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Five reasons to choose Osgoode
- Build a solid understanding of the Canadian legal system. Explore the foundational aspects of the Canadian legal landscape, including Canada’s legal history and structure as well as skills-focused topics, such as legal research and writing.
- Study at a world-class institution. For over 125 years, Osgoode Hall Law School’s mission has been the pursuit of academic and professional excellence and justice through law. Osgoode has led some of the most important innovations in Canadian legal education.
- Learn from the best. Leverage the experiences of world-class academics and practitioners.
- Customize your learning. Get the flexibility to choose electives relevant to your industry.
- Study from anywhere, on your schedule. Designed for working professionals with flexible learning options.
Our program by the numbers
16
months to complete
4
required courses
20+
elective course options
Create your future and make history with us.
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© 2026 Osgoode Professional Development
Part-Time Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law
A law school experience for non-legal professionals.
Michelle De Agostini
Program Assistant, Vancouver Island University’s Inside Out Prison Exchange Program
"As someone entering Osgoode’s Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law from a non-legal background, the program provided me with an invaluable foundation in Canadian law. It helped me better understand and navigate the legal aspects of my work in libraries and prisons while also inspiring me to continue my legal studies through an LLM in Constitutional law. The classes were consistently fascinating, the professors were knowledgeable and supportive, and the OsgoodePD staff made me feel supported throughout my experience."
Michelle De Agostini
Program Assistant, Vancouver Island University’s Inside Out Prison Exchange Program
"As someone entering Osgoode’s Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law from a non-legal background, the program provided me with an invaluable foundation in Canadian law. It helped me better understand and navigate the legal aspects of my work in libraries and prisons while also inspiring me to continue my legal studies through an LLM in Constitutional law. The classes were consistently fascinating, the professors were knowledgeable and supportive, and the OsgoodePD staff made me feel supported throughout my experience."
Michelle De Agostini
Program Assistant, Vancouver Island University’s Inside Out Prison Exchange Program
"As someone entering Osgoode’s Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law from a non-legal background, the program provided me with an invaluable foundation in Canadian law. It helped me better understand and navigate the legal aspects of my work in libraries and prisons while also inspiring me to continue my legal studies through an LLM in constitutional law. The classes were consistently fascinating, the professors were knowledgeable and supportive, and the OsgoodePD staff made me feel supported throughout my experience."
Midhula De Gannes,
PEng, LLM, Network Management EngineerNetwork Management Engineer
Hydro One
[Testimonial]
"What matters most is not the letters after your name, but what you take away from the experience. At Osgoode, my professors challenged me to think critically, develop my own ideas, and go beyond simply summarizing the law. The program transformed the way I approach legal research and writing, helping me build stronger arguments and write with greater depth and confidence. Osgoode taught me not just to understand what the law says, but to question why it matters, how it applies, and what more can be said about it."
Catherine Norris
Independent External Decision Maker, Public Safety Canada Security
"As someone entering Osgoode’s Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law from a non-legal background, the program provided me with an invaluable foundation in Canadian law. It helped me better understand and navigate the legal aspects of my work in libraries and prisons while also inspiring me to continue my legal studies through an LLM in Constitutional law. The classes were consistently fascinating, the professors were knowledgeable and supportive, and the OsgoodePD staff made me feel supported throughout my experience."
Michelle De Agostini
Program Assistant, Vancouver Island University’s Inside Out Prison Exchange Program
Michelle De Agostini
Program Assistant, Vancouver Island University’s Inside Out Prison Exchange Program
"As someone entering Osgoode’s Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law from a non-legal background, the program provided me with an invaluable foundation in Canadian law. It helped me better understand and navigate the legal aspects of my work in libraries and prisons while also inspiring me to continue my legal studies through an LLM in Constitutional law. The classes were consistently fascinating, the professors were knowledgeable and supportive, and the OsgoodePD staff made me feel supported throughout my experience."
"What matters most is not the letters after your name, but what you take away from the experience. At Osgoode, my professors challenged me to think critically, develop my own ideas, and go beyond simply summarizing the law. The program transformed the way I approach legal research and writing, helping me build stronger arguments and write with greater depth and confidence. Osgoode taught me not just to understand what the law says, but to question why it matters, how it applies, and what more can be said about it."
Michelle De Agostini
Program Assistant, Vancouver Island University’s Inside Out Prison Exchange Program
"As someone entering Osgoode’s Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law from a non-legal background, the program provided me with an invaluable foundation in Canadian law. It helped me better understand and navigate the legal aspects of my work in libraries and prisons while also inspiring me to continue my legal studies through an LLM in constitutional law. The classes were consistently fascinating, the professors were knowledgeable and supportive, and the OsgoodePD staff made me feel supported throughout my experience."
Catherine Norris Independent External Decision Maker, Public Safety Canada Security
Midhula De Gannes,
PEng, LLM, Network Management EngineerNetwork Management Engineer
Hydro One
[Testimonial]