Legal Theory Concentration
Our faculty’s legal theory group is among the strongest in the world. Our legal theory scholars are world renowned and award winning. There is, quite simply, no better place to pursue a specialization in this field. Students in the Legal Theory concentration are introduced to multiple theoretical approaches to law across the curriculum, and can also take courses that explore the foundations of legal theory, law and justice, and private law theory and engage with the faculty’s Legal Theory, Law and Economics and Critical Analysis of Law workshops that bring leading scholars to U of T to share their cutting-edge scholarship.
If you're interested in a career in legal academia, you'll likely be particularly drawn to Legal Theory programs. Legal scholars today are often engaged in a variety of doctrinal, policy and theoretical debates.
If you wish to broaden your thinking on the law, you'll find that this concentration offers a high-level, demanding and rewarding approach.
Admission requirements for the Legal Theory concentration are the same as for the general LLM program. Students who wish to be considered for admission to the Legal Theory concentration are encouraged to demonstrate their interest in and suitability for the concentration in their personal statement. Applicants to the thesis LLM program with a Legal Theory concentration, are expected to be pursuing a thesis in Legal Theory or a related area. Admission to the program is competitive and not everyone who applies to the concentration will be admitted. If you are not accepted into the Legal Theory concentration, you may still be accepted into the LLM program.
For more information about our program and admission process (including how to apply), please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
The Legal Theory concentration is available to students in both the thesis and coursework LLM streams.
Coursework-only option (24 course credits):
Students in the coursework-only stream, with a concentration in Legal Theory, must complete:
- LLM Seminar I (Fall, 1 credit).
- LLM Seminar II (Winter, 1 credit).
- An approved Research Methods Course (Fall or Winter, 2 or 3 credits) offered either at the Faculty of Law or another Faculty/Department at the University.
- An approved course in the foundations of legal thought (Fall or Winter, 2 or 3 credits).
- At least 8 credits of courses from an approved list of Legal Theory courses.
- Additional courses, either within or outside of the list of Legal Theory courses, to bring them to 24 total credits.
- A writing requirement, by choosing one of the options below:
- Designating a three (3) or four (4) credit course from the approved list of Legal Theory courses, as a writing requirement course and producing one piece of writing that is at least 5,000 words (or approximately 20 pages). Only courses requiring a written assignment of at least 5,000 words will qualify as a designated writing requirement course.
- Completing a two (2) or three (3) credit directed research project on a topic related to Legal Theory, requiring a written assignment of 7,000 and 10,500 words, respectively.
- Completing a two (2) or three (3) credit capstone project on a topic related to Legal Theory, requiring a written assignment of 7,000 to 10,500 words, respectively. Capstone projects may take a variety of forms other than a paper or essay, subject to the approval of the faculty supervisor and Associate Dean, Graduate Programs.
Thesis option (24 course credits):
Students in the thesis stream, with a concentration in Legal Theory, must complete:
- LLM Seminar I (Fall, 1 credit).
- LLM Seminar II (Winter, 1 credit).
- An approved Research Methods Course (Fall or Winter, 2 or 3 credits) offered either at the Faculty of Law or another Faculty/Department at the University.
- An approved course in the foundations of legal thought (Fall or Winter, 2 or 3 credits).
- At least 8 credits of courses from an approved list of Legal Theory courses.
- Write a thesis worth 6 credit hours; that is, approximately 17,500 to 20,000 words, in the area of Legal Theory. Students can choose to write a slightly longer thesis for 1 additional credit, or a slightly shorter thesis for 1 less credit.
- Additional courses, either within or outside of the list of Legal Theory courses, to bring them to 24 total credits.
Your course selection will be reviewed in order to ensure that an appropriate number of credits are devoted to legal theory.
As a student in this concentration, you’ll likely take interest in attending our Colloquium, which brings leading legal and political philosophers from around the world to present their work in progress. The colloquium provides a regular forum for both faculty and students to discuss central topics. The Colloquium can be attended on a for-credit or non-credit basis.It may be possible for students to take specific graduate courses in the Philosophy Department in fulfillment of their concentration credits, with the permission from the Associate Dean, Graduate Programs.
- Animals and the Law
- Economic Analysis of Law
- Hegel's Legal Philosophy
- Intensive Course: Foundations of Freedom of Association in Labour Law
- Intensive Course: Freedom of Expression: Global Issues
- Intensive Course: Indigenous Law in Context
- Intensive Course: Law and Political Economy: Key Concepts
- Intensive Course: Rights Theory and Rights of Nature
- Law and Literature
- Law, Religion, and Democracy
- Legal Ethics
- The Psycho-dynamics of Advocacy and Judging
- Wampum as Law/Wampum as Meaning
- Workplace Equality: Theory and Legal Transformation
- Workshop: Critical Analysis of Law
- Workshop: Legal History
Workshop: Legal Theory
The LLM does not qualify foreign-trained candidates to practice law in Ontario.
View our NCA-related offerings or contact the National Committee on Accreditation for information on practicing law in Ontario.