At Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada, Applied Legal Studies: Master of Arts (MA-ALS) is offered as a master's degree in Civil & Private Law programme. The programme runs for 3 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 286 per credit (CAD 286 per credit for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Civil & Private Law
Duration: 3 semesters
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 286 / credit
International tuition: CAD 286 / credit
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The MA in Applied Legal Studies, offered through SFU's School of Criminology, is intended chiefly for people who plan to practise as Notaries Public in British Columbia, and completing it is a prerequisite for membership in the Society of Notaries Public of B.C.; practising notaries also take it as a graduate credential in their field. Nine required courses cover the Canadian legal system, legal research and writing, contracts, real property, wills and incapacity planning, selected topics and topics in legal practice, culminating in a comprehensive MA examination normally sat toward the end of the fourth term. Part-time study is possible and all requirements must be met within three years. Applicants submit an LSAT score, and the degree itself does not guarantee entry to professional practice.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.00 / 4.33
Admission Requirements: Admission requires a completed bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0/4.33; candidates below that threshold may still receive conditional admission if the rest of the application is strong, provided they maintain a 3.0 average in every course of their first Fall and Spring terms. All applicants must write the LSAT and have the Law School Admission Council send the score directly to SFU — no minimum LSAT score is published. International applicants must meet the program's own English-language minimums, higher than the university default: IELTS Academic 7.5 overall with at least 7.0 in each band, TOEFL iBT 110, or Duolingo English Test 135 overall with no subscore below 115 (Cambridge English 190 and PTE Academic 75 are also accepted). Applicants also submit three references sent directly by referees, a two-page resume, a 250-word statement of interest, unofficial transcripts, and, for non-Canadian degrees, a Comprehensive International Credential Evaluation Certificate from the BC Institute of Technology. The program admits once a year, commencing each Fall.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC, with one set of dates per applicant type rather than by citizenship. Fall 2027 entry: high-school-route applications open 1 October 2026 and close 31 January 2027, while transfer applications open 1 March 2027 and close 15 April 2027 (Education and Contemporary Arts transfer applicants may apply from 1 October 2026). Spring 2027 entry runs 1 July to 15 September 2026, and Summer 2027 entry runs 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027. Admission documents are generally due 28 February 2027 (Fall) and offers must be accepted by 1 May. International applicants use the same EducationPlannerBC dates and portal; SFU publishes no separate international deadline. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
