Faculty of Law
Faculty of Law Regulations
Preamble:
These regulations shall be known as the 1999 Faculty of Law Regulations and amend and replace the former BA Law and LL.B. and 3 year LL.B. Regulations, until the current 2 year LLB programme is phased out.
Definitions:
"Full course" shall be a course which is offered 3 hours a week over two semesters.
"Half course" shall be a course which is offered 3 hours a week over one semester.
"Repeat", in these regulations, shall mean that the student concerned shall be required to retake all Law courses of the year to be repeated, irrespective of the grades obtained in such courses.
Bachelor Laws (LL.B). (Mode One Programme)
FLA 1.00 Admissions Requirements
No person shall be registered as a candidate for the Degree of Bachelor of Laws (Mode One Programme) unless he/she has satisfied the minimum University entrance requirement, and satisfied the special requirements prescribed by the Faculty of Law.
FLA 1.01 A student who has, prior to admission to the Bachelor of Laws programme, attended courses of instruction and passed examinations equivalent in standard to courses and examinations which form part of the Bachelor of Laws programme, may, subject to the approval of the Board of the Faculty of Law, be exempted from attendance of classes and examinations in those courses. Provided that no student shall be exempted in more than 3 full courses per year of study.
FLA 1.02 Where a student has been given exemption in accordance with regulation 1.01, he/she may be required to register for or take additional courses equivalent to the law courses exempted.
FLA 1.03 Course of Study
The Bachelor of Laws course shall normally be completed in five consecutive years of full time study.
FLA 1.04 Degree Structure for Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.):
Year 1 Students shall take and pass:
Year 1
L181-6 Legal Methods and Systems
CSS100-8 Communication Skills
L182-6 Customary Law
CL001-2 Computer Awareness Skills
L183-6 Constitutional Law
M001-3 Essential Mathematics
Electives: 6 credits of non-law courses
(C. H. 36)
NOTE: A students shall be exempted from M001 if he/she has a credit in Mathematics at the COSC or equivalent examination. Where a student has been given exemption from M001, he/she shall be required to register for another half course.
Candidates must ensure that they register for courses whose total credit hour is 36 or more.
Options
ST151-3 Elementary Statistics and Probability
EC161-3 Elements of Microeconomics
PHI101-3 Introduction to Logic and Scientific Methods
PHI102-3 Introduction to Political Philosophy
Year 2 students shall take and pass the following courses:
Year II
L281-6 Law of Contract
L282-6 Family Law
L283-6 Delict
L284-6 Criminal Law
L285-6 Administrative Law
L286-3 Interpretation of Statutes
Electives:-3 (Non-Law) (C. H. 36)
Year 3 students shall take and pass the following courses:
Year III
L381-6 Property Law
L382-6 International Law
L383-6 Criminal Procedure
L384-6 Evidence
L385-6 Special Contracts
L386-3 Accounting for Lawyers
L387-3 Succession and Administration of Estates
Attachment (6 weeks) (C. H. 36)
Year 4 students shall take and pass the following courses:
Year IV
L481-6 Civil Procedure
L482-6 Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
L483-6 Insurance and Banking
L484-6 Jurisprudence
L485-6 Practical Legal Training
Electives:- 6 Law Causes (C. H. 36)
Attachment (6 weeks)
Year 5 students shall take and pass the following courses:
Year V
L581-6 Labour Law
L582-6 Business Associations
L583-6 Legal Aspects of Economic Development
L584-6 Clinical Legal Education
L585-6 Dissertation (10,000 words)
Electives: Law Courses (C. H. 36)
L586-3 International Organisations
L587-3 Environmental Law I
L588-3 Environmental Law II
L589-3 Intellectual Property
L590-3 Criminology and Penology
L591-3 Sociology of Law
L592-3 Export Trade Law
L593-3 Taxation
L594-3 Conflicts
L595-3 Insolvency
L596-3 Comparative Law
L597-3 Conveyancing and Notarial Practice
L598-3 Gender and Law
NOTE:
(a) Candidates must ensure that they register for courses whose total credit hours are 36 or more.
(b) the order in which the various courses are taken is dependent upon staffing arrangements in any particular year. The Dean shall advise students at the end of each academic year regarding the subjects that will be offered in the following year.
(c) students from other Faculties may take such Law courses as are required for their degree programmes, subject to any requirements as to prerequisites which may be specified by the Board of the Faculty of Law.
Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) (Mode Two Programme)
FLA 2.00 No student shall be admitted into any of the LL.B. (Mode two programme) except upon the written recommendation of the Faculty Board.
FLA 2.01 To be admitted into this programme, a student must hold a good first degree which shall normally not be less than a second class pass.
FLA 2.02 Candidates in the following categories may apply for admission to the Bachelor of Laws (Mode two programme):
(a) A holder of a Bachelor of Arts in Law (B.A.) (Law) of the National University of Lesotho, or holders of equivalent qualifications.
(b) Graduates of either the National University of Lesotho or any other recognised University in disciplines other than Law.
FLA 2.03 Course Structure: The Bachelor of Laws course (Mode Two programme) shall normally be completed in three consecutive years of full time study.
Year 1 students shall take and pass the following courses:
Year I
L181-6 Legal Methods and Systems
L182-6 Customary Law
L183-6 Constitutional Law
L281-6 Law of Contract
L282-6 Family Law
L283-6 Delict
L284-6 Criminal Law
L286-3 Interpretation of Statutes
L387-3 Succession and Administration of Estates
Attachment 6 weeks
Year 2 students shall take and pass the following courses:
Year II
L285-6 Administrative Law
L381-6 Property Law
L382-6 International Law
L383-6 Criminal Procedure
L384-6 Evidence
L385-6 Special Contracts
L386-3 Accounting for Lawyers
L581-6 Labour Law
Attachment 6 weeks
Plus 3 credit hours from the Law Electives.
Year 3 students shall take and pass the following courses:
Year III
L481-6 Civil Procedure
L483-6 Insurance and Banking
L484-6 Jurisprudence
L485-6 Practical Legal Training
L582-6 Business Associations
L584-6 Clinical Legal Education
L585-6 Dissertation (10,000 words)
Plus 6 credit hours of the following courses:
L482-6 Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
L583-6 Legal Aspects of Economic Development
Or any elective from Law courses in the Mode One Programme.
Note: The elective courses to be offered in any given academic year will depend upon the availability and specialisation of staff members. The Dean may amend this list of subjects from time to time.
FLA 3.00 No candidate shall be admitted to any examination in any course unless he has completed, by attendance or otherwise, the requirements of the course. A student shall be deemed not to have completed the requirements of the course if he/she has not attended at least two thirds (2/3) of the total number of lectures and tutorials, and has done at least two-thirds (2/3) of the coursework prescribed in that course.
FLA 3.01 No candidate shall proceed to years 2,3,4 and 5 or as the case may be, or shall be entitled to a degree award in the Faculty of Law unless he/she has passed all compulsory courses and has attained a weighted point average of 50% or a grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
FLA 3.02 A student's performance in each course shall be assessed on the basis of a ratio of coursework to formal examinations of 1:2, except that with respect of L597 (Conveyancing and Notarial Practice), L485 (Practical Legal Training) and L584 (Clinical Legal Education) he/she shall be assessed on the basis of a ratio of coursework to formal examination of 1:1.
FLA 3.03 Coursework shall normally consist of a minimum of three assignments/tests for a full course and a minimum of two assignments/tests for a half course whose content and length shall be at the discretion of the course lecturer.
FLA 4.00 A student who achieves a grade of E in a law course may be allowed to write a supplementary examination.
FLA 4.01 A candidate, who fails in not more than two law courses in any given year of study and whose weighted point average is not less than 50% or Grade Point Average of 2.0, or less, may on the recommendation of the Faculty Board and with the permission of Senate, be admitted to a supplementary examination in those courses. A candidate who fails in more than two courses shall repeat the year unless the Board recommends discontinuation.
FLA 4.02 No student shall be allowed to carry into the following year more than one full courses or two half courses. It shall be mandatory to take a repeating course in the following year.
FLA 4.03 No student shall be allowed to write a supplementary examination in the same course more than twice.
FLA 4.04 A student may repeat, once and once only any law course in which a grade of E or less has been obtained. If he/she repeats a law course and obtains a grade of E or less, or supplements and obtains less than grade D, he/she may be asked to register for another programme in another Faculty or be discontinued.
FLA 4.05 A student who obtains a Weighted Point Average of less than forty-five percent (45%) or grade point average of 1.00 in any given year of study, shall on the recommendation of the Faculty Board be failed and discontinued from the programme.
FLA 4.06 Subject to regulation FLA 4.04 and FLA 4.05 above, a student whose Weighted Point Average is below 50% shall be failed but may, on the recommendation of the Faculty Board and with the permission of the Senate, be allowed to repeat a year.
FLA 4.07 Where a student of any year has failed or has been allowed to sit for a supplementary examination, and failed, he/she may, on the recommendation of the Faculty Board and with the approval of the Senate, be permitted to re-sit all courses at the end of the next academic year without the requirement of further attendance.
FLA 4.08 Where a course has been passed by a supplementary assessment, the record and transcript shall indicate the mark of the supplementary assessment, which shall not be more than 59%.
FLA 5.00 In coming to a decision as to the class of the degree to be awarded to a candidate, the Board of the Faculty shall have regard to the Weighted Point Average and Grade Point Average obtained by the candidate in the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth years of study in the case of Mode One Programme and First, Second and Third years in the case of Mode Two Programme; and shall be guided by the following principles:
(i) First Class: The student must attain a minimum weighted point average of 75% or Grade Point Average of GPA 4.5 or higher.
(ii) Second Class, First Division: The student must obtain an weighted point average of 70% but not more than 74% or Grade Point Average of 4.0
(iii) Second Class, Second Division: The student must obtain an weighted point average of 60% but not more than 69% or Grade Point Average of 3.0
(iv) Pass: The student must obtain an weighted point average of 50% but not more than 59% or Grade Point Average of 2.0
FLA 5.01 The Weighted Point Average or Grade Point Average shall be computed by dividing the sum of the product of the credit hours and percentage scores by the sum of credit hours. The minimum credit hours allowed for each academic year are 36 in respect of mode one programme and 48 in respect of mode two programme.
LL.B. Mode One Programme:
At the end of each academic year, a student's Weighted Point Average or Grade Point Average as regards Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) shall be a combination of the best weighted average or point average that includes all law courses making a total of 36 credit hours.
LL.B. Mode Two Programme:
At the end of each academic year, a student's Weighted Point Average or grade point average as regards the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) Mode Two Programme shall be the combination of the best weighted average or grade point of all law courses making a total of 48 credit hours.
FLA 5.02 Performance in a course shall be assessed on a numerical scale ranging from 0 to 100 but published course grades shall be on a nine-point letter scale, according to the following equivalence:
A 80 and above means Outstanding
B+ 75-79 means Very Good
B 70-74 means Very Good
C+ 65-69 means Good
C 60-64 means Good
D+ 55-59 means Pass
D 50-54 means Pass
E 40-49 means Fail (Supplementable)
F Below 40 means Fail
Discretionary Marks:
FLA 5.03 Discretionary Marks: Discretionary marks may be allowed on the basis of 1% below the pass mark, provided that compensation shall be limited to one course in any one academic year.
FLA 6.00 No student shall be permitted to graduate unless he/she has undertaken and passed the attachment programme.
FLA 6.01 During the Third and Fourth years of the LL.B. Mode One programme and the First and Second years of the mode two programme, a candidate shall be required to undertake a clinical programme for the duration of six weeks during the long vacation.
FLA 6.02 The attachment programme shall be undertaken at Magistrates Courts, High Court, Law Offices, Legal Aid office and Legal Practitioners' Chambers approved by the Faculty.
FLA 6.03 Candidates may prior to the commencement of the clinical programme identify and inform the Dean at which office they prefer to undertake the clinical programme.
FLA 6.04 The assessment of attachment programme shall be based on the following criteria:
(a) a report submitted by the candidate detailing his experience during the period of attachment;
(b) an assessment of the candidate by the immediate supervisor (Magistrate, Judge or Legal Practitioner), where the candidate was attached; and
(c) an assessment of the candidate by a member of the Faculty.
FLA 6.05 The assessment of clinical programme shall be a pass or fail.
FLA 7.00 No student shall be permitted to graduate unless he has presented a satisfactory dissertation in accordance with the current rules governing the preparation of dissertations.
FLA 7.01 During the final year of the LL.B. programmes, a candidate shall be required to write a dissertation of approximately 10,000 words on a topic following an outline approved in advance by a supervisor.
FLA 7.02 Students must have their dissertation topics approved and registered with the Dean at the end of March preceding the academic year in which they have to submit it.
FLA 7.03 Students should submit the first draft of their dissertations not later than six months from the date of registration as provided in Reg. 7.02.
FLA 7.04 The final drafts of dissertations shall be submitted in triplicate. The final drafts shall be submitted by the 31st of March in the year in which the student seeks to graduate.
FLA 7.05 No dissertation shall be accepted, which does not make a contribution to knowledge or understanding of the subject matter and afford evidence of originality.
FLA 7.06 Upon registration, each student shall be assigned a supervisor from amongst the members of the Faculty.
FLA 7.07 Students shall consult with their supervisors on the selection of the dissertation topic and the supervisor shall supervise completion of the dissertation and set out schedules for consultations.
FLA 7.08 It shall be the responsibility of the student:
(a) to consult his supervisor regularly, and
(b) to bring to the attention of the supervisor any problems that he/she may be encountering in relation of his/her dissertation topic.
FLA 7.09 The supervisor shall reserve the right to refuse to accept a dissertation if in his opinion the student has not consulted him/her at regular intervals.
FLA 7.10 A student may within two months of being assigned a supervisor apply to the Dean to have his supervisor changed. Provided that when the Dean refuses a change of supervisor, the student concerned may appeal to the Faculty Board.
FLA 7.11 No student may, in the absence of any compelling reasons, be allowed to change a supervisor after the 31st of August of the academic year in which the student seeks to graduate.
FLA 7.12 The Dean may, in his/her discretion change a supervisor, at any time.