While a diploma is not equivalent to a degree, it can still open doors for you in the world of practicing law.
Diplomas can provide you with career-oriented skills that can increase your chances of securing a job, as employers like people who can walk into a job and are ready to go.
Here is a list of institutions in South Africa where you can obtain a diploma in law:
Damelin Correspondence College
Damelin, a private college in South Africa, offers a short online course in Labour Law.
By the end of the course, you will have the ability to set the ground rules and define terms and conditions of employment.
You will understand the basic conditions of employment and what must be in an employment contract; unpack the constitutional right to fairness; be able to compile a basic performance management contract to set the standard required of your employees and in all you will be a more effective and efficient when employing people.
University of South Africa (Unisa)
The purpose of this qualification is for students to gain knowledge, skills and experience in general areas of the law and the application and social context of the law so as to enable the student to provide primary legal services to the public and support to legal professionals.
At the end of the course, the students will have gained the knowledge, skills and experience in general areas of the law, to apply advanced paralegal knowledge and understanding to a specific problem within the South African legal context. Students will learn how to:
- Conduct and evaluate legal research and make recommendations based on the findings of the research.
- Communicate, in writing or orally with internal and external clients in a paralegal or legal workplace.
- Advise, counsel and represent clients in a variety of settings.
- Draft legal documents in a paralegal context.
- Solve problems in a paralegal context by working in a team and individually.
- Manage administration, including financial administration, and provide organizational support in an office environment.
- Exercise ethical conduct, values and professionalism when dealing with clients.
INTEC College
Intec offers more than one diploma in law qualification, including a certificate and/or a diploma in Paralegal Studies and a diploma in Law and Taxation.
The diploma in Law and Taxation is a qualification designed for professionals who already have a basic knowledge of tax law, or have practical experience in tax law and wish to strengthen and expand their future role in this field.
The Paralegal Diploma is ideal for you if you want to pursue a career as a paralegal, with an emphasis on performing basic legal tasks. It is also suitable if you are already working in a legal environment, but want to improve your legal knowledge and broaden your scope of career opportunities.
University of Cape Town (UCT)
In addition to a general postgraduate diploma in Law, UCT Law offers the widest choice of specialised one-year postgraduate Law diplomas in the country, with a choice of postgraduate diplomas in:
- Judicial Studies
- Dispute Resolution
- Environmental Law
- Marine and Environmental Law
- Shipping Law
- Tax Law
- Criminology, Law and Society
Keep in mind, admission to a postgraduate diploma programme in Law at UCT is generally limited to applicants holding a law degree, or equivalent undergraduate degree.
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University offers postgraduate diplomas in law, namely Intellectual Property Law, Public Procurement Policy and Regulation and Tax Law.
The Intellectual Property Law Diploma programme offers you the opportunity to gain introductory knowledge of intellectual property through practice driven study of the law of trademarks, patents, designs, copyright and digital aspects of intellectual property law.
The Public Procurement Policy and Regulation Diploma programme will establish or deepen your knowledge of Public Procurement Law. You will be exposed to the methodology of legal practice (specifically in public procurement regulation), legal research and the application of the law in the context of public procurement.
The Tax Law Diploma programme concentrates on the interpretation of tax law contained in judgments, practice notes, interpretation notes and other sources such as handbooks, journal articles and electronic publications. Keep in mind that the Tax Law Diploma is only offered every two years.
