University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
1822 East Mall
Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1
Phone: 604.822.6303, Fax: 604.822.8108
Internet: www.law.ubc.ca, E-mail:
admissions@law.ubc.ca
Introduction
The Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia (UBC), founded in 1945, is the second largest Canadian common law school. It offers a Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM) and PhD degrees, and two joint degrees, the JD/MBA and the JD/MAPPS (Master of Arts in Asia Pacific Policy Studies).
UBC Law is at the cutting edge of contemporary legal knowledge with strengths in many fields, including Asian legal studies, feminist legal studies, First Nations legal issues, dispute resolution, environmental and natural resources law, and law and society studies. The graduate program is one of the largest in Canada that attracts outstanding students from around the world. UBC Law is also home to the National Centre for Business Law, a world-class national centre for business law, scholarship, and teaching.
UBC is situated in a park-like campus of over 1,000 hectares on a forested peninsula overlooking the Pacific Ocean and coastal mountains. A short drive from downtown Vancouver, the university is easily accessible by public transit. Vancouver is one of the world's most spectacular cities, bordered by beaches and mountains and boasting a temperate climate year-round. With a population of more than two million, Vancouver is taking on increasing importance as an international, cultural, economic, and educational centre.
Enrollment/Student Body
- 1,727 applicants • 180 enrolled first-year class 2008
- 580 total full time (JD) • 19 total part time
- 35 LLM, 47 PhD, and 3 MJur • 51% women
- 9 provinces/territories and 24 countries represented in the total student body
- over 100 universities and colleges represented
Faculty
- 148 total
- 42 full time
- 106 part time or adjunct
Library and Physical Facilities
- 300,000 library volumes and equivalents
- library hours: 84 hours per week; Mon.–Thurs., 8:00 am–10:00 pm; Fri., 8:00 am–6:00 pm; Sat., 10:00 am–6:00 pm; Sun., 10:00 am–8:00 pm
- a full range of electronic journals and databases
- 3 full-time librarians • 7 full-time staff
- 567 library seats • 20 computer workstations and free wireless network
- Asian law collection
The Curtis Building, opened in 1975, contains the law library, faculty and student offices, large and small classrooms, a full formal courtroom, and a small cafeteria. The large Student Union Building is nearby, with full recreational and food services. There are full sports facilities and a variety of intramural and team sports.
Curriculum
- 92 credits required to graduate
- approximately 100 courses available
- degrees available: JD, JD/MBA, JD/MAPPS, MJur, LLM, PhD
An orientation program introduces students to the faculty, to other students, to lawyers and the judiciary, and to the start of their study of law as an academic discipline.
The first year is comprised of a set of required courses and activities. Second- and third-year courses are chosen from a wide range of options. Both the faculty and the Law Students Society provide a number of lectures of special interest during the year.
Special Programs
The Centre for Asian Legal Studies offers courses in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese law for both graduate and undergraduate students. The centre is involved in a number of projects funded by agencies, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank, and the Global Environment Facility.
The Centre for Feminist Legal Studies is known across Canada and internationally for its strength in teaching and research on social justice for women. Feminist approaches are integrated within the curriculum and inform teaching methodologies.
UBC Law’s Dispute Resolution Program offers students a program of study and research led by an interdisciplinary team of scholars working together with community partners to develop a better understanding of the dispute resolution process.
UBC Law has an international reputation for excellence in environmental and natural resources law. Programs and courses in environmental and natural resources law provide intensive training in domestic and international law, and offer students opportunities for hands-on experience.
The First Nations Legal Studies Program has the largest number of First Nations law students, offers the most courses in First Nations legal studies of any Canadian law school, and is the leader in First Nations legal education in Canada.
UBC Law offers a lively, diverse, and vibrant Law and Society community encompassing established scholars, junior academics, and students in many disciplines. Weekly lectures by nationally and internationally known scholars and experts enhance learning at UBC Law.
UBC Law is home to the new National Centre for Business Law, which provides a robust, interdisciplinary, and empirical research environment for research and scholarship in business law and finance policy that is focused on both domestic and international comparative law.
The graduate program offers specialized curricula for Master of Laws (by thesis and by coursework or by coursework alone) and doctoral (PhD) students. For more information on our graduate program, go to www.law.ubc.ca/prospective/graduate/index.html.
The school has student-exchange agreements with over 80 law schools around the world including, among others, schools in Australia, Europe, Mexico, Chile, South Africa, the United States, Japan, and Thailand. There are faculty exchanges with the University of Florida and the University of Melbourne.
Admission
- degree from a recognized university or a minimum of three years toward such degree required
- application deadline—February 1
- all applications received by deadline date are considered
- LSAT required • multiple LSAT scores, highest used • oldest LSAT score accepted—October 2004
- median GPA—82% • median LSAT score—164
- application fee—$80
The GPA and LSAT are weighed equally. Applicants in the regular category may ask for special consideration due to various factors affecting their academic record. There is a discretionary category for those with work experience, those from minority backgrounds, or those with disabilities. There is also a category for First Nations applications and a part-time program for a limited number of applicants.
Student Activities
The University of British Columbia Law Review and the Canadian Journal of Family Law, refereed journals, are published twice annually by student editorial boards. The Canadian Journal of Family Law was the first academic journal in Canada to devote itself to the promotion, development, and articulation of issues in the field of family law.
The student organization is the Law Students' Society; in addition, there is an elected Faculty Council Student Caucus (FCSC) which participates in faculty committees and governance.
Students at the Faculty have shown a high level of achievement in provincial, national, and international moot court competitions.
The Law Student's Legal Advice Program and the Pro Bono Students' Association provide extensive legal aid services to the public on a volunteer basis.
Expenses and Financial Aid
- tuition per year—full time, $9,741.89 (subject to change); half time, approximately $324.73 per credit; international fees, $644.47 per credit = $19,334.10 for first-year law (subject to change)
- student fees are approximately $830 per year
- estimated additional expenses—$12,500 (books and supplies, accommodations and food, transportation, miscellaneous)
- performance scholarships and need-based bursaries available; need-based and mixed need-performance minority scholarships available
- financial aid available
Career Services
The University of British Columbia Faculty of Law's Career Services Office (CSO)
is staffed by two full-time professionals (both former lawyers) and one
administrative support person who provide advice and information to students
pursuing a range of career goals. The CSO runs a variety of programs to prepare
students for summer, articling, clerking, and nontraditional career options. The CSO provides personalized career counseling, interview preparation, résumé reviews, and mock interviews, in addition to presenting speaker panels and
workshops on career options and paths. The CSO hosts career fairs for law
firms and public interest organizations and facilitates on-campus recruitment
visits by firms from across Canada and the US. Graduates of UBC secure
employment across Canada, in the US (primarily New York), and around the world
in law firms and public interest organizations, or with legally related industry
or government organizations.
