PDC140116-5.3.1 University of Windsor Program...

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PDC140116-5.3.1 University of Windsor

Program Development Committee 5.3.1: Master of Laws (LLM) – New Program Proposal (PDC Form A) Item for: Approval MOTION: That the proposed Master of Laws (LLM) program be approved.* *Subject to the approval of expenditures required. Rationale/Approvals: § The Faculty of Law Council, the Graduate Studies Council, and the Provost have approved the proposed

changes. § See attached.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE PROPOSAL BRIEF FOR NEW PROGRAMS

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A. Basic Program Information FACULTY: LAW AAU: LAW Program Title: Master of Laws (LL.M) Name of Program as it Will Appear on the Diploma (e.g., Bachelor of Arts Honours Psychology with thesis) [Please note that, for general degrees, the discipline is not included on diplomas.]

Master of Laws

Proposed Year of Offering [Fall 20xx]: Fall, 2015 Mode of Delivery: Traditional, experiential, full-time Planned Student Enrolment Three (3 )students Normal Duration for Completion: 1 calendar year for the Regular LL.M Stream

2 calendar years for the LL.M Stream with Teaching Option

B. Overall Program Plan Abstract/Summary of Proposal Please provide a brief statement about the direction, relevance and importance of the new program.

Windsor Law's Master’s program (LL.M) is distinct. This research Master’s program will stress rigorous scholarship, centred on our institutional themes of Access to Justice and Transnational Law. A student who completes this program will be able to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to the pursuit of an academic career or other career emphasizing research and writing skills. We anticipate that the program will be small (approximately 3 students each year), especially to start, and that one key feature of the LL.M will be that our students, while enrolled, will make concrete contributions to legal scholarship and, in some cases, law teaching. In order to graduate, students must complete original work (s) at a level of quality that could lead to publication in a reputable journal. Those who enroll in the LL.M teaching stream will also be required to complete a university teaching certificate course (or its equivalent), and given opportunities to teach and develop their pedagogical skills. Although not exclusively for students interested in the legal academy, the LL.M will provide an excellent foundation for a student serious about pursuing such a career path. In addition to students contemplating an academic career, the program will also be suitable for legal practitioners interested in developing expertise in a specialized area of law. Academic Goal Overall aim and intended impact of the proposed new program

A student who has completed this program should be able to apply the knowledge acquired through the LL.M program in the pursuit of an eventual academic career. The LL.M is currently the basic terminal degree required for an academic career in the discipline of Law. Successful students, regardless of whether they pursue a career in legal academia, will have advanced their research skills and professional training by enhancing their familiarity with the subject matter that is the object of their research. A student who has completed this program should be able to demonstrate the cultural sensitivity and civility expected of a member of the university community and of a legal professional. Finally, a student who has completed this program should be able to engage appropriately with the law school community, students, faculty, legal professionals and the public.


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Program Content Evidence that the proposed curriculum is consistent with the current state of the discipline or area of study.

A review of the thesis-based, research-oriented LL.M programs across the country reveals that students are generally required to take a graduate seminar that offers grounding in legal theory and/or methodology. Beyond this, students are typically allowed to take an elective, which may be drawn from courses designed for the LL.M program or from courses at the undergraduate (JD) level that have been enhanced by an advanced form of evaluation. (Please see attached chart entitled, “Appendix B: Comparative Chart on Course Requirements of Common Law LL.Ms with Thesis in Canada”). The bulk of the work in the typical thesis-based, research-oriented LL.M program in Canada consists of a Master’s thesis of 100- 125 pages. Our proposed Master of Laws is consistent with the current state of the discipline. It offers two core courses: a research methods course that will provide students with a grounding in legal research methodology, and a course in legal theory that will enable the student to develop a solid theoretical foundation in the discipline. Each LL.M student will be required to write a thesis of 100-125 pages. Students will be convened to present and discuss their research in progress through the Graduate Seminar, a one-credit seminar designed explicitly for this purpose. Depending on their needs for completion of the thesis, students may be required to take up to two additional directed reading courses. These courses may be used to enrich the background knowledge of the student prior to writing the thesis and should ultimately feed into the final research product. Whether such additional courses are required will be decided by the student in consultation with his or her supervisor and the Graduate Studies Committee. Those in the teaching stream will be required to take teaching-related courses. Outside of these requirements, students may take elective courses chosen in consultation with their supervisor. No graduate student will be required to take courses from the undergraduate (JD) course listings unless there is an LL.M level of evaluation in place for them. Unique or innovative curriculum, program delivery, or assessment practices distinguishing this proposal from existing programs elsewhere.

The University of Windsor’s LL.M program has two distinctly unique characteristics. The first is the opportunity for students to complete the thesis requirement as a set of related publishable articles. The second is an experiential learning component that allows students in the LL.M with teaching option to complete a certificate program in University teaching, and to engage in law teaching during the course of their study. Windsor Law's LL.M program will offer two streams: a one-year regular LL.M and a two-year LL.M with teaching option. Regardless of whether a student is enrolled in the regular LL.M program or the LL.M program with teaching option, the central requirement will be the completion of original publishable research. This major written piece of original research, or thesis, may be submitted as one single document. Alternatively, Windsor Law’s LL.M will offer students the opportunity to submit their final research as a set of related publishable papers addressing a single research question, and totalling approximately 100-125 pages. This is an option that is innovative for Canadian Master’s Programs in Law. For students enrolled in the LL.M stream with teaching option, the program will provide the opportunity to be designated a Teaching Fellow. Teaching Fellows will undertake a second year of the Master’s program. During their first year in the program, Teaching Fellows will complete the University of Windsor's University Teaching Certificate offered by the Centre for Teaching and Learning (or its equivalent). During the second year, they will have the opportunity to teach full or part courses at the Faculty of Law. Teaching Fellows will be carefully selected based on their qualifications and potential to succeed in teaching activities at the Law Faculty. Formalized university teacher training and law teaching experience are unprecedented experiential learning opportunities in Canadian Master’s Programs in Law. Windsor Law’s program also offers a unique chance for LL.M students to be integrated into a scholarly community. Given the size of the program, students will be able to engage closely with faculty members who are scholars in their fields.


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Program Name and Degree Designation/Nomenclature Explanation of the appropriateness of the name and degree designation for the program content and current usage in the discipline

The LL.M or Master of Laws is the standard designation for a first level graduate degree in the academic discipline of law. Across Canada, all of the English-speaking Common Law schools that offer a Master’s degree1 use the LL.M designation. Collaborative Program If this is a collaborative program with another college/university, identification of partners and institutional arrangements for reporting eligible enrolments for funding purposes.

N/A RELATIONSHIP OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO UNIVERSITY AND OTHER PRIORITIES Area/Department’s Goals and Objectives Consistency of proposed program with the area/department’s overall goals and objectives.

Our proposed Master's program is an excellent fit with the mission and academic plans of both the Faculty of Law and of the greater University. The Faculty of Law prides itself on its pursuit of academic excellence. This pursuit of excellence exists both generally and with respect to the Faculty’s two main themes: Access to Justice and Transnational Law. As an institution, the Law Faculty's mission is to educate students in all aspects of law including legal scholarship. The Faculty of Law’s academic plans centre on developing and providing quality legal education and fostering intellectual inquiry. In December, 2009, the Faculty of Law’s Faculty Council voted in favour of developing its first graduate program - the LL.M program for which the present proposal is submitted. Faculty Five Year Plan Consistency of proposed program with the Faculty’s overall goals and objectives as defined in its Five-year Plan.

The Faculty’s five-year plan, Raising the Bar, was adopted in 2006. Raising the Bar focuses on four areas, with numerous objectives in each one. Under the heading of “Learning Centredness”, the plan sets the specific objective of examining the “feasibility of a graduate LL.M. program.” This has been done and the result of that examination is this application. In the area of “Access to Justice”, the proposed graduate program, with its emphasis on research and developing scholars, will meet Objective 2, which is to: “build on the Law Faculty’s position as a national and international leader in research and public policy development relating to access to justice.” In the area of “Research”, the graduate program will meet the five-year plan objective of creating "a supportive, nurturing and stimulating research climate valuing intellectual inquiry…”. Finally, graduate students who are pursuing transnational research will also invigorate our second institutional theme of Transnational Law. University Strategic Plan Consistency of proposed program with the University’s mission, overall goals and objectives as defined in its strategic plan.

At the University level, the University of Windsor’s strategic plan, Thinking Forward…Taking Action, recognizes a strong commitment to students. The Faculty of Law’s proposed graduate program is consistent with this commitment, as its focus is to nurture a small group of highly motivated students. Our proposed program’s research orientation will equally support Strategic Priority #2, namely, to “create a more research-intensive university with graduate programs that build on academic and professional strengths.” The fourth goal of this

1 There are sixteen English-speaking Common Law schools across Canada. Fourteen of them have a Master’s program with an LL.M degree designation.


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priority is to “focus on the creation or expansion of graduate and professional programs in units and cross-disciplinary areas where there are clusters of academic expertise that make the University of Windsor a destination of choice for the most capable graduate students”. This goal will be met through the establishment of an LL.M program that builds on the Faculty of Law’s international reputation of excellence, particularly in our theme areas of Access to Justice and Transnational Law. We also will consider any feasible opportunities to foster inter- and cross-disciplinary collaborations for our graduate students. DEMAND FOR THE NEW PROGRAM/PROGRAM CHANGE Student and Market Demand Tools and methodology used to conduct the market assessment.

The information used to assess the market demand for the LL.M program was obtained through the following: i) a review of the literature concerning the general demand for graduates at the Master’s level and ii) an online interest survey distributed to undergraduate law (JD/LLB) students in the University of Windsor, to alumni of the Faculty of Law from the past ten years, and to members of the local bar (i.e the Windsor Essex County Law Association). Quantitative evidence of student and market demand both within and outside the local region (e.g., responses/statistics from surveys, etc.).

An online interest survey was distributed through mass email to the above mentioned respondent pools. As of April 3, 2011, 397 respondents had completed the survey. Of those respondents interested in completing graduate studies, 83.6% stated that they would be interested in applying to an LL.M program at the University of Windsor. Expected proportion (percentage) of domestic and visa students. For graduate programs, identification of undergraduate or master’s programs from which students would likely be drawn.

Students will be drawn primarily from undergraduate programs in law. In exceptional cases, they may come from other cognate disciplines. We anticipate a mix of domestic and international students. Estimated Enrolments Provide details on projected enrolments in the following tables. NB: normally an annual intake of a minimum of 20 students is required for new co-op programs or programs with other experiential learning component.

Projected enrolment levels for the first five years of operation. (If the program is in operation, use actual and projected data.)

First Year of Operation

Second Year of Operation

Third Year of Operation

Fourth Year of Operation

Fifth Year of Operation

3 3-6 3-6 3-6 3-6 Projected steady-state student enrolment per academic year:

# of First-year students

# of Second-year students

# of Third-year students

# of Fourth-year students

3 1-3 0 0 Projected steady-state student enrolment overall: 3-6


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Societal Need Evidence of societal need for the program will typically include a review of relevant industry and provincial survey and statistical data, as well as review of the proposed program by relevant experts in the field. The development of this proposal included consideration of:

comments or letters solicited from potential employers regarding the need for graduates of the proposed program within their organization and field of endeavour.

___Yes

_x__No

comments or letters solicited from relevant professional societies or associations about the need for graduates of the proposed program. ___Yes

___Yes

_x__No

review of industry employment surveys for evidence of societal need (indicating numbers of positions in the field, numbers of new positions anticipated in the field, number of positions in the field current being advertised, etc.)?

_x__Yes

___No

statistical evidence of the number of Ontario students leaving the province to study the field elsewhere in Canada or abroad?

___Yes

__x_No

If yes, append letters, survey or statistics to proposal.

If no, explain: Sufficient information was gathered from the sources consulted, as noted in our answers to the questions below.

Tools and methodology used to assess societal need.

A review of the literature from sources such as the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), and the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, Ad Hoc Committee on Approval of New Canadian Law Degree Programs, provided information and data required. This information is presented in the answers to the questions posed below. Dimensions and evidence of societal need for graduates of the new program (e.g., socio-cultural, economic, scientific, or technological).

Demand for spaces in LL.M. programs is rising. Part of this demand comes from those in the practice of law. According to a recent report in the Financial Times (Nov. 21, 2010):

“in spite of the economic crisis, or possibly because of it, the graduate LL.M – Master’s in law – degree remains popular worldwide, serving as an internationally-recognised currency in a competitive and increasingly globalised market. … [International students] return to their countries of origin with improved prospects for working on cross-border transactional deals involving global companies, with LL.Ms obtained in English-speaking countries – including Commonwealth nations – being highly valued… For those already in common law jurisdictions, the LL.M is more useful for becoming a specialist in a particular practice area… LL.M students benefit from increased opportunities relative to candidates who lack the degree.”

Evidence of geographic scope of societal need for graduates of the new program (e.g., local, regional, provincial, or national)

There is pressure to open new law schools in Canada. No new law school has been established in Canada for more than 30 years and, according to Macleans, this is the lowest number of law schools per capita of


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population in the Commonwealth. The Federation of Law Societies of Canada recently approved two new law schools, at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. and at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Thompson Rivers took in its first students in fall 2011, and Lakehead is expecting to take in its first class in Sept. of 2013. Each proposal identifies the need to hire 9-10 new full-time faculty members as the initial complement. There are also several other law schools in the planning stages. Each new law school is likely to require a minimum of 10 full-time faculty members. (Source: Federation of Law Societies of Canada, Ad Hoc Committee on Approval of New Canadian Law Degree Programs, Report on Applications by Lakehead University and Thompson Rivers University, Jan. 2011) Evidence of anticipated duration of, and trends in, societal need for graduates of the new program.

A particular emphasis of the Windsor program will be on the training of legal academics. Even if the number of faculty positions in Canada remains the same, there will be significant demand for new law professors. As of 2008, 29% of Canada’s 723 law professors were between the ages of 55 and 65, and 4% were over the age of 65. Thus, within the next 10 years, 33% of professors will be 65 or over, and a further 14% will be on the verge of retirement age. Given that only about 4% of professors continue in full-time academic work after age 65, a large number (240-340) of retirements from Canadian law faculties is expected in the coming decade. (Source: CAUT, Almanac of Post Secondary Education, 2010-2011) List similar programs offered by other institutions in the Ontario university system. Resources to identify similar programs offered in Ontario include www.electronicinfo.ca, www.electronicinfo.ca/einfo.php, and www.oraweb.aucc.ca/showdcu.html.

The LL.M. is the terminal degree for law teaching in Canada, but even as more prospective professors may opt to obtain a doctorate, many will continue to complete an LL.M. prior to advancing to doctoral studies. In addition, many students obtain the LL.M. as a way to specialize in a particular area of law practice. There are, at present, five programs offering the LL.M. in Ontario. Windsor is the last of the law schools in the province to offer the program. Three of these programs (Ottawa, York and Toronto) run relatively large programs, graduating between 30 and 50 students per year from their full-time programs, with York graduating more than 150 from their part-time “professional development” program. The other two programs (at Western and Queen’s) graduate between 3 and 5 students per year. (Source: Council of Ontario Universities, Common University Data Ontario). Windsor’s program will be comparable to the latter. If the proposed program is similar to others in the system, demonstrate that societal need and student demand justify the duplication. Identify innovative and distinguishing features of proposed program in comparison to similar programs

The Windsor Law LL.M. program will have a unique emphasis in four ways: a strong focus on integrated research projects and scholarly publications; the opportunity to prepare for teaching as a career; the encouragement of interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary pursuits within our students’ experiences; and the priority to research in our theme areas of Access to Justice and Transnational Law. In fostering study and teaching opportunities within our two institutional themes, we will endeavour to integrate our students within our various research and subject-related centres such as the Law Faculty’s Centre for Transnational Law and Justice and the Centre for Enterprise and Law. Although there are many research-based LL.M programs across the country, Windsor Law’s LL.M program is uniquely designed to provide students with the supervision and tools they need to initiate solid publication records early in their careers. It is the only LL.M program that will allow a Master’s level student to submit a thesis as three publishable articles. Those who choose to do so will have the advantage of demonstrating early their ability to produce advanced legal scholarship. A publication dossier at the end of one's Master’s career is


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an accomplishment that our LL.M graduates will be able to develop into further successful studies at the doctoral level and/or use in advancing into an academic career. Moreover, students in the LL.M with teaching option stream will be required to complete a University Teaching Certificate program as part of their course of study. Offered by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Windsor’s University Teaching Certificate (UTC ) is an internationally recognized program designed to assist academics across disciplines to develop a research-informed, critical approach to University teaching. As described by the University of Windsor’s Centre for Teaching and Learning, the program is at once theoretical and practical:

“The UTC Program is designed to help academics develop as scholarly teachers engaged in evidence-based, theoretically-grounded pedagogy, course-design, mentoring and assessment – which makes it useful to any academic in any teaching role, from full-time faculty members to graduate assistants. The UTC Program is academic in its scholarly basis, emphasis on critical reflection, and rigorous assessment – yet it is designed to be immediately flexible, adaptive, and practical, encouraging academics to apply what they are presently learning to their work as teachers. Completion of a certificate will be neither the first nor last step in anyone’s pedagogical education, but it will provide a scholarly framework for what has been, and will be, learned informally through experience.”

(Source: The Centre for Teaching and Learning website, University of Windsor, http://www.uwindsor.ca/ctl/utc, last accessed March 29, 2012. More information about the University of Windsor’s University Teaching Certificate may be found at this website.) LL.M students in the teaching stream will complete the following courses or their equivalents. (The Graduate Studies Committee of the Faculty of Law will determine on an ongoing basis, as necessary, courses which may meet the equivalency requirement of UTC courses for the purpose of the LLM program) : Fundamentals of University Teaching which is the first level certificate in the UTC program. They will be required to take two three-credit courses: i) Learning-Centred Teaching in Higher Education: Principles and Practices ; and ii) Course Design for Constructive Alignment. They will also be required to take one half-course from among a selection of offerings on topics that include: Authentic Assessment, Online Education, Leading Effective Discussions and Lecturing. Finally, the teaching course requirements will contain an obligatory half-course designed by the Law Faculty called Law Teaching in the Diverse Classroom. All teaching courses will be completed in the first year of the LL.M program. The University of Windsor is the only university that offers an internationally-recognized certificate program in university teaching. Incorporating the UTC into the LL.M program is a natural and valuable fit. The final semester of the second year of the LL.M with teaching option stream offers an experiential learning component in which the students will teach at the Faculty of Law. Teaching opportunities will be provided through a range of options depending on the students’ abilities, experience and promise. These options include partial or full courses or guest lectureships in the law school. We anticipate that most students will teach for a maximum of 12 hours, though exceptional students who are well suited to do so may be offered longer teaching contracts. Students will be remunerated for teaching in conformity with the collective agreement provisions for sessional instructors. RESOURCES Identify, in detail: • resources currently available • anticipated sources of new resources, • reallocation of resources or cost-savings, and • additional resources required to run the proposed new program. The resource impact of a proposal is almost never neutral. Note: Proposers must also complete and submit the attached Budget Summary with the new program proposal.


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RESOURCES AVAILABLE Available Faculty and Staff Resources Describe all faculty and staff resources (e.g., administrative, teaching, supervision) from all affected areas/departments currently available and actively committed to the proposed program.

Recent consultation with faculty has shown that the overwhelming majority of the members of the Faculty of Law are actively committed to participating in the proposed program. A Graduate Studies Director has been appointed and will participate in LL.M teaching. A standing Graduate Studies Committee of Law’s Faculty Council has been established and is up and running. Current staff resources will be committed to the program as required. Assess faculty expertise available and actively committed to the new program. Provide evidence of the appropriateness of collective faculty expertise to contribute substantially to the proposed program. Include evidence (e.g., qualifications, research/innovation/scholarly record) that faculty have the recent research or professional/ clinical expertise needed to: • sustain the program • promote innovation, and • foster an appropriate intellectual climate. [Append curricula vitae of all faculty members in the AAU offering the program as well as from faculty members from other AAUs who are core to the delivery of the program.]

Windsor Law’s faculty members possess a breadth of expertise that may be grouped under the two themes of the law school and its proposed LL.M program: access to justice and transnational law. All faculty members possess graduate degrees that meet the norms of our discipline. Similar to most of law faculties in the country, our Faculty of Law has members who possess Master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and some who have completed postdoctoral work. Although this is the Law Faculty’s first graduate program, a number of our faculty members have already participated in other graduate programs as supervisors, committee members, and external examiners. Our faculty members have active research records, and have regularly received internal and external funding to pursue their research. Details about graduate teaching and grants may be found in the appended faculty curricula vitae (Appendix A). Below is the list of faculty members in the Faculty of Law who are interested in supervising in the LL.M program and eligible to become members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies [please note that some faculty ranks have changed since the creation of this proposal]. To obtain graduate faculty designation, the University of Windsor's Faculty of Graduate Studies specifies that a faculty member must possess a terminal degree and have produced at least two refereed publications in the past four years. Those names followed by an ‘ * ’ have recent experience participating in graduate programs elsewhere, through supervision, committee membership and/or teaching:

Faculty Name & Rank (alphabetical)

M/F Supervisory Privileges (indicate below which faculty members are expected to apply and to be eligible for graduate faculty designation)

Category 1: Tenured Professors teaching exclusively in this AAU

1. Bahdi, Reem, Associate Professor

F Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation


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2. Berryman, Jeffrey, Full

Professor* 3. Cameron, Camille, Full

Professor* 4. Conklin, William, Full

Professor* 5. Crowne, Emir, Associate

Professor 6. Elman, Bruce, Full Professor 7. Etherington, Brian, Full

Professor 8. Irish, Maureen, Full Professor* 9. Jacobs, Laverne, Associate

Professor 10. Macfarlane, Julie, Full

Professor* 11. Moon, Richard Full,

Professor* 12. Ocheje, Paul, Associate

Professor* 13. Rotman, Leonard, Full

Professor* 14. Tanovich, David, Full

Professor 15. Tawfik, Myra, Full Professor* 16. Valiante, Marcia, Full

Professor 17. Waters, Christopher, Full

Professor*

M F M M

M

M

F F

F

M M M

M

F F M

Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Member of Graduate Faculty Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation

Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation


Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation


Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation


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Category 2: Tenure-track Professors teaching exclusively in this AAU

1. Kalajdzic, Jasminka, Assistant

Professor 2. Kianieff, Muharem, Assistant

Professor 3. Liddle, Margaret, Lecturer 4. Smit, Anneke, Assistant

Professor 5. Smyth, Gemma, Assistant

Professor*

F

M

F F

F



Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation Eligible for Graduate Faculty Designation

Category 3: Ancillary Academic Staff as Learning Specialists Positions

n/a

Category 4: Limited-term

Appointments teaching exclusively in this AAU

n/a

Category 5: Tenure or tenure-track

or LTA professors involved in teaching and/or supervision in other AAUs, in addition to being a member of the program under review

n/a

Category 6: Sessionals and other

non-tenure track faculty n/a

Category 7: Others n/a

Describe the area’s expected reliance on and the role of adjunct, limited-term, and sessional faculty in delivering the proposed program.

Primary reliance will not be placed on adjunct, limited term or sessional faculty for the delivery of this program. For graduate programs: Explain how supervisory loads will be distributed, and describe the qualifications and appointment status of faculty who will provide instruction and supervision.

Our program is small, with only 3 students per year. No faculty member will be required to supervise in the graduate program and students will only be accepted to the extent that we are able to secure suitable and


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willing primary supervisors. Faculty members who provide instruction and supervision in the program will not need additional academic qualifications but will reflect the makeup and qualifications of our discipline. The University of Windsor requires that every faculty member have graduate faculty designation in order to supervise graduate students. To obtain graduate faculty designation, the University of Windsor's Faculty of Graduate Studies specifies that a faculty member must possess a terminal degree and have produced at least two refereed publications in the past four years. The table on the previous page names all law faculty members who are both eligible for graduate faculty designation, and interested in supervising in the program. At the moment, there are 21 such faculty members. Other Available Resources Describe all other resources currently available and actively committed to the proposed program, including for example: • library, • teaching and learning support, • student support services, • space, • equipment, • facilities • GA/TA

Library: Windsor Law has a dedicated law library as well as access to the Leddy Library, which is the main university collection. The Paul Martin Law Library has a collection of 353,822 volumes (physical volumes and microforms) plus electronic monographs (31,023 volumes) and serials (4,922 titles). These holdings include all primary Canadian legal materials, and material from other jurisdictions. In addition, the library has established and maintains a very strong International Law collection, with all quality titles in the areas of international trade law, international environmental law, law and development, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law, and publications from leading international agencies. Other areas of focus for acquisition are materials on Alternative Dispute Resolution and Legal Research and Writing. Windsor Law students also have access to the extensive collections at the University of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University, and the University of Michigan, all within a reasonable distance from Windsor. The law library is headed by a Law Librarian, two professional research librarians and a small staff. During term, the library operates 7 days per week. Services include research consultation and assistance, computer training and ongoing assistance, inter-library loan, and so on. The librarians work closely with faculty research assistants, moot teams and journal editors to locate appropriate research materials. The inter-library loan service is able to access materials from around the world, and does so in a timely manner. An independent law library is extremely useful to the success of graduate students. Teaching and learning support: The University Centre for Teaching and Learning offers programs from which graduate students may specifically benefit. Our students will partake of these programs. Space, equipment and facilities: While physical space/facilities are a challenge at the law school, we have designated workspaces for some graduate students and are working on acquiring further spots. In terms of intellectual space, the graduate students will be invited to attend seminars, speakers etc. that take place that the Faculty of Law. Equipment such as computers will be acquired for the students.


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Resource Implications for Other Campus Units

Reliance on resources from other campus units will be negligible as our program is small and the Law Faculty is equipped with its own law library and information technology services. We believe that it is important for the Law Faculty to retain the services of its specialized law library and information technology services. ANTICIPATED NEW RESOURCES List all anticipated new resources originating from within the area, department or faculty (external grants, donations, government grants, etc.)

The Dean of the Faculty of Law is committed to seeking all opportunities for fundraising in order to maintain sufficient resources for this new program. Many faculty members currently apply for and receive internal and external research grants which may contribute to supporting research assistant positions for graduate students. Where possible, the Faculty of Law will also consider LL.M students for RAships (funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario’s block allocation to Windsor Law for research). PLANNED REALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AND COST-SAVINGS Identify all opportunities for • internal reallocation of resources and • cost savings identified and pursued by the area/department in preparing this proposal.

The Law Faculty is instituting cost-saving measures by having the Graduate Program Director also serve as the Research Methods course instructor and the Graduate Seminar convener. The Law Faculty has also considered cost-saving through combining administrative support for the new LL.M program with the administrative support staff positions that it currently has. Possibilities for any cost-sharing through collaborative initiatives with other like-minded University centres at the Faculty of Law such as the Centre for Transnational Law and Justice and the Centre for Enterprise and Law are being explored. Finally, recruitment and promotion activities for the proposed LL.M may be shared to some extent with recruitment and promotion activities of the Law Faculty’s undergraduate program. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES REQUIRED Describe all additional faculty, staff and GA/TA resources (in all affected areas and departments) required to run the proposed program.

Faculty: An annual sessional stipend will be required to replace the Graduate Seminar convener. Annualized course remissions for supervisors at the rate of one quarter course release/student will also be required. The Faculty of Law believes that it is important that primary supervisors receive teaching credit. One quarter of a course credit for each completed student is appropriate in our view. A similar practice has been adopted in some law schools in Canada. GA/TAs: GA/TA allocation for three Master’s students. Describe all additional institutional resources and services required by all affected areas or departments to run the proposed program, including library, teaching and learning support services, student support services, space and facilities, and equipment and its maintenance.

Describe the proposed program’s reliance on existing resources from other campus units , including for example: • existing courses, • equipment or facilities outside the proposer’s control, • external resources requiring maintenance or upgrading using external resources Provide relevant details.


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For the designated areas below, there is a need to maintain the existing resources currently enjoyed in order to be able to respond to the needs of graduate students. We stress the importance of maintaining our independent library resources and services for the Faculty of Law.

- Library Resources and Services - Teaching and Learning Support - Student Support Services - Space and Facilities

Equipment (and Maintenance): a modest amount is requested for refurbishing desks and cabinets for three students.

Demonstrate the consistency of requested additional resources with the focus of and requests in the area’s Faculty Plan.

These additional resources requested are consistent with the Law Faculty’s strategic plan (please see p.19 of the Law Faculty’s strategic plan, “Raising the Bar” and our response above under the sub-heading “Consistency of proposed program with the Faculty’s overall goals and objectives as defined in its Five-year Plan.) C. Program Details Program Description Provide a brief program description (2-3 sentences) for possible use in recruitment initiatives.

Windsor Law's Master’s program (LL.M) will stress rigorous scholarship, centred on our institutional themes of Access to Justice and Transnational Law. A key feature of the Windsor LL.M will be that our students, while enrolled, will make concrete contributions to legal scholarship. Moreover, students in our unique and innovative LL.M with teaching option stream will be offered the chance to complete the University of Windsor’s internationally recognized University Teaching Certificate program as part of their course of study, as well as the opportunity to engage in law teaching. In addition to students contemplating an academic career, the program will be suitable for legal practitioners interested in developing expertise in a specialized area of law. Wherever possible, students will be integrated into our Law Faculty’s existing Centres, and interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary collaborations will be promoted. Admission Requirements Describe • program-specific admission requirements, • selection criteria, • credit transfer, • arrangements for exemptions or special entry, and • alternative admission requirements, if any, for admission into the program, such as additional language

requirements or portfolios, recognition of prior work or learning experience, etc. Admission Requirements Students who are accepted to the program will be academically inclined, motivated, and committed to continuous learning. Outside of exceptional circumstances, students applying to the LL.M program will be required to have an undergraduate law degree. In rare cases, a student may be admitted without a law degree. For students without law degrees to gain entry, they must have outstanding grades or experience and superior ability to complete the LL.M program. Admission to the program will be based on four categories which evaluate the student’s: a) aptitudes, b) academic achievements, c) research proposal and, d) additional requirements such as reference letters and language proficiency. Details of these four broad categories are as follows: a) Aptitudes Generally, successful students admitted to our LL.M program will demonstrate the following aptitudes in terms of their ability to apply themselves, their knowledge, and their reasoning and communication skills. Specifically, the student accepted into the program will have shown evidence of:


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Application: exceptional academic motivation; capacity for sustained and intense work; developed ability to organize time and set own agenda for study; academic curiosity for investigation and learning. Knowledge: a broad, deep, advanced, and integrated understanding of the main branches of law and / or a related discipline. Reasoning ability: outstanding analytical abilities, including the ability to draw and maintain fine distinctions, the ability to separate the relevant from the irrelevant, and the ability to develop and sustain complex arguments; capacities for accurate observation and insightful criticism, including willingness and ability to engage with disciplines other than law and to bring their insights to bear on legal problems; originality and creativity of thought, open-mindedness, and capacity for lateral thinking; excellent powers of synthesis. Communication: willingness and ability to express highly complex ideas clearly and effectively; ability to conduct a mature debate leaving room for the contributions of others; aspiration to professional standards of style and organization in legal and scholarly writing. b) Academic Achievements First and foremost, applicants will be able to demonstrate their exceptional abilities through their academic achievements. Generally, this will mean high academic standing – normally at least a B+ average in an undergraduate law program (although this alone will not necessarily guarantee admission), and evidence of interest in academic pursuits (for example, pursuing independent/supervised research studies, publications, editing of academic work, etc.). For applicants applying from the workforce, noteworthy achievements may also be taken into account for what they reveal about the applicant’s ability to succeed academically within a Master’s program in Law. All applicants will also be required to submit their undergraduate transcripts. c) Research Proposal A significant element of each student’s application package will be the statement of proposed research. The research proposal should provide evidence of the candidate's ability and potential to engage with the relevant scholarly literature, doctrinal and/or empirical material and to formulate pertinent research questions. An academic writing sample will also be required. d) Additional Requirements Applicants will be asked to submit at least two letters of reference that show support for their scholarly endeavour. Admission will be contingent upon availability of a suitable supervisor and suitable reference materials for the applicant to pursue their research project. Finally, all students must meet an English language proficiency standard of : 250 (600) IBT-100 minimum on the TOEFL or 7.0 IELTS Demonstrate that admission requirements are sufficient to prepare students for successful attainment of the intended learning outcomes established for completion of the program.

The admission requirements described above connect concretely with the learning outcomes of this program (which are set out, beginning on page 25 of this proposal). Description of experiential learning components (if applicable):

The experiential learning component of the program consists of the law teaching practicum that students (ie Teaching Fellows) in the LL.M with teaching option stream will complete. The law teaching practicum will, in most cases, extend for a maximum of four weeks (or twelve hours) of teaching. The practicum may be completed in a variety of ways including as part of a team of professors/instructors teaching a course, as a series of guest lectures in a faculty member’s course and, for students who show exceptional promise or who have exceptional background in teaching, the teaching of a one-semester course.


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The Faculty of Law, in collaboration with the Faculty’s Director of Graduate Studies and/or the Graduate Studies Committee, will identify courses in which students may complete their practicums. It will do so at the time of year when sessional positions are normally assigned. Students will complete their teaching practicum in the January semester of their second year of the program. At this stage, they will have completed the University Teaching Certificate and all required courses for the LL.M. Barring exceptional circumstances, this will constitute the prerequisite for beginning the law teaching practicum. The law teaching practicum is not for credit but will be remunerated in conformity with the collective agreement for sessional instructors. Explanation of how credit will be awarded for the experiential learning component (length of component, credit weighting, etc.), if applicable: N/A For Co-op components:

Guidelines for co-op work term reports: N/A General length of co-op work term: N/A

Standing Required for Continuation in Program GPA requirements for continuation in the program Must conform to the regulations for standing required for continuation in the program described in the undergraduate and graduate web calendars [www.uwindsor.ca/calendars].

Standing will meet the University’s regulations. Standing Required for Graduation Minimum GPA requirement to graduate in the program Must conform to the regulations for standing required for continuation in the program described in the undergraduate and graduate web calendars [www.uwindsor.ca/calendars].

Standing will meet the University’s regulations. A minimum of 70% (B-) cumulative GPA is required, as outlined in the Graduate Calendar (uwindsor.ca/calendars). Suggested Program Sequencing Provide suggested program sequencing for each year of the program, ensuring that all pre-requisites are met in the sequencing.

Course Sequencing

* Kindly note that the 2 streams are equal in credit weight with the exception of the 7.5 additional credits for the teaching component. Additional non-credit hours are also required for the 2-year stream. One-year stream – LL.M without teaching option

1st term (Fall: Sep. to Dec.)

2nd term (Winter: Jan. to April)

3rd term (Summer: May to

August) Research methods F&W

Research methods F&W – cont’d (6 credits)

Thesis

Legal Theory (3 credits) Graduate Seminar (1 credit)

[Optional Course (3 credits) ] [Optional Course (3 credits)] Thesis (12 credits total) Thesis


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Two-year stream – LL.M with teaching option

1st term (Fall: Sep. to Dec.)

2nd term (Winter: Jan. to April)

3rd term (Summer: May to

August) Year 1 Research methods F&W

Research methods F&W – cont’d (6 credits)

Thesis

CTL University Teaching Certificate course: Learning-Centred Teaching in Higher Education (or equivalent) (3 credits)

CTL University Teaching Certificate course: Course Design for Constructive Alignment (or equivalent) (3 credits)

CTL University Teaching Certificate course: 6-week half-course (one of: Authentic Assessment, Online Education, Leading Effective Discussions or Lecturing) (or equivalent) (*can be taken in any term in first year subject to availability )(non-credit)

Graduate Seminar (1 credit)

Law Teaching in the Diverse Classroom 6-week half-course (1.5 credits)

Legal Theory (**choice of year 1 or year 2 - fall term) (3 credits)

Thesis (12 credits total over 2 years)

Year 2 Legal Theory (**choice of

year 1 or year 2 - fall term) (3 credits)

Law Teaching Practicum (max 4 weeks/12 hours) (non-credit)

Thesis Thesis Thesis [Optional Course (3 credits) –

may be taken in another term with supervisor’s approval]

Description of Program Curriculum Structure/Program of Study: One-year stream – LL.M without teaching option Total courses:

Research Methods (6 credits) Graduate Seminar (1 credit) Legal Theory (3 credits) Thesis (12 credits) 0-2 optional 3-credit courses, depending on student’s background

Brief course descriptions: Research Methods (6 credits) Every graduate student will be required to take the Research Methods course. This course will focus on methodological approaches to assist students with their research agenda. Research Methods is a six-credit


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course that will run for two semesters. It is a graduate level law course that will be designed specifically for the LL.M program. Graduate Seminar (1 credit) An adjunct to the Research Methods course, the Graduate Seminar will provide a forum in which students can discuss their ongoing research and present portions of their work for feedback from the course director and their peers. The seminar will convene for the equivalent of 1hour/week, every other week over the course of the fall and winter semesters. Legal Theory (3 credits) Legal Theory is a course designed to provide students with a foundation in a variety of theoretical underpinnings of the law. It is a graduate level law course that will be designed specifically for the LL.M program. Thesis (12 credits) The central component of the program's requirements is the completion of original publishable research. A major written piece of original research, the thesis may be submitted as one single document or, an option that is innovative for Master’s Programs in Law, as a set of publishable articles totalling approximately 100-125 pages in length. Students will be assigned a supervisor on admission to the LL.M program. Each student will work with their supervisor to propose a supervisory committee with two other faculty members: one from the Faculty of Law and a second reader from another program at the University of Windsor. In addition, an external examiner from another University will be appointed to the supervisory committee. Thesis committees require approval of the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Students will begin writing their original research project on the advice of their supervisor. For most, this will be during the first semester of the LL.M program. Irrespective of whether it is written as a single document or as a series of articles, students will be required to defend their thesis at an oral exam before the supervisory committee and evaluated by the external examiner. The thesis will be assessed by the student’s committee and by the external examiner (who will submit a written report to the committee). Theses will be graded on a ‘fail’, ‘pass’, ‘pass with distinction’ basis. A committee may also make a ‘pass’, or ‘pass with distinction’ subject to revisions to the thesis. Additional Courses A student may be required to take up to two additional courses, depending on his or her background and on the knowledge required for completion of his or her thesis. Course requirements will be determined individually for each student at the beginning of their program of study. The student’s supervisor in consultation with the student will decide which other course(s) should be taken. The courses may be existing ones in the Faculty’s JD curriculum. If that is the case, however, the student will be required to complete an alternate form of evaluation that is at the level of a Master’s course. 2 Such an evaluation will typically require the student to write a research paper of significant length that will contribute to his or her thesis, as a draft of an eventual thesis chapter or, for those who chose the serial article option, as a draft of one of the eventual articles. The additional courses may be taken from cognate disciplines in other faculties (including, for example, courses in social science methodologies as interdisciplinarity in the program will be encouraged). Students may be permitted to take any required additional courses at another university in the area, so long as they are deemed to meet the standards of a Master’s level course. Building on existing partnerships with US schools, such as the University of Detroit Mercy and Wayne State (and perhaps new ones – the University for Michigan for example), students may be able to take a course in the United States. Approval for additional course choices must be given by the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the Graduate Studies Committee. This requirement is being implemented so that a level of consistency may be maintained in determining when students require additional courses to complete the LL.M degree.

2 The use of JD courses with a modified evaluation for graduate students is not uncommon and is used in such schools as Queens Law Faculty and Osgoode Hall Law School.


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Two-year stream – LL.M with teaching option List of courses:

Research Methods (6 credits) Graduate Seminar (1 credit) Legal Theory (3 credits) Thesis (12 credits) 0-2 optional 3-credit courses, depending on student’s background Learning-Centred Teaching in Higher Education (UTC course) (or equivalent) (3 credits) Course Design for Constructive Alignment (or equivalent) (3 credits) University Teaching Credit (UTC) 6-week half-course (or equivalent) (non-credit)

Law Teaching in the Diverse Classroom (1.5 credits) Brief course descriptions: Research Methods (6 credits), Graduate Seminar (1 credit), Legal Theory (3 credits), Thesis (12 credits), 0-2 optional 3-credit courses, depending on student’s background § please see descriptions of these courses above. Learning-Centred Teaching in Higher Education (or equivalent) (3 credits) This course offers the opportunity to explore and evaluate critically the principles and theories of learning-centred practice, specifically as they interact with contexts typical of higher education. Course registrants will develop skills including communicating complex concepts in clear terms to varied audiences; planning, facilitating and analyzing group work and interpersonal interaction; critical thinking; leading, guiding and mentoring others, and familiarity with the application of a range of active learning strategies. Reflection on teaching practice constitutes a central thread of learning in the course. (Taken from the CTL course description.) Course Design for Constructive Alignment (or equivalent) (3 credits) This course introduces participants to the principles and practices of constructively-aligned course design through active involvement in mentored course creation. (Taken from the CTL course description.) UTC 6-week half-course (or equivalent) (non-credit) Students must choose one of the following half-courses: one of: Authentic Assessment, Online Education, Leading Effective Discussions or Lecturing. Law Teaching in the Diverse Classroom (1.5 credits) This course will address techniques for engaging with controversial topics in the law school class setting. It is a graduate level law course that will be designed specifically for the LL.M program. Law Teaching Practicum In their capacity as Teaching Fellows, students will undertake a program of experiential learning by teaching in the Law Faculty. The law teaching practicum will, in most cases, extend for a maximum of four weeks (or twelve hours) of teaching. The practicum may be completed in a variety of ways including as part of a team of professors/instructors teaching a course, as a series of guest lectures in a faculty member’s course and, for students who show exceptional promise or who have exceptional background in teaching, the teaching of a one-semester course.


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The Faculty of Law in collaboration with the Faculty’s Director Graduate Studies and/or the Graduate Studies Committee will identify courses in which students may complete their practicums and will do so at the time of year when sessional positions are normally assigned. Students will complete their teaching practicum in the January semester of their second year of the program. At this stage, they will have completed the University Teaching Certificate and all required courses for the LL.M and, barring exceptional circumstances, this will constitute the prerequisite for beginning the law teaching practicum. The law teaching practicum is not for credit but will be remunerated in conformity with the collective agreement for sessional instructors. Other requirements: Presentation of research at scholarly conferences or other academic venues outside of Windsor Law’s graduate program. In order to obtain wider academic feedback, students will be required to present their research as an academic talk. During the write-up phase of their thesis, students will be a) required to present their work in progress in an open faculty/graduate student seminar (outside of the graduate seminar) and b) encouraged to present their work at subject-relevant conferences which foster graduate student networking, such as the Canadian Law and Society Association annual conference. Subject-relevant conferences should be academic in nature -- for example, a graduate students’ conference, faculty seminars, or conferences/workshops set up by learned associations such as the Canadian Law and Society Association. Students may also organize their own talks. In this connection, the Graduate Studies Committee has begun to make connections with other universities and research institutes which may be interested in hosting presentations by our graduate students. LEARNING OUTCOMES In the following table provide the specific learning outcomes that constitute the overall goals of the program (i.e., the intended skills and qualities of graduates of this program). Link each learning outcome to the Characteristics of a University of Windsor Graduate” by listing them in the appropriate rows. A learning outcome may link to more than one of the specified Characteristics of a University of Windsor Graduate. All University of Windsor programs should produce graduates able to demonstrate each of the nine characteristics. Program design must demonstrate how students acquire all these characteristics. All individual courses should contribute to the development one or more of these traits: a program in its entirety must demonstrate how students meet all of these outcomes through the complete program of coursework. Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact the Office of the Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning, for assistance with the articulation of learning outcomes.

*The following learning outcomes have been verified by Erika Kustra, PhD, Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Windsor. Program Learning Outcomes This is a sentence completion exercise. Please provide a minimum of 1 learning outcome for each of the boxes associated with a graduate attribute. At the end of this program, the successful student will know and be able to:

Characteristics of a University of Windsor Graduate

A U of Windsor graduate will have the ability to demonstrate:

A. - critically evaluate law in an interdisciplinary context in order to critically evaluate its theoretical underpinnings - conduct in-depth current research in a particular area of law so as to gain a detailed understanding of a particular subject matter (Also relevant to B)

A. the acquisition, application and integration of knowledge


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B. - formulate research questions and contribute to a legal body of knowledge by identifying new questions, problems or issues -competently engage in doctrinal, qualitative and/or quantitative evidence-based research methodologies relevant to the study of law -evaluate research outputs within law and in an interdisciplinary context -contribute to a legal body of knowledge by offering solutions in an original manner -demonstrate ethical behaviour in conducting research

B. research skills, including the ability to define problems and access, retrieve and evaluate information (information

literacy)

C. - critically evaluate legal paradigms - engage in critical self-reflection, analyze problems and issues from an interdisciplinary perspective - analyze the role that law plays in how problems, issues, policies, programs, institutions and organizations are formulated and structured with a view to their implications for society and the potential for positive reform in the pursuit of social justice (also relevant to E)

C. critical thinking and problem-solving skills

D. - read complex materials in order to summarize, analyze and convey the meaning of these materials with precision, logic and economy - produce scholarly manuscripts that are original in scope and of a sufficient literary standard to warrant being published in a peer reviewed journal of notable repute

D. literacy and numeracy skills

E. - identify ethical obligations as established by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Faculty of Law in their Regulations, Discipline Policies, Rules of Conduct and/or Codes of Ethics, etc. - articulate and/or apply the ethical obligations owed to peers, faculty members, members of: the law school community, the university, the profession and the general public.

E. responsible behaviour to self, others and society

F. - communicate effectively, orally and in writing, to a variety of audiences both in formal (ex. lectures, seminars, public presentations, research papers, etc) and informal contexts (ex. interactions with: other students, faculty, undergraduate students, legal practitioners etc.; in brown bag seminars, etc.).

F. interpersonal and communications skills


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G. - foster a collegial atmosphere that encourages an open exchange of ideas in a respectful manner, and that encourages diversity, openness, fairness and tolerance for the views of others. - develop and practice these skills during individual and group-based public presentations and activities (ex. conference presentations, graduate program presentations, brown bag seminars, etc.).

G. teamwork, and personal and group leadership skills

H. - demonstrate original and novel approaches to pressing legal problems and issues - seek out opportunities to engage in scholarly writing and presentations (Also relevant to F and I)

H. creativity and aesthetic appreciation

I. - demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning by such activities as self-study, attending and organizing guest lectures and conferences, applying for fellowships and research grants, and scholarly writing

I. the ability and desire for continuous learning

Describe how the program’s structure and regulations ensure that its specified learning outcomes can be met by successful students.

The program structure provides the time, courses and supervision required for students to achieve the learning outcomes identified. Student Workload Provide information on the expected workload per course credit (3.0) of a student enrolled in this new program/major program change.

Expected Workload per 3.0 Course Credit/week

Average Time the Student is Expected to Devote to Each Component Over the Course of the Program per week

Lectures 6-10.5 credits (or equivalent) /semester = 6-10.5hrs of lectures/wk, depending on program stream and semester

Tutorials N/A Practical experience See "Service or experiential learning" below Service or experiential learning 10hrs/wk for duration of teaching practicum, if applicable Independent study Approximately 20-30hrs/wk Reading and work for assessment, including meeting classmates for group work/project assignments (essays, papers, projects, laboratory work, etc.)

Varying, as necessary

Studying for tests/examinations Varying, as necessary Other: [specify] N/A Compare the student workload for this program with other similar programs in the department or program. There are presently no similar programs at the Faculty of Law.


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Mode of Delivery Demonstrate that the proposed modes of delivery are appropriate to meet the intended program learning outcomes. Discuss online vs. face-to-face modes of delivery, as well as specialized approaches intended to facilitate the acquisition of specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes.

The proposed modes of delivery are quite standard within our discipline. However, with a small program of this nature, we are also able to provide closer interaction between student and faculty. We do not contemplate a distance-learning model at this time, but the Director of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee, may wish to explore possibilities in this regard (including for accessibility reasons). D. MONITORING AND EVALUATION Explain the appropriateness of the proposed methods of assessing student achievement given the intended learning outcomes and degree level expectations.

The proposed methods of assessment are appropriate for attaining the intended learning outcomes. Two of these methods are: firstly, continuous feedback leading to defense before the supervisory committee and external examiner of an original thesis or set of articles. The process of developing an original work with the supervision of dedicated faculty and defending it will assist the students to achieve several of the learning outcomes identified. These include the ability to: attain and integrate knowledge (learning outcome A), develop research skills (learning outcome B), and to think critically and creatively (learning outcome C). Secondly, the graduate seminar and the research presentation requirement will allow students to develop skills such as interpersonal and communication skills (learning outcome F) and creativity and aesthetic appreciation (learning outcome H). The research process will also build analytical skills including literacy and numeracy skills (learning outcome D), as well as ethical/responsible behavior (learning outcome E), and the ability for continuous learning (learning outcome I). Describe the plan for documenting and demonstrating student performance level and demonstrate its consistency with the stated learning outcomes and degree level expectations.

Students will receive feedback in the graduate seminar from the course convener and from their peers; their independent writing will be assessed and evaluated by their supervisor, their supervisory committee members and the professor of any courses that they take. Feedback will also be received from the defense committee and the process of presenting their work will provide the opportunity for feedback on their performance as well. For those students who choose to participate in teaching opportunities, student evaluations will assist in demonstrating their performance. Moreover, the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the Graduate Studies Committee will ensure that regular contact is kept with students in order to ensure that students are meeting program requirements in a timely fashion so that they may complete the program within the University's regulations. this regular contact may be done through annual meetings with the students or the submission of progress reports, etc. Describe how the success of the program will be monitored and evaluated. The description should include types of data to be gathered, criteria for evaluation, review process, and use of information to adjust program activities or planning.

The Graduate Studies Committee will make an annual report to Faculty Council, and the program will be reviewed internally by the Faculty after five years. The success of the program will be monitored and evaluated through a variety of forms of data including: student evaluation of the program, and information gathered on recruitment, retention, degree completion and employment. Additional data that will be used include: the average grade of applicants and students admitted, the number of qualified applicants, the quality of scholarly research and publishable articles produced by students, scholarly output of students including publications and presentations, success in obtaining provincial and national scholarships, and time to completion rates. Assessment of alumni for their success in obtaining employment, postgraduate study, and producing publication records will also be significant.


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E. GRADUATE PROGRAMS ONLY [Complete this section ONLY if this is a graduate program proposal.] Normal Duration for Completion Provide a clear rationale for program length that ensures that the program requirements can be reasonably completed within the proposed time period.

Rationale for Program Length We anticipate that any courses taken in addition to the required core courses by the student will lead to the production of an early version of a written part of the thesis –for example, a draft chapter or a draft article which will form part of the written submission required for partial fulfilment of the degree. With the program designed in this way, we anticipate that students who do not pursue teaching opportunities will be able to complete the LL.M degree in three academic sessions (one calendar year). Three academic sessions is the standard duration of existing thesis-based LL.M programs in the province and across the country. Students who wish to pursue the teaching stream will have an additional academic year to teach and complete the writing of the research component. Studies may only be completed on a full-time basis. We do not contemplate a part-time program or a distance-learning model at this time although such models may be explored in the future. Explain the nature and suitability of the major research requirements for completion of the degree.

LL.M Major Research Requirements Thesis Although it contains innovative aspects, the LL.M program’s major research requirements ask students to

submit a research product of 100-125 pages and are in conformity with LL.M programs in the province and country. The central component of our program's requirements is the completion of original publishable research which may be submitted as one single document or as a set of publishable articles.

Students will be assigned a supervisor on admission to the LL.M program. Each student will work with their

supervisor to create a supervisory committee with two other faculty members. They will start writing their original research project on the advice of their supervisor. For most, this will be during the first semester of the LL.M program.

Irrespective of whether it is written as a single document or as a series of articles, students will be required to

defend their thesis at an oral exam before the supervisory committee and evaluated by an external examiner from another University. The thesis will be assessed by the student’s committee and by the external examiner (who will submit a written report to the committee). Theses will be graded on a ‘fail’, ‘pass’, ‘pass with distinction’ basis. A committee may also make a ‘pass’, or ‘pass with distinction’ subject to revisions to the thesis.

These research requirements are in conformity with similar LL.M programs in the province of Ontario,

including those at the University of Western Ontario3 and Queen’s University4. Program Financial Assistance Resources Provide evidence that financial assistance for graduate students will be sufficient to ensure a well-qualified and sufficient pool of applicants. Our anticipated scholarship offerings and other graduate assistance are competitive with LL.M programs in the province and in the country. We anticipate that GA/TA positions will be available. Scholarships will be drawn from all possible sources. These sources include internal funding opportunities developed by the Faculty of Law, and FGS entrance scholarships, where available. The Faculty of Law will work to ensure that its small

3 http://www.law.uwo.ca/GraduatePrograms/LLM.html. 4 http://law.queensu.ca/graduateStudies/llmProgram.html.


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complement of 3 graduate students/year will have sufficient funding. RA positions funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario will be available, and others may be possible. Students will also be encouraged to apply for all external grants available, including those offered by SSHRC and OGS. The teaching practicum will provide some funding for those engaged in the two-year LL.M stream with teaching option. F. EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING COMPONENT ONLY (including Co-op programs) [Complete this section ONLY if the proposed program includes an experiential learning component involving paid or unpaid placements.] Definitions: Co-operative Education provides students with a well-rounded education that is founded both in academic theory and real world application. Co-op Education combines semesters of study with semesters of full-time, paid employment in career-related positions. All other unpaid placement opportunities or initiatives fall under the category of other “Experiential Learning components involving placements”. (this may include field placements, internships, etc.)

Experiential Learning components involving placements: Students the two-year LL.M stream with teaching option will be engaged in a non-co-op experiential learning component. Describe the experiential learning component and the nature of the experience (field placement, required professional practice, service-learning, internship, etc.)

Please see descriptions above in “Part C. Program Details”. Provide a description of the knowledge and skills that students will be bringing to the workplace/placement based on the curriculum.

The skills that our students will bring the workplace include the knowledge acquired from having completed the University Teaching Certificate (or equivalent) courses and from having finished 4/6 semesters of the LL.M program. They will have much to contribute in terms of both pedagogy and academic research-based knowledge. Many academics who begin teaching do not have a certificate in University teaching. This will definitely be an asset in terms of their contribution to the workplace. Provide evidence of the availability of an adequate number of positions of good quality both inside and outside the Windsor area (including names and contact information of potential employers, written statements or surveys from potential employers; and employer feedback concerning the hiring of graduates). How will these placements/opportunities be developed? [NB: For co-op programs, the majority of Ontario placements should qualify for the Co-op Education tax credit. See Policy on Co-op Programs for more details.]

The Faculty of Law is committed to securing placements within the law faculty for its graduate students. Each year, placements will be drawn from sessional instructor openings. The Graduate Studies Director and/or Graduate Studies Committee will also help to identify other feasible placements within full-time faculty member courses (ie. guest lectureships). Please see description above in “Part C. Program Details” for information on how placements will be developed. Describe the mechanism that will be established for the supervision of experiential learning placements.

Students will be monitored by the Director of Graduate Studies who will complete an evaluation of student teaching either personally or through a delegate, likely drawn from the Graduate Studies Committee. The evaluation of student teaching will involve observing, at a minimum, one student teaching session. Feedback will


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be provided to the student that considers the student’s: qualitative mastery of the material taught; delivery of complex concepts; ability to field questions, etc. Throughout the practicum, students will be encouraged to speak with the principal course director for guidance and/or the Director of Graduate Studies. Provide information on the fees associated with the experiential learning component, if applicable. NB: all proposed fees must be approved as part of the University’s operating budget, via the Ancillary Fee Committee.

The fees will coincide with LL.M tuition fees. Is the completion of the experiential learning component a requirement of the program?

No. Complete the Remainder of Section F where the Experiential Learning Component is an OPTION in the Program: Program Requirements Describe how the program requirements differ for students who complete the experiential learning option and those who opt not to.

Please see course sequencing chart and course descriptions in “Part C. Program Details” above. Learning Outcomes Describe how the experiential learning/co-op component changes the emphasis or the means of achieving the intended learning outcomes for the program.

The experiential learning component will affect the means of achieving the intended learning outcomes in relation to three of the learning outcomes listed above. First, students in the teaching stream will have a greater opportunity to develop their interpersonal and communication skills (Learning Outcome F) as they will have more experience in lecturing, presenting seminars etc. Students in this stream will also experience additional opportunities to develop responsible and ethical behaviour to themselves and others (Learning Outcome E) as they will need to apply the ethical obligations owed to students and faculty members as an instructor. Finally, students in the teaching stream may also have a richer opportunity to develop their teamwork, personal and group leadership skills (Learning Outcome G) as they will practice the skills of fostering a collegial atmosphere for the exchange of ideas in a respectful manner, and encouraging diversity, fairness, etc. within the classroom setting. Standing Required for Continuation in the Experiential Learning Option of the Program GPA requirements for continuation in the program Must conform to the regulations for standing required for continuation in the program described in the undergraduate and graduate web calendars [www.uwindsor.ca/calendars].

Students will need to pass the teaching practicum and otherwise meet the normal regulations for continuation in the program as set by the University’s regulations. Standing Required for Graduation in the Experiential Learning Option of the Program Minimum GPA requirement to graduate in the program Must conform to the regulations for standing required for continuation in the program described in the undergraduate and graduate web calendars [www.uwindsor.ca/calendars].

Students will need to pass the teaching practicum and otherwise meet the normal University’s regulations for graduation. A minimum of 8.0 (B-) cumulative GPA is required, as outlined in the Graduate Calendar (uwindsor.ca/calendars).


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Suggested Program Sequencing and Work/Study/Placement sequencing, as appropriate Provide program and work/study/placement sequencing for each year of the program. Please ensure that all pre-requisites are met in the sequencing.

Please see course sequencing chart and course descriptions in “Part C. Program Details” above. G. TO BE COMLPETED FOR CO-OP COMPONENT ONLY – N/A


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Budget Summary Sheet

Amount Requested Yearly base expenditures Faculty Requests: One-semester course releases for Director, Graduate Studies $12 000 Annualized course remissions for supervisors at the rate of one quarter course release/student $9 000 Staff/Technician Requests $0 GA/TA Requests: GA/TAs for 3 students (@$4768/semester x 3 semesters) $42 912 Facilities/Equipment: $0 Other Operating Expenses (please specify): Recruitment*: $5 000 Total Yearly base expenses: $68 912

One-Time Expenses Facilities: $0 Equipment: $900 Cabinets for student workspaces. Library Resources Requests: $0 Recruitment*: $7 500

*In the first year, recruitment expenses will entail travel to promote the graduate program as well as printing of brochures and the creation of a website. In following years, costs may be shared with the JD program with respect to the maintenance of the website. The sharing of space in brochures may reduce the number of brochures dedicated exclusively to the LL.M program. Travel costs may also be reduced with the LL.M program promoted to some extent, although not exclusively, during travel to promote the JD program. We are therefore asking for $7500 the first year and $5000 annually after that. Total One-time expenses $8 400

Total (One-time + Yearly base expenses): $77312

Costs related to use of technology/Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) resources: $0

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Appendix A: FINAL CHECKLIST FOR PROPOSERS Having completed the program/course change proposal form, please complete the following table by marking an “X” in the appropriate column.

PRIMARY CRITERIA

Yes

No

N/A

Does the program or course tie into the University’s Strategic Plan? x

Is the program or course “Unique” in Ontario? In Canada? In North America? x

Is there evidence that a market exists for this program or course (a) on-campus; and/or (b) off-campus?

x

Does this program or course have income potential? (How many students would it generate?)

x

Does this program or course address current issues? (e.g., double cohort, large-class problem, absence of upper-level on-line classes, etc.)

x

Are there U of W courses which have been developed for flexible learning indicating either (a) partial development already exists, or (b) a degree of expertise exists?

x

Are there departmental procedures in place for (a) course planning; (b) course development; and, (c) course delivery (Policy documents, Committees, Timelines, etc.)?

x

Is there evidence of support from the Dean(s), AAU Head(s)/Director(s)/Chair(s) for this program?

x

SECONDARY CRITERIA

Yes

No

N/A

Does the new program or course have partnership options (with other departments or faculties, or other universities)?

x

Does the new program or course allow for staggering options (e.g., every other year, or Windsor one year and another site the following year)?

x

Is the new program or course a complement to other Windsor flexible learning programs (will not interfere with other programs)?

x

Is the new program or course a complement to other Windsor on-campus programs (will not interfere with other programs)?

x

Does the department have the “critical mass” to undertake the program or course (a) sufficient interested and capable faculty; (b) academic support; and (c) TA/GA support?

x

Are additional resources required: (a) faculty/staff/GA/TA; (b) equipment; (c) library; (d) IT support?

x

Are there data on (a) incoming student demographics (profiles) that align with flexible learning (age, geographic location, employment, family responsibilities, etc.); and (b) technological profiles (hardware and software resources and skills)?

x

Does the department have a plan regarding (a) marketing flexible learning courses; (b) the timely appointment of instructors; (c) technical support (CTL, Tutorials, TA/GAs, staff contact person, etc.); (d) intra-departmental communications (committees, policies); and (e) inter-department communications (committees)?

x

Are there mechanisms and policies in place to address quality-control of (a) instruction; (b) materials (audio, video, PowerPoint, textual load, discussions and so on; and (c) learning (student assessment)?

x


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APPENDIX A

FACULTY CURRICULA VITAE

[Append curricula vitae of all faculty members in the AAU offering the program as well as from faculty members from other AAUs who are core to the delivery of the program.]


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APPENDIX B

Comparative Chart on Course Requirements of Common Law LL.Ms with Thesis in Canada

University Required Graduate Seminar

Other Required Courses Notes

Dalhousie University (Schulich)

Graduate Seminar: Legal Education and Legal Scholarship

At least two additional one-term classes are required from the Schulich School of Law (the choice of classes to be determined by the Law Graduate Studies Committee) A wide range of upper year undergraduate courses are open to graduate students. Some courses are excluded, for example moots and placements Course offerings may vary from year to year, depending on availability.

Some students who have not had previous exposure to jurisprudence may be advised to take a jurisprudence course in addition to the Graduate Seminar

McGill University

- LL.M

Legal Research Methodology

Theoretical Approaches to Law 5 credits (approximately) are required in addition to the 6 credits between the two mandatory courses. These 5 credits of complementary courses are to focus in a more precise way on the particular research area under the guidance of their supervisors. Course offerings can be found here: http://www.mcgill.ca/files/law-studies/Course_offerings_2011-2012.pdf

- Specialized LL.M in Environment


Foundations of Environmental Policy Environmental Seminar 1 Environmental Seminar 2 Environmental Seminar 3

- Specialized LL.M in European


Interdisciplinary Seminar in European Studies


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Studies

- Specialized LL.M in Bio Ethics

Theoretical Approaches to Law Bioethics Theory Bioethics Practicum

Queens University

Graduate Seminar: Legal Theory & Perspectives Graduate Seminar: Legal Research & Writing

One additional course Flexibility exists as to the number of other courses taken in addition to the two mandatory graduate seminars. The supervisor, together with the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, will help the student to select a course of study appropriate for his or her needs and aspirations. Aside from the mandatory graduate seminars, graduate courses are offered in conjunction with J.D. courses in the law school [Where LL.M. or Ph.D. students take a course for credit (as opposed to auditing the course) they are assessed differently than are students in the parallel J.D. course (with an emphasis placed on writing papers rather than exams)] List of courses is available here: http://www.queensu.ca/calendars/sgsr/Law.html

Université de Moncton, Ecole de droit

Graduate Seminar: Recherche juridique approfondie

http://www.umoncton.ca/umcm-droit/

University of Alberta

Graduate Seminar Two additional courses are required, and may be selected from the law curriculum or other faculties. The following 2 courses are encouraged but not required: - Research Paper Course - Advanced Legal Research and

Choice of courses is determined by the student in consultation with his or her supervisor, subject to availability of space and approval of the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies). Graduate courses from


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Writing: Social Science Research Methods and Legal Studies The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research also requires graduate students to complete eight hours of ethics training.

outside the faculty must be approved by the student’s supervisor and the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) after consideration of the student’s needs and experience and the availability of courses. Graduate students also can take courses offered through the LLB program. Courses will be taken under a graduate course designation with the course evaluation for the graduate student(s) in the course to be decided by the course instructor in consultation with the student(s).

University of British Columbia

LL.M Seminar: Current Legal Problems

An additional 12 credits (usually 3 or 4 courses) of course work drawn from the graduate or JD curriculum are required.

Students may also enroll in graduate level courses in other faculties (with permission of the Graduate Program in Law and the other faculty). However, the major part of the program must be undertaken in the Faculty of Law.

University of Calgary (LL.M in Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law)

Graduate Seminar in Legal Research and Methodology Graduate Seminar in Legal Theory

Two additional graduate level half-courses in natural resources, energy, or environmental law, or a related area are required.

University of Manitoba (Robinson Hall)

Graduate Legal Research and Theory

Two additional courses relevant to the area of research are required. One of these courses may be taken outside the Faculty of Law.

Course selection must be approved by the student’s supervisor. Course descriptions available here (there do not appear to be specific graduate courses different from the JD program): http://law.robsonhall.ca/course-information/course-descriptions


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University of Ottawa

Legal Research Methodology Directed Research (This course consists of research under the supervision of a professor nominated by the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies in Law. The paper is graded by the professor who has supervised it) 1 Legal Theory course (there is a choice but students are strongly encouraged to take Critical Legal Theories)

Joint endeavour of the Common Law and Civil Law Sections and invite law graduates from both legal systems.

University of Saskatchewan

One Legal Theory Course At least 2 additional courses

University of Toronto

Graduate Seminar: Alternative Approaches to Legal Scholarship

Mandatory non-credit LL.M Thesis Writing Workshop

Graduate students choose their other courses from those available in the JD program. Graduate students are expected to choose upper-year courses and seminars. Students may also enroll in other graduate courses in other faculties of the university. The selection of courses is subject to the approval of the Associate Dean.

University of Victoria

Graduate Seminar in Law and Society Graduate Seminar in Applied Legal Methodology

1 non-Law graduate level seminar (This is generally chosen in consultation with the non-Law supervisor whom is often the instructor) One additional course (This may be an upper-year Law undergraduate course, a Law graduate course, or a graduate-level course in another discipline.)

Course selection should be discussed with the Law supervisor and then approved by the Graduate Program Director. Students are not permitted to register for what is, in substance, a course previously taken for undergraduate credit, either at the University of Victoria or at another university. Many Law courses are evaluated by final examinations. Graduate students who enrol in 300-


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level Law courses should work out a form of evaluation with the instructor of their course. A final examination cannot be worth more than 60% of your final mark. Moreover, if a research paper is submitted as part of the evaluation and it is worth more than 60% of your final mark, you must be permitted to submit a draft and then a final version of the paper

University of Western Ontario

Approaches to Legal Scholarship Guided Study and Research Methodology Graduate Colloquium One additional elective course is required (it may be completed at Western Law or another faculty of the University, and must be approved by the faculty advisor or thesis supervisor, and must relate to the student’s research focus)

York University (Osgoode Hall)

Graduate Seminar in Legal Research

One Study Group of: - Law in a Global Context - Regulation and Governance - Law and Economic Relations - Law and Social Justice - Theoretical Perspectives in Legal Research One additional course, selected by the student in consultation with their supervisor Students entering the LL.M program in Law who do not have an LLB or JD must attend the non-credit course entitled Graduate Legal Research and Writing. They may also be required to take additional courses, at the discretion of the Graduate Program Director5

5 (see Osgoode, Application Guide: Graduate Program in Law, 2010-11, p. 3)

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