University of Cape Town, South Africa
Cornell Law School can send up to four students to the University of Cape Town Faculty of Law (UCT) each academic year.
Language of Instruction:
English
Location:
Tracing its origins to 1829, UCT is South Africa’s oldest university and the UCT Faculty of Law is also the oldest in the country, dating from 1859. Quoting its web site:
“UCT has one of the most diverse campuses in South Africa - of its 20,000 strong student body, half are black and just under half are women. UCT's main campus is set on the slopes of Devil's Peak on the Cape Peninsula, one of the southern-most points in Africa. UCT is an integral part of the city of Cape Town, a world-renowned tourist destination. The University's community is a microcosm of the ‘Mother City's’ vibrant cosmopolitan life, offering a rich variety of cultural pursuits and outdoor activities.”
“Over the years, UCT has built up and maintained a tradition of academic excellence, which has been recognised worldwide. UCT's outstanding record in teaching and research is responsible for attracting talented students from all over the world. Currently UCT is host to over 3000 international students from over 90 different countries.”
”One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Cape Town has it all. With beaches, mountains and forests on your doorstep, Cape Town is an historic, cosmopolitan city with a vibrant contemporary culture of music and art, as well as a host of sport and leisure activities.”
Academic Calendar:
As a Southern Hemisphere school, UCT’s academic calendar differs significantly from the one at Cornell. For the upcoming academic years, it is:
Semester 1, 2008:
18 February - 13 June, 2008
Semester 2, 2008:
21 July - 12 December, 2008
Semester 1, 2009:
16 February - 12 June, 2009
Semester 2, 2009:
27 July - 18 December, 2009
Cornell students should note that, with these semester dates, special arrangements would have to be made if a slightly early departure from Semester 1 to attend a bar review, or a clerkship, or a slightly late arrival for Semester 2 from summer clerkship obligations, where necessary.
Sample Courses:
Cornell J.D. students should expect to take two six-credit LL.M.-level courses at UCT. For a description of exchange student courses and course loads at UCT, please see pages 78 of the law school's handbook; for LL.M. courses, see pp. 101 et seq.: http://www.uct.ac.za/downloads/uct.ac.za/apply/handbooks/fac_law.pdf
Twelve UCT credits equal 12 Cornell credits.
Further Information:
For more specific information about the UCT Faculty of Law, including information designed for exchange students and links to the main UCT web pages, please visit: http://web.uct.ac.za/law/
