UNISA LLB: Any good advice?

Read my post directed at your wife's situation in this thread.

UNISA's LLB (and LLM, for that matter) is(are) quite good. I agree with your statement in the aforementioned thread that UNISA can be difficult in terms of getting straight exactly what you need to do to get properly enrolled, etc. It's not prospective-student-friendly, to be sure. But it's not all that bad, from what I can tell. And UNISA's programs do well (i.e., are typically declared US regionally-accredited equivalent) with(by) the legitimate US foreign credential evaluators (such as AACRAO or the NACES member agencies). I wouldn't hesitate to get a UNISA LLB, were I in her shoes.

But that doesn't necessarily mean she will be able to use that LLB to sit for any of the US states' bar exams. See not only the post referred to above, but also my post in this thread.

 

There are a few questions I'd like to ask before making any specific suggestions. It seems that you've done some substantial research already and I hope you'll pardon me if my questions have already been addressed.

First. What is the goal of obtaining this particular degree? As Gregg stated, an LLB might work in some places but not in others. What is the goal?

Second. Where will the degree be utilized? Requirements vary from place to place. It might make a difference.

Third. Does your wife speak any non-English languages? This might broaden the available selection of choices.

Jack

 

LLB Programs

Steve:

Does you wife intend to practice law? If so, where?

Try:

http://www.ntu.ac.uk/nls/prospective_students/undergraduate/llb_distance_learning/6784gp.html

http://online.northumbria.ac.uk/prospectus/sch_coursedetail.asp?SQLstr=&mode=MD&school=11&Search=Search&offset=7&CourseID=308

Good luck.

 

Why not skip edegree.co.za and contact the university directly? May be worth a shot.


V R Y S T A A A A T ! ! ! !

 

I am largely ignorant of law. But I do wonder how valuable a South African law degree might be in other countries.

Unlike most of the former British empire, South Africa has what they term a "mixed" legal system, with foundations in a Roman Dutch civil law system mixed with the later introduction of a British common law system.

How transferable this might be is beyond me.

 

The best advice I have is to follow Oxpecker's advice.

I experienced little difficulty when I enrolled as a B.A. student at Unisa. The story is here:

http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7223

In my experience, as a Unisa B.A. student, the many posts that suggest that enrollment at Unisa is next to impossible are simply not correct. Some processes are indeed slow. It did take about a year for me to receive my SAUVCA Certificate of Matriculation Exemption but that did not prevent me from registering in modules and writing exams.

I am especially ignorant of South African law and I can not speak to any Unisa program other than my own.

 

LLB

You're welcome. I hope NTU works out for your wife.

Here is another alternative:

University of Huddersfield in conjunction with Holborne College:

http://www.holborncollege.ac.uk/allcourses.cfm

http://www.flexible-learning.co.uk/pages/courses/huddLLB.html

Costs/fees are very reasonable for a law degree:

http://www.flexible-learning.co.uk/pages/admissions/tuitfees.html

If you have an undergraduate degree...the LLB is 4,400 pounds for the program. If not...then it's 6,600 pounds.

There's also University of New England in Australia:

http://study.une.edu.au/course.php3?id=63

I haven't done much research on UNE's LLB program...but here you go in case it's an option.

Enjoy!

 

Be SURE that the particular Carribbean country you have in mind will accept a D/L LL.B. either with or without the L.P.C. from UWI.

Also keep in mind that getting into UWI's certificate program may be quite competitive.

Fact is, outside of England and Wales, Malaysia, South Africa, and California, D/L law programs at the first professional degree level programs do NOT enjoy wide acceptence in the common law world. And Malayasia is threatening to put the kibosh on the London External LL.B., at present the only D/L program they will accept.

Of course, the LL.B. is itself a valuable credential whether one is a lawyer or not.

 

University of London - I studied with University of London towards the LLB for one year with tutorial support from Law Tutors Online. With LTO support I found that I felt part of the University and I had all the support that I needed. Mind you the exams are still do or die and if that's the problem then studying wtih a tutorial service won't overcome that. There is a slight admnistrative burden in terms of working with both a tutorial service and the University but really that's no big deal.

Northumbria University - I have studied with Northumbria on the LLM program for the last year. I've been pleased with it so far and all my tutors have been faculty members (although I do think they use some external tutors). As far as the LLB goes I understand the cost to be GBP 300 per course, which is pretty reasonable. No application fee, but there are probably some exam fees on top of that. The assessment (if memory serves) is 30% assignment and 70% exam, a reasonable breakdown.

Also possibly worth noting is that (I believe) that the last Guardian rankings had Northumbria ranked at 14th among undergraduate law programs, ahead of Nottingham Trent and Huddersfield, but behind most or all of the constituent colleges that make up the panel for the UoL LLB. University of London as such is not ranked, just the colleges. For sake of completeness Open University is also not ranked (although not relevant to this discussion).

I think (THINK) that Deakin University (Australia) may also offer a DL LLB.

 

Carribbean legal education certificate

This is from the University of the West Indies site:

Professional Training

Entry into the legal profession of all of the Commonwealth Caribbean territories is regulated by the law of the particular territory, but as a result of a regional agreement the basic requirements tend to follow a common pattern.

Since 1975, a prospective lawyer normally requires a Legal Education Certificate. This is granted by the (West Indian) Council of Legal Education which was established in April 1971. The certificate will be granted to a student who successfully completes a two year course of full time training at one of the Council's three Law Schools in Jamaica, Trinidad or The Bahamas.

Entry into a Law School will normally be granted to any applicant holding the U.W.I. LL.B. degree. Students who hold law degrees from other universities are required to sit an entrance examination which is held in July of each year. The deadline for applications to the Law Schools is January 31 of the proposed year of study. Application forms are obtainable from the Faculty of Law or from either of the three Law Schools at the addresses below:

Norman Manley Law School The Eugene Dupuch Law School

P.O. Box 231 P.O. Box SS-6394

Mona Campus, Kingston 7 Nassau

JAMAICA THE BAHAMAS



Hugh Wooding Law School

P.O. Bag 323

Tunapuna Post Office

TRINIDAD

Looks like they WILL allow a D/L LL.B. to take the one year LEC program but you have to take an entrance examination.

I have NO idea whether it's hard or easy...

 

Oops!

Sorry; I meant TWO year course.

Hunh! If the legal education certificate takes two years to finish you might just as well get an American J.D. in THREE!

 

I second Nosbourne's oops!

I can't find a DL LLB at Deakin.

Here's the link for the Guardian rankings:

http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide2004/table/0,,-4921404,00.html

Edit: I realized that I was referring to the 2004 rankings. The 2005 rankings are of course out and Northumbria has tumbled to 68th, NTU is around 60th or so.

 

Re: I second Nosbourne's oops!

http://www.deakin.edu.au/courses/search/course.php?customer_cd=D&service_item=M313&version_number=1&year_offered=2005#Course%20structure

Of course, the off campus course listing on the Deakin website doesn't mention a thing about the course.

Why are all Australian university websites so horribly difficult to navigate and make sense of?

Angela

 

Angela,

You need to turn your monitor upside down.

 

Oh, who knows.

They might define "years" as being two short stays in residence or something with significant independent study.

Anyway, the combination of a three year LL.B. and a two year LEC program means that it takes about the same time to make a lawyer in the Carribbean as it does to make a barrister in England. Oddly, it takes LONGER to make a solicitor than a barrister...don't know why.

I am actually not at all sure that an American J.D. would qualify the holder for admission to the LEC course anyway.

America is a set of common law jurisdictions, to be sure, but we developed in almost complete isolation from the rest of the common law world. Our governmental system, and therefore our constitutional law, is radically different, too.

OTOH, the Law Society of England and Wales will allow an American lawyer to write three examinations to qualify as a solicitor, so maybe you could do it.

Might be fun to try!

 

Re: Re: I second Nosbourne's oops!

Thanks Angela,

I was so sure I'd seen it then couldn't turn it up.

Having spent some time surfing Deakin's site I am now all excited over a combined MBA/Master of Commercial Law (only 16 courses!). I'm sure I'll be over it by tomorrow morning though.