Bachelor of Laws (LLB)

Course Rationale

Society is dynamic and new issues emerge that require urgent response. There is therefore high demand for specialized and internationally responsive Legal Education. However, current law programs offered by various legal training institutions do not address these issues sufficiently. Thus the establishment of the School of Law at Mount Kenya University is a response to a felt need. This need covers the emerging trends in various aspects of life. Following a needs assessment exercise that involved the input of various stakeholders the following key areas were identified: inadequacy in research training; lack of training in legislative drafting, law reform, and election law.

Why study the programme

1. Apply legal theory, principles and rules in political, social and economic contexts;
2. Demonstrate skills in legal research, logical argumentation, vigorous analysis of legal principles and courtroom techniques;
3.  Analyze the challenges facing Africa and the role of the legal profession in addressing them;
4. Formulate and defend a robust and thoughtful code of professional conduct consistent with the guidelines of the profession and their religious and/or moral values system(s);
5. Compare and evaluate the relative merits of different legal and policy arguments as articulated in case law and legal scholarship;
6. Communicate effectively using appropriate legal terminologies and also be able to discuss legal materials— statutes, cases, academic papers, court summaries— which are written in legal technical language;
7.  Conduct effective legal research which contributes and enhances legal knowledge base

Programme Objectives

1. To expose students to the multifaceted nature of the development process and arouse their intellectual and practical interest in the phenomena of nation building, fidelity to the law and its institutions and so develop responsibility for the national heritage.
2. To introduce students to the social foundations and perspectives of the law.
3. To inculcate in students sufficient technical skills for the extraction and communication of legal information to make their intellectual and professional lives exciting and fulfilling.
4. To introduce students to the international legal order, its various manifestations and relationships with the municipal legal systems.
5. To encourage academic dynamism through research, publications and exchange of ideas
6. To initiate exchange programs with local and international institutions
7. To program the clinical seminars as an opportunity for conducting practical research and sharing findings

Entry Requirements

1. Be a holder of KCSE (or equivalent examination) certificate with a minimum aggregate of C+ and a minimum of B in English;                           Or
2. Be a holder of the Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE) or equivalent certificate with a minimum of two principal passes and one subsidiary pass, and a minimum of a credit pass in English in the Kenya Certificate of Education (KCE);            Or
3. Be a holder of an undergraduate degree from an institution recognised by the Council of the University;                       Or:
4. Be a holder of a diploma in a relevant discipline from an institution recognised by the Council of the University                                  Or:
5. Be a holder of any other qualification accepted by the Senate of the University as equivalent to any of the above.

Exemptions and credit transfers

1. A maximum of 15 units can be transferred for relevant units covered at degree or diploma level whose attainment is grade B and above.
2. Evidence supporting the application should include certified academic transcripts, certificates and a letter from the relevant registrar or authority
3. Application for credit transfer will not be allowed three (3) weeks after the start of the semester / trimester unless granted permission by the University Senate.
4. The University reserves the right to administer an appropriate test, through the relevant Department in order to determine whether exemption should be granted.

Exemption
The following conditions should be met in seeking an exemption for a particular subject:

1. The applicant shall pay a non-refundable credit transfer/exemption fee as determined by the School Board and approved by the Senate.
2. A formal application on a prescribed form should be lodged with the Dean of School.
3. The application should include justification and documentary support for the exemption to be considered.
4. The applicant must have passed the final examinations for the year in which the subject to be exempted was examined.
5. The School Board may require the applicant to sit an exemption examination.

No exemption shall be granted for professional or clinical subjects.