University of Saskatchewan College of Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to Canadian JD Programs
The University of Saskatchewan College of Law is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River in a beautiful, natural, and spacious setting. Saskatoon is a modern prairie city with a good balance of economic, cultural, and educational institutions.
The college was founded in 1912, and is the oldest in Western Canada. The graduates of the college exemplify a tradition of excellence. Over the years, graduates have become distinguished judges of courts at all levels, including the Supreme Court of Canada; distinguished academics; learned members of the legal profession across the country; diplomats; and political leaders. Graduates have also become prime minister of Canada, governor-general of Canada, and premiers of Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The college’s academic life is directed by a faculty with a strong commitment to teaching and research, and is enriched by the active involvement of judges and practitioners. The college has three funded chairs that enrich the program in the areas of public policy, human rights, and business law. The college is committed to research and teaching through the Indigenous Law Centre, and the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives. The chairs, centres, and a speaker’s committee organize a stimulating selection of conferences and lectures on current legal issues.
Enrollment/Student Body
- 1120 applicants
- 126 admitted first-year class 2021
- 138 enrolled first-year class 2020
- 356 total full time
- 16 total part time
- 48 percent women
- 10 provinces and 2 territories represented
Faculty
- 21 full time
- 11 women
Library and Physical Facilities
- 345,302 volumes and equivalents
- Hours: Mon.–Thurs., 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.; Fri., 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Sat., 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Sun., noon–8:00 p.m. Hours are extended during the exam period.
- OPAC
- 1 full-time librarian
- 3 full-time staff
- Seats: 241
The collection consists primarily of legal sources from Canada, Britain, the Commonwealth, the United States, and other jurisdictions from around the world. Particular strengths include Aboriginal law, criminal law, contract law, tort law, and international human rights.
The JD Program
The program leading to the degree of Juris Doctor (JD) requires three years of study. The school term runs from the beginning of September until the end of April.
In order to obtain the degree of Juris Doctor, a student must satisfy the requirements for admission, register annually for the prescribed courses, pay the required fees, attend classes and participate in the first-year orientation, pass examinations as prescribed, participate satisfactorily in the legal research and writing course, complete the writing requirements, and fulfill such other requirements as may, from time to time, be designated by the faculty.
Students ordinarily must complete the JD requirements within six years in order to receive that degree. Students wishing to complete the JD requirements beyond the six-year period must obtain permission from the dean’s office.
The first-year curriculum is compulsory. The second- and third-year programs permit the student to elect classes. In addition, there is a mandatory writing requirement in each of the upper years.
There is a half-time program to accommodate students who, for economic or personal reasons, are unable to take a full-time program. Students must be flexible enough to attend classes at the regularly scheduled times.
The college offers a Master of Laws (LLM) program. Students in the program participate in classes and must complete a thesis. Some of these students are often from other countries and add another enriching element to academic community life.
Curriculum
- Academic Success Program
- 90 credits required to graduate
- 90 courses available
- Degrees and combined degrees available—JD, JD/BA, JD/BSc, JD/BComm, JD/BAdmin, JD/MBA, JD/Certificate in French Common Law (CCLF), LLM
Access to Justice
The college offers a three-credit seminar class called Access to Justice. Students enrolled in this course have the opportunity to observe and interact with lawyers during a placement at one of many participating courts and tribunals in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The college also boasts CREATE Justice, a newly-established centre for research, evaluation, and action on the topic of access to justice.
Clinical Law at CLASSIC
The Clinical Law program at the college ensures students have the opportunity to gain hands-on, supervised experience with actual legal clients alongside consideration, application and review of legal doctrine. Ours is one of few clinical law programs across Canada that collaborates with a community-based legal clinic: CLASSIC.
Certificate in French Common Law
The University of Saskatchewan College of Law is pleased to offer the Certification in common law in French - Certification de common law en français (CCLF) through a partnership with the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law.
The CCLF will allow incoming students with competencies in French the unique opportunity to obtain a certification in common law in French from the University of Ottawa during the completion of the three-year University of Saskatchewan JD program.
This joint program is the first of its kind in Canada, and will allow selected students the opportunity to gain valuable skills in French legal writing and advocacy as well as a deep understanding of the important issues surrounding language rights in Canada.
Selected students will begin the CCLF during their second year of the JD program and complete an exchange in Ottawa, compete in a moot court competition with teams throughout Canada, be paired with experienced mentors in the legal profession, and have the opportunity to complete a credited internship with law firms, organizations and government actors that work in French.
These unique experiences will give participating students the necessary tools to offer legal services in French upon graduation. The CCLF is a first step towards a varied and rewarding career, including:
- opening doors to prestigious clerkships with the Supreme Court of Canada, the federal courts and the federal public service;
- accessing legal careers where legal training and proficiency in both official languages is an asset;
- contributing legal services to the Francophone community, in the language to which they are entitled;
- contributing to the administration of justice in both official languages; and
- becoming part of a network of 1,000 alumni of the uOttawa French Common Law Program who share this unique training, recognized for its excellence in Canada and around the world.
Application to the CCLF is open to students entering their first year of studies in the University of Saskatchewan JD program. Students who successfully complete the program will have "French Common Law Option" included on their JD degree parchment.
Saskatchewan Law Review
The Saskatchewan Law Review is a journal published at the College of Law and provides a range of opportunities for legal scholars and experts interested in publishing their work. As a student, you can submit work for review or serve on the editorial board.
Mooting
Mooting is an important part of the college's academic and professional program. As a component of the first-year Legal Research and Writing course, all first year students will experience and participate in a moot. Mooting offers a forum for the development and presentation of legal arguments in the context of an appeal case, as well as a vehicle for the exercise of legal research and writing skills. Mooting is an important part of the college's academic and professional program. Students interested in advocacy are given full opportunity to research and present positions in the college and at national and international mooting competitions.
Dispute Resolution
Through the College of Law’s Dispute Resolution curriculum and experiential learning opportunities, students develop thoughtful, professional and skillful approaches to managing and resolving client problems and legal disputes.
Exchange Programs
Study at some of the top law schools in the world in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Sweden, or the United Kingdom. In recent years, our students have also gone to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Hungary. Studying law abroad allows you to learn about other legal systems and to gain international experience.
Combined Degrees
Bachelor of Commerce/Juris Doctor
The combined BComm/JD program allows students to obtain both the commerce and law degrees in six years rather than the seven years needed to complete the degrees separately. This program works well for those students who are majoring in areas of the Commerce program that require 18 credit units for completion. Students in a major requiring more than 18 credit units (Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Management, and Supply Chain Management) should consult a program advisor. Students initially apply to the Edwards School of Business and spend three years completing the core and major classes. Once a student has gained admission to the College of Law, they complete the regular three-year JD program. Students receive their BComm after successful completion of two years in law. For information on this program, please contact the Edwards School of Business.
Bachelor of Business Administration/Juris Doctor
The University of Regina and the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan jointly offer a Combined Degree Program of Business Administration and Law leading to a BBA/JD in six years. Please contact Raelynn Norbeck, Student Recruitment & Advising at the Paul J. Hill School of Business at the University of Regina for information on this program.
Juris Doctor/Masters of Business Administration
This three-year program allows students to complete their law degree and their MBA simultaneously. Students will complete 39 credits in the MBA and 81 credits in the JD program for a total of 120 credits.
Expand Your Career Options: Students will leave the University of Saskatchewan prepared to practice either in a career in law and/ or a career in business. They will be well poised to act as corporate counsel in any large organization. The versatile skillset you gain through the JD/MBA could make you a prime candidate for high-level positions.
A JD/MBA can be extremely valuable for those pursing a public interest focused career path. In this sector, senior leaders are often tasked with heading a nonprofit or public institution, which requires significant management capabilities.
More credentials, less time. The JD /MBA Program is a 3-year program administered jointly by the Edwards School of Business and the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan. The two degrees are complimentary and will allow students to complete two degrees in less time than if they were taken separately (3 years versus 4). If you know you want both degrees eventually, you should consider doing them together.
Students who wish to apply to the combined JD/MBA Program will be given an opportunity to do so during their first year of law studies.
Bachelor of Arts/Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Science/Juris Doctor
The combined BA/JD or BSc/JD program can be completed in five years, including spring and summer session. Up to 18 credit units in the JD program may be counted as senior electives in the College of Arts and Science. Grades from all of the eligible law courses attempted will be used in the calculation of the Arts and Science average. Contact the USask College of Arts and Science for more information on this program.
Bachelor of Arts (four-year)/Juris Doctor
To complete either program, students may use 18 credit units in law courses toward the elective requirements for the BA Four-year program, and so complete both degrees in less time than if taken separately. Contact the USask College of Arts and Science for more information on this program.
Student Life
Student Organizations
Enhance your law school experience (and your resume) by getting involved with one of our student groups or clubs. From the Law Students' Association to Green Legal, there's something for everyone.
Career Placement and Bar Passage
Tuition and Aid
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition |
$15,651.00
|
| Fees |
$988.00
|
| Expected Cost of Attendance |
$2,500.00
|
The college has 14 academic performance-based entrance scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 for students accepted into the first-year program.
Minority scholarships available.
Financial aid available (bursaries)
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
Admission
- Application deadline—February 1
- LSAT required
- For multiple LSAT scores, highest current score is used
- Median GPA—83 percent; 3.7
- Median LSAT score—159
- Application fee—$125 (nonrefundable)
A slight preference is given to Saskatchewan residents and residents of provinces and territories that do not have a law school. Approximately 20 percent are special admissions. First-year students are admitted only in September.
To be eligible for admission to the first-year program of the College of Law, an applicant must have successfully completed at least two years of academic work beyond senior matriculation at a recognized university, or the equivalent of such work. In practice, most students have a university degree before being admitted.
The LSAT is required of all applicants and is used along with the GPA to determine who is accepted. LSAT scores are considered valid for five years.
More weight is given to academic work done on a full-load basis. Grades obtained for work done in graduate schools are not used as a part of the GPA but are considered when assessing the qualifications of applicants.
Special Applicants for Admission
Admission will be offered to a limited number of special applicants as long as the Admissions Committee is satisfied that such persons have a reasonable prospect of academic success in the College of Law. The committee will give special consideration to applicants who are unable to compete successfully under the general criteria applied to regular applicants.
In selecting applicants for the first-year class, the College of Law considers it important that the student body reflect a variety of backgrounds and experiences.
Equity in Access—Special consideration will be given to applicants whose educational opportunities have been hindered by circumstances such as cultural or economic disadvantage, physical impairment, a learning disability, or significant interruption of the pursuit of postsecondary education.
The applicant’s LSAT score will usually be given significant weight. Applicants seeking consideration should submit, with the application, a statement identifying and explaining the nature of educational disadvantage or interruption of studies; relevant supporting documentation, such as medical reports; details of any relevant occupational experience or community involvement; and supporting letters of reference from persons unrelated to the applicant on the applicant’s aptitude and potential for law studies.