University of Alberta

The Faculty of Law is one of the oldest in Canada and offers Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Laws, and Juris Doctor Degrees. Students enrolled in the Juris Doctor program take compulsory courses such as property, constitutional, and criminal law, contracts, and legal research and writing. Students enrolled in the Master of Laws program are offered graduate-level courses and must produce a LLM thesis. The faculty also offers a selection of optional courses such as litigation and lawyering skills, legal theory, and intellectual property. Tuition and mandatory fees during the first year are about $10,220. The university also offers financial assistance in the form of graduate research assistant positions, tuition waivers, awards, and scholarships.

University of British Columbia

The Peter A. Allard School of Law offers Juris Doctor and postgraduate programs as well as career services with a focus on professional development and training. Students enrolled in the Juris Doctor Program take compulsory courses such as ethics and professionalism, jurisprudence and critical perspectives, business and organizations, and administrative law. Students who opt for the Business Law Concentration take compulsory courses such as securities regulation, business organizations, and commercial transactions. Students enrolled in the Masters of Laws in Taxation program pay about $920 per credit while those who choose the Master of Laws in Common Law pay about $888 per credit. The university offers a variety of support options such as bursaries, wage subsidy programs, and merit-based awards and scholarships. Faculty recommended awards and student housing supplement grants are also available. There are also awards for students with disabilities, women enrolled part-time, aboriginal students, and international students.

University of Toronto

The Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto also offers a Juris Doctor program, Master of Studies in Law, and Doctor of Juridical Science. Students who choose the JD program take courses such as oral advocacy, critical perspective, administrative law, and international, comparative, transnational law. Combined programs are also available, including Master of Global Affairs, European and Russian Affairs, and Criminology and Sociolegal Studies. Workshops and seminars are offered as well. First-year domestic students enrolled in the JD program pay $33,040 a year. Financial assistance is offered in the form of interest-free loans, scholarships, and bursaries. A number of scholarships and awards are available such as Department of Justice Scholarships, The Davis and Company Entrance Scholarship, and Justice Randall Scott Echlin Award.

University of Windsor

The University of Windsor’s Faculty of Law offers five programs, including Master of Laws, Master of Social Work, and Master of Business Administration. Two JD programs are also available – Canadian and American Dual JD and Juris Doctor. Students who opt for the Juris Doctor program take required courses such as indigenous legal traditions, legal writing and research, and criminal law and procedure. Tuition fees vary based on program, meal plan, residence, course load, and other factors. Students enrolled in the Master of Laws program, for example, pay about $10,400 per term provided that they are Canadian citizens, enrolled full-time, live in a two-bedroom suite, and opt for a full-meal plan. Different forms of financial assistance are available, including University of Windsor and University of Detroit Mercy Scholarships. Work and study programs are also available but only domestic students are eligible to apply. Students may also apply for private alternative loans and lines of credit. Students who apply for a loan from a U.S. bank must have a U.S. cosigner and credit history. Students are also offered lines of credit with preferential terms available through Scotiabank.

These programs are unfortunately not cheap. They come at a cost and student debts can be crippling. Bad credit can also be a problem stemming from education costs. Refresh Financial has products devoted to those struggling with the finances.

Law Libraries in Canada

UBC Law Library

Many Canadian universities have law libraries, among which the University of Manitoba, University of Calgary, and University of British Columbia. The University of British Columbia is the home to the UBC Law Library, housing secondary and primary legal materials from all over the world, including New Zealand, Australia, the UK, US, and Canada. Students have access to legal materials in different areas, including tax law, legal history, dispute resolution, and criminal law. Faculty and students are offered access to online databases, journals, electronic books, research guides, and paper books. Featured journals enable students to explore topics in areas such as intellectual property law, international cooperation, and public health legislation.

Bennett Jones Law Library

The law library of the University of Calgary features collections, databases, guides, journals, and other legal materials. Students are offered access to databases such as Canadian Legislative Pulse, Criminal Justice Abstracts, and the Foreign and International Law Database. Students also have access to foreign and Canadian legislation and decisions and cases.

EK Williams Law Library

The University of Manitoba houses the EK Williams Law Library, featuring a collection of statutes, course reserves, case law reporters, journals, books, e-journals, and e-books. Students are offered access to multiple databases such as the Encyclopedia of Human Rights, Canada Supreme Court Reports, and Canada Statute Service. Students have access to essential readings such as The Law of Evidence, Guide to International Legal Research, and The Law of First Nations.

William R. Lederman Law Library

This library at the Queen’s University features a host of different resources, including subject guides, court cases and legislation, and legal research resources. Students have access to multiple databases that include journals, commentary, tribunal cases, and Canadian legal literature. There are also databases with a focus on commerce, trade, and taxation as well as precedents concerning wills and trusts, leases, and corporations. Students and staff have also access to Canadian legal analysis, news, expert columnists, and court documents such as facta, pleadings, and motions. Arbitration databases are available as well, featuring readings with a focus on regional and international institutions and their rules and procedures, bilateral investment treaties, and more. Papers on different subjects are available, including policing, immigration, children’s rights, and aboriginal rights. In addition, databases available through the library feature bibliographic references, historic debates, sessional papers, and international periodicals and yearbooks.