Looking to get specialized training in a particular area of law?

This short-term graduate program (15-17 credits) allow students to acquire the necessary basic knowledge required to develop a specialization or to pursue further studies in another graduate-level program. It also presents an opportunity for active professionals to gain new skills.

Speciality areas

• North American common law
• Business law
• Information technologies law
• Labour law
• International law

Apply for admission (in French)

A short-term specialization in a professional sector

This graduate program (30 credits) focuses on teaching the foundations of a specialization, as well as integration and application of that knowledge. The D.E.S.S. program was designed for professionals looking to refine their training or undertake a short-term specialization. This program comprises 10 courses, 8 of which must come from the area of specialization; namely, business law or international law. 

There are simple formalities for transferring from one program to another—for example, from a Micro-Program to a D.E.S.S or from a D.E.S.S. to a Master of Laws with a supervised research project.

Speciality areas

• Business law
• International law
• Journalism

Apply for admission (in French)

This program intends to meet the training needs of students who hold a common law degree and who are seeking to enter a bar admission program in a Canadian province (except Quebec) or territory. It is designed to provide a solid foundation in the methodology as well as the substantive and procedural rules of Canadian law. This includes a working knowledge of the Civil Law system of Quebec, a definite asset for the Canadian legal profession.

Presentation

The versatility and diversity of law

The J.D. Program in North American Common Law is the only one of its kind in Quebec and Canada. It is the only graduate program that gives Quebec jurists training in Canadian and U.S. common law, based on the comparison between three legal systems. 

The program enables students to acquire the knowledge required to understand how institutions work, as well as the history of Canadian and U.S. common law, in the interest of effectively comparing them with the institutions of civil law.

Thanks to this comparative approach to English-Canadian and U.S. law, jurists will be better equipped to address complex questions using legal knowledge from different systems, which will, in turn, enable them to develop innovative solutions to modern legal questions. An in-depth understanding of private common law is key for Quebec jurists, given the importance of North American economic trade and the spread of legal professions across Canada and the world.

Students must fulfill the specific and very rigorous eligibility requirements for this program before being accepted.

• 32 mandatory credits

Program director : 

Pr Matthew P. Harrington

Program structure (in French)

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Dive into an in-depth research project on a legal question

This Master of Law program offers students the opportunity to comprehensively study a specific topic taken from one of the broad areas of law or from an area of specialization. This research program has two objectives: offer courses that complement general knowledge learned at the undergraduate level and help students develop, through the writing of a thesis, the ability to orient and execute a mid-sized research project in a specific area of law.

With supervised research project or seminars
With thesis

In order to obtain their degree, students must complete a supervised research project or a thesis, according to their research area. Developing research or writing a thesis is at the heart of this program. Students will work in close collaboration with a professor, who will supervise their research projects. The supervising professor is chosen by the student. 

Speciality areas– Master of Laws with a supervised research project

Speciality areas – Master of Laws with essay

Business Law, with option Presentation  Description (PDF format - in French)

Information Technology Law, with option  Presentation (in French)

International law, with option  Presentation (in French)

Law, with option

Full details of the Master of Laws program (in French)

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An international program, where civil systems converge

The Master of Laws in Comparative Private Law program was designed for international students, who wish to learn from the comparison of different legal systems. In one year of full-time studies, students will acquire a historical, comparative and global perspective on private law around the world by analyzing their similarities and particularities, and by studying the evolution of each. This program also offers the opportunity to take optional courses on the fundamentals and methodologies of common law.

Read the brochure (in French)

Program (in French)

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Apply for admission (in French)

Webinaire (in French)

Notarial law is an important section of the Faculty of Law. This discipline is supported by research work and the activities of the Chaire du notariat de l'Université de Montréal.

I want more informations

Please note that the new version of the program will be in place for the Fall Term of 2024.

Overview of the program in 2024-25 (subject to approval by the Commission des études in May 2024)

The Masters of Laws, Comparative Common Law option has two main objectives:

i) to deepen knowledge of the common law tradition in a stimulating environment combining both theory and practice;

ii) to develop the ability to design and implement a research project in a specific field through the writing of an essay.

The Master of Laws, Comparative Common Law option is designed to meet the training needs of Canadian and foreign jurists interested in Canadian law, taking into account the globalization of trade and the specific legal needs it generates. Based on a theoretical, critical and pragmatic approach, teaching will use a variety of methods, including lectures, seminars and problem-based learning.

The 2025-26 version of the program has been designed to allow students trained abroad to meet the requirements of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada’s National Committee on Accreditation (NCA). In order to receive a Certificate of Qualification, an individual application must be made to the NCA which will assess it on its merit. NCA policy requires all applicants who plan to complete their assigned requirements at law school to seek approval of the NCA prior to starting the courses.  To do so, please email nca@flsc.ca.

Program requirements 

Graduates of a foreign university:

• Possess a Bachelor of Laws degree or an equivalent degree.
• Have obtained an average  of at least 3,0 on 4,3 or the equivalent.

Graduates of a Canadian university:

• Possess a J.D. of the Université de Montréal.
• Have obtained, at J.D. of the Université de Montréal, an average of at least 3,0 on 4,3.

An English test and/or a personal interview may be required. The program is held in English.

Program content

All courses are offered in English.

See below for candidates who hold a JD or a Specialized Graduate Diploma in Canadian Law from the Université de Montreal.

Bloc 70A Methodology (12 cr.)

• DRT6200 – Quebec's civil law system (3 cr.) - Système de droit civil québécois
• DRT 6466 - Legal research and drafting seminar (3 cr.) - Recherche juridique et séminaire de rédaction
• DRT6502 – Foundations of Canadian and Indigenous law (3 cr.) - Fondements du droit canadien et autochtone
• DRT6562 – Epistemology and methodology of the common law (3 cr.) - Épistémologie et méthodologie de la common law

Bloc 70B Basic elements

• Option – Minimum 21 credits, maximum 27 credits
• DRT 6566 - Contracts (3 cr.) - Contrats
• DRT 6567 - Torts (3 cr.) - Responsabilité civile
• DRT 6568 - Real Property (3 cr.) - Biens immobiliers
• DRT 6569 - Civil Procedure (3 cr.) - Procédure civile
• DRT 6570 - Sale of Goods (3 cr.) - Droit des obligations - problèmes choisis
• DRT 6571 - Property law – Commercial Elements (3 cr.) - Droit des biens – éléments commerciaux choisis
• DRT 6572 - Remedies (3 cr.) - Remedies en droit public et privé
• DRT 6573 - Trusts-Estates (3 cr.) - Fiducies et successions
• DRT6593 – Canadian criminal law 1 (3 cr.) - Droit criminel canadien 1
• DRT6594 – Canadian criminal law 2 (3 cr.) - Droit criminel canadien 2
• DRT 6583 – Ethics and professionalism (3 cr.) - Éthique et professionnalisme
• DRT6597 – Canadian constitutional law 1 (3 cr.) - Droit constitutionnel canadien 1
• DRT6598 – Canadian constitutional law 2 (3 cr.) - Droit constitutionnel canadien 2
• DRT6595 – Canadian administrative law (3 cr.) - Droit administratif canadien
• DRT6581A - Advanced common law (3 cr.) - Common law avancée
• DRT6581B – Advanced common law (3 cr.) - Common law avancée

Bloc 71D Optional courses (maximum 6 credits)

• Optional 3 credit courses chosen with the approval of the Dean or the Dean’s representative among the courses of other graduate programs in law. One 3 credit course may be chosen among the repertoire of undergraduate language courses.

Block 71E

• DRT6465 - Research paper (9 credits)
• Candidates who hold a University of Montreal JD
• DRT 6563 - Civil Law and common law Systems (1 cr.) - Système civiliste et common law
• DRT6565 – Foundations of the common law (2 cr.) - Fondements et méthodes de la common law
• DRT6584 – Integration Workshop (3 cr.) - Atelier d’intégration

Candidates who hold a University of Montreal JD

• DRT 6563 - Civil Law and common law Systems (1 cr.) - Système civiliste et common law
• DRT6565 – Foundations of the common law (2 cr.) - Fondements et méthodes de la common law
• DRT6584 – Integration Workshop (3 cr.) - Atelier d’intégration
  

Candidates who hold a Specialized Graduate Diploma in Canadian Law from the University of Montreal

• Two optional 3 credit courses chosen from the list above or, subject to the approval of the Dean or the Dean’s representative, among the courses of other graduate programs in law. If this has not been done while completing the Specialized Graduate Diploma in Canadian Law, one 3 credit course may be chosen among the repertoire of undergraduate language courses.

• DRT6465 - Research paper (9 credits)

Presentation card

Master of Laws

Option : Business law in a global context

Exclusively open to international students, this program offers advanced studies in North American law, comparative law and international law, and looks at the growing complexity of law in a globalized world. Students who successfully complete this program will have acquired important analytical and research skills that will enable them to pursue successful, high-level careers. All courses in the program are offered in English only.

Academic Director: P^r Hugo Tremblay

Detailed overview (Admissions and Program Guide)

Apply for admission

Presentation

Students enrolled in another university (or any other university-level institution), may enrol in this Université de Montréal program as a visiting student researcher. This program provides research training that fulfills requirements in their program.

Consult the Guide for Visiting Student Researchers

Visit the Études supérieures et postdoctorales (ESP) website