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Academic Calendar 2012 FACULTIES FACULTY OF ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING SOFTWARE ENGINEERING PROGRAM C. Software Engineering and Law
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C. Software Engineering and Law

Admission
Before entering the combined BESc/JD degree program, students must have completed the first three years of the Software 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 C, of the Software Engineering program 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 Admission 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 2415, ECE 2277A/B, ECE 2238A/B, ES 2211F/G, SE 2203A/B, SE 2205A/B, SE 2250A/B, Mathematics 2151A/B, Computer Science 1037A/B, Statistical Sciences 2141A/B, 0.5 course*.

* The 0.5 science course must be chosen from a course in the Faculty of Science at the 1020-level or higher from the approved list on the engineering website or the approval of the Department Counsellor.

Third Year Program Fourth Year Program

First year Law curriculum. No courses outside Law may be taken during this year.

Fifth and Sixth Year Programs

SE 4450, SE 4452A/B, SE 4453A/B, SE 4472A/B.

In years five and six students must complete the following requirements for the JD:

  1. The two compulsory upper-year Law courses.
  2. At least three Law core-group courses.
  3. Additional Law courses totalling at least 25 hours. 
  4. 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 economics, ethical issues, the impact of technology on society, and the thought processes in the Humanities and Social Sciences must be taken as follows:

  • Economics: One of Law 5220 Income Taxation, Law 5555 Corporate Finance, or an approved Law Selected Topics course.
  • Ethical Issues: Law 5130 Legal Ethics and Professionalism [part of the first year curriculum].
  • 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.
  • Thought Processes of the Humanities and Social Sciences: Law 5125 Foundations of Canadian Law [part of the first year curriculum].

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
 
Academic Calendar 2012 FACULTIES FACULTY OF ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING SOFTWARE ENGINEERING PROGRAM C. Software Engineering and Law
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