New qualification connects legal study with technology and entrepreneurial thinking
REGENT Business School has announced the launch of its Bachelor of Laws (LLB), with the first intake planned for January 2027. Offered through the School of Law and Administration, the qualification combines a foundation in law with an emphasis on technology, immersive learning and entrepreneurial thinking.
The four-year undergraduate degree carries 480 credits and is registered on the National Qualifications Framework at NQF Level 8 under South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) ID 125424. It is designed to develop a broad understanding of South African law and its relationship with international legal frameworks.
“Legal education must prepare graduates to engage with a changing profession and recognise opportunities across business and society. Our ambition is to bring rigorous legal study together with technological awareness and entrepreneurial thinking. We see employability as encompassing both the ability to contribute within an organisation and the initiative to create opportunities. Sound legal reasoning and ethical responsibility remain the foundation,” says Dr Shahiem Patel, Dean of REGENT Business School.
A Comprehensive Legal Curriculum for a Changing Profession
The curriculum covers core areas including constitutional law, criminal law, contract law, property law and human rights. Students will also engage with labour law, corporate law, cyber law and administrative law, developing an understanding of how legal principles apply across private, public and commercial settings.
Connecting Law, Technology and Entrepreneurial Thinking
A key focus is the relationship between law and technology. Informed by REGENT’s emphasis on artificial intelligence and the practical learning ethos of its iLeadLAB, the programme’s vision encourages students to explore how emerging tools can support legal work, alongside the judgement needed to question their outputs and use them responsibly.
Economics, business communication and finance for legal practice give this approach a business context. REGENT also aims to encourage an entrepreneurial outlook, helping students recognise unmet needs and explore how legal knowledge can support new ventures or improve existing organisations. This broadens the programme’s view of employability to include the capacity to create opportunities and contribute to enterprise development.
Immersive Learning and Practical Legal Skills Development
“Immersive learning can make the demands of legal work tangible. Preparing an argument, presenting a position and responding to questions require students to draw on both their knowledge and their judgement. Our aim is to connect these experiences so that students develop the confidence to apply legal principles thoughtfully and communicate their reasoning clearly,” says Dr Daniel Govender, Academic Head of the School of Law and Administration.
REGENT envisages moot court activities as part of a broader approach to applied learning, connected with legal research and writing, procedural law and realistic professional scenarios. The intention is to bring these experiences together to develop practical skills in drafting and advocacy while encouraging critical engagement with constitutional values and access to justice.
Exploring Specialised Areas of Law Through Electives
In their final year, students select two electives from options including global commercial law, maritime law, tax law, intellectual property law, personal law systems, and Islamic finance and banking law. This allows them to explore areas of interest alongside their compulsory studies.
Career Pathways and Professional Opportunities for LLB Graduates
The LLB provides an academic foundation for graduates who wish to pursue further professional legal training. Its emphasis on research, interpretation and sound judgement is also relevant to careers in compliance, corporate governance, policy development and public administration. Graduates may pursue postgraduate study, subject to the admission requirements of the relevant institution.
The LLB is a pathway towards a career as an attorney or an advocate. Upon completion and in pursuit of such careers, graduates would need to meet the requirements associated with the legal profession. This may include further professional training, assessments, admission and enrolment requirements as set out by entities like the Legal Practice Council which regulates the profession.
