Courses

The following options are available to all JD students currently enroled at the Faculty of Law and provide recognition for rigorous training in specific law fields. By earning an option, students have their specialization recognized with an annotation on their transcript.  

• Option in Aboriginal Law and Indigenous Legal Traditions
• Option in Dispute Resolution & Professionalism
• Option in Environmental Law
• Option in Health Law
• Option in International Law
• Option in Law and Social Justice
• Option in Law and Technology
• Option in Public Law

In addition to the specializations covered by options, the Common Law Section is also proud to offer specialized upper-year optional courses in a large number of different law fields. Basic introductory courses follow a lecture-style, while advanced courses, specialized courses, and courses requiring more intensive personal instruction are offered in smaller groups in the seminar or practical workshop format.

French/English as a Second Language Courses

Full-time students may take French or English as a Second Language Courses throughout their law studies, without additional charges. Please visit the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) website to learn more on Second Language Courses.

Before enroling in your first Second Language Course, you must complete a Placement Test. The Placement Test is used to ensure you are placed in the correct course level. 

If you wish to enroll in a Second Language Course, please fill out the enrolment form and submit it to the Common Law Student Centre via email to [email protected]. For a first time registration to FLS or ESL courses, please submit your Placement Test results or the OLBI’s recommendation.

You must submit your enrolment request to the Common Law Student Center before the deadlines noted in the Important dates and deadlines of the University of Ottawa.

All Second Language Courses taken will not count towards the calculation of the CGPA (cumulative grade point average) of your Common Law program. As such, the final grade will be “Satisfactory/Non Satisfactory”. Students from the Common Law Section will receive no credits for Second Language Courses (these courses are taken in addition to your program requirements).