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Overview

The LLM at The Peter A. Allard School of Law is a research-intensive degree that prepares graduates for opportunities in law teaching, legal research, policy development, public and governmental service, and the practice of law. The program attracts domestic and international students with common and civil law training.

The focal point of the degree is a thesis. Working closely with a supervising faculty member, students in the LLM program have the opportunity to and are expected to produce a substantial piece of original legal scholarship and of publishable quality.

 
 
 

Program Enquiries

Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program

Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement: 100

Reading

25

Writing

25

Speaking

25

Listening

25

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 7.0

Reading

7.0

Writing

7.0

Speaking

7.0

Listening

7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

2) Meet Deadlines

Application open dates and deadlines for an upcoming intake have not yet been configured in the admissions system. Please check back later.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for LLM - Master of Laws (LLM)
The program will review research interests of applicants and recommend/match faculty members during the application/evaluation process. Applicants should not reach out to faculty members directly.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research Focus

Faculty research interests include: Aboriginal Peoples & the Law, Administrative Law, Asian Legal Systems, Children & the Law, Civil Procedure & Evidence, Comparative Law, Conflict of Laws (Private International Law), Constitutional Law, Contracts, Corporate / Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Disability Law, Dispute Resolution, Environmental Law / Natural Resources Law, European Law, Family Law, Feminist Legal Studies, Globalization & Law, Health Law, Human Rights, Insolvency Law, Intellectual Property, International Law (Public), Labour Law, Law & Culture, Law & Economics, Legal History, Law & Literature, Legal Profession, Legal Theory, Migration Law, Refugee Law and Citizenship Law, Property Law, Regulatory Design, Sexuality & Law, Social Welfare & Law, Tax Law, Torts, Trusts & Succession

Research Facilities

Allard Hall, the home of the Peter A. Allard School of Law, was opened in 2011. The latest technology connects the Faculty with campuses, courthouses and offices around the world, and a new, state-of-the-art UBC Law Library serves as a vital academic hub for students and the legal community. Natural light, contemporary classroom designs, expanded student service spaces, a student forum space at the centre of the building, and new research spaces are all part of the new facility. The Law Library has a research collection of approximately 225,000 volumes.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
Application Fee$116.25$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition per installment$1,875.34$3,294.66
Tuition per year
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)
$5,626.02$9,883.98
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) $3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Costs of livingEstimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the LLM - Master of Laws (LLM). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

 20232022202120202019
Applications92120797797
Offers1215121511
New Registrations776107
Total Enrolment2019171815

Completion Rates & Times

This program has a graduation rate of 97% based on 31 students admitted between 2015 - 2018. Based on 28 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 0.56 years and the maximum time is 5.8 years with an average of 2.04 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs.

Research Supervisors

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for LLM - Master of Laws (LLM)
The program will review research interests of applicants and recommend/match faculty members during the application/evaluation process. Applicants should not reach out to faculty members directly.
 
 

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

  • Hilland, Andrea (Law (except legal practice and international law); Aboriginal and Indigenous law; Administrative law and regulatory governance; Environmental law, natural resources, and climate change; Legal ethics and the legal profession)
  • Hofri-Winogradow, Adam (Equity and trusts law; Business, commercial and corporate law; Legal institutions (including courts and justice systems); Legal theory, jurisprudence and legal interpretation; Law and society; Administrative law and regulatory governance; Asian legal studies; Banking and finance law; Business, corporate and commercial law; Civil law; Comparative Law; Law and social justice; legal history; Property and real estate; Tax law and policy; Trusts and equity; Urban and municipal law)
  • Hutchison, Camden (Business, corporate and commercial law; Contract law; legal history)
  • Iyioha, Irehobhude (social justice advocacy)
  • Kaushal, Asha (Cultural Difference and Law; Constitutional Law and Theory; Critical and Legal Theory; Immigration Law; Citizenship Law; international law)
  • Kong, Hoi (Administrative Law; Comparative Law; Constitutional law; Environmental Law; Legal theory; Regulatory Design and Governance)
  • LeBaron, Michelle (law, dispute resolution, conflict resolution, community conflict, cross-cultural conflict resolution, Cross-cultural Conflict Resolution, Law, Legal Culture and Conflict Resolution, Conflict across Worldview Differences, Creativity and Conflict, Gender and Conflict, Religion and Conflict, Teaching Innovation and Effective Teaching and Learning)
  • Liao, Carol (Business Law, Corporate Governance, Sustainable Development Law, Law and Economics, Social Enterprise Law, Access to Justice)
  • Lin, Li-Wen (Comparative corporate governance; Corporate social responsibility; The interdisciplinary study of corporate law and economic sociology; Law and economic development; Chinese law)
  • Liston, Mary (Administrative law; Constitutional law; Public Law; Administrative Law; Jurisprudence; Rule of law; Comparative public law; Law and literature; Law and politics; Democracy; Values and norm systems; Political regimes; Indigenous law)
  • MacDougall, Bruce (Law of Obligations, Sexual Orientation and the Law, Secured Transactions, Commercial Transactions)
  • Mack, Johnny (legal relationship between indigenous and settler peoples in contemporary settler states, particularly Canada)
  • Matsui, Shigenori (Constitutional Law, Mass Media Law, Information Law, Internet Law, Japanese Law, Law and Medicine )
  • Mickelson, Karin (Environmental law)
  • Moore, Marcus (Law (except legal practice and international law); Law of Obligations (especially Contracts); Socio-Economic Regulation (especially Standard Form Contracts, Consumer Protection); Regulatory Theory and Design / Governance / New Governance; Law & Society / Socio-Legal Studies / Law in Social Context; Sports Law, Governance & Regulation (especially Injury Prevention); Law Reform; Public Law, Administration and Governance; Tech Regulation (especially Neuroscience); Jurisprudence & Critical Perspectives (especially Critical Disability Theory))
  • Parkes, Debra (Constitutional law; criminal law; Critical Prison Studies; Feminist Legal Studies; Socio-Legal Studies; Human Rights; Societal injustices through rights claims; incarceration of women; limits of prison reform; framing and adjudicating of prisoners' rights claims)
  • Pavlich, Dennis (Property law, law of trusts, western idea of law, education law, condominium law in British Columbia, academic freedom, environmental justice)
  • Peihani, Maziar (Banking Law; Business Law; Corporate Law; international law; Financial Law; Banking Regulation; Resolution of cross-border bank failures; Sovereign debt restructuring, and disclosure; Governance of climate-related financial risk)
  • Perrin, Benjamin (Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, International Criminal Law, Victims of Crime, Human Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation)
  • Pindell, Ngai (Property law, Affordable housing, Community development, Local government law)
  • Reynolds, Graham (Intellectual property law; Copyright law; property law; Intellectual property and human rights; Intellectual property and climate change; Intellectual property and social justice; Technology and access to justice)
  • Routh, Supriya (Law (except legal practice and international law); Asian legal studies; Human rights including international human rights; Jurisprudence, legal theory, and critical studies; Labour and employment law including international labour law; law and development; Law and social justice; Law and society)
  • Stacey, Jocelyn (Law and legal practice; Administrative Law; Disaster Law; Environmental Law; Public Law; Regulatory and Legal Theory)
  • Stewart, James (Comparative Criminal Law, Moral Philosophy, Legal Pluralism, Theory of Criminal Law, Corporate Accountability, International Criminal Justice, International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights)

Pages

Sample Thesis Submissions

 
 
 
Supervisor Search
 

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