LL.M. Students
What is involved in the LL.M. Program at the Faculty of Law?
The University of Alberta Faculty of Law provides many opportunities for students in the LL.M. program to focus their studies in the area of health law and policy.
The LL.M. is intended to be an advanced research degree that provides students with an opportunity to study a particular area of law in much greater depth than is possible in the LL.B. program.
Note that the LL.M. program does not qualify a person to practice law in Alberta. LL.M. degrees are often taken by practicing lawyers seeking to specialize in a particular area of law or in preparation for a more academic career.
At the heart of the LL.M. program is the preparation of a Master's thesis on the topic of the student's choice (in consultation with the student's supervisor). Most of an LL.M. student's time is spent researching and preparing their thesis. Each student must also present and defend their thesis at an oral examination.
Students particularly interested in some aspect of Health Law will likely elect to prepare their thesis on a Health Law related topic. The Faculty of Law has numerous eminently qualified professors who would be able to provide assistance and supervision to a student interested in undertaking such a health law related thesis.
Additionally, LL.M. students must complete a minimum of eight course credits accomplished through participation in the graduate seminar on legal theory and academic writing and two or three additional courses, selected from either the LL.B. curriculum or courses in other other faculties (subject to Faculty approval). For information about some of the health law and policy courses offered in the LL.B. cirriculum, click here.
The Possibility of Publication
LL.M. students may wish to consider submitting aspects of their thesis or other high-quality research they have conducted for possible publication in the Review or Journal.
Opportunites to Assist with Research & Present
In the past, some LL.M. students whose research focus is health law have worked on projects for the Institute during the academic term or over the summer. Please see HLI Research for a sampling of just some of our current research projects. Interested graduate students are encouraged to seek opportunities to present at academic conferences and, where resources permit, the Institute has provided financial assistance for LL.M. students to attend and present at national conferences for organizations such as Genome Canada and the Canadian Bioethics Society.
For More Information
For further information regarding health law for LL.M. students, please contact the Health Law Institute. For general information regarding admission to the LL.M. program, please visit the Faculty of Law website here.
