Queens University’s new Faculty of Law diploma program

BY NANA ADJEI-POKU

After winning a successful bid to the Immigration Consultants of Canada Refugee Council in 2019, Queen University’s Faculty of Law will be launching a new Immigration and Citizenship Law Graduate Diploma commencing August 2020.

The University will be the only educational institution providing this program in English.  For those wishing to enroll in the French-language program, Université de Sherbrooke will be the only institution offering these programs in French come September 2021.

Previously, various private colleges delivered the immigration consultant certificate program, one of the final streams that I enrolled in this past six months. Over the years there were complaints about the former program as there were consultants providing services way below the competency level, and the duration was way too short for complicated content such as immigration law. I can honestly say that the former curriculum was mediocre in comparison to other certificates or diplomas I attained. I felt the quality of the teaching was substandard and was not worth the money I paid.  I can also say having a previous background in law was an asset so I am eager to see how this program will be.

The new program will commence online classes as of January 2021 and will be a two-year program consisting of nine courses that will be offered in both academic and competency formats. It will be the University’s third program to be launched in an online format in the past four years. The reason behind the online format, according to the Dean of Law, Mark Walters is that “Offering programs online may help Canadians understand the law and may promote access to justice, which is a key value of the law school.”

In the immigration law industry, your skills have to equal your knowledge and this program promises to embed these in each of the courses, which will distinguish from previous programs that were offered via the private institutions. I am happy to see that this course will be offered more efficiently to allow future applicants to be able to learn at a comfortable pace and not feel rushed having to learn a two-year program within a six-month duration.