University Of Pretoria Law

University Of Pretoria Law

University Of Pretoria Law, The Department of Private Law is responsible for teaching several of the core subjects in the LLB curriculum.  The main subjects taught are Family Law and the Law of Persons in the first year, Law of Succession, Law of Contract and Legal Pluralism in the second year, Law of Things, Intellectual Property Law and Law of Delict in the third year and Private Law in the fourth year.  The Department also takes responsibility for teaching the following electives in the fourth year, namely Private International Law, Law of Damages, Trusts and Estates, Education Law and Child Law.
At postgraduate level the Department presents LLM coursework degrees in the Law of Contract, Child Law, Estate Law and Family Law.  There is also an LLM in Private Law which presents students with an opportunity to choose from various interesting subjects in Private Law to obtain a coursework degree.
The Centre for Child Law and the Centre for Intellectual Property Law resorts under the Department of Private Law.
Prof Steve Cornelius is involved in the presents the certificate course “Drafting of Contracts” through CE@UP.  Prof Birgit Kuschke presents the course “Legal aspects of Project Management” in the Programme in Project Management through CE@UP.
The Department prides itself on its research achievements. We wish to congratulate Prof Trynie Boezaart for being appointed to the Managing Committee of Society Hugo De Groot. Prof Boezaart has also on various occasions been appointed by the University Council as an Exceptional Academic Achiever.

Vision and Mission

Faculty Vision

The vision of the Faculty of Law is to strive to be an internationally recognised leader in socially relevant legal research and education in South Africa and in Africa.

Faculty Mission Statement

In pursuing its vision, the Faculty of Law has as its mission the creation and sustenance of a research and education environment that is grounded in values of social justice and excellence.

Faculty Values (aligned with those of the University of Pretoria)

The values of the Faculty of Law are fully aligned with those of the University with a view to creating a culture that reflects these values.

The members of the University of Pretoria Law Faculty believe that:

• our community of scholars must be founded on the pursuit of knowledge through research, teaching and learning, with membership acquired on the basis of intellectual merit, ability and the potential for excellence; and that
•  differing perspectives, arising from diverse backgrounds and histories that define our identities, deepen scholarly inquiry and enrich academic debate.

We cherish:

• academic freedom, creative and innovative thought, ethical standards and integrity, accountability and social justice; and
• our staff and students, who are the Faculty’s core asset.

We foster:

• an inquiry‐led and evidence‐based approach to creating knowledge; and
• academic citizenship, whereby we commit ourselves to harnessing our intellectual abilities in the interest of our nation and humanity.

We recognise that:

• in a resource‐constrained world where vast disparities remain, the Faculty must endeavour to produce graduates who appreciate the importance of community engagement, entrepreneurial endeavours and innovative actions in generating employment and development in our local communities.

Teaching and Learning
The three-fold challenge of excellent teaching in a research-intensive university is: a) developing strong inquiry-led undergraduate curricula where disciplines are taught at the forefront of their respective knowledge fields; b) minimising inefficiencies resulting from a fragmentation of programme and module offerings; and c) strengthening the pipeline of potential postgraduate students by strengthening base disciplines and general-formative qualifications.

The Faculty of Law believes that it is important that students are exposed to a holistic education that equips them to function optimally in a fast changing world, and imparting values that enable them to engage with the many challenges of a developing society.

But pursuing excellence in teaching and learning is more than producing skilled and compassionate graduates who can adapt to changing contexts. At a research-intensive university such as the University of Pretoria it is to be expected that:

• teaching and research are aligned through inquiry-led curricula;
• disciplines are at the forefront of knowledge in their respective fields;
• undergraduate programmes lay the foundation for postgraduate studies; and
• modes of teaching, learning and assessment are relevant to a 21st century world where ubiquitous access to information is a given.

Postgraduate Programmes

A postgraduate degree comes with many perks.  However, you want to make sure you are doing your postgraduate degree at a trusted University.  This is where we step in.
Did you know that the Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria offers a wide variety of postgraduate programmes on master’s and doctoral level? On master’s level (LLM/MPhil) we offer courses through research as well as specialised courses through coursework to local and foreign students. We also offer full-time or part-time doctoral degrees (LLD/PhD).
The Faculty of Law is widely recognised as a leader in the field of postgraduate programmes. The LLM/MPhil and LLD/PhD programmes presented by the Faculty enable students to specialise in their chosen fields by engaging with experts at an advanced level.
A postgraduate qualification in law offers opportunities for personal and professional growth, and provides a competitive edge in respect of employment and promotion.