UVic Law FAQs

UVic Law in General

1. Why UVic Law?
2. How many students attend UVic Law?
3. What is the average class size?
4. How many faculty members does UVic Law have?
5. Does the Faculty offer any clinical or specialized programs, or house any legal research centres?
6. Does the Faculty offer a part-time program?
7. Does the Faculty offer any double degree programs?
8. Can the J.D. program be taken through distance education?
9. Does the Faculty offer an LL.M. or Ph.D. program?

 

1. Why UVic Law?

Introductory information on the unique legal education program offered by the University of Victoria Faculty of Law can be found on the Why UVic Law page.

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2. How many students attend UVic Law?  

About 110 students are enrolled in the first-year program each year. However, with upper-year admissions, exchange students and other program options, we usually have 360 to 380 students enrolled during the academic year. Generally speaking, about 55% of the students are women and approximately 20% are visible minorities. Typically, 40% of UVic Law students are from outside of British Columbia.

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3. What is the average class size?

All first-year UVic Law students must participate in the full-time Legal Process course during their first three weeks of law school. For the Legal Process program, students are divided into five groups of 25 students or less.

During the remainder of the first-year program, class sizes vary from 25 to 60 students. Upper-year class sizes are 10 to 24 students in seminar courses, and 25 to 50 students in lecture courses.

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4. How many faculty members does UVic Law have?  

There are 32 full-time faculty members, of whom 12 are women. The number of part-time faculty and sessional instructors varies from year to year. Normally, there are approximately 30 part-time, sessional or adjunct faculty members, about one-third of whom are women.

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5. Does the Faculty offer any clinical or specialized programs, or house any legal research centres?

There are opportunities for study through the following programs and research centres:

• Law Co-op Program
• Environmental Law Centre
• Centre for Asia Pacific Initiatives (CAPI)
• Clinical Term Programs:
  • Business Law Clinic
  • Environmental Law Clinic
  • The Law Centre
• International exchange programs with law schools throughout the world

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6. Does the Faculty offer a part-time program?

A limited number of positions in the Faculty of Law are available for part-time legal studies. Students must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Faculty that they are unable to attend on a full-time basis because of health reasons, physical disability, exceptional family circumstances or financial hardship.

Students must ensure that their part-time program conforms to the Law Society requirements in the province in which they wish to practice. A request to participate in part-time studies should be made in writing and submitted to the Law Admissions Office once the applicant has been admitted to the Faculty.

Please be advised that there is no separate program for part-time students. Part-time students simply take a reduced course load, so their courses may be scheduled throughout the day. In first year, courses are typically scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Upper-year courses are scheduled throughout the day, as well as in the evening. Consequently, it is difficult for a part-time student to maintain full-time employment during regular working hours, unless her or his employer is willing to be flexible to accommodate the student's course timetable.

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7. Does the Faculty offer any double degree programs?

The Faculty of Law offers the following double degree programs:

• Bachelor of Laws and Master of Business Administration (J.D./M.B.A.)
• Bachelor of Laws and Master of Public Administration Program (J.D./M.P.A.)

 

Students who apply and are accepted into both the Faculty of Law and the other Faculty in question may earn both degrees concurrently in four years, with modified requirements for each.

• The law school also offers a Joint Common Law/Civil Law Degree Program for students who have completed their Civil Law Degree in Quebec.

 

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8. Can the J.D. program be taken through distance education?  

UVic Law does not offer a distance education program leading to an J.D., nor do we anticipate that there will be a distance education option at any time in the future.

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9. Does the Faculty offer an LL.M. or Ph.D. program?  

Students can apply for graduate studies in law (at both the LL.M. and Ph.D. levels) through the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Information is also available by emailing the Law Graduate Program Assistant at gradlaw@uvic.ca.