The Faculty of Law is excited to announce that the proposal to change the name of the law degree from an LL.B. to a J.D. has been approved by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology, effective September 1, 2011. This change came about after a lengthy period of consultation beginning in 2009 and involving faculty, alumni, and current students.
The transition will be different for current students, incoming students and alumni. Please read the following information carefully.
Current Third-Year Students
Current third-year students (graduating on June 15, 2011) will graduate with an LL.B. As we did not anticipate such quick approval from university governance and the Alberta government, an effective date of September 1, 2011 was set in the proposal. The possibility of allowing the current third-year class to graduate with either a J.D. or an LL.B was explored; however, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology has indicated that because the June 2011 convocation is outside of the September 1, 2011 implementation date, current third-year students will graduate with an LL.B. If any members of the class of 2011 wish to convert their LL.B. to a J.D. they should follow the instructions set out below for alumni.
Current First and Second-Year Students
Due to the strong display of student support for the conversion to the J.D., current first and second-year students will automatically have their enrolment converted to the J.D. program and receive a J.D. upon graduation. If you wish to remain in the LL.B. program and receive an LL.B. upon graduation, you must confirm your decision in writing to the Faculty of Law by the Fall Term 2011 add/drop deadline of September 20, 2011. The Faculty of Law will contact you by email in the first two weeks of Fall Term and remind you of the need to make this decision.
Incoming First-Year Students
All incoming first-year students will be automatically enrolled in the J.D. program.
Alumni
The change to a J.D. will become effective as of September 1, 2011. After this date, alumni who wish to convert their LL.B. to a J.D. should complete an online Application for Parchment Reprint Form, which will be available on the Office of the Registrar's website commencing September 1, 2011.
Your original parchment must be returned along with the Application for Parchment Reprint Form and the prescribed fee (and courier costs, if applicable). Please note that if you choose to convert your LL.B. to a J.D., you will be unable to exchange it back to an LL.B. in the future. As well, please be advised that reprinted parchments will bear the signatures of the officials who are currently in office and are printed in the current format and language.
If you have a general inquiry regarding the degree conversion, please contact the Assistant to the Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Law, at 780-492-8443.
If you have an inquiry regarding the process of exchanging your LL.B. parchment for a J.D. parchment or a question about the Application for Parchment Reprint Form, please contact the Office of the Registrar at 780-492-3113 or toll-free at 1-855-492-3113.
All documents should be mailed, couriered or delivered to:
Office of the Registrar
University of Alberta
Convocation and Ceremonies Office
201 Administration Building,
Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2M7