Law 481 Topics in Litigation, Dispute Resolution & Administration of Justice: Intercultural Dispute Resolution
- Law 521 Law and Development (by permission of instructor)
- Law 511 International Criminal Law (by permission of instructor)
Immigration and Refugee Law Cluster
- Law 377 Immigration Law
- Law 378D Issues in Immigration & Refugee Law: Refugee Law
Human Rights Cluster
- Law 350C Issues of Equality and Social Justice
- Law 351 Topics in Human Rights
- Law 360 Children and the Law
- Law 363 Racism and Law
- Law 364 Topics in Race and Law
- Law 381 Disabilities and Law
- Law 419D Individual Employment Law: Law and the Modern Workplace
- Law 423C Intellectual Property and Human Rights
Gender and Sexuality Cluster
- Law 307 Women, Law, and Social Change
- Law 308D Feminist Legal Theory
- Law 365 Women, Law, and Family
- Law 309 Topics in Feminist Legal Studies
- Law 368 Sexuality & Law
- Law 518 Feminist Studies: Key Themes and Current Debates (by permission of instructor)
Economic Inequality Cluster
- Law 311D Property Law & Theory
- Law 370 Topics in Social Justice: Poverty, Rights, Social Citizenship and Legal Activism
- Law 385 Social Welfare Law
- Law 411 Tax Policy
- Law 416 Labour Law
- Law 467 Topics in Corporate Law: The Corporation and Society
Criminal and Penal Law Cluster
- Law 401 Penal Policy
- Law 404 Topics in Criminal Law: the Law of Homicide on the Web
- Law 471 Preventing Wrongful Convictions
- Law 406C Topics in Criminal Justice: Principles of Sentencing
- Law 402D The Law of Sexual Offences
Constitutional Law Cluster
- Law 349C.001 Topics in Constitutional Law: Recent Developments
- Law 349C.002 Topics in Constitutional Law: Advanced Charter Law
- Law 349D.001 Topics in Constitutional Law: Charter Litigation
- The Wilson Moot
- The Laskin Moot
Students who wish to count a course outside these lists towards their Specialization must obtain special permission from the Social Justice Coordinator.
Specialization in Environmental and Natural Resource Law
In order to earn the Specialization certification, students must complete the requirements as set out on the Centre for Law and the Environment website. Students should visit the Centre for Law and the Environment website for a full list of courses and to learn more about the Specialization.
View more details on the prospective JD student page.