1. Upper Year JD Course Selection Process
Nuts & Bolts for the Class of 2021
Assistant Dean Mya Rimon
Associate Dean (Students) Lisa Dufraimont
March 26, 2019

2. Get the most from your law school experience
many course options (over 150) in the upper year curriculum
Requirements:
OPIR
IALR
2nd Year Research Paper
3rd Year Research Paper
Praxicum
review, research, discuss:
what you are interested in
career requirements for particular areas of law
law school happens but once…take a cross-section of subjects, perspectives and methods (lectures, seminars, experiential programs, directed research, exchange)
focus on skills and approaches to learning and thinking about content, not simply content – laws change, the skills and approaches learned rarely do, and will carry well into your professional career

3. Planning your schedule
Explore your own likes/dislikes, priorities, and plans for career
Make a plan for the next four semesters
Use handout to plan a balanced progression of courses that meet your identified needs/interests

4. Considering your Options
Categorize courses by…
Subject area
Skills learned
Format (lecture, seminar, clinical)
Evaluation method (exam, paper, assignments)
Material (case law, statutory interpretation, theory, interdisciplinary)
Credits
word of mouth
Position on the timetable
Professor or instructor
Choose according to your preference or for a balanced course of study

5. Other Resources
review the possible “areas of concentration” in the syllabus
review the course evaluations available at the law library circulation desk or online (since Fall 2014) with respect to professors and courses
review the LSO licensing process
speak to upper year students – your Dean’s Fellows are a great starting point
arrange to meet with a trusted faculty member
contact Associate Dean Dufraimont, Assistant Dean Rimon or Karen Willoughby

6. Reminders
review all available materials and ask questions (a list of professors available to offer advice will accompany the posting of the syllabus)
consider your various options over the course of two years / four semesters
plan to enjoy your next two years of law school in your own individualized way
think about the opportunities available to prepare yourself for the future that you want
consider subjects covered in the lawyer licensing exams
while not every course choice decision is critical, the overall impact will be substantial

7. Requirements
Total required credits for upper years: minimum of 60 over four terms (may graduate with more)
Minimum/maximum credits per term: (more or less will require permission); this is about 4 or 5 courses/seminars per term (exclusive of any summer credits taken)
OPIR: 40 hour public interest requirement (detailed info available online)
2nd and 3rd Year Research & Writing Requirement: In each of 2nd and 3rd year, all students must complete
a research paper of at least 7,000 words (excluding notes) or about 28 pages,
in a class/program for which the paper is worth at least 60% of the final grade;
many opportunities (in a course, seminar, intensive, directed paper, etc) – will be indicated in the Syllabus
Successful completion will be indicated on MyJD

8. Requirements cont.
Praxicum: - A seminar, course or program that integrates legal theory with practice - Clinical & Intensive Programs and Courses/Seminars - will be indicated in the Syllabus Indigenous & Aboriginal Law Requirement (IALR): - A lecture, seminar or other for-credit course offering that carries at least 3 credits - Course content focuses primarily on Indigenous and Aboriginal legal issues - Current list of qualifying courses: Indigenous Peoples & Canadian Law ( ) Directed Reading: Indigenous Realities and Perspectives ( ) Comparative Law: Indigenous Legal Traditions ( ) Rights & Reconciliation: Indigenous Peoples and Law ( ) Comparative Law: Indigenous Rights in Four Settler States ( )

9. Specific Requirements
JOINT PROGRAMS:
JD/MBA and JD/MA students need 45 upper year JD credits
JD/MES students need 48 upper year JD credits
each program may also have other specific program requirements—consult with Karen Willoughby and/or Faculty Director for each program
CURRICULAR STREAMS: ICT, Tax, LDA and Labour: Each stream has specific course and credit requirements for within the stream, in addition to the overall mandatory academic requirements for the JD degree—consult with the Faculty Convenor for each

10. Curricular Streams Options for students interested in focusing on:
International, Comparative & Transnational (ICT),
Litigation, Dispute Resolution and Administration of Justice (LDA),
Tax Law or
Labour Law
Be sure to check syllabus carefully for requirements, including “capstone” courses

11. Ways to Earn Credit Courses Seminars
4 credits/4 hours or 3 credits/3 hours
usually lecture format and generally final evaluation is by exam/assignment; class limit usually students
Seminars
3 credits/2 hours or 4 credits/3 hours
evaluation usually by paper; class limit usually 20 students;
only permitted 2 seminars per term (subject to permission for more)
Summer Credits:
up to 4 credits per year, maximum of 8 over the two years
approval of courses/programs required
must still enrol in at least 13 credits in each of fall and winter terms

12. Ways to Earn Credit cont.
Intensives & Exchanges
Approx. 15 credits per semester
restrictions
limit of one 15 credit intensive
joint program students limited to one of a 15 credit, full-term intensive OR an exchange, not both
applications for both in January of the preceding year
subject to openings throughout the spring/summer
Research Opportunities
Supervised Research Paper (2,3 or 4 credits; ~20, 30 or 40 pp respectively) OR
Comprehensive Research Program (15-30 credit hours over 2nd and 3rd years);
both require submission of request form and agreement of a full-time faculty member

13. Other ways to earn credit
York Graduate Courses:
with permission by Osgoode and York Graduate Studies Office, may take up to 9 credits of extra-disciplinary courses within a York graduate faculty
counts as a “seminar” at Osgoode
UofT/Osgoode Exchange
approximately 3 courses per year offered by each school to students of the other school, with approximately 3 spots per course; details in the Summer Enrolment Guide
Letters of Permission (LOPs) (attending another institution) and Leaves of Absence (LOAs)
require written request to the Programs and Records Office
a maximum of up to 2 terms/1 academic year

14. Course Selection Tools
Osgoode Online Syllabus will include:
information on prerequisites
enrolment procedures
academic requirements
a detailed description of all courses and seminars being offered
course information tables with last year’s enrolment numbers
Timetable and Exam Schedule for all (Fall 2019/Winter 2020) upper year courses and seminars
Draft Plan of Study to chart your options for the next 4 terms
Permission Forms available on MyJD:
Supervised Research Papers
Request to take more than 2 seminars
Prerequisite Waiver

15. Course Selection Process I
Syllabus will be posted online in early June (you will receive notification when materials posted)
“Law Select”: Electronic Course Selection Process
you must submit your choices during the designated week in June
access from anywhere online through MyOsgoode
process involves ranking or prioritizing your courses selections for the year (A,B,C, D... J)
review the Syllabus for information on class size, number of students registered the year before (see the course information tables) to help predict whether the course will go to a lottery and whether you will need to use a high priority ranking)
rank carefully and thoughtfully
Pre-requisites for clinical and intensive programs must be prioritized

16. Rule: Conflict & Overlap are not permitted
It is your responsibility to ensure the absence of scheduling conflicts for your classes and examinations
Both of these situations are strictly forbidden

17. Course Selection Process II
The Programs & Records Office runs a lottery for oversubscribed courses
Mid-summer, students receive confirmation of the results of the lottery (and the courses in which they are successfully enrolled), as well as an Summer Enrolment Guide which lists updates
Waitlist if demand exceeds space – check Law Select for waitlist status
Add/Drop period starts in mid July and runs until the end of the 2nd week of each term