Students in the International Law Program are expected to sign and adhere to the Queen’s University Student Code of Conduct and are subject to the academic and non-academic disciplinary authority of the Faculty of Law and Queen’s University.  Details about some of the applicable non-academic and academic policies can be found below.

Non-Academic Policies

Students should ensure they are familiar with the relevant Queen’s University policies, including the Student Code of Conduct and the policies with respect to sexual violence and harassment and discrimination, which can be found here:

•    Student Code of Conduct
•    Queen's Harassment and Discrimination Prevention and Response Policy 
•    Policy on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Involving Queen's University Students

All students are required to attend an orientation session that examines their obligations under the Student Code of Conduct and the potential consequences of any infractions. A student about whom an allegation of misconduct is made can be suspended from the program while the matter is investigated. If sanctions for misconduct are imposed against a visiting student, Queen’s can provide information about the conduct and the sanction to their home university.
 

Academic Policies

February 2025

The International Law Program (ILP), with streams in International Business Law (IBL), International Environmental Law (IEL), and Public International Law (PIL), is offered each May and June by the Queen’s University Faculty of Law. 

Admissions

  1. The ILP is open to students in good standing who have completed at least one year in a JD, LLB, or equivalent law program at an accredited Canadian or American university or a university with which Queen's is an exchange partner. Other applicants with a suitable academic or professional background in a related area may be admitted at the discretion of the Academic Directors. 
     
  2. Applicants must provide a transcript showing results in any completed law school courses. Applicants, depending on their circumstances, may also be asked to provide other transcripts, a letter of permission, academic references, and/or proof of fluency in English.

Enrolment 

Courses in the IBL stream:
Law 673 Introduction to International Business Law (3 credits)
Law 454 International Economic Law (3 credits)
Law 666 International Commercial Law (3 credits)

Courses in the IEL stream:
Law 660 Introduction to International Law in the Anthropocene (3 credits)
Law 661 The Law of Oceans, Air and Space (3 credits)
Law 662 International Environmental and Climate Law (3 credits)

Courses in the PIL stream: 
Law 670 Introduction to International Law and Institutions (3 credits)  
Law 664 The Law of Armed Conflict and International Crimes (3 credits)
Law 665 International Protection of Human Rights and Refugees (3 credits) 

  1. Students must enrol in all three of the IBL, IEL, or PIL courses in a single year and may not take in a single year a combination of courses from two or three streams except with permission of the Academic Directors.
     
  2. Law 660, Law 670, and Law 673 are taken in the first two weeks of the ILP, and portions of those courses may be taught jointly. 
     
  3. Law 673 is a prerequisite for Law 454 and Law 666;  Law 660 is a prerequisite for Law 661 and 662; and Law 670 is a prerequisite for Law 664 and Law 665, , except with permission of the Academic Directors. There are no other prerequisites for the ILP courses. 
     
  4. Students may enrol in any of the ILP courses after taking any upper-year JD courses at Queen’s and may take any JD courses at Queen’s after completing any of the ILP courses. 
     
  5. Students who have completed the IBL, IEL, or PIL stream may apply to enrol in the another stream in a subsequent year, except that students may only receive credit for two of Law 660, Law 670, and Law 673 with permission of the Academic Directors. 

Academic Credit

  1. Queen’s JD students must complete a minimum of 59 upper-year credits, and usually do so with 14-17 credits in each of four terms. Students may not use ILP credits to reduce to part-time status but may seek permission from the Faculty to take 12 or 13 credits as a full-time load in 1 or more upper-year terms.  Students enrolled in fewer than 14 credits are ineligible for certain honours and awards.

Grading Policies and Accommodations

  1. Faculty of Law academic policies, including those with respect to anonymous grading, the grading system, mandatory grading, course prizes, and academic integrity, apply with any necessary modifications to the ILP. 
     
  2. The Faculty of Law’s Academic Standing and Policies Committee determines issues in the ILP such as accommodations, late course drops, examination deferrals, and special or supplemental examination privileges.
     
  3. Extensions for the submission of written coursework during the period of the ILP may be granted by an instructor after consultation with the Academic Directors. Longer extension requests must be referred to the Academic Standing and Policies Committee.

Certificates of Completion

  1. Students who successfully complete all courses in the IBL, IEL or PIL stream are awarded a Certificate of Completion. The certificates of the students with the three highest averages in each of the streams each year will indicate that the students completed their program "With Merit".