COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Laws (LLM) program at Queen’s University requires all students to complete two mandatory graduate courses designed to provide a strong foundation in legal research, methodology, and scholarly writing. The first course, Legal Research Methods & Perspectives (LAW 880), is a one-term seminar typically offered in the Fall term that explores major themes in legal theory and methodology from diverse perspectives. This course helps students construct an appropriate analytical framework for their research projects and encourages critical engagement with the methods and assumptions underlying legal scholarship. The second required course, Graduate Advanced Legal Research (LAW 881), is also a one-term seminar focused on developing the practical research and writing skills necessary for success in graduate-level study and professional legal practice. LAW 881 emphasizes techniques for conducting advanced legal research, organizing complex information, and presenting arguments effectively, providing students with tools to excel both academically and professionally. Students who have already completed a comparable research and writing course at another law school may request a replacement course in place of LAW 881, ensuring flexibility while maintaining rigorous academic standards. Together, these mandatory courses equip LLM students with the analytical, methodological, and writing competencies needed to undertake a thesis, mini-thesis, or course-paper option, and form the foundation for further study, research, or legal practice.