Choosing Your Topic
When choosing your topic keep the following important key considerations in mind:
- Does the substantive area you wish to research relate to the content covered in one/more of your courses and your chosen specialisation (if relevant)?
- Is the proposed area of research contemporary and novel?
- Is there sufficient and relevant academic resources on which you can draw to found your analysis?
- Is the scope and ambit of you proposed topic viable within the allotted word count - 25 000 words in the case of LLM/MPhil students doing a mini-dissertation along with coursework.
Choosing your Supervisor
Students are encouraged to approach a member of staff or programme convenor and propose an outline for their minor dissertation. The proposal should ideally contain the following aspects: the title; an abstract (of 400 words); the main research question and sub-questions to be addressed in the dissertation; the structure of the dissertation (with a brief description of the type of content to be included under each heading and subheading); and a provisional reading list. If the proposal is acceptable to the prospective supervisor, the student must arrange with that member of the Faculty staff to act as their supervisor.
When choosing a prospective supervisor keep the following important considerations in mind:
- Is the prospective supervisor academically competent in your anticipated area of research?
- Do you feel that the prospective supervisor will represent your interests and meet your expectations?
- Do you feel freely able to communicate with your prospective supervisor?
Registering your Topic and Supervisor
The formal appointment of your supervisor and registration of your topic is done by way of completing a Memorandum of Understanding and lodging it with the SALS Administrator (Law Faculty Office, Rm 4.48, Kramer Law Building). This Memorandum of Understanding should set out: the respective responsibilities and expectations of both supervisor and student; and the deadline for submission of the dissertation/or parts of it for comment and examination. An example of such a Memorandum, which must be signed by both you and your prospective supervisor, is attached to the Guidelines For Minor Dissertation/Research Papers. This process must be completed at the point of registration. Any subsequent change of supervisor must be similarly registered.
The list of supervisors available for 2025, along with their areas of specialisation, is below:
|
Name |
Contact details |
Areas of Supervision |
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Dr |
Adams, F |
Rm 5.1, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 1841 |
International Commercial Arbitration Investment Arbitration International Commercial Transactions Law; Private International Law |
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Ally, N
Director: Centre for Law and Society |
Rm 6.04, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 3771 |
Public interest litigation, right to education, children’s rights, administrative law |
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Dr |
Amadi, V |
Rm 4.43, Kramer Law Building + 27 21 650 3767 |
Law, regional integration and trade in Africa |
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Ms |
Rm 4.15, Kramer Law Building |
Legal History; Unjustified Enrichment; Family Law |
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Prof |
Rm 6.41, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5885 |
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Prof |
+27 21 650 5655
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Transitional Justice, Critical Legal Theory, Jurisprudence, Fairness in Contract Law, Queer Legal Theory, Law and Sexuality, Spatial Justice, Law & Literature; Foundations of South African Law Law, Rhetoric and Society Spatial Justice, Ubuntu and the Nomos of Apartheid |
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Rm 4.30, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 3083 |
Women and Law, and Feminist Jurisprudence Family Law Children's Law International Human Rights Law, particularly that based on the ICESCR (economic, social, and cultural rights) or the Women's Convention. |
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Ms |
Rm 4.15, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 7039 |
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Dr |
Rm 4.31, Kramer Law Building +27 216503448 |
Delict; Private Law Theory and Human Rights; General Jurisprudence; Constitutional Theory |
Not available 2025 |
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|
Rm 5.06, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 3066 |
Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation and Negotiation |
On sabbatical 2025 |
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Prof |
Law Faculty Dean |
+27 21 650 2705 |
International Human Rights; the Rights of the Child; Domestic implementation of Human Rights; Administrative Law; Social and Economic Rights; Business and human rights |
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Emeritus Prof |
Rm 5.42, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 3085 |
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Rm 4.20, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 1750 |
On sabbatical 2025 |
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Mr |
Rm 5.26.3, Kramer Law Building |
Domestic and International Tax; Public finance; exchange control regulations |
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Dr |
De Villiers, C |
Labour law, education law |
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Prof |
Claude Leon Foundation Chair in Constitutional Governance |
Rm 5.37, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 3079 |
Constitutional Law; Constitutional Governance; Human Rights (with specific emphasis on race, sexuality and gender); Social Justice, and Transformation. |
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Dr |
Du Toit, F
Head of Private Law Department |
+27 650 3447 |
Law of Succession; Law of Trusts |
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Ms |
Franco, J |
Rm 5.25, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 2084/3068 |
Business Law |
Not available 2025 - 2026 |
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Prof |
Director of the Refugee Rights Unit |
Rm 3.07, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5632 |
Refugee and Immigration Law, Public interest Litigation; Refugee Law and Human Rights |
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A/Prof |
Rm 6.36.5, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 2988 |
Policing, gang governance, Organised violence, and Community conflicts related to policing |
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Prof |
Rm 6.24, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5661 |
Labour law and individual Employment Law |
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Louw, M HoD, Commercial Law |
+21 21650 1928 |
Consumer credit law; banking law and insolvency law |
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Rm 5.38, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5654 |
Health Law; Human Rights; Children’s rights |
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|
+27 21 650 4122 |
property law; mining law; human rights
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Mr |
Labour Law (Individual, Collective and Workplace; Discrimination Law) & Social Security/Protection Law |
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Postgraduate studies Deputy Dean |
Rm 6.33, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 1285 |
Gender, violence and the law; state and non-state justice responses to violence against women; criminology theory; law reform and implementation; Forensics and the law; Deviance and Social Control; Qualitative Research methods; Research ethics. |
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Dr |
Rm 5.41, Kramer Law Building
+27 21 650 6140 |
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Prof |
Mostert, H |
+27 21 650 4592 |
Property Law; Land Law and Mineral Law; South African Law |
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Dr |
Moshikaro, K |
Criminal Law; Constitutional Law; Delict, and unjust enrichment. |
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Dr |
Motlogeloa, K |
Rm 5.26.2, Kramer Law Building |
Company Law; Banking and Financial Law |
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Dr |
Rm 5.23, Kramer Law Building |
Corporate governance; CSR; Business and Human Right; Shareholder Activism; Company law |
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Ms |
Mesthrie, S |
Rm 5.21.1, Kramer Law Building |
Financial consumer protection; Insurance Law; Consumer Credit Law and Banking regulation |
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Dr |
Metuge, D |
Rm 6.28, Kramer Law Building +27 650 5416 |
Law of the Sea and Marine Spatial Planning Law |
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Murcott, MJ |
Public law; Environmental law; Climate Law; Animal Law |
Not available |
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Prof |
Rm 4.26, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 3084 |
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Prof |
Rm 6.14, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 3776 |
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Dr |
Nunlall-Hiralal, R |
Rm 6.34, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 2239 |
Gender-based violence, sexual harassment, cyber-violence, and crime prevention |
Not available |
|
Omar, J
Deputy Dean, Undergraduate |
Rm 6.40, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 2672 |
Criminal law; Criminal Procedure; Sexual Offences; Sexual Violence |
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Prof |
Rm 4.42, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5687 |
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A/ Prof |
Rm 4.21 Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5654 |
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Dr |
Palmer, N |
Rm 6.32, Kramer Law Building
|
Centre of criminology: International criminal law; Border criminologies; International law: Criminal law; Legal pluralism; Socio-legal studies |
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Prof |
Paleker, M |
+27 21 650 5611 |
Civil Procedure and Civil Justice Reform |
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Prof |
Rm 6.27, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5644 |
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Dr |
Phungula, SP |
Rm 5.08, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5617 |
Corporate and Company Law; Corporate governance and Labour Law |
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A/Prof |
Head of public law department |
+27 21 650 5103 |
Public International Law, International Organisations, The Theory of International law, Separation of Powers, Terrorism |
Not available |
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Dr |
Rm 5.34, Kramer Law Building + 27 21 650 3045 |
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Dr |
Sadiki, L |
Rm 6.35, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 4190 |
Criminology theory, female criminality, decolonisation, transformation, victimisation, risk and vulnerability, homelessness. |
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Dist Prof |
Salazar, P Director, Centre for Rhetoric Studies |
Rm 4.24, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5610 |
Rhetoric and Humane Letters |
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A/Prof |
Rm 6.21, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 2064 |
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Prof |
Rm 6.02, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 2087 |
Intellectual Property Law, IT Law and policy |
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|
+27 21 650 5299 |
Company Law, Corporate governance, Compliance |
On sabbatical 2025 |
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A/Prof |
Rm 5.09, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 2617 |
Tax Law; International tax; Corporate income tax and tax governance |
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A/Prof |
Rm 5.11, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 5686 |
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A/Prof |
Rm 5.36, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 2493 |
Public international law generally, including international criminal law |
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Ms |
Rm 5.07, Kramer Law Building +27 21 650 1219 |
Copyright and constitutional issues related to copyright. Commercial Transactions Law topics; Consumer law and the law of sale. |
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