If your ambition is to become a lawyer in Sri lanka . Of course you can achieve your Law Degree through different ways.
How to become a lawyer in Sri lanka? It’s a common question most of us have in our mind.
If you missed your chance to enter Law Faculty through A/L Examinations . Then there are two recommended ways to grab your dream.
- Sri Lanka Law College Admission.
- Open University of Sri Lanka Bachelor of Law Degree Programme.
Here we look into Open University of Sri Lanka Bachelor of Law Degree Programme details
Introduction to Open University
The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) is an academically autonomous national university in Sri Lanka.
It provides higher education through distance learning.
Any person over the age of 18 years may pursue programmes of study at OUSL. It offers an opportunity for those who have missed opportunities to follow a programme of study to do so at a later stage in their life.
At present Open University has nine Regional Centres
- Colombo
- Kandy
- Matara
- Anuradhapura
- Jaffna
- Batticaloa
- Badulla
- Kurunegala
- Ratnapura
as well as several Study Centres in the various districts.
The University has six Faculties namely
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering Technology
- Faculty of Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Management Studies
These Faculties offer different study programmes ranging from certificates to postgraduate degrees and higher degrees.
Study System in OUSL
The OUSL adopts an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) method as the mode of teaching and learning.
ODL methods use a wide variety of technologies to bridge the divide that is created by the physical separation of learners from the teachers and the educational institution.
The following study methods are used in the ODL system to deliver its courses.
Assignments and Examination
Students’ performance is evaluated throughout the course of studies. They are required to sit several tests and submit a number of assignments throughout the academic year.
He/She should read all instructions relating to Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs) and should understand their academic importance.
The Department may decide on the nature, structure, weight-age and number of tests/assignments per course and it may vary from course to course and year to year.
Students should sit the required number of Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs) and a Final Examination for each course.
The Overall Mark of a course is determined by combination of Overall Continuous Assessment Marks (OCAM) obtained through tests/assignments and final examinations.
CATs are an important component of the examination system in the Open University and obtaining marks at CATs is essential for successful completion of a course.
OUSL Bachelor of Laws / LLB Degree Programme
The Department of Legal Studies has been offering an LL.B Degree since 1984 .It is the only university in Sri Lanka which offers an LL.B Degree in the Open and Distance Learning mode (ODL).
The aims of the programme are to produce law graduates who understand the functioning of the law and the legal system in the socio-political and economic context of Sri Lanka.
Admission Requirements
Applicants who wish to apply to the programme are required to:
- Have four passes at the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) Examination (under the old syllabus which has four subjects) of which at least three passes should have been obtained at one and the same sitting, or, LL. B DEGREE PROGRAMME
- Have three (03) passes at one and the same sitting at the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) Examination in Sri Lanka in any stream, or
- Have completed thirty (30) course credits at SLQF level 2 or above from any Programme offered by the Open University of Sri Lanka, or
- Be an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka; or
- Have an equivalent or higher qualification acceptable to the Senate
Attorneys-at-Law will be exempted from the admission test and from Level 3 of the programme and may seek direct entry into Level 4. However, Attorneys-at-Law should note that this year the programme will be offered only at Level 3 (1st year). Therefore if they wish to register directly in Level 4 (2nd year) they should wait until next year.
Source : Open University of Sri Lanka website
Selection Exam
The selection test will be conducted by the Department of Examinations and they will inform you about the Examination Centre and other details.
Attorneys-at-Law no need to sit for the Selection Exam
The structure of the Selection Exam would be as follows
• Comprehension Test in Sinhala/Tamil (1 ½ hours)
• English Language (1 ½ hours)
• General Intelligence (1 hour)
Each component will carry 100 marks and a candidate will have to obtain a minimum of 25% for each component in order to be considered for admission.
who have scored the highest marks out of 300 will be admitted to the programme.
This number will be selected on an all Island merit basis.
Please note that obtaining the required marks in each component alone will not guarantee admission to the programme.
Important Faactorr to be noticed
After the selection you can follow the course in the above mentioned Regional Centers.
Medium of Programme
- The medium of instruction of the LL. B Degree Programme will be English.
- However, the medium of instruction for law courses in Level 3 will be Sinhala, Tamil and English.
- Course materials and other supplementary study materials will be provided only in the English medium.
Duration of LLB Programme
The programme will be of four years duration. An academic year of the LL.B Degree Programme consists of two semesters.
A student is required to complete the LL. B Degree Program within a maximum of twelve (12) academic years from the date of her/his first registration.
Curriculum of the LL.B Degree Programme.
The Course has 4 years as follow and each level has two semesters.
- 1st Year – LEVEL 3
- 2nd Year – LEVEL 4
- 3rd Year – LEVEL 5
- 4th Year – LEVEL 6
Programme Contents
- Constitutional Law
- Principles of Equity
- Introduction to the Laws of Sri Lanka
- Legal Method
- Law of Contracts
- Criminal Law
- Family Law
- Administrative Law
- Land Law
- Environmental Law
- Public International Law
- Jurisprudence
- Labour Law
- Commercial Law
- Human Rights Law
- Law of Delict
After the Graduation from Open University of Sri lanka . You have to finish Attorney at Law to practice in Courts
If you have dedication and determination in your studies you can also be Lawyer through Open University of Sri Lanka but it’s mostly preferable for Who are already in a career and look for law as a passion.
For students who have recently finished the A/L you should look for a career first and carry this degree as second option because it’s a weekend based and distance learning education. It will take duration more than we expect.
So I personally recommend this a useful degree course for a person already in a career, If you are fresh A/L Pass out you can too apply for it but find a proper career until you finish this Course.
