This is a regional programme and a significant number of places during each intake are reserved for regional candidates drawn from countries such as Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Lesotho, etc.

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirements are a good first degree in law (usually a 2.1 pass) and in exceptional cases a degree in a related discipline (e.g Social Science or Gender or Development Studies) would be acceptable as well.

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.

Programme duration and structure

The programme will normally commence in January of each calendar year and will run until May/June of the following year (18 months).

1. The first semester (15 weeks) will focus on theories and methodologies in Women’s Law - comprising lectures, seminars, fieldwork and research methodology practicals. That is:

               Theories and Perspectives in Women’s Law                                               MWL 501

               Research Methodologies and Methods in Women’s Law                             MWL 502 

               Practical Paper                                                                                         MWL 503 

The first semester will normally be conducted from January to April in the year in which the programme begins, although the University reserves the right to vary the time when this section of the programme is offered in any year.

2. The second semester which will run for 12 weeks, normally commencing in mid June of the year in which a programme commences. In this semester candidates will:

Take two options from the list of optional courses offered in the MWL programme, which are:

               Women, Access to Resources and the Law                                                       MWL 01

               Men, Gender and the Law, A Masculine Perspective                                         MWL 02

               Women, Commerce and Law in Africa                                                             MWL 03

               Women, Law Reform and Social Justice Strategies                                          MWL 04

Women, Human                                                     Rights, Constitutions and the International Arena:                                          MWL 05

                                                                            Women and Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Punishment                        MWL 06

An African Perspectiv                                                                                                  Women, Family, Culture and the Law                                                              MWL 07              

3.2.1.1 The WLC shall determine which optional

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 Women’s Law Centre and appointed by the Director of the Women’s Law Centre.

In 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 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 Women’s Law Centre, University of Zimbabwe.