Rhodes University Law Degree Structure

Rhodes University Law Degree Structure

Law Degree Structure

BACHELOR OF LAWS (LLB)

The LLB degree is the minimum academic qualification for practising law in South Africa. At Rhodes, the LLB degree is offered as a four year programme, a two-year programme, or a three-year programme. Only in exceptional circumstances will students who enter university for the first time register in the Faculty of Law at Rhodes. In their first year, all prospective LLB students register for a general degree in another faculty (Humanities, Science or

Commerce) where they do some non-law courses as well as two law courses. Students may select courses from a wide range of subjects and a variety of permutations exists. Only in their second year, after obtaining sufficient information to make a proper decision, do students decide which route to follow. It also enables students who discover in their first year that they are not suited to a career in law to change their study direction without forfeiting a year of study.

The Faculty’s resources are limited and students’ academic results play an important role when applications for admission into the LLB are considered.

1. A five year combined Law and Humanities OR Law and Commerce OR Law and

Science LLB stream

Students enter this stream with the intention of following a programme in Law and Humanities OR Law and Commerce OR Law and Science, leading to a BA/BSocSci or BCom/BBusSc or BSc and thereafter a two-year LLB. The objective of a broad-based education is achieved in this stream by including courses which ensure that students have a thorough grasp of at least one discipline outside Law. Students register for a BA, BSocSci, BCom, BBusSci or BSc in their first year of study and continue with that degree with Legal Theory as a major subject.

Having obtained the first degree, students then register for the LLB, to be completed over two years. To do so, one must have obtained sufficient law credits in the first degree, which is usually the case if one has majored in Legal Theory.

Normally candidates who obtained at least 60% in their Legal Theory major will be admitted, as will candidates from other universities who obtained an average of at least 60% in their previous year of study. Where a candidate has not met these requirements, the Dean of Law has the discretion to admit that person, on good cause shown and subject to availability of Faculty resources. Preference will be given to those candidates who obtained their first degree at Rhodes University.

2. A four year LLB stream

In their first year of university study students will be required to register in any one of the Faculties of Humanities, Science and Commerce, according to their subject choices. After their first year of study, those who meet the academic criteria may choose between following a five year (eg, BA or BCom LLB) curriculum, or a four-year LLB curriculum. Those who don’t meet the academic criteria must follow the five-year combined route.

Candidates who do not have a degree may be admitted to the second year of study for the LLB degree, provided that they have passed both the law courses offered in their first year of study (Foundations of Law and Introduction to Law) with an average of 60% as well as have obtained an overall average of 60% for three non-law courses studied in that year. (Students who do not meet these criteria must follow the five-year route.)

 

3. A three year LLB for graduate students

Students enter this stream after having completed a Bachelor’s degree without law subjects, or with insufficient law credits. They may be admitted to the second year of study for the LLB degree, provided that they obtained 60% for their major subjects. Where a candidate has not met this requirement, the Dean of Law has the discretion to admit that person, on good cause shown and subject to availability of Faculty resources.

1ST year	2ND Year	PENULTIMATE YEAR	FINAL YEAR
Three non-law courses	One non-law course at Second Year level
First Semester Foundations of Law	First Semester Constitutional Law A; Law of Contract A; Law of Persons; Law of Property A; Legal Interpretation;	First Semester Civil Procedure A; Company Law A; Criminal Law A; Criminal Procedure A; Law of Delict A; Legal Skills; Public International Law Legal practice (either first or second semester)	First Semester Administrative Law A; Civil Procedure B; Criminal procedure B; Individual Labour Law; Law of Sale and Lease;   2 Electives from the first semester

Second Semester	Second Semester	Second Semester	Second Semester
Introduction to Law	Constitutional Law B; Law of Contract B; Customary Law; Law of Life Partners; Law of Property B;	Company Law B; Criminal Law B; Jurisprudence; Law of Delict B; Law of Evidence A; Law of Partnerships and Trusts; Legal Practice (either first or second semester)	Administrative Law B; Law of Evidence B; Law of Insolvency and Winding up of Companies and Close Corporations; Law of Agency Insurance and Credit Agreements; Law of Succession and Administration of Estates; 2 Electives from the second semester list

 

BA, BCOM, BSC CURRICULUM: (3 YEARS), TO BE FOLLOWED BY A 2 YEAR LLB

This curriculum exempts one from the first two years of the LLB degree. The LLB curriculum following this degree will therefore be the same as that for the Penultimate and Final years of the LLB curriculum.

1ST YEAR	2ND YEAR	3RD YEAR
Any three non-law courses	One non-law course at Second Year level; Two non-law courses at First Year level or Second Year level	One non-law course at Third Year level
Legal Theory 1 First Semester Foundations of Law	Legal Theory 2 First Semester Constitutional Law A Legal  Interpretation	Legal Theory 3 First Semester Law of Contract A; Law of Persons; Law of Property A;
Second semester Introduction to Law	Second Semester Constitutional Law B; Customary law	Second Semester Law of Contract B; Law of Life Partnerships; Law of Property B;

 

THE LLB CURRICULUM FOLLOWING A BA, BCOM OR BSC (LAW CURRICULUM): 2 Years

PENULTIMATE YEAR	FINAL YEAR
First Semester	First Semester
Civil Procedure A; Company Law A; Criminal Law A; Criminal Procedure A; Law of Delict A; Legal Skills; Public International Law Legal Practice (either 1st or second semester)	Administrative law A; Civil Procedure B; Criminal Procedure B; Individual Labour law; Law of Sale and Lease;   2 Electives from first semester list
Second Semester	Second Semester
Company Law B; Criminal Law B; Jurisprudence; Law of Delict; Law of Evidence A; Law of partnerships and Trusts; Legal Practice (either 1st or 2nd semester)	Administrative Law B; Law of Agency, Insurance and Credit Agreements; Law of Evidence B; Law of Insolvency and Winding up of Companies and Close Corporations; Law of Succession and Administration of Estates;   2 Electives from the second semester list

 

THE LLB CURRICULUM FOLLOWING ANY DEGREE WITH NO LAW COURSES: 3 Years

This route is for students who have a degree but either have no law credits at all, or insufficient law credits to qualify for the two-year option.

1ST YEAR	2ND YEAR	3RD THIRD
First Semester Foundations of Law; Constitutional Law A; Law of Contract A; Law of Persons; Law of Property A; Legal Interpretation	First Semester Civil Procedure A; Company Law B; Criminal Law B; Criminal Procedure A; Law of Delict A; Legal Skills; Public International Law Legal Practice (either 1st or 2ndsemester)	First Semester Administrative Law A; Civil Procedure B; Criminal Procedure B; Individual Labour Law; Law of Sale and Lease;   2 Electives from the first semester list
Second Semester Introduction to Law; Customary Law; Law of Contract B; Law of Life Partnerships; Law of Property B;	Second Semester Company Law B; Criminal Law B; Jurisprudence; Law of Delict B; Law of Evidence A; Law of Partnerships and Trusts; Legal Practice (either 1st or 2ndsemester)	Second Semester Administrative Law B Law of Evidence B; Law of Insolvency and Winding up of Companies and Close Corporations; Law of Agency, Insurance and Credit Agreements; Law of Succession and Administration of Estates;

Details of the degree structure and requirements for the LLB degree can be found in the Faculty of Law section of the University Calendar, and are obtainable on request.

LIST OF ELECTIVES WHICH COULD BE TAKEN IN THE FINAL YEAR OF STUDY:

First Semester	Second Semester
Copyright and Trade Marks International Trade Law Introduction to Conveyancing Law of Banking and Payments Law of Unjustified Enrichment Legal Accounting Negotiation and Mediation (limited registration) Tax and Estate Planning	Arbitration (limited registration) Collective Labour Law Competition Law Constitutional Litigation Environmental Law Ethics and Professional Responsibility isiXhosa Law of Patents, Designs and Geographical Indications

In both the first and second semesters, a research paper may be completed for one semester credit. All electives will not necessarily be offered every year. The availability of options will depend upon teaching arrangements in the Faculty of Law. For the same reason electives may be taught in different semesters.

Provisional Sentence; Appeals, Reviews and Rescission of Judgment; Costs; Enforcement of Judgments and Administration Orders.

Collective Labour Law

Sources of Labour Law; Framework of the Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995; Organisational Rights; Collective Bargaining Structures; Collective Agreements; Agency Shop Agreements; Closed Shop Agreements; Worker Participation; and Industrial Action.

Constitutional Law A

Sources and general principles of constitutional law, historical survey of constitutional development in South Africa and a detailed analysis of the structures of government created by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996.

Constitutional Law B

The protection of human rights in a constitutional state. This will include a detailed analysis of the Bill of Rights and the state institutions supporting constitutional democracy (such as the Public Protector and the Human

Collective Labour Law (one semester credit: one two-hour paper (70%), class work (30%), November examination)

Sources of Labour Law; Framework of the Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995; Organizational Rights; Collective Bargaining Structures; Collective Agreements; Agency Shop Agreements; Closed Shop Agreements; Worker Participation; and Industrial Action.