School of Law Doctoral Programmes

The School of Law at the University of Venda, South Africa, offers doctoral degree programmes in Law and Criminal Justice to qualified candidates. These programmes are research-based. Registered candidates will work with and be availed the experience, guidance, and supervision of dedicated and distinguished legal academics based in the School. In some circumstances, non-resident expert academics will be engaged to co-supervise along with resident academics. The School also provides quality support and a conducive working environment to candidates to ensure a unique research experience.

Admission requirements
For admission into these doctoral programmes, the following general requirements
must be met:

General entry requirements
– A candidate must be able to conduct independent and original research that will contribute to scholarship.
– Must be fluent in English.
– A CV.

Specific entry requirements
– An LLM degree (or equivalent) for the doctoral degree in law from a recognised university or a master’s degree in humanities for the doctoral degree in criminal justice programme.
– Certified copies of degree certificates.
– Academic transcripts.
– Two academic references.
– Abridged research proposal.

For master’s degrees obtained abroad, a prospective candidate must apply for and
obtain the SAQA Evaluation Certificate.

Note that acceptance into these programmes will be based on the availability of competent supervisors.

Duration: Minimum of 2 academic sessions
Maximum of 5 academic sessions from the initial registration.
Number of words: Minimum of 80,000
Study mode: Full time and part time

Programmes descriptions
The doctorate degree programmes are research-based and they are –

– Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law cuts across all areas of specialisations or legal disciplines. In the main, it requires completion of a thesis which makes an original and significant contribution to legal scholarship and must be of publishable quality. The degree will be awarded after examination and a viva voce (oral examination) before a
panel of experts.

– Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Criminal Justice

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Criminal Justice offers an interdisciplinary training in the criminal justice for both legal and non-legal academics, legal practitioners and non-lawyers with the opportunity to specialise in criminal justice. By design, it serves as a career-enhancing degree for professionals and academics. Candidates are required to produce a thesis which makes original and significant contribution to legal scholarship and must be of publishable quality. The degree will be awarded after examination and a viva voce (oral examination) before a panel of experts.

Application deadline
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

To apply, contact:
Professor Lonias Ndlovu, Dean School of Law
Email: lonias.ndlovu@univen.ac.za