HIGHER CERTIFICATE IN LEGAL STUDIES

Why study Higher Certificate in Legal Studies?

For those with the skills, drive and initiative, the legal work environment is a place of great opportunity and reward. This higher certificate develops and provides students with a broad range of foundational legal skills including communication, various aspects of South African law and legal office management.

The IIE Higher Certificate in Legal Studies is a one-year programme and consists of 8 modules at 15 credits each. The modules are delivered on a full-time basis with lectures from Monday to Friday. The IIE Higher Certificate in Legal Studies is run over two semesters, with final assessments being written at the end of each semester. In addition to attending lectures, you will be expected to spend time conducting your own research and working on assignments.

A Higher Certificate in Legal Studies can be used to achieve diverse objectives. These include (i) A Bridging Course – for students who wish to venture into a legal studies qualification in law such as the IIE Bachelor of Commerce in Law but do not have sufficient entry points to do so, a Higher Certificate in Legal Studies is a great alternative. With this qualification, a student creates a well based legal education profile that demonstrates literacy progression. Students who start with a foundational course to a tertiary qualification have been found to have better success rates of completion than students who sometimes start at a higher level (ii) Literacy Progression – A Higher Certificate in Legal Studies enhances one’s understanding of legal concepts and how to apply those legal concepts to hypothetical situations that can materialize to practical situations and (iii) Diversifying and Growing a Prestigious Profile – adding a skill set of legal literacy to one’s corporate profile through the course is an invaluable career move. Law is an integral part of everyday life and any person with literacy of law that exceeds that of a lay person is a benefit to employers. Entrepreneurs also increase chances of success of the ventures through legal literacy.

Where some qualifications would only teach module content, the IIE Higher Certificate in Legal Studies will enhance a student’s skills of communication, numeracy, research skills as well as legal-office support skills. The enhancement of these skills is of exceptional value given the drive towards improvement of communication skills and support skills in corporate South Africa. The IIE Higher Certificate in Legal studies is not exclusive to people searching for qualifications to self-advance only. This qualification is highly recommended to corporate organisations that aspire to refine the skill and service delivery of their staff within the organisation. Join IIE MSA to realise your best and unmatched capabilities.

Career opportunities

• Attorney’s assistant
• Legal secretary
• Paralegal assistant
• General law-office assistant
• Front office manager of a legal firm
• Legal research assistant
• Clerk in the Magistrate’s Court
• Clerk of the Court 
• Maintenance Clerk 
• Maintenance Investigator 
• Court Stenographer 
• Legal Clerk