What Is BA Law
The BA Law is essentially a Bachelor of Arts with a Law focus. If you study for a BA in Law, you will have the option to substitute some of your modules for non-law subjects, alongside a selection of Law modules. LLB Law students tend to just do straight Law.
Entry Requirements To Study BA Law In South Africa
Here are the admission requirements for the Bachelor of Law in South African Universities:
University of Cape Town Admission Requirement for a degree in Law
There are three ways to do an LLB:
firstly, you could do a combined degree, where you do a 3-year undergraduate degree in Commerce or Humanities with Law subjects and then go on to the Law Faculty to do a 2-year LLB degree (eg. BComm LLB)
secondly, you could do a 4-year straight LLB where you would register straightaway in the Law Faculty
or you could register for a 3-year graduate LLB if you have an undergraduate with no law subjects, but decide you want to study Law after completing your first degree. Please note that for the 3-yr LLB, you do not need to take the NBTs for your application. You would need to have at least a 65 % GPA to be considered for admission, which is highly competitive.
University of Witwatersrand Bachelor of Law Admission Requirements
Four-year stream
43+
English Home Language OR Additional First Language
Level 6
Mathematics
Level 5
Maths Literacy
Level 6
Wait-listing: Students who come to Wits immediately after Matric may apply for the four-year LLB. Applicants with an APS of 40-42, as well as English 6 AND Mathematics 5 OR Maths Literacy 6, will be wait-listed, subject to place availability.
Three-year stream
No matric APS calculation.
Wait-listing
If you completed a degree with no law courses, you can apply for the three-year LLB, which means you would start in the second year of the degree. There are no Matric admission criteria because we consider your academic records from your first degree. You must have obtained an average of least 60% in the final year of an undergraduate degree to be eligible for the three year LLB.
Two-year stream
No matric APS calculation.
Wait-listing
Once you have obtained a degree in BCom Law or BA Law, you may apply for the Wits two-year stream LLB programme. You will have to complete years three and four of the Wits LLB. There are no Matric admission criteria, but you must have obtained at least 65% in the final year of the BCom Law or BA Law programmes offered at Wits.
University of the Western Cape Bachelor of Law Admission Requirements
DMISSION TO THE FACULTY
The requirements listed below are minimum requirements.
They qualify you to apply for a place as a student in the Faculty of Law, but they do not guarantee that you will be offered a place.
The Faculty can only accommodate a limited number of students and only the applicants with the best results will therefore be offered a place.
Please note that the following requirements qualify you to apply but selection happens in descending order, from the top student down, according to National Senior Certificate and Matriculation results.
LLB Four-year stream
a The National Senior Certificate for Bachelors Degree study plus a score of no less than 37 points calculated according to the university’s approved points system, as well as the following specific programme requirements:
– Level 4 (50-59%) in English (home or first additional language)
– Level 3 (40-49%) in another language (home or first additional language)
– Level 4 (50-59%) in Mathematics or in Mathematical Literacy
OR
b A qualification or level of competence which the Senate of the University has deemed to be equivalent to the requirements stipulated above.
LLB Five-year stream
a The National Senior Certificate for Bachelors Degree study plus a score of no less than 32 points calculated according to the university’s approved points system, as well as the following specific programme requirements:
– Level 4 (50-59%) in English (home or first additional language)
– Level 3 (40-49%) in another language (home or first additional language)
– Level 3 (40-49%) in Mathematics or in Mathematical Literacy
OR
b A qualification or level of competence which the Senate of the University has deemed to be equivalent to the requirements stipulated above.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS WHO MATRICULATED
LLB Four-year stream
a Matriculation Exemption with a minimum of a C aggregate
OR
b A qualification or level of competence which the Senate of the University has deemed to be equivalent to the requirements stipulated above.
LLB Five year stream
a A Matriculation Exemption with a minimum of D aggregate or conditional exemption or an age exemption
OR
b A qualification or level of competence which the Senate of the University has deemed to be equivalent to the requirements stipulated above.
Recognition of Prior Learning is an alternative admissions route into the university.
Applicants who do not have the required formal qualifications may bid for admission by writing tests of academic readiness or by completing a portfolio development course. Enquiries rmcube@uwc.ac.za
UWC Points System
UWC uses a weighted system for calculating points. See pdf copy of Brochure (below) with table that indicates how points are calculated.
MSA Admission Requirements for Bachelor of Law
Minimum Admission Requirements
An appropriate HEQSF Level 7 Bachelor’s degree and completed all 7 relevant prerequisite Law subjects. Introduction to law, Constitutional law, Contract law, Criminal law, Bill of rights, Law of persons and Law of family
Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of publication, however, these may change.
University of Fort Hare Bachelor of Law Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements
The LLB is now the only qualification acceptable for admission into the legal profession either as an attorney or advocate. The requirements that a person seeking admission to study for the degree must meet depends on the qualification that the person currently holds and the LLB degree option that the person wishes to pursue.
There are presently five LLB degree options available at Fort Hare and they are as follows:
4 year LLB programme (Undergraduate Options)
This requires an applicant to be in possession of a school leaving qualification that meets the legal minimum requirement for admission to degree study in South Africa – in the form of either the new National Senior Certificate (NSC) or a matriculation exemption/endorsement.
However, applicants who do not satisfy the said legal minimum requirement may be admitted under the University’s Senate Discretionary Exemption (SDE) dispensation in which event they will have to satisfy additional curriculum requirements.
Course Code
21502 / 21521
Duration
4 Years
5-year extended LLB programme (Undergraduate Option)
This requires an applicant to be in possession of a school leaving qualification that meets the legal minimum requirement for admission to degree study in South Africa ; in the form of either the new National Senior Certificate (NSC) or a matriculation exemption/endorsement.
However, applicants who do not satisfy the said legal minimum requirement may be admitted under the University’s Senate Discretionary Exemption (SDE) dispensation in which event they will have to satisfy additional curriculum requirements.
Schools Offering BA Law In South Africa
1. University of Cape Town
Degrees offered: LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D.
Language of Instruction: English
The University of Cape Town Law School is the best law school in South Africa, claiming to have the highest employment rate where 62.1% of their graduates are employed on commencement. It holds essential facilities such as the Oliver Tambo Moot Court and its world-class law library, which contains important international databases and 85,000 books. Moreover, they have excellent professors, some of which are NRF rated and NRF A-rated researchers.
The Law School has three departments: Private Law, Public Law, and Commercial Law. Each department offers its own several programs in LL.B., LL.M., and Ph.d. Furthermore, the UCT Law Clinic offers a unique course called Legal Practice Course, one of the most important courses in the Faculty. This course provides supervised experiential participation in client-case management, where students partake in mock case trials.
2. University of Pretoria
Degrees offered: LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D.
Language of Instruction: English
The Faculty of Law of the University of Pretoria was officially established in 1918. Since then, the Law School has produced many great legal professionals serving private and public organizations, and the University of Pretoria law school is one of the top law schools in South Africa. It has considered itself a key-player in legal education, having produced the most degrees such as 179 master’s degrees and 35 Ph.D. degrees.
The university offers three undergraduate degrees in law: a full-time, four-year LL.B. degree; a three-year BA Law Degree under the Faculty of Humanities; and a three-year BCom Law Degree by the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.
Upon completion of an undergraduate program, students can pursue postgraduate degrees such as LL.M./MPhil and a full-time or part-time LL.D./Ph.D degree. They also offer LL.M. in Corporate Law presented by TuksLaw, which is the top LL.M.
course in Africa for having been given the award as the best in the Africa Geographical Zone and it is also among the Top 200 Best Masters in Business and Commercial Law globally.
3. The University of Witwatersrand
Degrees offered: LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D.
Language of Instruction: English
Next on our list of best law schools in South Africa is the University of Witwatersrand Law School. Also known as Wits School of Law, this law school has existed for almost a hundred years since 1922 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Faculty of Commerce Law and Management is situated at the West Campus of the university. One of the many notable alumni of the school is Nelson Mandela and Patrice Motsepe. Today, there are over 500 law students and 50 staff members.
They provide three learning centers: the Wits Law Clinic, the Centre for Applied Legal Studies, and the Mandela Institute. Furthermore, the Law School is also affiliated with prestigious institutions such as Harvard University and the World Trade Organization.
4. The University of Johannesburg
Degrees offered: LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D.
Language of Instruction: English
The University of Johannesburg Law School was formed in 1971, which was first under the then Rand Afrikaans University. Afterward, the school established the university’s Law Clinic in 1991, now known as Soweto Law Clinic, and is considered to be South Africa’s first custom-built law clinic.
Furthermore, students benefit from its Journal for South African Law (TSAR), the Law School’s own legal publication that is globally accepted and recognized and is among the country’s most extensive publications.
The Faculty of Law offers three bachelor’s degrees taken at the Auckland Park Kingsway Campus: BA in Law, BCom in Law, and LL.B. For postgraduate degrees, there are ten LL.M. by coursework degrees, 24 LL.M. by dissertation specializations, and 16 Doctor of Laws specializations.
There are also short courses offered such as Short Learning Program in Business Rescue, Short Learning Program in Law and 4IR, and Career Enhancement in Law.
5. Stellenbosch University
Degrees offered: LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D.
Language of Instruction: Afrikaans, English
The final candidate in our list of best law schools in South Africa is the Stellenbosch Faculty of Law. It was established in 1921, which first started with two LL.B. degrees taught at the old Main Building of Stellenbosch University.
It then opened its LL.M. degrees in 1976, eventually producing more degrees such as a Postgraduate Diploma in Tax Law and a Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law, and in the year 2020, it is introducing a new degree in Postgraduate Diploma in Public Procurement Policy and Regulation.
Today, the Law School is divided into three departments: Department of Mercantile Law; Department of Private Law; and Department of Public Law. Bearing the value of research, the Law School has created three research clinics: the Anton Mostert Chair of Intellectual Property, the South African Research Chair in Property Law, and the HF Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law.
What are the requirements for BA law?
To retain admission, learners will be expected to obtain an APS of at least 28 in Grade 12, except BA (Speech-Language Pathology), BA (Audiology) and BSocSci (Philosophy, Politics and Economics). The required APS for these three programmes is 32 in order to retain admission.
What subjects do you need to study law at university in South Africa?
Luckily these are compulsory subjects at high schools in South African.
English. In law school, you will be required to read a lot of case law, academic articles and textbooks.
Math v Math Literacy.
History.
Business Studies, Accounting, Economics.
A third language.
Drama.
Physical Science and Biology.
Where can I study BA law in South Africa?
The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has the School of Law which is a premier institution for legal studies on the African continent. Wits offers a BA with Law, BCom with Law and LLB. They also have postgraduate law courses.
What subjects do you need to study law?
Which A-Levels to Take if You Want to Study Law
English. English is typically regarded as a good A-Level to take if you want to study law.
History.
Politics.
Languages.
Maths.
Sciences.
Geography, Religious Studies, Music, Philosophy, Economics.
Law.
How long does it take to study BA law?
If you choose the BA (Law) LLB or BCom (Law) LLB route, you can obtain two degrees in five years. NB. No specialisation during any of the three options, except for a few electives in the final-year of LLB. Combined programmes are more expensive and take longer to complete than the LLB four-year degree programme.
What can I do with a BA law degree in South Africa?
Advocate.
Arbitrator.
Attorney.
Conveyancer.
Judge.
Legal Advisor.
Mediator.
Negotiator.
How many points are needed for law?
The minimum requirement to study law is a NQF level 4 certificate, which a National Senior Certificate or a Senior Certificate. For most universities a minimum Admissions Point Score (APS) score of 21 points is need for admission, but you’ll find that certain universities requires a minimum of 33 points to study law.
How many years does it take to study law in South Africa?
4 years
The standard requirement before one can practice as a lawyer is completing an LLB degree which takes 4 years. Alternatively, some students choose to first study a BCom or BA which takes 3 years and then study another 2 years to complete their LLB.