Faculty of Law
The University of The Gambia Faculty of Law established in 2007 offers a comprehensive and flexible approach for graduate studies on legal education and with a firm range of practical experience on various legal subjects. The programme prepares pupils with a strong background on legal education which avails graduates the opportunity to gain to be admitted at Bar school, serve as judges in various courts, legal advisors, legal practitioners, legal counsel, solicitor amongst others.
The Faculty of Law is located at the Chancery Building Kanifing Campus, MDI Road. The faculty boasts of a fully equipped library for online reading and research, a mooting room for practical contests on legal issues and an auditorium for general meeting and academic events like debates.
The faculty presents quality LLB in Law taught by lecturers who are vastly experienced on their legal subjects. The Faculty Officer serves as a guide and the first point of contact for all students to help them through their academic issues.
At the undergraduate level, the Faculty offers a four-year LL.B. degree programme (with or without honours). We aim to produce LL.B. graduates who are thoroughly equipped with the required knowledge and skills to follow any of the established career paths in law. With this aim in mind, the Faculty reviewed the LL.B. curriculum in 2016. The new LL.B. programme contains a mix of subjects that gives students a good exposure to a wide range of perspectives on law and the legal systems. Its curriculum takes a balanced approach to legal studies, reflecting the pluralism and diversity demanded of modern scholarship in law. The curriculum covers subjects of a varied range:
I.Topics in law directly relevant to common practice;
II. Topics in law that are not directly relevant to practice but are essential in other fields. Their inclusion ensures the students’ better and more comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the law;
III. Non-legal issues that may have a direct or indirect relevance to practice, which also broaden the students’ mind and further enhance intellectual capacity and efficiency.
At the postgraduate level, we offer a Master of Laws (LLM) by coursework. In view of the critical importance of staff development and the further development of research in the Faculty, The Faculty has made efforts to attract students to pursue their postgraduate experience in the Faculty.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
(A) Regular Students (Applicants with O-Level/WASSCE Result only)
Applicants must satisfy the minimum UTG entry requirement of Five (5) Credits including English Language, Literature-in- English, at least a credit in any Science subject and Maths and at least Pass in Mathematics. Such a candidate must also undergo an entry examination to be conducted by the Faculty, for which a cut-off mark shall be set as deemed appropriate.
(B) Direct Entry (Applicants with First Degrees)
Applicants to the LL.B Programme who already have first degrees taught in the English Language from the UTG or from an accredited University/Institution designated as recognized, are to receive consideration under this category. The Applicants must have secured a minimum CGPA requirement of 2.7 on a scale of 4.3 or its equivalent in their first degrees. Admission Interviews/Tests are waived for this category of applicants. The General Education Requirement (GER) courses shall also be waived for them if their transcripts show evidence of having taken the courses, or courses equivalent to them in their first degrees.
(C) Applicants with Two or Three Years Diploma Certificate
Applicants to the LL.B Programme who already have a two or three years A/Level (minimum of three subjects) or Diploma Certificate from the UTG or from an accredited University or Institution designated as recognized by University of The Gambia are to receive consideration under this category. The Applicant must have secured a minimum of nine (9) points or Credit grade or its equivalent at the end of his/her A/Level or Diploma certificate programme. Such applicant must also possess GCE O/Levels or WASSCE with at least three credit passes in three subjects including English language, a science subject and at least a pass in mathematics. Admission Interviews/Tests are waived for this category of applicants. As a general rule, the applicant shall undergo the General Education Requirement (GER) courses; but may be exempted where there is evidence that such courses had been successfully taken previously.
(D) Inter-Faculty/Departmental Transfers Students from other Schools
Faculties or Departments of University of The Gambia may transfer to the LL.B Programme, provided that they have satisfied the entry requirements to the Faculty of Law for Regular Students (as in “A” above). In addition, their CGPA must be 2.7 and above.
TUITION FEE
The annual tuition fee is D40,000 for Gambians and $ 4,950 for international students. The tuition fee for Mature students is D70,000. Students have the option of paying the whole amount or half of the amount per semester (D19,000/$2475 for regular students). It is worth noting that, UTG only allows students that pay at least 40% of the due fees to sit to examinations. These payments can be made at any of the various Trust Bank Ltd. Branches across the country. The university is notified of this payment and you’re cleared to attend classes and sit to the examinations.
The Law Students Association (LSA)
The LSA represents the general law students in a bid to safeguard the academic interest of students and to represent them at administrative levels. Every student is automatically a member of the LSA. The association serves as an intermediary link between the students and other association within an outside of the University. The LSA is solely responsible for selecting students to represent the faculty on various university activities’ such as sports, debates and other programs. The association is also responsible for organizing the Law Day, which is set aside to commemorate and recognize prominent personalities in the legal profession.
Schools & Faculties
Prof. Olaolu S. OPADERE
Dean of Faculty of Law
Law Clinic
The faculty has a Law Clinic which provides free legal advises to people within the university and the wider society. It is run by senior law students with guidance from qualified lecturers and lawyers.
Mooting
The Faculty is also active in mooting and trial advocacy and regularly takes part in international and regional moot competitions. The aim is to equip our students with the requisiteknowledge, skills and perspectives in order to produce highly sought-after graduates who display leadership and critical thinking abilities and are aware of their social and ethical responsibilities.