Wondering where to find information about the UCT Faculty of Law? Find details about the faculty of Law University of Cape Town here. Get to know the contact phone numbers & email ID in order to directly communicate with the University of Cape Town UCT Faculty of Law. Read on below for more details.
About University of Cape Town UCT Faculty of Law
It was over 160 years ago, with the Act 12 of 1858, that law teaching was launched in South Africa – although the first lecture was not delivered until 16 April 1859. The early years were documented most eloquently by Professor Denis Cowen in his history of the UCT Law Faculty, A History, 1858 – 2004 that Cowen co-authored with Danie Visser.
Lectures were delivered in the Master’s Meeting Room in the old Supreme Court at the top of Adderley Street until 1896, after which the College Council made determined – and it would seem largely successful – efforts to ensure that lectures be delivered in the College Buildings on Government Avenue. The year 1916 heralded the beginning of a new chapter in the story of South African legal education, when provision was made for the creation of the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town. The Cape Town Act specifically provided that the old South African College should become a University, thereby maintaining continuity with our early history.
What was of significance was the decision taken by the University authorities to appoint full-time professors of Law. In 1923 a Chair of Roman Law and Jurisprudence was established out of funds raised in memory of Mr W P Schreiner; and in 1925 a second Chair of Law was established. The first occupants of these two Chairs were respectively the late Professor J Kerr Wylie (1924-1948) and the late Professor Eric Emmett (1925-1945). Meanwhile, student numbers continued to grow until in 1939 there were 74 students registered in the Faculty.
Our annual student numbers indicate over 1,000 registered Law students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels – drawn mostly from South Africa, but also from numerous other countries on the continent and elsewhere. 43% of students are postgraduate, indicating the strength of the UCT research endeavour in Law, and the Faculty’s growing contribution to knowledge development.
UCT Faculty of Law Courses
Check all the courses offered at the University of Cape Town under the Faculty of Law for the current academic year.
Law Courses
The Faculty of Law offers numerous undergraduate courses for the LLB programmes (core courses and electives, and a whole range of postgraduate courses at the postgraduate diploma and LLM level.
The Law Faculty Handbook is jam-packed with detailed information on course offerings for the academic year. Each course is described, including the course code, course title, course level, the convenor’s name, entry requirements, DP requirements, and assessment mechanisms. You will find everything you need in this handbook for LLB, PGDip and LLM programmes.
Detailed course information is also available at each of our three departmental sites – the Department of Private Law; the Department of Commercial Law; and the Department of Public Law, so head over to those sites for Department- specific information. You will also see who teaches which courses and be able to read about your lecturers research interests and focus areas.
Our postgraduate programmes are housed by the School for Advanced Legal Studies – so apart from the information in the Faculty handbook, you can also find detailed information about what is on offer on the School’s website.
The Professional Law Courses Unit
Besides teaching courses on the LLB programmes, the Faculty is also home to the Professional Law Courses Unit which delivers professional Law courses (also known as “service courses”) to undergraduate students in other Faculties. These courses include Business Law courses, Company Law courses and Law for Engineers, offered in the Faculties of Commerce, Humanities and Engineering & the Built Environment.
Full details on the courses offered, the Unit staff, and the lecturers who teach these courses are available on the Professional Law Courses Unit pages on the Department of Commercial Law’s site.
Legal Practice through the Law Clinic
One of the Faculty’s highlight courses is the course in Legal Practice (DOL 4500F/S), offered by the UCT Law Clinic – which provides students with insight into, and handson experience with, client case management. Legal Practice affords students the opportunity of receiving a full credit for community service, in fulfilment of the current LLB curriculum requirements. Students taking final year courses may be interested in taking the Legal Practice elective, as an important course for every law student particularly if those intending to practice. For those not intending to practice, the course provides key insights into how justice works or does not work in South Africa.
Past students who have gone on to do their articles have confirmed how this course has helped them. Watch out for registration alerts towards the end of each year, for the following year’s enrolment.
UCT Faculty of Law Applications & Admissions
University of Cape Town, UCT under the Faculty of Law offers admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses. UCT admission to all courses will be done online through the University of Cape Town, UCT online application portal. Further, the aspirants have to apply online in order to secure admission at the UCT Faculty of Law, the details of the UCT admissions procedure and online application are available here: UCT Faculty of Law Admissions and online application.
UCT Faculty of Law contact details
Email: law-studies@uct.ac.za
Phone: 021 650 3086
Postal Address:
Faculty of Law
University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3
Rondebosch
7701 South Africa
University of Cape Town UCT Faculty of Law, Latest News Updates
University of Cape Town (UCT) Faculty of Law Website
Access the University of Cape Town Faculty of Law official Webpage for more details on the faculty admission News and updates. Visit the website Here: http://www.law.uct.ac.za/
