Coursework is a key component of a number of the degree programmes offered by the School for Advanced Legal Studies (SALS). Students undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma, or an LLM by coursework only (Professional Master), or an LLM or MPhil by coursework and dissertation, must complete four courses (except the Professional Master in International Taxation, which requires the completion of two courses).

The School for Advanced Legal Studies' courses are all detailed in the Law Faculty handbook and courses are also listed on each of the Faculty's departmental site - that is, Public Law, Private Law and Commercial Law.

For a general degree, students can choose from the courses listed in the Law Faculty handbook - but for a specialised qualification, students must comply with the rules of that programme which are detailed in the Law Faculty handbook.

Choosing courses

Please note: While you are generally free to choose any of the listed courses, there are some important issues to be aware of when making your selection:

  • If you would like to pursue a specialist PGDip, LLM or MPhil or qualification, you must consider which courses must be taken to secure that specialisation. These rules are comprehensively set out in the Faculty Handbook.
  • Some course convenors prescribe prerequisites for enrolment in their courses. Only those students who comply with these requirements can take the course.
  • If you are doing a full-time programme, pay attention to the semester in which your preferred courses are offered. You should select two first semester courses and two second semester courses. Courses denoted with an 'F'-suffix are first semester courses and those with an 'S'-suffix are second semester courses.
  • Some courses are whole-year courses and run throughout the year. These courses effectively amount to a double course, and are identified by a 'W'-suffix.
  • While all effort is taken to run all courses every year, in some years courses may not be on offer due to the unavailability of lecturers. Should this be the case, the words 'not on offer' will appear next to the courses name in the Faculty Handbook.
  • All courses require a minimum of 5 students. Therefore, some courses may be cancelled should student interest be below this threshold. In these circumstances you may be required to choose another course. This rule will not apply should the course constitute a compulsory course for any specialisation.
  • Students must be resident in Cape Town for the coursework components of the degree.
  • Finally, while every effort is made to avoid any timetable clash between all the courses on offer, this is on occasion impossible. We will however ensure that there are no timetable clashes for compulsory courses within a specialisation.