Students searching for “LB Unisa modules” are usually looking for information on the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme at the University of South Africa, since many LLB module codes begin with the letters “L” and “B” (such as LCP, LJU, LML, LPL, and LCR). This article breaks down every level of the Unisa LLB, the exact module codes attached to each year, the credit structure, and the pre-requisites students need to plan their registration correctly.
What the Unisa LLB Qualification Involves
The Bachelor of Laws at Unisa carries the qualification code 98680 and sits at NQF level 8. It totals 480 credits, spread across 40 modules, and takes a minimum of four years to complete when studied full-time through distance learning. Of the 40 modules, 37 are compulsory. The remaining 3 are optional: one is chosen at first level from a small group of non-law modules, and two are chosen at fourth level from a longer list of specialised law electives.
Unisa presents the LLB through its College of Law (CLAW), and every module carries 12 credits regardless of level. This means each of the four levels (first, second, third, and fourth) totals 120 credits, and a student must clear all 120 credits at a given level before qualifying to graduate, even if some modules from a higher level have already been passed.
Students may not register for more than 120 credits per academic year or 60 credits per semester. Because of this credit cap, most students work through the degree level by level rather than jumping ahead into third- or fourth-level modules early, even where the system might technically allow it once pre-requisites are met.
First Level LLB Modules
The first level introduces students to the foundations of South African law, academic writing for legal study, and general legal reasoning. It does not yet include the specialised “LCP”, “LJU”, or “LML” coded modules — those appear only from the third and fourth levels. First-level modules use codes ending in 1501 or 1502.
| Module Code | Module Name |
|---|---|
| AFL1501 | Language Through an African Lens |
| FAC1503 | Financial Accounting Principles for Law Practitioners |
| HFL1501 | Historical Foundations of South African Law |
| ILW1501 | Introduction to Law |
| IRM1501 | Introduction to Research Methodology for Law and Criminal Justice |
| PLS1502 | Introduction to African Philosophy |
| PVL1501 | Law of Persons |
| SCL1501 | Skills Course for Law Students |
| SJD1501 | Social Dimensions of Justice |
In addition to these nine compulsory modules, students choose one non-law module from a small group at NQF level 5. The options are Introduction to Criminology (CMY1501 or CMY1502) or Multilingualism: the Role of Language in the South African Context (LIN1502).
Two modules must be registered for in the very first year regardless of how a student structures the rest of the qualification: ILW1501 (Introduction to Law) and SCL1501 (Skills Course for Law Students). Certain exemptions apply for students who already hold relevant qualifications — for example, those who completed Afrikaans or English at NQF level 5 do not need to register for SCL1501, and students who passed SCL1502 or ENN106J are exempted from IRM1501.
Second Level LLB Modules
Second level carries 120 credits across ten modules, all coded with a “2601” or “2602” suffix. Unisa recommends a specific registration order to keep pre-requisites aligned: ADL2601, CRW2601, CSL2601, IND2601, and MRL2601 in the first semester, followed by CRW2602, FUR2601, IOS2601, PVL2601, and PVL2602 in the second semester.
| Module Code | Module Name | Pre-requisite |
|---|---|---|
| ADL2601 | Administrative Law | ILW1501 & SJD1501 |
| CRW2601 | General Principles of Criminal Law | ILW1501 & SJD1501 |
| CRW2602 | Criminal Law: Specific Crimes | ILW1501 & SJD1501 |
| CSL2601 | Constitutional Law | ILW1501 & PLS1502 |
| FUR2601 | Fundamental Rights | ILW1501 & PLS1502 |
| IND2601 | African Customary Law | ILW1501 & PLS1502 |
| IOS2601 | Interpretation of Statutes | ILW1501 |
| MRL2601 | Entrepreneurial Law | ILW1501 |
| PVL2601 | Family Law | ILW1501 & PVL1501 |
| PVL2602 | Law of Succession | ILW1501 & PVL1501 |
At this stage, the degree moves from general legal principles into distinct fields such as criminal law, constitutional law, family law, and administrative law. Students who previously passed CIP2601 or CMP2601 under an older curriculum retain that credit but need to check the third-level rules regarding CIP3701 or CMP3701 before continuing.
Third Level LLB Modules
Third level introduces procedural law alongside the private-law subjects that form the backbone of legal practice: contract, delict, and property. The recommended registration order places MRL3701, MRL3702, PVL3701, PVL3702, and PVL3703 in the first semester, with PVL3704, CIV3701, CPR3701, LEV3701, and LME3701 in the second semester.
| Module Code | Module Name | Pre-requisite |
|---|---|---|
| CIV3701 | Civil Procedure | SJD1501 & ADL2601 |
| CPR3701 | Criminal Procedure | SJD1501, PLS1502 & CSL2601 |
| LEV3701 | Law of Evidence | SJD1501 & CRW2601 (varies by qualification code) |
| LME3701 | Legal Research Methodology | IRM1501, CSL2601 & FUR2601 |
| MRL3701 | Insolvency Law | MRL2601 |
| MRL3702 | Labour Law | ADL2601 |
| PVL3701 | Law of Property | PVL2601 & PVL2602 |
| PVL3702 | Law of Contract | PVL2601 & PVL2602 |
| PVL3703 | Law of Delict | PVL2601 & PVL2602 |
| PVL3704 | Enrichment Liability and Estoppel | PVL2601 & PVL2602 |
LME3701 (Legal Research Methodology) matters beyond its own credits, because it becomes a pre-requisite for almost every fourth-level module. Students should prioritise passing it early in third level rather than leaving it for last, since delaying it can hold back registration for the entire final year.
Fourth Level LLB Modules — Where the “LB”-Coded Modules Appear
This is the level where the module codes that most closely resemble “LB” actually appear: LCP, LJU, LML, LPL, and LCR. These prefixes stand for different subject clusters within the College of Law rather than a single “LB” designation, but they explain why students searching loosely for “LB Unisa modules” usually mean this stage of the LLB.
Eight modules at fourth level are compulsory:
| Module Code | Module Name | Pre-requisite |
|---|---|---|
| LCP4801 | International Law | CSL2601 & LME3701 |
| LCP4804 | Advanced Indigenous Law | LME3701 & IND2601 |
| LJU4801 | Legal Philosophy | CSL2601 & LME3701 |
| LJU4802 | Professional Ethics | LME3701 |
| LML4806 | Company Law | LME3701, MRL2601, PVL3702 & PVL3703 |
| LPL4802 | Law of Damages | LME3701, PVL3702 & PVL3703 |
| RRLLB81 | LLB Research Report | LME3701 |
| TLI4801 | Techniques in Trial and Litigation | CIV3701, CPR3701 & LEV3701 |
Beyond these eight, students choose two elective modules from a longer list of NQF level 8 options. These electives allow specialisation and include subjects such as:
- LCP4805 – Environmental Law
- LCP4807 – International Human Rights Law
- LCP4809 – Education Law
- LCR4802 – Medical Law
- LCR4803 – Media Law
- LCR4805 – Selected Private and Criminal Law Principles of the Internet
- LJU4804 – Private International Law
- LML4801 – Patent and Copyright Law
- LML4802 – The Law of Competition and Trademarks
- LML4804 – Tax Law
- LML4805 – Insurance Law
- LML4807 – Banking Law and Usage
- LML4810 – Legal Aspects of Electronic Commerce
- LPL4801 – Law of Sale and Lease
- LPL4804 – Conveyancing
- LPL4805 – Notarial Practice
Each elective carries its own pre-requisites tied to earlier compulsory modules, so a student’s choice of electives is partly shaped by what has already been completed. For example, LPL4804 (Conveyancing) and LPL4805 (Notarial Practice) both require PVL3701 (Law of Property), while LML4804 (Tax Law) requires both PVL3702 (Law of Contract) and PVL3703 (Law of Delict).
Students who previously passed HMLLB80 under an older curriculum are exempted from LME3701 and are not required to register for RRLLB81, but must instead choose an additional elective to reach the 480-credit total.
Registration Rules Students Must Understand
A few structural rules govern how these modules are registered, regardless of which level a student is on:
- Co-requisites mean two modules must be registered together in the same period; cancelling one requires cancelling the other.
- Pre-requisites mean a module must be passed before the next one in the sequence can be registered.
- Students may register for a maximum of 120 credits per academic year, or 60 credits per semester.
- Semester modules typically require 6 to 8 study hours per week, while year modules require 4 to 6 hours per week.
- Students who have already passed equivalent phased-out modules retain that credit but are not automatically exempted from every related requirement — this depends on the specific qualification code under which the credit was earned.
Comparison of the Four LLB Levels
| Level | Total Credits | Number of Modules | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| First level | 120 | 9 compulsory + 1 elective | Legal foundations, research skills, legal writing |
| Second level | 120 | 10 compulsory | Criminal law, constitutional law, family law, administrative law |
| Third level | 120 | 10 compulsory | Contract, delict, property, procedure, research methodology |
| Fourth level | 120 | 8 compulsory + 2 electives | International law, ethics, company law, specialised electives |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does “LB” refer to a specific Unisa module code?
No single module code is simply “LB”. The term is most often a shortened or misspelled way of referring to the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) qualification, whose module codes at the final level include prefixes such as LCP, LJU, LML, LPL, and LCR.
How many modules make up the Unisa LLB?
40 modules in total: 37 compulsory and 3 optional (one at first level, two at fourth level), adding up to 480 credits.
Which two modules must be registered for in the first year?
ILW1501 (Introduction to Law) and SCL1501 (Skills Course for Law Students) must be taken in a student’s first year of registration, regardless of how the rest of the degree is planned.
Which module is a pre-requisite for most fourth-level subjects?
LME3701 (Legal Research Methodology), completed at third level, is a pre-requisite for the majority of fourth-level compulsory modules and electives.
Can a student choose any two electives at fourth level?
Only within the pre-requisites each elective requires. A student’s earlier module choices at second and third level determine which fourth-level electives they qualify to register for.