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PROGRAMME REGULATIONS
REGULATIONS FOR THE BACHELOR OF LAWS HONOURS DEGREE (LLB (Hons)) (Course Unit System)
1. PREAMBLE 1.1 These Regulations should be read in conjunction with the General Academic Regulations for undergraduate degrees, hereinafter referred to as the General Regulations.
1.2 These Regulations are in respect of the LLB Honours Degree.
1.3 The LLB Honours Degree will be awarded to a candidate who has successfully completed an approved programme in accordance with these Regulations.
2. DEFINITIONS 2.1 SEMESTER - A semester which shall be determined and set out in the University calendar, shall normally, for the purposes of the LLB Honours Degree, comprise 15 weeks made up as follows: six weeks of teaching, one week with no formal teaching (reading week), six weeks of teaching, one week for revision and one week for examinations.
2.2 COURSE - A course shall be defined as in the General Regulations namely as a separately examinable portion of a programme and for the purposes of the LLB Honours regulations, a course unit shall normally be valued at two hours of lectures and half an hour of tutorials, thus the following definitions and course unit values shall apply:
2.2.1 a twenty unit course shall normally consist of 40 hours of lectures and 10 hours of tutorials and/or practical; 2.2.2 a ten unit course shall normally consist of 20 hours of lectures and five hours of tutorials and/or practicals;
2.3 DISSERTATION– The meaning of the term dissertation shall be as defined in the General Regulations.
2.4 FORMAL EXAMINATION – for the purposes of these regulations formal examination shall mean a written examination of specified duration written under the regulations or rules for end of course examinations at the University of Zimbabwe.
3. ENTRY REGULATIONS 3.1 To be admitted to the programme, a candidate must have satisfied the minimum conditions for entry to degree studies at this University as prescribed under the entry requirements in the General Regulations, provided that mere satisfaction of the minimum requirements will not guarantee entry to the programme.
3.2 Subject to the provisions of the General Regulations governing special entry to undergraduate programmes a candidate may be exempted from such courses as may be recommended by the Board of the Faculty of Law to Academic Committee provided that no candidate shall be given credit of more than 240 units and provided that he/she shall not be permitted to complete the programme in less than four (4) successive semesters full-time or six successive semesters part-time from the date of first registration for the programme. Candidates admitted to the LLB Honours in terms of this regulation may not be given credit for the Dissertation (LB 470) or Clinical and Practical Skills Training (LB 401).
4. STRUCTURE OF THE DEGREE PROGRAMME 4.1 Except in the case of special entry when a lesser period may be allowed, the LLB Honours Degree Programme shall require full-time study over a period of not less than eight (8) successive semesters or twelve (12) successive semesters part-time study. Normally a candidate will be required to complete the programme in not more than twelve (12) successive semesters of full–time study or eighteen successive semesters of part-time study from the date of first registration for the programme.
4.1.1 A candidate may, with the approval of the Faculty Board and Academic Committee, and on such conditions as those bodies shall determine, apply to transfer from full-time to part-time study or vice versa at the end of a semester. In such cases the Faculty Board shall recommend to Academic Committee the number of semesters within which the candidate shall complete the degree. A candidate shall not be permitted to effect transfer from full-time to part-time study or vice versa more than once within her/his undertaking of the degree programme. 4.2 The LLB Honours Degree shall consist of a minimum of 520 course units or a maximum of 530 units taken as follows:
4.2.1 Full Time: In the full-time programme each Level of the Programme shall consist of two successive semesters. 4.2.1.1Level One – Level One Core Courses to the value of 60 units per semester
4.2.1.2Level Two – Level Two Core Courses to the value of 60 units per semester. A candidate may, subject to the requirements relating to pre-requisite courses for Level Two courses, proceed in to Level Two from Level One carrying Level One courses not exceeding 40 units, providing that the total value of courses taken by such candidate may not exceed 60 units in a semester and the total number of units for both semesters may not exceed 120.
4.2.1.3A candidate may only proceed from Level Two to Level Three of the programme if he or she has successfully completed all courses in Levels One and Two. For the purposes of completing all such courses a candidate who is repeating failed courses at Level Two or taking courses remaining at Level Two having failed courses at Level One and successfully completed those during Level Two shall not be regarded for the purposes of Regulation 4.1.1 of these regulations as read with Regulation 5.7 of the General Regulations as a part-time student.
4.2.1.4 Level Three - Courses, including core courses, not exceeding 80 units per semester and not exceeding 140 units for the Level.
4.2.1.5 Level Four – Subject to the requirements relating to pre-requisite courses for Level Four Core courses and for Optional courses candidates may take, including core courses, courses up to, 80 units per semester provided that the total number of units taken at Level Four shall not exceed 150 units.
4.2.1.6The general scheme of the full time programme is set out in Schedule 1 of these Regulations.
4.2.2 Part Time: In the part-time programme each Level of the Programme shall consist of three successive semesters.
4.2.2.1Level One – Level One Core Courses to the value of 40 units per semester
4.2.2.2Level Two – Level Two Core Courses to the value of 40 units per semester. A candidate may, subject to the requirements relating to pre-requisite courses for Level Two courses, proceed in to Level Two from Level One carrying Level One courses not exceeding 40 units, providing that the total value of courses taken by such candidate may not exceed 40 units in a semester and the total number of units for the three Level Two semesters may not exceed 120.
4.2.2.3A candidate may only proceed from Level Two to Level Three of the programme if he or she has successfully completed all courses in Levels One and Two.
4.2.2.4 Level Three - Courses, including core courses, not exceeding 60 units per semester and not exceeding 140 units for the Level. Provided that a candidate who takes more than 40 units in a semester for the purposes of completing 140 units in Level Three shall not be regarded for the purposes of Regulation 5.7 of the General Regulations as a full-time student.
4.2.2.5 Level Four – Subject to the requirements relating to pre-requisite courses for Level Four Core courses and for Optional courses candidates may take, including core courses, courses up to, 60 units per semester provided that the total number of units taken at Level Four shall not exceed 150 units. Provided that a candidate who takes more than 40 units in a semester for the purposes of completing 140/150 units in Level Four shall not be regarded for the purposes of Regulation 5.7 of the General Regulations as a full-time student.
4.2.2.6The general scheme of the part time programme is set out in Schedule 2 of these Regulations
4.3 Courses and Course Unit Values. Core Courses Codes Course Units Prerequisite Level 1 Introduction to Law LB101 20 Contract LB102 20 Criminal Law LB103 20 History of Roman Dutch Law LB104 20 Statutory Interpretation LB105 20 Constitutional Law LB106 20
Level 2 Criminal Procedure LB201 20 Criminal Law LB103 Family Law LB203 20 Delict LB204 20 Civil Procedure LB206 20 Introduction to Law LB101 Commercial Law LB207 20 Contract LB102 Evidence LB208 20 Introduction to Law LB101, Criminal Law LB103
Level 3 Accounting for Legal Practitioners LB301 20 Civil Procedure (Superior Courts) LB302 20 Jurisprudence LB303 20 Property Law LB304 20 Legal Ethics LB305 10 See Regulation 4.4
Level 4 Clinical and Practical Skills Training LB401 40 Civil Procedure (SC) LB302 Dissertation LB 470 40
Optional Courses Law of Taxation LB002 20 Law of Banking and Negotiable Instruments LB003 20 Administrative and Local Government Law LB004 20 Environmental and Local Planning Law LB005 20 Public International Law LB006 20 Labour Law LB008 20 Law of Succession LB009 20 Criminology LB010 20 Insurance Law LB011 20 Law of Public and Private Enterprises LB012 20 International Economic and Trade Law LB013 20 Women’s Law LB015 20 Industrial and Intellectual Property Law LB018 20 Property Law LB304 Insolvency Law LB 020 10 Property Law LB304 Law of Public and Private Enterprises LB012 Conveyancing LB021 20 Property Law LB304 Notarial Practice LB022 10 Property Law LB304 Advocacy LB026 10 Customary Law LB027 20 Alternative Dispute Resolution LB028 10 Human Rights Law LB030 20 Private International Law LB031 20 Competition Law LB032 20
4.4.1 The Faculty Board may, from time to time, determine in which semester a Core course may be taken. Provided that Legal Ethics LB305 may be taken as either a Level 3 or a Level 4 core course.
4.4.2 The Departmental Boards may, from time to time determine which optional courses shall be on offer to candidates for the degree, and in which semester such courses shall be offered. Provided that an optional course will not be offered in a semester if there are less than ten (10) candidates registered for that course. 4.5 The Dissertation shall have a course unit weighting of 40 units and shall be undertaken at level four of the degree programme for both full-time and part-time students. The dissertation shall be shall be carried out over two successive semesters for fulltime students in level four and over three successive semesters for part-time students in level four. The Dissertation shall include a minimum of 10 hours of lectures, and or seminars, on research methodology and a minimum 10 hours of seminars, discussions or tutorials on analysis of research data and writing up of a dissertation. 4.5.1 The Board of the Faculty of Law shall assign a supervisor and an alternate supervisor from the academic staff of the Faculty to each candidate. Such supervisor, or alternate supervisor in consultation with the supervisor, shall supervise the preparation of the candidate’s research proposal, research design and the writing up of the Dissertation. Assessment of the Dissertation shall be carried out as specified in regulation 6.1 of these regulations.
5 ATTACHMENT During the degree programme, candidates shall be required to undertake and satisfactorily complete such period(s) as the Faculty may determine from time to time, normally of eight weeks (8) duration, within one or more branches of the legal profession, namely the Public Sector and/ or the Private Sector, such attachment shall be monitored and assessed by the Board of the Faculty of Law.
6. ASSESSMENT OF CANDIDATES 6.1 Each course, other than Clinical and Practical Skills Training (LB401) Advocacy (LB026) and the Dissertation (LB470) shall be assessed by coursework assessment and a formal examination.
6.1.1 Subject to the provisions of regulations 6.2 and 6.3; coursework shall comprise between 20% - 30% of the marks for a course. The Faculty Board shall determine the percentage of the total mark for any course that shall be comprised by Coursework. Candidates shall be advised in writing at the commencement of a course the value, unless it is already stipulated in these regulations, that is to be given to course work in that course.
6.2 The assessment of the Clinical and Practical Skills Training course (LB401) shall be based on 20% for coursework, 40% for a practical examination and 40% for a two hour formal examination.
6.3 The assessment of the Advocacy course shall be based on 20% for coursework, 50% for a practical examination and 30% for a one and a half (11/2) hour formal examination
6.4 In the Dissertation there shall be no formal examination but each candidate shall be required to choose a topic approved by the Faculty Board and to write a dissertation thereon in English in not less than 9000 but not more than 12000 words.
The dissertation shall be submitted on or before the date set annually by the Board of the Faculty of Law for the submission of dissertations.
6.4.1 The marks awarded in the Dissertation shall be assigned, at the completion of each phase of the phases of the dissertation process, as follows Phase 1 Research Proposal/Research Design – 10% (to be assessed when the Final Proposal is submitted) Phase 2 First Draft 20% (to be assessed when the First Draft is submitted) Phase 3 Final Draft 70%
6.4.2 The Dissertation shall be accorded an overall mark on the standard university marking scale.
6.5 Each formal examination shall be held during an examination period at the end of a semester, normally that of the semester in which the course is completed.
6.5.1 Departments within the Faculty of Law shall specify within the first two weeks of a semester in respect of each course being formally examined at the end of that semester which materials, if any, may be taken into the examination in each course for which the Department is responsible and whether they may be annotated or not.
6.5.2 The duration of the formal examination for courses shall be, unless otherwise stated in these regulations, as follows: 20 unit course 3 hours 10 unit course 2 hours Provided that the Faculty Board may determine, where appropriate, that a course may be examined solely by a practical or an oral examination or by a combination of formal and practical or oral examination.
6.6 A period of attachment shall be assessed on a pass/fail basis as follows:
Student report on attachment period 50% Faculty appointed supervisor’s assessment 30% Attachment placement allocated supervisor 20%
Assessment shall be carried out as follows:
6.6.1 Each candidate must within fourteen (14) days of the commencement of the semester immediately following the period of attachment submit a report in the required form, on his/her period of attachment. Such report shall be marked by the Supervisor allocated by the Board of the Faculty of Law to the candidate out of 50 marks.
6.6.2 A supervisor from among the Academic Staff of the Board of the Faculty of Law shall be allocated to a candidate to supervise his or her attachment. Such supervisor shall, in the form prescribed by the Faculty Board, report on the performance of the candidate out of 30.
6.6.3 Prior to the commencement of attachment an appropriately qualified supervisor from the place of attachment shall be nominated from the place of attachment, subject to the approval of the Board of the Faculty of Law, to supervise the candidate at the place of attachment. Such supervisor shall assess the candidate in the form prescribed by the Faculty Board and report on the performance of the candidate out of 20.
7. PROCESSING OF EXAMINATION RESULTS AND DETERMINATION OF EXAMINATION RESULTS 7.1 The processing of examination results and the determination of examination results for candidates shall be carried out as prescribed in Regulations 8 and 9, respectively, of the General Regulations, provided that in relation to a period of attachment the results shall be processed and determined as follows:
7.1.1 After the compilation of the marks for each candidate the Faculty of Law Board of Examiners shall determine whether a candidate has passed or failed the prescribed period of attachment.
7.1.2 Candidates who fail to satisfactorily complete attachment/s, in terms of Regulation 6.6 below, to which they are assigned shall be required to repeat the period of attachment which has been failed.
8 AWARD AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE DEGREE 8.1 For the purpose of classification of the degree the marks obtained in all levels of the Programme shall be taken into account.
8.2 The degree shall be classified into the divisions provided for in Regulation 10.2 of the General Regulations.
9 SYLLABUSES In accordance with the provisions of the General Regulations, detailed syllabuses for Subjects/Courses do not form part of the General or Faculty Regulations but shall be submitted to the Faculty Board for approval. Copies of the detailed syllabuses shall be maintained in the Faculty Office for reference.
REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN LAW (CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION)
1.INTRODUCTION These regulations should be read in conjunction with the General Academic Regulations for Certificates and Diplomas herein after referred to as the General Regulations. 2. ADMISSION CRITERIA 2.1 A person may be considered for admission as a candidate for the Postgraduate Diploma in Law if the person has obtained a first degree in Law of an appropriate standard from this or another university. Candidates with first degrees in other disciplines may be considered if they have achieved an appropriate academic standard or have relevant professional experience and work accomplishments in the proposed field of study on such condition as senate may specify. Further a person who holds any other academic or professional qualifications which Senate have approved may be admitted to the Diploma.
2.2 Senate may accept examination results in an appropriate course of equivalent weight obtained at this or another university recognised for the purpose of exempting a candidate from one course of the work prescribed as requirements for this programme.
2.3 Senate may, in advance, approve an individual course or courses offered by another university, as a course which, if completed, will allow credit for and exemption from a course prescribed for the Postgraduate Diploma in Law. Such approval will be valid for one year but may be renewed on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law.
3.COURSES UNDER THE PROGRAMME 3.1 The following shall be the Post Graduate Diploma in Law, courses: Course Code National and Generic Labour Law LLD101 The Law of Evidence LLD102 Arbitration LLD103 The Award LLD104 Conciliation LLD105 Labour Economics LLD106 Human Resource Management LLD107 Labour Relations LLD108 and are subject to change from time to time.
4.DURATION 4.1 The minimum duration of the course shall be the equivalent of one academic year for full-time candidates and two years for part-time students.
5.SCHEME OF EXAMINATION 5.1 The final examinations shall consist of three-hour written papers, moots and an award. In Arbitration the moots shall count for 40% of the final mark and 60% will come from the written examination.
5.2 The Arbitration Award shall not be more than 4000 words in length.
5.3 A candidate who has passed all of the other courses but has failed to attain a mark of at least 50% in the Arbitration Award shall be deemed to have failed the program.
6.MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR READMISSION TO THE PGD PROGRAMME 6.1 A candidate who is eligible to repeat the programme must have passed at least 3 of the following courses: Course Code National and Generic Labour Law LLD101 The Law of Evidence LLD102 Arbitration LLD103 The Award LLD104 Conciliation LLD105 and two of the following: Labour Economics LLD106 Human Resource Management LLD107 Labour Relations LLD108
7.SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS 7.1 A candidate must obtain a mark between 40% and 49% in any subject, course or the award in order to qualify for a supplementary examination in any such subject, course or award. 7.2 A candidate who fails the Award or does not submit it, will not be allowed to re-register for either the Diploma, except with the permission of Senate.
8.ATTENDANCE IN MOOT PRACTICALS A Candidate who fails to attend all scheduled role-plays in the moot practical component of the programme may have marks deducted and/or may fail in his/her own particular moot.
9.CLASSIFICATION 9.1 The classification of the Diploma shall be done in accordance with University of Zimbabwe regulations.
REGULATIONS FOR THE MASTERS IN WOMEN’S LAW - MSWL 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Southern and Eastern African Regional Centre for Women’s Law hereinafter referred to as SEARCWL and the University of Zimbabwe being aware of the professional, social and family constraints that affect women's capacity to pursue postgraduate studies on a full time basis away from their home countries have endeavoured to provide a flexible programme format which permits women candidates, in particular, to balance these components of their lives in their pursuit of postgraduate studies.
1.2 These Regulations should be read in conjunction with the General Academic Regulations for Masters Degrees by Coursework (hereinafter referred to as the General Regulations).
2. QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADMISSION To be eligible for admission to the Masters in Women’s Law, a candidate must have obtained a first degree in Law of an appropriate standard from this or another University, normally at second class level or above, provided that candidates with a lower academic ranking but who have a proven work record and/or research experience in women’s law and related issues may still be considered. Candidates with first degrees in other disciplines may be considered if they have achieved the appropriate academic standard and have relevant postgraduate experience in areas related to women and law.
In the selection process the candidate's post graduation work and other experience in areas related to women and the law will be taken into account.
3. PROGRAMME DURATION AND STRUCTURE The programme will normally commence in January of each alternate year and will run until May of the following year.
3.1 The first semester (17 weeks) will focus on theories, and methodologies in Women’s Law and inter-related human rights. The first semester will be comprised of lectures, seminars, fieldwork and research methodology practicals. The courses in this semester, which are all core courses are:
Theories and Perspectives in Women’s Law MWL 501 20 units Research Methodologies and Methods in Women’s Law MWL 502 20 units Practical Paper MWL 503 20 units Human Rights and Women MWL 504 20 units
The first semester will normally be conducted from January to May in the year in which the programme begins, although the University reserves the right to vary the time when the programme commences.
3.2 The second semester which will run for 15 weeks, normally commencing in mid June of the year in which a programme commences. In this semester candidates will:
3.2.1 take two options from the list of optional courses offered in the MSWL programme, which are: Women, Access to Resources and Law MWL 511 20 units Masculinities, Gender and Law MWL 512 20 units Women, Commerce and Law in Africa MWL 513 20 units Women, Law Reform and Social Justice Strategies MWL 514 20 units Women and the Criminal Justice System MWL 516 20 units Women, Family, Social Realities and Law MWL 517 20 units Gender, Law and Sexuality MWL 518 20 units Woman, Labour and Social Security Law MWL 519 20 units
3.2.1.1 The SEARCWL shall determine which optional courses will be offered in each programme.
3.2.1.2The SEARCWL may prescribe the maximum number of students who may take an optional course, the normal upper limit per optional course being 10 students. The SEARCWL may also prescribe the minimum number of students required for the mounting of a course, which would normally be not less than 4 students.
3.2.2. During the second semester candidates will determine their dissertation topic for the third semester and develop their dissertation proposal and field work methodology and methods under the guidance of supervisors approved by the Departmental Board of the SEARCWL and appointed by the Director of the SEARCWL.
3.3In the third semester each candidate shall conduct field research and present for examination a 20 000-25 000 word dissertation in a selected field in Human Rights and Women’s Law (see 3.2.2.1 above). The research for the dissertation should be carried out in the candidate’s home country, the writing up will, normally, be conducted at the SEARCWL, University of Zimbabwe.
4. SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT/EXAMINATION 4.1 The scheme of assessment for each course in the course work components of the degree shall be a combination of different forms of assessment:
4.1.1 Semester 1 Theories and Perspectives in Women’s Law MWL 501 Human Rights and Women MWL 504 In each of the above courses candidates will be required to submit one or two written assignment which will constitute 35% of the total marks for the course. And write an eight (8) hour research examination which will constitute 65% of the total marks for the course.
4.1.1.1 Research Methodologies and Methods in Women’s Law MWL 502 There shall be two components to this course: 1 Exploring research methodologies and methods which shall be assessed as follows: By two written assignments which shall constitute 25% of the marks for the course; and A six hour research examination which shall constitute 50% of the marks for the course
2 ILS/ITC which shall be assessed as follows: By practical/course work component which shall constitute 10% of the marks for the course and a two hour examination which shall constitute 15% of the marks for the course.
4.1.1.2 Research Examinations Candidates will be given the question paper for the research examination at 9.00 on the morning of the examination and will be required to hand in their completed paper by 17:00 on the same day.(Provided that in the Research Methodologies and Methods in Women’s Law the research paper shall be of six (6) hours duration.) Candidates may write such examinations anywhere designated by the Director of the SEARCWL as an examination venue within the SEARCWL premises.
4.1.1.3 Practical Paper MWL 503 The Practical Paper shall be comprised as follows: 75% of the marks shall be awarded based on assessment of the candidate in the fieldwork component of the first semester programme, 25% of the marks shall be determined by a two hour practical examination at the end of the first semester in the planning of a research or funding proposal or similar document.
Candidates in the Practical shall be required to submit with their field report a consolidation of their findings and a recommended action plan, which together shall not exceed in length one thousand (1000) words in length and which shall comprise 10% of the marks awarded for the field report.
4.1.2 Semester 2 In each optional course offered the mode of assessment shall be a combination of assessment of seminar presentations, written assignments, practical exercises and an eight (8) hour research examination. The research examinations shall follow the format prescribed in 4.1.1.
The Departmental Board of the SEARCWL shall advise candidates, in writing, at the end of the first semester what form the assessment for each of the optional courses on offer in that academic year in the second semester shall take. However, normally, the assessment will be constituted as follows:
Seminar Presentations - 15% Written Assignment - 20% Practical Exercise - 15% Research Examination - 50%
4.1.3 Evidence of Independent Work In all presentations, assignments and practical exercises, regardless of the course being pursued, each student shall be required to submit a separate written assignment or separate evidence of work carried out for presentations or practical exercises even if the initial preparation and consultations were carried out in the form of group work.
4.1.4 Semester 3 Dissertation MWL 560 Candidates shall submit a dissertation between 20 000-25 000 words on an approved topic (see 3.3 above), normally, not later than 30 April in the year after that in which they enrol for the Masters in Women’s Law. Provided that where the timing of the course is altered an alternative submission date will be set for the dissertation. Candidates shall be required to submit with their dissertation a consolidation of their findings and a recommended action plan which together shall not exceed in length one thousand (1000) words in length and which shall comprise 10 % of the marks awarded for the dissertation.
Candidates shall submit one printed copy of the dissertation and an electronic copy of the dissertation. The dissertation and the electronic copy shall be prepared using such word processing programme/s as is, from time to time, prescribed by the Director of the SEARCWL
5. DETERMINATION AND NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS In determining the results of each candidate the following shall apply:
5.1 The coursework components of the degree shall be given a weighting of 60%, with each course work component having equal weight with the other course work components, the dissertation shall be given a weighting of 40% in the computation of the overall classification of the degree.
Candidates must pass each course to be awarded the degree. Provided that where a candidate fails a single course he or she may rewrite that course when it is next on offer, and shall do so at his or her expense.
5.2 In all other respects results shall be published and degrees awarded in accordance with the provisions of the General Regulations. |
