OsgoodePD’s Professional LLM in Labour and Employment Law is a graduate program designed specifically for working professionals. Each of our distinct specializations focuses on interdisciplinary learning and provides you with a unique mix of academic, applied, and theoretical perspectives. You will learn through interactive discussions and explore practical issues related to your specialization. You’ll have access to a wide range of elective options to broaden your legal knowledge or explore new areas related to your professional interests.
This Professional LLM gives students the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the theory, policies, and principles that underlie labour and employment law. Students will develop the skills to consider, at an advanced level, the social, economic, and political forces shaping this dynamic field today.
Who is the Specialization for?
Lawyers or law graduates with legal work experience who have a strong demonstrated interest in labour and employment law and wish to establish or expand a practice in this area of specialization
Senior professionals who work with legal compliance or controversy in employment or labour relations contexts, including dispute resolution, collective bargaining/union negotiations or policy development
Alumni Spotlights
Allison Cheron
Allison is the director of the Client Service Centre at the Law Society of Ontario. Allison describes what made Osgoode’s Professional LLM in Labour and Employment Law the perfect fit for her continuous learning goals, and how the program exposed her to a world-class faculty and peers with multidisciplinary backgrounds.
Tim Fitzgerald
Tim is an Ontario Works Caseworker for the City of Toronto and has been a part of the leadership of CUPE Local 79 for over 20 years. Tim shares the motivations that led to him joining the Professional LLM in Labour and Employment Law and some of his standout experiences as a student of the program.
Student Services
All Professional LLM students can benefit from our wide range of student services:
Academic Services
Program Orientation
Introductory Courses
Workshops & Resources
Confidential Academic and Wellness Counselling
Career Support
Job Postings
Resources/Guides
Workshops & Events
Counselling
Campus Life
Student Social Activities
Osgoode & York U Extra Curriculars
Professional Networking Events
All of our academic and career development services are available remotely, and counselling hours have varied schedules to suit the needs of part-time students.
Information Session
Interested in our part-time Professional LLM in Labour and Employment Law? In this on demand session, you will learn more about course offerings, degree requirements, what to expect during your studies and the steps to apply.
Course Requirements
The Professional LLM in Labour and Employment Law requires completion of 36 credits including a research requirement. The program is designed to be completed in two years (six active terms) through a combination of required courses, related electives, and up to 6 credits of outside electives.
What you can expect
The program is designed to be completed in two years (six active terms) by completing 6 credits (one or two courses) per term.
Many of the courses in the Labour and Employment Law specialization are scheduled as intensive courses (typically between Thursday and Saturday in a combination of evening and day-long sessions). However, you will encounter weekly evening courses as well (typically in 6-9PM or 7-10PM sessions).
In your first term of admission, you may be assigned a course as a condition of your admission. Admission condition courses count towards your degree requirements. Students with the following profiles usually have required introductory courses:
- Internationally-trained lawyers: GNRL 6209 – Canadian Graduate Legal Research & Writing (Online) (3 Credits)
- Professionals without a law degree: GNRL 6149 Introduction to Graduate Legal Studies (3 Credits)
Required Courses
Required courses typically offered once every two years:
LREL 6805 – Theories and Perspectives in Labour & Employment Law (3 Credits)
Elective Courses
Elective course offerings vary from term to term. Some options include Advanced Issues in Labour Arbitration, Labour and Employment Law in International Law, and The Charter and Human Rights in Labour Law. To see course offerings for upcoming terms, review the Course Planning information below.
You must complete at least 30 credits in total from Labour and Employment Law courses. Up to 6 credits may be drawn from courses in unrelated specializations, so long as you have any required prerequisite knowledge for those courses.
Research Requirement
The research requirement can be fulfilled through one of the following three options. Most students elect to fulfill the requirement through option 3:
- A Major Research Paper (70 pages, 6 Credits)
- An Independent Significant Research Paper (30 pages, 3 Credits)
- A Significant Research Paper (30 pages) completed as the means of assessment for one of the courses within the specialization.
Course planning
Course plans are typically provided for the next two calendar years. Specific course schedules are subject to change without notice until the course enrollment process for an upcoming term begins. Please check course schedules immediately before making your enrollment request to ensure you have the most current schedule information.
This tool is for planning purposes only. Selecting courses using this tool does not enroll you in the course or reserve a space in the course for you.
Application Dates
The Labour and Employment Law specialization is a cohort program that accepts new students once every other calendar year, in the Fall term.
Faculty
Program director
Sara Slinn
John D. R. Craig
Instructors include
Christopher C. Rootham
Michael Lynk
Claire Mummé
Tuition and Fees
Part-time students pay in six installments over six active terms.
You will be billed an installment for each term in which you enroll in courses. If you complete the program in fewer than six terms, you’ll be billed your remaining installment(s) at the end of your program. If you need more than six terms to complete your credits, extra term fees will apply.
Please note that the tuition/fees displayed here are subject to change, and may vary depending on your entry term.
Domestic
$3,800.79per term for 6 terms
$22,804.74total
$8,489.10per term for 6 terms
$50,934.60total
Students are also subject to supplementary fees including health benefits. Find out more about supplementary fees here.
Admission Requirements
Admission to Professional LLM specializations is competitive. At OsgoodePD, we can help you navigate the process. The Admissions Committee reviews each applicant’s completed file and takes into consideration criteria such as academic background, professional work experience, and whether the program fits your stated goals. The information below represents the minimum requirements for admission consideration to our graduate degree programs – meeting these criteria does not guarantee admission.
JD/LLB degree or undergraduate degree (a graduate degree is an asset to non-legal professionals)
Overall B (75%) average (or equivalent)
Professional work experience (JD/LLB graduates require at least 2 years, while non-legal professionals require at least 5 years of related senior-level experience)
Acceptable English language proficiency (see requirements)
How to Apply
Create Your OsgoodePD Applicant Profile
Create an applicant profile in our online application portal. This portal allows us to gather your information, transcripts, and other documents electronically. You will receive an email with directions outlining how to create a new password for your application, along with a link to access the application.
Upload Application Documents
The following documents are required:
- Resume/CV
- Writing Sample
- Contact Information for Two References
- Transcripts
- Official Proof of Language Proficiency (if applicable)
For more information, see our Application Documents to Upload section.
Pay and Submit
Once your application is completed, you will be required to pay a non-refundable $130 CAD application fee.
Wait for Review
Timelines for decisions vary by program, but we will be in touch if we have questions about your application or need more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Us
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