Frequently Asked Questions
Q -1. Can I apply to the joint MA/JD program after I have completed my first year in the JD program?
A-1. The
joint MA/JD program will generally not admit students who have already
commenced the first year of their law studies
Q-2. At the Graduate Level, what are my options in International
Law?
A-2. For
any questions regarding graduate studies at the Faculty of Law, please contact
the Graduate Studies office:
Tel.: (613) 562-5774
Email : llmphd@uOttawa.ca
Website : http://www.llmphd.uottawa.ca
Q-3. What is the selection process for the
International Law Option?
A-3. There
is no selection process. Once you are accepted at the JD program, you simply
have to complete the requirements. For more details concerning the requirements
of the International Law Option, click here .
Q-4. Who should I speak to in order to make the
International Law Option official?
A-4. To be designated with the International Law Option, after completing all the requirements, fill out the International Law Option Form and then contact Professor Penelope Simons by email at Penelope.simons@uottawa.ca.
Q-5. Is the International Law Option part of the
Common Law Program? Or it is a distinct program?
A-5. The
International Law Option is the opportunity to concentrate your studies in
International Law while completing your JD. It is part of the JD program.
Q-6. If I am registered in the Programme de droit
canadien, can I still complete the International Law Option?
R-6. Yes, students registered in the Programme
de droit canadien can benefit from the International Law Option as long as they
complete all of the necessary credits.
Q-7. If I
wish to focus my legal career on International Law, what would be an
appropriate starting point?
R-7. One piece of advice relates to how one develops an
alternative legal career. Alternative
legal careers require you to think outside-the-box in a manner that standard
legal careers do not. A standard law
firm career is almost a default option since entry is made easy through a
formalized interview and hiring process.
If you want to do something different, you have to be entrepreneurial. That means a couple of things: do not assume, for instance, that a
freshly-minted degree from any university is an automatic entrée into your
alternative career of choice. These
degrees qualify you for the job – they don’t get it for you. Academic success is a prerequisite of course,
but what makes the difference may be what you do outside of the classroom. Language skills, for example, are important
for international work. More
immediately, volunteering and internships place you on the market and allow you
to become known to people who work in the sector of interest. Those contacts can make the difference. For this reason, while in the program, you
should be out there making your services available in internships and
volunteering. We offer an array of such
opportunities, but the best ones may be the ones you develop yourself. Many students, by dint of their own efforts,
have spent summers working with international NGOs, UN agencies, international
criminal tribunals or the like. Sometimes
jobs like this pay or include a stipend, but often they don’t. It’s not easy to develop alternative legal
careers, but when it works, it can lead you down all sorts of unexpected and
exciting paths. The bottom line is
this: don’t wait for the
degree – get out there!