Law (Thesis): Bioethics (LL.M.) (45 credits)
Offered by: Law (Faculty of Law)
Degree: Master of Laws
Program credit weight: 45
Program Description
The 45-credit LL.M. program, thesis option, in Bioethics is a research-intensive, interdisciplinary, graduate program focused on developing research interests into a thesis project under the supervision of a faculty member. Graduate-level courses on theoretical and methodological approaches to legal writing complement the research work and thesis completion process, and courses in specific areas of knowledge related to the candidate's research interests complete the program's credit requirements.
Students following the Bioethics option come from the Faculties of Law, Medicine, Religious Studies, or the Department of Philosophy. Entering students pursuing an LL.M., Bioethics are bound by the requirements of the Faculty of Law's LL.M. program (thesis option). For further information regarding this program, please refer to the Bioethics section. See https://www.mcgill.ca/biomedicalethicsunit/.
Candidates must remain in residence for three terms for which full-time fees will be charged. The third term, usually devoted to thesis research, may be taken the Summer of the first year. If the thesis is not completed in this time, students must register for additional sessions as needed. All degree requirements must be completed within a maximum of three years of the date of first registration.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Thesis Courses (24 credits)
The Master's Thesis programs consist of a coursework component and a thesis of approximately 100 pages. As part of the thesis requirement, a candidate must provide a protocol to his or her supervisor setting out details as to the thesis topic, the deadlines for the completion of the various thesis courses and the schedule of meetings with the thesis supervisor. Modifications to the protocol must be made in writing and submitted to the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies).
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOE 690 | M.Sc. Thesis Literature Survey. | 3 |
M.Sc. Thesis Literature Survey. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A comprehensive literature survey in the general area of the thesis topic, to be completed in the first semester. | ||
| BIOE 691 | M.Sc. Thesis Research Proposal. | 3 |
M.Sc. Thesis Research Proposal. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent work under the supervision of the thesis advisor(s) leading to a thesis proposal. | ||
| BIOE 692 | M.Sc. Thesis Research Progress Report. | 6 |
M.Sc. Thesis Research Progress Report. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A status report on the progress in the thesis research. | ||
| BIOE 693 | M.Sc. Thesis. | 12 |
M.Sc. Thesis. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent work under the supervision of the thesis advisor(s) leading to a thesis manuscript. | ||
Required Courses (12 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOE 680 | Bioethical Theory. | 3 |
Bioethical Theory. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Overview of moral theoretical approaches to bioethics, as well as explorations of critical responses, meta-ethical foundations, methodological questions, and ethical issues arising in bioethics scholarship. | ||
| BIOE 681 | Bioethics Practicum. | 3 |
Bioethics Practicum. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Four hours per week supervised placement within health care settings (e.g., intensive care, family practice, clinical ethics committees). In addition, students shall be assigned for the last month of the term to a single intensive placement. Participation in rounds, case discussions, and a weekly seminar. | ||
| CMPL 641 | Theoretical Approaches to Law. | 3 |
Theoretical Approaches to Law. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to a variety of theoretical approaches to legal scholarship. | ||
| LAWG 601 | Communication 1. | 1.5 |
Communication 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Key writing and research strategies for graduate students in law. | ||
| LAWG 602 | Communication 2. | 1.5 |
Communication 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Key writing and research strategies for graduate students in law. | ||
Complementary Courses (9 credits)
6 credits at the 500 level or above of Faculty of Law courses or Bioethics courses.
3 credits from the following
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOE 682 | ||
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. | ||
| CMPL 642 | Law and Health Care. | 3 |
Law and Health Care. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The study of legal and ethical issues raised in medicine and healthcare with a particular focus upon the relationship between patient and healthcare professionals. | ||
| PHIL 643 | Seminar: Medical Ethics. | 3 |
Seminar: Medical Ethics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course devoted to a particular philosophical problem as it arises in the context of medical practice or the application of medical technology. | ||
| RELG 571 | Ethics, Medicine and Religion. | 3 |
Ethics, Medicine and Religion. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The seminar will discuss a variety of topics related to medicine and religion from the point of view of ethics, such as the pact of care between a patient and a physician, the Hippocratic oath, the notions of autonomy and vulnerability, the definitions of personhood and human dignity, the question of rights for people with cognitive disabilities, the debate about the role of religion in bioethics. | ||