MANDATORY COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Note: The first-year curriculum is under review in the 2011-12 academic year. The review may lead to changes to the mandatory first-year curriculum. Such changes would be introduced in the 2012-13 academic year.
First-year students are assigned to small sections and their first-year courses by the Faculty of Law. Each year during predetermined time-frames in late March or early April.
The first-year program consists of six compulsory courses: LAW-150/151/152 Constitutional Law, LAW-160/161/162/163 Contracts, LAW-170/171/172/173 Criminal Law, LAW-115/116/117 Introduction to Legal Research, LAW-180/181/182 Property, LAW-140/141/142 Public Law, and LAW-190/191/192/193 Torts.
Under the credit weighting system, LAW-150/151/152 Constitutional Law and LAW-140/141/142 Public Law are weighted at 4 credits each. The year-long courses in LAW-160/161/162/163 Contracts, LAW-170/171/172/173 Criminal Law, LAW-180/181/182 Property and LAW-190/191/192/193 Torts are weighted at 6 credits each. LAW-115/116/117 Introduction to Legal Research is weighted at 1 credit. The total credit weight of the first-year curriculum is 33 credits. First-year credits are not counted within the upper-year credit requirement for the J.D. degree.
FIRST YEAR SMALL SECTIONS
Small section professors, in conjunction with the Associate Dean (Academic) and Library staff have primary responsibility to introduce students to legal education and legal skills, with a particular emphasis on legal research and writing. Each small section professor will normally offer at least two writing assignments and an oral advocacy exercise. First-year professors who teach no more than two small sections in a full year course will normally have a portion of the grade in the course determined by a non-examination method of evaluation.
All professors and students are encouraged to raise and discuss issues of diversity, equality, perspectives, ethics and professional responsibility in all first-year and upper-year courses.
FIRST YEAR LEGAL FOUNDATIONS PROGRAM
The first-year curriculum includes the First Year Legal Foundations Program, which provides students with an academic orientation to the study of law and an introduction to a number of topics considered fundamental to the success of law students. There are a number of related components of the Legal Foundations Program, including the Legal Skills sessions in the small section courses, the Introduction to Legal Research course, and the Small Section Visitors. In addition, the Program includes a speaker series that enriches the first-year curriculum and complements the legal skills sessions. The series provides students with an introduction to the study of law, legal ethics and professional responsibility, legal theory and history, issues of diversity and critical perspectives, methods for coping with law school and career options. Attendance at the Legal Foundations Speaker Series is mandatory for first-year students. Development of the First Year Legal Foundation Program is the responsibility of the Associate Dean (Academic), with assistance from the Manager of Education and Equity Services.
ACADEMIC STANDING
(Policy approved at Faculty Board at its 713th meeting on March 11, 2011. Policy effective May 1, 2011.)
First-year J.D. and combined J.D. students must obtain a grade of at least D (GPA 1.0) in each first-year compulsory course registration. First-year J.D. and combined J.D. students must also achieve a multi-term weighted grade point average (GPA) of at least C (GPA 2.0) determined at the end of the winter term on the basis of law course registrations in the fall and winter terms.
Programs of Study 
