The Faculty of Law offers students a wider variety of inter-disciplinary combined programs than any other law school in Canada.  Each of these inter-disciplinary programs provides students with the opportunity to combine their J.D. degree with a second, graduate-level degree in another discipline which complements their legal education. Through these programs, students save a year or more on the time required to complete the two degrees separately. 

Students interested in combined degree programs must apply to and be admitted separately by both the Faculty of Law and the corresponding department or faculty within the University, meeting all admission requirements for each.

Admission decisions of the Faculty of Law are not influenced by a candidate's success in gaining admission to a faculty or department participating in a combined program. It is strongly suggested that applicants submit complete applications to both programs by the law school deadline.

Entry Points

Students can apply for combined programs going into the first year of the J.D. program (via OLSAS) or in the fall term of their first year in the J.D. program. Students must apply to and be admitted separately by both the Faculty of Law and the corresponding department or faculty within the University, meeting all admission requirements for each.

Financial Aid

Students in combined programs are eligible to apply for Faculty of Law financial aid during the years that they are registered full-time in J.D. courses.

General Rules

  • Students enrolled in combined programs MUST complete all of the requirements for both programs in order to graduate from either program and complete the requirements of the combined program as: 
    • set out in the Combined Program description i.e. the allocated course credits* cannot be changed, and
    • students cannot change the order of the program years from those set out in the description of the combined program 
  • Although Combined Program students are not subject to the law minimum credit requirement, students may not select and submit more than 16 credits in a term. Half-year courses are the equivalent of 2 law school credits.  Total enrollment (including courses in the partner division) must not exceed law school credit limits.  
  • Students must maintain the equivalent of full time enrolment in every term.  The Law Faculty does not recognize credits earned during summer months toward the combined degree.
  • No diplomas will be awarded until all the requirements for a combined program have been fulfilled.
  • Combined Programs Course Selection Checklist Forms are available on the Forms page of the Academic Handbook.
  • Students may only fulfill the requirements of one Combined Program degree. Combined degrees cannot be combined. In other words, students cannot do three degrees. Combined programs are the product of extensive consultation among faculties, subject to numerous divisional approvals and SGS oversight. Requirements cannot be modified or combined.
  • Students in combined programs can only participate in exchanges with the approval of both home departments. Students participating in a law approved exchange program must take 14 law credits while at the host university regardless of the number of credits required in their specific combined program. Students cannot satisfy the upper year requirements while away on exchange. However, the International/Comparative/Transnational perspective course requirement may be fulfilled while on exchange.
  • Combined degree programs frequently require students to enrol in a different division for some part of the degree.  (Often the second year of a four-year degree.)  Please note that this change in registration means that the student is no longer a law student.  This can affect the student's fees and student union membership, which can have significant consequences to a variety of requirements and benefits (e.g., health insurance coverage). 
  • Students who fail to observe these rules may be removed from the combined degree program.

Counting Credits*

Credit weights assigned by other University of Toronto faculties/departments cannot be changed and must stand as allocated by that department. There are several administrative reasons for this, including:

  1. The University of Toronto Transcript is comprehensive.
  2. Each faculty/department sets the credit weight for each course on ROSI. This weight applies to the course and to every student in the course, therefore, it is not possible for either faculty/department to change the credit weighting for an individual student.  Half-year courses are counted as the equivalent of 2 law school credits.  Year-long courses are counted as the equivalent of 4 law school credits.

Students with questions should speak to Assistant Dean Sara Faherty.

The Faculty of Law offers the following Combined Programs:

The Faculty also offers the following certificate programs.  Completion of these programs will result in a transcript notation indicating that the student has earned a certificate.  These programs show a concentration on a specific topic that can include significant outside courses, but is completed within the law school.  They do not offer a second degree, but rather demonstrate an academic concentration on a specific topic.  Students earning certificates must complete all other graduation requirements.