Want to make sure you’re on track and getting the most of your time with us in the department?

Check out our year-by-year checklist for Law and Public Policy Majors:

• First year
• Second year
• Third year
• Fourth year

Declared Law and Public Policy Minors are also encouraged to review the checklists for each year, though there will be some additional flexibility in their pathway, since there are less credit requirements. 

Courses in the Law and Public Policy BA program are designed to be taken in sequence, year by year, to build core knowledge and gradually hone key skills in leadership, teamwork, policy design, legal reasoning, and communication. 

Undergraduate students who have been admitted to Memorial will typically declare their Major in Law and Public Policy during the first year of studies, often after completing POSC 1000 ("Introduction to Politics and Government") and POSC 1001 ("Critical Reading and Writing").

During their second year of studies, declared Majors and Minors are required to take LWPP 2600 (“Public Policy and Administration”) which outlines the major concepts in the fields of law, public policy, and government administration.

Upper-level courses at the third and fourth year are more practice-oriented and enable Majors to focus on different policy areas, issues, or aspects of the law. Third- and fourth year classes assume that students have successfully completed their first and second years and have some previous background the legal and policy basics. Admission to these classes is restricted to those who have completed at least 45 general credit hours towards their BA degree, in any subject, to ensure that all students are at the same university level. Majors (and Minors) should also make sure that they enrol in the LWPP section of courses cross-listed with POSC to ensure these credits are correctly counted towards their program.

Most Majors opt to take a sequence of professional development courses beginning in their third year, including LWPP 3640 (“Ethics, Leadership, and Policy Analysis”) and LWPP 4630 (“Policy Design and Delivery”). Third year is also the point at which courses in Canadian, Indigenous, and international law are offered, along with classes exploring the nuts and bolts of legislative and judicial processes and pressing public challenges on topics such as democratic innovations, human rights, the environment, economic justice, and energy and resource management.

Please note that this year-by-year breakdown of the program is intended for Law and Public Policy undergraduate students only, and does not cover the full general requirements for a BA degree. When in doubt, students should always consult the university calendar or contact a university advisor with any questions.