Glasses were raised at the Leriba campus on Tuesday 22 April 2025 to celebrate the addition of two new programmes to the programme content at Akademia’s Faculty of Law. These two programmes, namely the Higher Certificate in Labour Law and the LLM through research programme were introduced earlier this month.

Both these programmes, of which the LLM is this institution’s first master’s programme, will be presented via the after-hours distance model and applications for study in this direction are already being awaited this year. The closing date for the Higher Certificate in Labour Law (NQF level 5) for the 2025 academic year is 31 May, while applications* for the LLM programme (NQF level 9) will close on 30 June. As an alternative, applications are now also being awaited for the 2026 academic year.

According to Prof. Hermie Coetzee, dean of the Faculty of Law, the addition of the new programmes not only reflects the faculty’s endeavour towards continual service to the community, but also a deep-seated commitment towards the extension of the Afrikaans law environment.

In his turn, Prof. Danie Goosen, executive head: Academics at Akademia, expressed the opinion that the institution is more than pleased about the new programme additions. “Aside from the fact that these programmes, academically spoken, represent excellent – and highly relevant programmes, the institution once more underscores the fact that it is called not only to serve the Afrikaans language and culture communities in the various disciplines and careers, but also to shape the minds and hearts of students,” said Goosen. In so doing, an active contribution is also being made towards community development and expansion.

This is what the new programmes look like

Coetzee explained that in the case of the Higher Certificate in Labour Law, the programme fulfils a need that arose directly from the working community and that labour law – and its application, are closely knit in all aspects of the world of work. “This programme will equip students to identify fundamental labour issues with confidence, to research the relevant principles and also to practically apply these, inter alia handling disciplinary matters,” said Coetzee.

Given the applicability of this programme, it is ideal for those already positioned in the work environment, including trade union officials, employer organisation officers and those aspiring to take up a law career. On completion of this programme, students will be able to pursue a career as a labour law advisor in both the commercial and the public sectors. Aside from this, the higher certificate programme provides students with the opportunity for further study by subsequently applying for a relevant baccalaureus degree, inter alia an LLB.

As regards the LLM through research programme, this addition, according to Coetzee, addresses Akademia’s calling as an Afrikaans higher education institution to decisively help ensure and extend the development and conservation of Afrikaans as a language of science. “In view of this, the Faculty of Law considers it a great privilege to present this programme and, in this way, opening the way for Afrikaans as scientific language in the legal world,” Coetzee stated.

The value of legal research must, according to Coetzee, not be underestimated, because it enhances and supports legal practice as well as legal training with the result that communities will directly benefit from it. “Specifically, regarding a legal career, the ability to undertake proper research is an indispensable skill that must constantly be honed,” Coetzee explained. She further mentioned that the rapidly changing world constantly produces new and exciting legal challenges, for which workable solutions must be found. This search for solutions and answers takes place by means of legal research.

Faculty growing from strength to strength

With regard to the question of what is next for the faculty, Coetzee said that there are the prospects of Akademia’s establishment in Paarl and the concomitant extension of the law programme content – BCom (Economy and Law) and LLB – via the full-time campus model in 2026. Other future highlights include the further development of postgraduate programmes in the faculty, which will eventually also include other master’s programmes and an LLD.

* Those who already wish to start with the LLM through research programme as early as 2025, can send an e-mail to obtain more information regarding the application and concomitant selection process.