Programme de droit canadien

Update coming

Please note that due to recent changes to our JD program, this course sequence is currently under review for implementation as of September 2025. An update will be posted in the coming days.

For more than 50 years, 91��Ʒ��ϳԹ�’s Faculty of Law has been offering, in both official languages, complete programs in the two most widely used legal systems in the world: common law and civil law. Beginning in September 2008, the Faculty launched a new program, the Programme de droit canadien (PDC), and allowing students to earn both a JD and an LL.L. in three years, thus opening the doors to the practice of law across Canada and abroad. The Programme de droit canadien reflect the needs of future lawyers in Canada. It is an innovative program that permits students to benefit from the richness of diverse Canadian legal traditions in order to better respond to changes in society.

Twenty exceptional candidates are admitted each year to the PDC. Students spend three years, including summer course-work, at the Faculty of Law. Certain courses are designed specifically for PDC students, and most of the program is offered in French, though knowledge of English is required.

91��Ʒ��ϳԹ�’s Faculty of Law has long been recognized for its vast range of courses in law and technology, international law, social justice, environmental law, and Aboriginal peoples and the law. Located at the heart of the federal capital, the Faculty of Law offers students unique internship opportunities within the country’s decision-making institutions—Parliament, Supreme Court, federal departments and tribunals, and non-governmental organizations. The Faculty of Law offers candidates an enriching and stimulating education corresponding to the values of an open society and respectful of the rule of law.

What distinguishes our alumni?

They are knowledgeable and understanding of the legal traditions of Canada;
They can work in common law and civil law jurisdictions in Canada as well as the rest of the world;
They have comparative analytical skills that make them an asset to the Canadian law firms who deal with international customers in an increasingly globalized market.

Program requirements

Additional information

The admission process is the same process that applies to the French Common Law Program (PCLF) at the Faculty of Law. Applications are submitted online through the Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS). Candidates must clearly indicate that their application should be considered for the PDC (Programme de droit canadien).

The admission criteria are as follows: at least three years of university study (with the exception of adult candidates), an outstanding academic record, a form of community and social engagement, the ability to follow a rigorous study program in French, some knowledge of English and favorable letters of recommendation.

Each candidate must submit a personal statement, two letters of recommendation and official transcripts for all post-secondary education. The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is not required for admission to the PDC.

The cumulative grade point average for admission based on academic grades is usually 80% or more. Occasionally, candidates whose weighted average is slightly below this limit may be selected for admission based on other factors such as the difficulty of the previous curriculum, previous work experience, degree of community engagement, quality of the personal statement and letters of recommendation.