Admission
Before entering the combined BESc/JD degree program, students must have completed the first three years of the Civil Engineering program at Western (or equivalent). In addition to applying for the combined degree program through the Office of the Associate Dean - Academic of the Faculty of Engineering, students must also make a separate application to the Faculty of Law for admission into the JD program by the published deadline, May 1. In the application to the Law School, the applicant must indicate that he or she is applying to the combined BESc/JD program.
Admission Criteria
To be eligible for the combined degree program, students must have completed all the requirements of the first year curriculum in the Faculty of Engineering, and the second and third year program, Option D, in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering with either a minimum cumulative weighted average (CWA) of 80% or stand in the top 10% of the class. In addition, the applicant must meet the minimum LSAT requirement established by the Law School Admissions Committee for all combined degree programs.
Entrance into the combined degree program is competitive and limited. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee a position in the combined program.
Progression Standards
Once admitted to the combined program, students are required to maintain a minimum year weighted average of 75% in their Engineering curriculum courses and a B average in their Law courses.
Failure to Meet Progression Standards
A student who fails to meet the combined program progression standards in any year will be required to withdraw from the combined program. However, a student who has met the progression standards of either the Engineering or JD program, will be allowed to proceed to the next year of that program. If the progression standards of both individual programs have been satisfied, the student may continue in either program and may petition the Faculty whose program was not selected for permission to complete that program at a later date. A student who is required to withdraw from the combined program and wishes to pursue either or both of the individual programs, must complete all the degree requirements of the individual program or programs in order to graduate from that program or those programs.
First Year Program
Common first year of Engineering.
Second Year Program
Applied Mathematics 2411, CEE 2202A/B, CEE 2217A/B, CEE 2219A/B, CEE 2220A/B, CEE 2221A/B, CEE 2224, ES 2211F/G, Earth Sciences 2281A/B, Statistical Sciences 2141A/B.*
* Note: A student may, with the permission of the department counsellor, substitute Statistical Sciences 2143A/B for Statistical Sciences 2141A/B.
Note: CEE 3324A/B (Surveying). This course is available each summer (15 days) and must be completed before a student may graduate from the Civil Engineering program.
Third Year Program
CEE 3326, CEE 3340A/B, CEE 3341A/B, CEE 3342A/B, CEE 3346A/B, CEE 3347A/B, CEE 3348A/B, CEE 3358A/B, CEE 3369A/B, CEE 3384A/B, 0.5 non-technical elective.
Selection of the non-technical elective must be approved by the Department Counsellor to satisfy the CEAB requirements of subject matter that deals with central issues, methodologies, and thought processes of the humanities and social sciences. An approved list can be found on the Engineering website.
Fourth Year Program
First year Law curriculum. No courses outside Law may be taken during this year.
Fifth and Sixth Year Programs
CEE 4441, CEE 4426A/B, CEE 4465A/B, CEE 4476A/B.
In years five and six students must complete the following requirements for the JD:
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The two compulsory upper-year Law courses.
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At least three Law core-group courses.
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Additional Law courses totalling at least 25 credit hours.
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One Law course must have an essay requirement of at least two credit hours.
Requirements 2 and 3 must include one of the courses listed below under “Economics” and one listed under “Impact of Technology on Society”.
Notes: Fulfillment of the Faculty of Engineering requirement of courses that expose students to the impact tof technology on society, ethical issues, and economics must be taken as follows:
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Economics: One of Law 5220 Income Taxation, Law 5555 Corporate Finance, or an approved Law Selected Topics course.
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Ethical Issues: Law 5130 Legal Ethics and Professionalism [part of the first year curriculum].
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Impact of Technology on Society: One of Law 5615 Biotechnology Law, Law 5605 Advanced Issues in Technology Law, Law 5350 Media Law, Law 5600 Advanced Intellectual Property, Law 5620 Information Law, Law 5625 Intellectual Property, Law 5630 International Protection of Intellectual Property, Law 5610 Advanced Patent Law, or an approved Law Selected Topics course.
Exchange Programs
Students enrolled in the combined program are not eligible for an exchange program with the Faculty of Engineering; however, they may be eligible for an exchange through the Faculty of Law in Year Five or Six. This will require advanced planning with both faculties.