The Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba welcomes applications for its refreshed LL.M Program. The annual application deadline is December 15.
Established in 1914, the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba offers an intellectually stimulating environment to domestic and international students seeking graduate education in law. Our streams of study reflect our commitment to fostering theoretical, doctrinal, practical and inter-disciplinary scholarship of national and global significance in relevant areas of legal education and practice.
Designed to be possible to complete in one year, our Master of Laws (LL.M.) program is an advanced, thesis-based, research-intensive course of study which attracts students from across Canada and around the world.
Students will complete 3 course credits plus a thesis. Details of the program are:
- Required courses include Research Integrity Tutorial GRAD7300, Academic Integrity Tutorial GRAD7500 and the graduate Legal Research and Theory seminar LAW7110 in the Faculty of Law.
- Two additional courses relevant to one’s research area (at least one Law course and a second that may be from outside the Faculty of Law).
- Students pursuing one of our below-listed LL.M. streams of study must take two courses from those approved for the stream. Streams of study include: Human Rights, Business, Indigenous Studies, Law and Society, Criminal Law, Public Policy, and Practice‐based courses (including our featured clinics).
Application Deadline:
The annual application deadline for Canadian, US and International Applicants to the LL.M. program is December 15.
Applications are reviewed on a committee basis. The Admissions committee for Law reviews applications in January - March.
Applications open up to 18 months prior to start term.
This Program Chart summarizes the requirements to compete the LLM program.
| TERM 1 | TERM 2 |
| Research Integrity and Academic Integrity Tutorials GRAD7300 and GRAD7500 | Major written research thesis |
| Legal Research & Theory Graduate Seminar LAW7110 | |
| Two elective upper level Law courses |
Legal Research & Theory Graduate Seminar LAW7110
This is a mandatory course exclusively for students enrolled in the LL.M. This course introduces students to select theoretical and methodological approaches to law.
Students in the Master of Laws degree program may choose to complete a general field of study, or one of the following seven specialized streams. Please explore the descriptions for the below-listed courses on the University of Manitoba’s Academic Calendar. Note: LL.M. students are eligible to take 2000 and 3000-level courses.
Human Rights
LAW3310: Aboriginal Peoples and the Law
LAW3346: Access to Justice
LAW3940: Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
LAW3410: Canadian Legal History
LAW3590: Charter Issues in Criminal Law
LAW3090: Children, Youth, and the Law
LAW3980 : Français Juridique-Droit Public
LAW3070: Gender and the Law
LAW3018: Human Rights Law
LAW3980: Indigenous Economic Development and the Law
LAW3980: Intellectual Property Law
LAW3980: Law and Religion
LAW3364: Law and Resistance
LAW3980: Legal Issues in Policing
LAW3828: Preventing Wrongful Convictions
LAW3980: Refugee Law
LAW3392: Securities
LAW3352: Sexual Expression, Conduct, and Work in Canada
LAW3980: Sports Law
LAW3980: Transitional Justice
Business
LAW3530: Administrative Law
LAW3342: Agency & Partnership
LAW3348: Bankruptcy and Insolvency
LAW3020: Clinical Administrative Law
LAW3050: Commercial Law
LAW3980: Construction Law
LAW3980: Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Law
LAW3016: Corporations II
LAW3330: Employment Law
LAW3374: Français Juridique-Droit Privé
LAW3980: Français Juridique-Droit Public
LAW3334: Global and Domestic Governance of Tainted Finance
LAW2700: Income Tax Law and Policy
LAW3012: International Business Law
LAW3394: Internet & E-Commerce Law
LAW3980: Negotiable Instruments and Banking Law
LAW3690: Real Estate Transactions
LAW3450: Remedies
Indigenous Studies
LAW3980: Aboriginal Law-Criminal Justice and Family Law
LAW3310: Aboriginal Peoples and the Law
LAW3410: Canadian Legal History
LAW3590: Charter Issues in Criminal Law
LAW3090: Children, Youth, and the Law
LAW2672: Civil Procedure
LAW3980: Indigenous Economic Development and the Law
LAW3980: Indigenous Methodologies and Perspectives
LAW3980: Intellectual Property Law
LAW3980: Oral History, Indigenous Peoples, and the Law
LAW3450: Remedies
Law and Society
LAW3310: Aboriginal Peoples and the Law
LAW3346: Access to Justice
LAW3342: Agency & Partnership
LAW3940: Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
LAW3410: Canadian Legal History
LAW3090: Children, Youth, and the Law
LAW2672: Civil Procedure
LAW3620: Comparative Law
LAW3170: Dispute Resolution
LAW3376: Droits Linguistiques
LAW3600: Environmental Law
LAW2640: Family Law
LAW3980: Français Juridique-Droit Public
LAW3980: Français Juridique
LAW3070: Gender and the Law
LAW3980: Immigration and Citizenship Law
LAW3980: Intellectual Property Law
LAW3380: Issues in Law and Bio Ethics
LAW3770: Labour-Management Relations
LAW3366: Language Rights
LAW3336: Law and Popular Culture
LAW3980: Law and Religion
LAW3364: Law and Resistance
LAW3980: Law, Technology, & the Future
LAW3980: Legal Issues in Policing
LAW3880: Municipal Law
LAW3120: Philanthropy and the Law
LAW3850: Private International Law
LAW3740: Public International Law
LAW3980: Refugee Law
LAW3352: Sexual Expression, Conduct, and Work in Canada
LAW3980: Sports Law
LAW3370: The Legislative Process
Criminal Law
LAW3980: Aboriginal Law-Criminal Justice and Family Law
LAW3346: Access to Justice
LAW3340: Advanced Advocacy
LAW3590: Charter Issues in Criminal Law
LAW3302: Clinical Criminal Law
LAW3980: Français Juridique-Droit Public
LAW3980: International Criminal Justice
LAW3980: Legal Issues in Policing
LAW3828: Preventing Wrongful Convictions
LAW3338: Sentencing
LAW3352: Sexual Expression, Conduct, and Work in Canada
LAW3980: Sports Law
LAW3980: Transnational Criminal Law
Public Policy
LAW 3310 Aboriginal Peoples and the Law
LAW3410: Canadian Legal History
LAW3940: Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
LAW3980: Legal Issues in Policing
LAW3980: Refugee Law
LAW3392: Securities
LAW3530: Administrative Law
LAW3330: Employment Law
LAW3334: Global and Domestic Governance of Tainted Finance
LAW2700: Income Tax Law and Policy
LAW3394: Internet & E-Commerce Law
LAW3170: Dispute Resolution
LAW3380: Issues in Law and Bio Ethics
LAW3770: Labour-Management Relations
LAW3366: Language Rights
LAW3880: Municipal Law
LAW3120: Philanthropy and the Law
LAW3370: The Legislative Process
LAW2680: Legal Negotiation
Practice (ie. Externships and Clinic-Based Courses available to LL.M. students)
The Law Externship includes:
L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinic
University of Manitoba Community Law Centre
Public Interest Law Centre
Legal Help Centre
Rights Clinic
Cochrane Saxberg Indigenous Rights Clinic
Law Reform Commission
Robson Crim
Faculty members at the Faculty of Law engage in scholarly work on the cutting edge of legal issues relevant to our local, national, and international communities. Our research is used by lawyers, courts, legislative bodies and policymakers across the country, and is published in leading journals and books by renowned presses.
The Faculty of Law is proud of our ability to offer individualized, careful supervision for each of our graduate students. In addition to offering fellowships to high-achieving students and support for conference travel, we offer graduate student a quiet study space in the David T. Sgayias Centre, and full access to the fully networked E.K. Williams Library, both located on the Research and Graduate Studies floor of Robson Hall.
LL.M. Thesis Student – FAQ
Q1. Why would I do a Thesis?
The Thesis prepares students intending to pursue further thesis-based degrees such as doctorates because it gives people the opportunity to engage in sustained and substantial academic original research on a topic of interest. An essential feature of the Thesis is demonstrated competence to complete a research project and present the findings.
Q2. What is the process for establishing a Thesis Advisor?
Students take the initiative to contact a potential advisor from the faculty pages of the Law website. Once students have chosen a Thesis Advisor and conferred with the Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, the Advisor Student Guidelines (on JUMP) must be completed.
Q3. What are progress reports and when must they be submitted?
The Progress Reports are annual reports of a student’s academic progress through the program. They are completed after a meeting between the student and Advisor, then submitted to Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies for final approval before May 24 each year.
Q4. What is a Thesis Proposal and must it be submitted it for approval?
The Thesis Proposal is a 10–15-page proposal for thesis research prepared under the supervision of the Thesis Advisor. It is to be submitted to the Advisor after 9 credit hours of LL.M. work is complete and must be approved by the Thesis Advisory Committee before any research work can begin.
Q5. Who will be on my Thesis Advisory Committee?
The Advisory Committee is usually 3 members (an Advisor and 2 Examiners), organized by the Thesis Advisor and approved by the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies.
Q6. Is there an oral defence for the Thesis Proposal?
No, but the Thesis Proposal must still be approved by the Thesis Advisor and Examiners.
Q7. How will the Thesis Proposal be graded?
The Thesis Advisory Committee passes or fails the Thesis Proposal by majority vote.
Q8. Does my Thesis research require ethics approval?
All candidates must receive ethics approval for any research that involves human subjects, and no data collection may commence until written approval is received.
Q9. What are the specific Thesis requirements?
The Thesis demonstrates one’s mastery of a specific field of legal research and that one is fully conversant with the relevant literature. The document is 20,000-25,000 words of double-spaced typescript, including notes and bibliography, and makes an original contribution to knowledge in the field of law. This normally involves original research (i.e. interviews, surveys, participant observation, the analysis of jurisprudence, archival research, etc.) Thesis guidelines are strict.
Q10. When do I need to have submitted my Thesis to my committee to graduate?
This depends on the individual. The university offers three graduation deadlines each year, details are found on the Faculty of Graduate Studies deadlines. Students must complete all graduation requirements within the prescribed University timelines, and to have paid all required University fees to be eligible to graduate.
Q11. Who is on the Examining Committee and how are they appointed?
This is the same committee as the Proposal Committee. They are appointed by the Thesis Advisor.
Q12. What are the main duties of the Thesis examiners?
The examiners evaluate and grade the Thesis.
Q13. Will there be an oral thesis defence of the Thesis?
Yes. The date is set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and all members of the University of Manitoba community are invited to attend.
Q14. What is the format for the oral defence?
LLM candidates present a 10–15-minute summary of their research contribution, and then there are two rounds of questions from the examining committee, lasting up to 70 minutes.
Q15. How will my Thesis be graded?
The Thesis is graded as Acceptable with Minor Revisions, or Acceptable with Major Revisions, or Not Acceptable.
Q16. What happens when a Thesis is deemed to be “not acceptable”?
This is rare because the Thesis Advisor guides and advises the work to ensure production of a high quality academic document. If, however, two of the three examiners do not pass the Thesis, it will fail. It can be submitted for examination a second time (and no more than a second time).
Q17. What is required to graduate, once the Thesis is approved?
Students are individually responsible to ensure that they have met all graduation requirements. Students are required to upload their Thesis in its final form and correct format to MSpace. The Thesis Advisor must submit a Thesis Final Report.
LLM Thesis Advisor - FAQ
Q1. What are the main duties of the LL.M. Thesis Advisor?
As the principal mentor for a graduate student, the Thesis Advisor coordinates the Thesis process, including the preparation and grading of the Thesis Proposal, the preparation of the Thesis, and the oral defence of the Thesis. The Advisor recommends qualified faculty members to be appointed to the Thesis Advisory Committee. When the Thesis Proposal is ready, the Thesis Advisor gives tentative approval of the final proposal for presentation to the Thesis Examining Committee. Thesis Advisors also submit yearly Progress Reports to the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Law, and then the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Q2. Once I have agreed, what is the process for becoming an LL.M. Thesis Advisor?
The Thesis Advisor completes and submits the Advisor Student Guidelines form (on JUMP), as soon as possible after registration but no later than the submission of the first Progress Report. The student must also complete this form. ASG Instructions (pdf)
Q3. Who will be on the Thesis Advisory Committee?
The Advisory Committee is organized by the Thesis Advisor and approved by the Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies. It will normally consist of 3 members – the Advisor and two Examiners. At least two members of the committee must be members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Q4. What are the main duties of the Thesis Examiners?
The thesis examiners’ role is evaluative. They provide feedback and grade the Thesis Proposal, as well as the final Thesis.
Q5. How are Examiners appointed?
The LL.M. Thesis Advisor recommends Examiners to the Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Law, who appoints them to the Committee.
Q6. Are there requirements for the Thesis Proposal?
The Thesis Proposal should be 10-15 pages in length and includes an introduction, a context section, the theoretical background of the study, the methodology to be used, the research questions, and the significance of the study.
Q7. Are students required to submit their Thesis Proposal for approval?
Yes. Proposals are submitted to the Thesis Advisory Committee, but after 9 credit hours of coursework are completed. Normally students submit their Thesis Proposals within three months of completing their coursework.
Q8. Is there an oral defence for the Thesis Proposal?
No, but the Thesis Proposal must still be approved by both the Thesis Advisor and Examiner(s).
Q9. Is the Thesis Advisory Committee Meeting a formal requirement?
Yes, and the Thesis Advisory Committee meeting to consider the proposal must adhere to the procedure outlined in the LL.M. Supplementary Regulations.
Q10. How will the Thesis Proposal be graded?
The Thesis is graded Pass or Fail by a majority of the Thesis Committee.
Q11. What are the requirements for the LLM Thesis?
The Thesis should also demonstrate that the candidate has made an original contribution to knowledge in the field of human rights research. It is 20,000-25,000 words of double-spaced typescript, including notes and bibliography.
Q12. Does the Thesis research require ethics approval?
Research involving human subjects must receive ethics approval from the relevant University of Manitoba Research Ethics Board before any data collection may commence.
Q13. When does the Thesis need to be submitted to graduate?
Deadlines for graduation are found in the University calendar. All program requirements must be completed before students may be recommended for graduation.
Q14. Will there be an oral Thesis defence?
Yes. The defence is open to all members of the University of Manitoba community.
Q15. Who is on the Examining Committee?
The Examining Committee is normally be the same as the Thesis Advisory Committee.
Q16. What is the format for the oral defence?
The final examination for the LL.M.Thesis proceeds in two stages: a) the student will first present a summary (10-15 minutes) of the research contribution; and b) the examination of the candidate’s thesis. The examination portion should not exceed 70 minutes.
Typically two (2) rounds of questioning are permitted: the first of 10 minutes for each Examiner, and the second of 5 minutes for each Examiner. The Examining Committee then meets in private to determine whether the Thesis passes and whether revisions are necessary.
Q17. How will the thesis be graded?
The Thesis is graded on its merits according to the following categories:
- Acceptable, without modification or with minor revision(s); or
- Acceptable, subject to modification and/or revision(s); or
- Not acceptable.
Q18. What is required to graduate, once the thesis is approved?
The Advisor and Examiners must submit the Thesis final report to the Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Law, who submits it to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The student must upload their final Thesis in correct format to MSpace.
Apply for the Master of Laws Program
The Master of Laws program has only one application deadline per year, and applications are accepted for September entry only. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:
- $100 application fee (non-refundable)
- CV/Resumé
- Research proposal
- Statement of Intent
- Three letters of recommendation
Available awards will include:
- All students admitted into the LL.M. program are considered for funding opportunities; no separate application is required.
Program Leadership
The Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies ensures that graduate education at the Faculty of Law is the best it can be. The office is committed to supporting self-directed learning, fostering the timely completion of the LL.M., and providing exceptional administrative and academic services.