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Academic Success Program

The Schulich School of Law Academic Success Program helps to foster academic excellence and engagement by providing accessible and inclusive tools, instruction, and resources to students to support their academic success.

Academic Advising

Planning your law school career

There is no one correct way to choose your law school courses. Academic advising can help you match programs and opportunities to your abilities, interests, and career goals, plus provide guidance on academic requirements and resources to support you to complete your program.

While every student will have different needs during their time at law school, we’ve compiled a list of things everyone should consider when planning their courses.

Discover your passion

    If you aren’t sure what area of law you want to study, it’s wise to take foundational courses—also called “black letter law” courses—across a broad spectrum of areas.

    Take classes from professors you would like to study with, even if you aren’t particularly interested in their subject matter. It’s possible that practice fields you haven’t considered may capture your interest.

    Ask upper-year students to share their thoughts on professors and courses.

Your learning style

When choosing courses, it’s important to consider your learning style:

    Do you enjoy writing papers? Can you organize your workload across the term? If so, you may decide to register for major paper classes (you can take up to three per academic year).

    Do you prefer multiple modes of evaluation throughout the term or do you work best focusing on the final exam? Check last year’s syllabi online to get a sense of the course requirements and evaluation methods.

    Be realistic about workload demands and pace your deadlines accordingly. Review the exam schedule carefully to avoid registering for courses that have back-to-back exams.

Get more advice, contact Academic Services

Faculty Advisors

All incoming second year students are matched with a faculty member. This matching process ensures that every second year student has access to a professor to discuss course planning, Ěýthe various practice areas, Ěýand/or to seek general advice. ĚýThe matching process takes place in March of first year.Ěý

Academic Peer Mentors

The Academic Peer Mentor Program matches first-year students with upper-year students who provide guidance on study skills and learning strategies. The program is not intended to duplicate or be a substitute for the formal academic instruction that occurs in class and through discussions with faculty members, but to supplement this instruction through a more structured approach to learning strategies. Peer mentors also offer a series of group sessions throughout the year that are open to all students.

Peer academic mentors have demonstrated academic excellence, and have excellent communication skills and a desire to assist first-year students and to contribute to the law school community.

For more information on the program, contact Student Engagement Coordinator law.jd.student@dal.ca 

Peer Facilitated Success Sessions

In addition to the one-on-one support which is the main component of the  Academic Peer Mentor program, peer mentors will put on two Peer Facilitated Success Sessions in both the fall and winter terms. These sessions will cover topics such as learning from lectures, study skills and exam strategies, and will be open to any student to attend.

For more information on the program, contact Student Engagement Coordinator law.jd.student@dal.ca

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ĚýAcademic Supports and Services