Master of Philosophy (Law) at University of Cape Town

Programme overview

The Master of Philosophy in Law is offered where a law graduate wants Master's study in law together with cognate topics from other faculties, or where a non-law graduate wants to study law at Master's level. It can be taken by coursework and minor dissertation or by dissertation, in specialist areas that mirror the LLM.

Faculty: Faculty of Law | Department: School for Advanced Legal Studies | Duration: 1 year minimum (full-time) by coursework; by dissertation, expected within 2 academic years | Study mode: full-time | Location: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

What you will study

The coursework route requires four approved courses and a minor dissertation of up to 25 000 words under the same rules as the LLM. The dissertation route covers Commercial Law, Criminal Justice, Private Law, Public Law or Rhetoric Studies, and requires a dissertation, or a series of short dissertations on cognate topics, of inter-faculty interest with a law component.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Faculty of Law (MPhil by coursework and by dissertation): anyone admissible to the LLM (a law degree of UCT or an equivalent degree recognised by Senate, or equivalent competence approved by Senate) plus graduates with an Honours degree of UCT or an equivalent degree from a recognised institution. Applicants whose primary language is not English must show English proficiency, for example TOEFL 570 / 230 / 88, IELTS overall 7.0 with no element below 6.0, or at least 75% in the NBT Academic Literacy component. Dissertation applications are accompanied by a Statement of Interest.

Requirements published at faculty level.

Tuition is charged per module, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

The application fee is R100 for undergraduate and postgraduate applications from South Africa and the SADC region, and R300 for applications from outside the SADC region; it is non-refundable and payable by direct deposit, EFT or credit card (online). UCT students and graduates are exempt except for GSB programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://applyonline.uct.ac.za

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