1. Introduction

The degree is awarded based on a thesis that is examined by an internal and two external examiners. The thesis may be on any topic within the Faculty’s research focus, namely law, justice, and sustainability. The faculty must have sufficient expertise to provide effective study guidance.

1. Duration (minimum and maximum duration)

For full-time students, the study period is at least one year and a maximum of four years.

For part-time students, the minimum study duration is one year, and the maximum is five years.

If a student has not completed the study within the maximum duration of studies allowed, the student may be terminated.

To gain admission to the LLD, a student must have obtained an LLM degree from this University or another South African university or a foreign university or must have the status of such a Masters degree granted, on request, by the Senate.

If a previous qualification was obtained in a foreign country, an evaluation certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) must be submitted.

Applicants must have achieved a minimum of 65% average for the LLM degree and for the mini-dissertation/dissertation (research report) to be admitted to the LLD programme.

The Director: Postgraduate Programmes requires that students submit a four-page concept proposal (link) with the application form to prove their research skills.

1. Allocation of supervisors or promoters

Students applying for a doctoral programme must consult with possible promoters simultaneously with the application process before registration.

The Faculty Board may, in exceptional circumstances, approve the appointment of a co- or assistant promoter, based on relevant expertise.

The supervision agreement form (link) must be completed and signed by yourself and the agreed supervisor and submitted with your application.

1. Faculty-specific requirement for a Doctoral Degree (LLD)

Research doctoral degree students must (in consultation with his/her supervisor) submit the research proposals for a thesis six months after the final date of registration for doctoral degrees (31 October) in their first year of registration.

A student must complete a research discussion six months after the approval of the research proposal.

a) If there is not sufficient capacity with regards to supervision for a programme in an academic year, the Director: Postgraduate Programmes may decide not to offer the programme in question in that year.

b) Research doctoral degree students must (in consultation with his/her supervisor) submit the research proposals for a thesis six months after the final date of registration for doctoral degrees (and no later than 31 October) in their first year of registration.

c) Students work under the supervision of a promoter approved by the Director: Postgraduate Programmes and the Faculty Board.

d) A student is required to successfully complete a research discussion six months after the approval of the research proposal. The research discussion should be in a major and two ancillary subjects prescribed in consultation with the Director: Postgraduate Programmes for the specific study, to be permitted to write a research dissertation. The evaluation of the student takes place before an appointed panel generally consisting of the Director: Postgraduate Programmes, Director: Research Unit (ex officio); a research professor and one internal member with expertise in the field of study, as well as two external members with expertise outside the University. The appointment of the research discussion panel and assessment procedure is conducted in accordance with the procedure approved by the Faculty Board.

e) Students are required to attend compulsory seminars of the Research Methodology programme arranged during the academic year. Permission for absence is granted only by the programme leader on good grounds.

1. Examination

a) The student must prepare a thesis of 100 000 to 150 000 words (including content and footnotes, excluding the bibliography) in the prescribed faculty style. Any substantial digression from this guideline is subject to the prior approval of the Director: Postgraduate Programmes before submission of the thesis for examination. The Director: Postgraduate Programmes will determine whether the length of the thesis is appropriate in the particular case.

b) The Turnitin or similar report which is generated must be submitted with the thesis.

c) The thesis must be language edited and a certificate issued by a competent language editor must be attached to the thesis.

d) Students must comply with the requirements of the General Academic Rule 5.10.

e) The research thesis is assessed according to the General Academic Rule 5.11. The thesis is assessed by at least three examiners, of which at least two must be external examiners who are not attached to the University and approved by the Director: Postgraduate Programmes and the Faculty Board (through the Higher Degrees Committee).

f) After the examination is completed, the promoter submits a comprehensive report with a recommendation based on the examiners’ reports. If there is any ambiguity in an examiner’s report, or if there is a significant difference in the final result recommended by the examiners, the procedure approved by the Faculty Board will determine the final result of the student. The general provisions and guidelines in connection with the assessment of the thesis and the directions to examiners and/or arbitrators are followed in accordance with the General Academic Rules.

g) A research thesis may only be referred back to a candidate once, and after revision, be submitted once for re-examination within a period of one year. Refer to the General Academic Rules 4.11.7.3 and 4.11.7.4.

h) Students registered in 2019 and onwards must, before completion of their doctoral studies, prepare and submit an article for publication relating to the subject matter of his/her thesis and must provide evidence of such submission on or before closing of the graduation list. In order to qualify for the degree, the aforementioned submission must be approved by the promoter(s) and must be submitted to an accredited law journal.

i) A student, who is dissatisfied with any substantive aspect of the guidance provided by a promoter, can raise such matters in writing to the Director: Postgraduate Programmes. The matter will be dealt with in accordance with the procedure as prescribed in the General Academic Rules. The director must respond in writing to the student before the thesis is submitted for examination.

1. Qualification outcomes

On completion of this programme, the student should be able to demonstrate:

a) a comprehensive and systematic knowledge base in a specific field of study and the ability to apply the knowledge.

b) a thorough proficiency in the appropriate research skills by formulating a relevant and viable research topic, motivating it on the basis of a clear problem statement, developing points of departure, suppositions and hypotheses, setting a framework for the solution of the complex problem and by designing a feasible research programme.

c) a coherent and critical understanding of the methodology of the specific field of study to rigorously critique and evaluate current research in this field, participate in scholarly debates and research relating to theory and practice and adopt independent points of view.

d) the ability to use advanced information-retrieval and processing skills to identify, critically analyse and synthesise information relevant to issues in the area of specialisation, debating solutions from theoretical and research perspectives published in the current literature.

e) the ability to critically evaluate and apply the ethics, values, rules, norms, and regulations pertaining to the field of law; and

f) the ability to make a significant and original academic contribution to the field of law and communicate this in a thesis which meets international standards

1. Curricula of Doctor Degree in laws

Curricula of Doctor of Laws (LLD) - Enquiries: Law-Postgrad-Enquiries@nwu.ac.za