A BA Law (also written BA in Law) is a humanities degree that includes law modules. Entry requirements are set by each university and change with the intake, so there is no single national BA Law requirement. It is also not an LLB: on its own it does not qualify you to practise.
At the University of Johannesburg, the BA Law criteria are published as an APS together with minimum levels for English, an additional language, and either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy. Check the current figures on UJ’s undergraduate admissions pages before you apply, and see our UJ law requirements guide.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
Most BA Law offerings assess the following, so use this as a checklist and confirm the exact levels with the university:
- A National Senior Certificate (or equivalent) that meets the bachelor degree requirements
- A minimum APS set by the university for the intake year
- A minimum level in English, the language of teaching
- A minimum level in an additional language
- Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, usually at different minimum levels (the university states which it accepts)
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
The academic bar differs by institution. UJ’s BA Law criteria list Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy as alternatives, so one of the two is expected rather than neither. This is the practical difference from a BCom Law, where Mathematics is the usual requirement; confirm which applies to the university you are targeting.
Unisa, the distance-learning option, publishes its own BA streams that include Private Law, with separate admission criteria and a different status (open or closed) for each stream. Check the stream you want on Unisa’s qualification pages before applying.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
This section answers the common “BA law subjects” and “BA law degree subjects” searches. For school subjects, the levels that matter are English, an additional language, and Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy. We have not stated UJ’s exact APS and levels here because they must be read from the live admissions page for your intake year.
For the subjects you study inside the degree, a BA Law pairs law modules with humanities subjects such as languages or politics. Module lists and the exact subject combinations (“BA law courses” and “BA law modules”) differ by university, and we have not found an official module list to quote, so use the faculty handbook of your university.
Documents and Application Requirements
The documents you must upload are listed on the university’s application page and differ by institution and intake; school results and proof of identity are standard for most applications, but confirm the full list. Requirements and deadlines are set per university and per intake. Apply through the university’s own online application and confirm the closing date for your intake on its website; this page does not give a date.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place, because universities select within the published criteria. The BA Law is mainly a route toward the LLB. Unisa’s LLB page lists a BA Law degree from a registered institution among its LLB admission routes, and the Wits LLB page describes a two-year LLB for Wits BA (Law) and BCom (Law) graduates, subject to assessment and available places.
To practise, you need an LLB from a registered South African university: a course of not less than four years, or not less than five years if the LLB is preceded by another bachelor’s degree, followed by practical vocational training and a competency-based assessment under the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is BA Law?
It is a bachelor of arts degree that includes law modules alongside humanities subjects. It builds legal knowledge but is not the LLB that leads to admission as a legal practitioner.
What are the BA Law requirements in South Africa?
They are set by each university. Typically you need a bachelor-pass NSC, an APS, and minimum levels in English, an additional language and Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy. UJ and Unisa offer BA Law-type programmes with different criteria, so confirm with the one you choose.
Can I study BA Law with Mathematical Literacy?
At UJ the published BA Law criteria allow Mathematical Literacy as an alternative to Mathematics, at its own minimum level. Other universities differ, so check their criteria for the intake year.
Does a BA Law let me practise?
No. Practising requires an LLB plus practical vocational training and an assessment. A BA Law can shorten the route to an LLB at some universities.
How long does it take to reach the LLB this way?
It depends on the university. Wits describes a two-year LLB for its own BA (Law) and BCom (Law) graduates. Check the faculty page for the duration of BA Law itself.
Can I do BA Law part time?
No official part-time option is stated for BA Law. Unisa offers distance study; ask the university whether a part-time or distance option exists for your stream.
What do I combine it with?
Unisa’s BA streams that include Private Law pair it with humanities subjects such as politics, languages and development studies. Other universities set their own combinations.
Confirm all figures with the university you are applying to. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.