Starting in 2020, the Law Faculty at Stellenbosch University will offer the first postgraduate programmes focusing on public procurement regulation on the African continent. Through its associated African Procurement Law Unit, the Faculty will draw on its high level of expertise in the area of public procurement law – both at a domestic and international level – to provide cutting-edge professional training in one of the most dynamic and fast-developing areas of law globally, with a distinct African focus.
The programmes are aimed specifically at equipping students with the necessary expert knowledge and professional skills to excel in the workforce. The structure of the programmes allows students to complete postgraduate studies with a focus on professional procurement law practice and gain additional professional skills, including focused research and communications skills, specific to procurement legal practice.
Overview
The two new programmes are the
- Master of Laws in Public Procurement Policy and Regulation – LLM (Public Procurement Policy and Regulation); and
- Postgraduate Diploma in Public Procurement Policy and Regulation – PGDip (Public Procurement Policy and Regulation).
The LLM programme is aimed at those who already have an undergraduate qualification in law (LLB degree), while the PGDip programme is aimed at any person with a relevant undergraduate degree at NQF level 7, other than law.
The specific purpose of the LLM programme is to train specialized public officials and private professionals in public procurement law who can contribute to the development of public procurement law at an advanced level and practice in the broad field of supply chain management as specialists in the regulation of the procurement function. The LLM (Public Procurement Policy and Regulation) will instruct students on the various areas of practice in public procurement and focus on the issues of legal application, domestic, foreign and international law by studying various instruments (local, foreign and international) aimed at regulating public procurement.
The specific purpose of the PGDip programme is to establish/deepen the student’s knowledge of Public Procurement Law and enable working professionals to support their own enterprise and/or strengthen their existing skillset, to expose non-legal students 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 PGDip (Public Procurement Policy and Regulation) will instruct students on the various areas of practice in public procurement law and focus on the issues of legal application in South Africa and abroad, by studying various instruments for the regulation of public procurement.
The programmes will be delivered largely on a non-residential basis, with students only attending contact sessions during specific block periods each semester at the Stellenbosch campus. During the remainder of the semester, learning will be facilitated online.
The programmes consist of four modules – two compulsory modules and two elective modules. Students may complete the programmes over one or two years of study and may register for either one or two modules per semester. Full-time students are encouraged to complete the programmes in one year, while part-time students are advised to complete the programmes over two years, taking one module per semester.
The LLM programme has an additional research portfolio component, which students must complete during the course of their studies in an integrated manner (see further details under programme structure below).
Admission
To be admitted to the LLM programme, students must have:
- an LLB degree or any other bachelor’s degree in Law (excluding the BIuris degree) and
- an average of 60% in the final year of the degree, or
- a comparable achievement in another (for example, foreign) qualification, or
- a level of proficiency or accomplishment in Law which, in the judgement of Senate, is regarded as adequate for this purpose.
To be admitted to the PGDip programme, students must have:
- An undergraduate degree in any field with a minimum average achievement of 60% in the final year of the undergraduate degree or of any postgraduate degree completed;
- Experience in public procurement or supply chain management; and
- Successful completion of an online short course on introduction to public procurement law studies (see more on the short course below).
Only a limited number of students will be admitted into each programme for each academic year. During the selection process, the following criteria will be taken into account in selecting candidates:
- achievement in the introduction to procurement law short course (see more on the short course below);
- experience in the field of public procurement law;
- performance in undergraduate law studies; and/or
- based in an African country.
Application to be admitted to either programme must be done via the University’s postgraduate application portal, by clicking on this link. Details on the application procedure and dates can also be found at the link.
Following application on the university’s portal, applicants will be informed of where and when to complete the online introduction to procurement law short course. Applicants thus do NOT have to complete the short course before submitting an application to the university.
English proficiency
International students applying for admission to the LLM or PGDip programme, must submit proof of their current level of proficiency in English (TOEFL or IELTS scores). This requirement does not apply if English is the applicant’s home language or if their prior degree was completed in English.
Programme structure
LLM Programme
The LLM programme consists of the following modules.
Compulsory modules (2):
| Module name | NQF level
of the module |
Credits per module |
| International Legal Regimes on Public Procurement | 9 | 35 |
| Public Procurement Regulation and Policy in South Africa
|
9
|
35
|
Elective modules (2):
| Module name | NQF level
of the module |
Credits per module |
| Policy and Public Procurement Law | 9 | 35 |
| Corruption and Procurement | 9 | 35 |
| Infrastructure Procurement Regulation and Policy in South Africa | 9 | 35 |
| Defence Procurement | 9 | 35 |
| Procurement Law Compliance | 9 | 35 |
Students must complete all the compulsory modules plus two elective modules of their choice. Note that not all elective modules will be offered every semester. Students may register for an elective module at the same time or after having completed at least one of the compulsory modules.
In addition to the four taught modules, students in the LLM programme must also register for the research portfolio module (bearing 45 credits).
The compulsory research portfolio will consist of a number of independent study/research tasks with a professional focus that will flow from each of the individual modules taken. Students will thus compile the research portfolio throughout the course of their studies, rather than as a separate dissertation. Upon completion of the four taught modules (two compulsory and two elective), students will compile all their research work into a coherent whole and complete a final, overarching reflective assignment that will be assessed within the research portfolio module. Students will thus not be required to complete a separate research dissertation.
PGDip Programme
The PGDip programme consists of the following modules.
Compulsory modules (2):
| Module name | NQF level
of the module |
Credits per module |
| International Legal Regimes on Public Procurement | 8 | 30 |
| Public Procurement Regulation and Policy in South Africa
|
8
|
30
|
Elective modules (2):
| Module name | NQF level
of the module |
Credits per module |
| Policy and Public Procurement Law | 8 | 30 |
| Corruption and Procurement | 8 | 30 |
| Infrastructure Procurement Regulation and Policy in South Africa | 8 | 30 |
| Defence Procurement | 8 | 30 |
| Procurement Law Compliance | 8 | 30 |
Students must complete all the compulsory modules plus two elective modules of their choice. Note that not all elective modules will be offered every semester. Students may register for an elective module at the same time or after having completed at least one of the compulsory modules.
Fees
Please click on this link to obtain a fee estimate – under “Programme type”, pick the “Postgraduate (on campus)” option and following the prompts.
Further information
For further information, please contact the Faculty’s postgraduate coordinator, Ms Karin Wiss (karinwiss@sun.ac.za) or the programme coordinator, Prof Geo Quinot (gquinot@sun.ac.za). For information or assistance regarding registration, please contact the Faculty Administrator, Mr Shirle Cornelissen (shirle@sun.ac.za).