Faculty of Law

Introduction

The University of Malawi's Faculty of Law is the only institution in Malawi that offers degrees of transferable recognition. 

The Faculty of Law was established in 1968.  It now offers an honours degree in Law – LLB (Hons) – in four years.  Only students who have already completed one year of a general education at any College of the University, or at some other approved university are eligible candidates for the programme. The Faculty also admits applicants into its four year programme if they have a degree or diploma from the University of Malawi or some other recognized university.

History

For almost three decades, the Faculty was severely constrained to produce an optimum number of lawyers per year mainly because the political climate was not conducive.  The first graduates, 4 in number, graduated in 1971.  The Bachelors of Law degree, offered since then until 1979 was awarded to a total 62 graduate, at an average of 8 graduates per year.  The Faculty started awarding Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degrees in 1980.  That was awarded to 101 graduates between 1980 and 1990, an average of 9 graduates per year.  In the three years between 1991
Number of Graduates

 Faculty of Law
Year Avg Total

1971-1979

8 62
1980-1990 9 101
1991-1993 11 33
1994-2001 15.6 109
2002**    35
2003**   24
2004**   48
**expected

 and 1994, the degree was awarded to 33 graduates.   Since 1994, 109 graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from the Faculty, an average of just 13 graduates per year.  Only 1 candidate has obtained a masters degree, in 1983.  There is much gender imbalance in the number of graduates.  Out of the the 305 graduates, only 12%, 37 female.   As the Faculty attempts to increase its contribution to the training of legal personnel, deliberate efforts have been taken especially since 1998 to increase the number of female lawyers in the country.  In 2001, for example, female students constituted 30% of the 136 graduates.

Strategic Plan

A Strategic plan has been developed to guide the development and work of the Faculty in the next five years.  The Plan uses the strengths and potential of the faculty to address constraints and attain goals.  The Document is in six parts:

  • Introduction

  • The process used to devise the plan. 

  • The Mission statement.

  • The strategic framework.

  • The agenda for action, specific activities, timeframes and responsibilities.

  • An estimated costing of the activities in the agenda for action. 

This document can be made available from the Dean of the Faculty.