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The School of Law

The school of Law, under College of Law and Governance, is one of the prominent public law schools in Ethiopia. The school was established in 2002.Since then, the School extended its academic programs to all modalities (Regular, Summer and Weekend). With this, the School has been working to make legal education more accessible to law professionals and others who are unable to get the opportunity to study in the regular program. One Undergraduate and 3 postgraduate (LLM) programs are active now. Currently, the school is teaching over 7000 students in the regular, weekend and continuous and summer program.

The school is also well known in offering free legal service for the surrounding community. By establishing and enhancing Hawassa University Journal of Law, the school is significantly disseminating its staffs’ and others research works.

Programs under the School of Law

Join us and make your career a better.

Undergraduate Programs

LLB in Law

LLB (Bachelor of Laws) is an undergraduate degree that provides a comprehensive foundation in legal principles, laws, and legal systems. It typically covers areas like constitutional law, criminal law, contract law, property law, and human rights, preparing students for legal practice, studies, or related fields. It is started in 2003/2004 and the time to complete the program is 5 year for regular and six year for the extension modalities.

Graduate Profiles

Aspiring lawyers and legal practitioners
Legal advisors and consultants
Legal researchers and academics
Policy analysts and government legal officers
Corporate legal professionals
Human rights advocates
Paralegals and legal assistants

Potential Employers

Law firms and legal practices
Government ministries and agencies
Courts and judicial bodies
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and advocacy groups
Corporate legal departments
International organizations & institutions
Academic and educational institutions

Postgraduate (LLM)

LLM in Criminal Justice

Graduate Profile

Given the objectives of the program, it is expected that the graduates will be trained lawyers who are equipped with the contemporary legal knowledge in the area of criminal justice and can analyze and formulate legal policy and undertake teaching, research, and high-level professional positions and advisory services.

Potential Employers and roles to be filled by the graduates

Graduates with a master's degree in criminal law have various career paths in the legal and criminal justice fields, including:

Criminal Defense Attorney: Defending clients accused of crimes.
Prosecutor or District Attorney: Prosecution of criminal cases on behalf of the state.
Legal Advisor or Consultant in Criminal Matters: Providing expertise to law firms, NGOs, or government agencies.
Crime Analyst or Investigator: Assisting law enforcement agencies with case analysis and investigations.
Policy Advocate or Legal Auditor: Working on criminal justice reform policies.
Legal Researcher or Scholar: Conducting research or teaching at universities.
Court Officer or Magistrate: Presiding over hearings or assisting in judicial processes.
Correctional or Rehabilitation Specialist: Working within correctional institutions or in offender rehabilitation programs

LLM in Land and Environmental Law

The program is opened in September 2015. It is designed to train Law graduates in the specialized field of ‘Land and Environment’ so that they can act as experts in the field and assist or run the bureaucracy of the state. Is intended to widen the students’ understanding of the rules and principles of land use and administration, Investment laws & Policy, and environment protection. And also enable students to acquire an in-depth understanding of domestic and international land law and Policy, Environmental law, Investment law, policies and principles and to some extent environmental governance, procedures, land use and administration ethos and so on. Thereby advancing students level of understanding to evaluate and analyze cross-cutting issues on land, investment and environmental rights.

Students are expected to complete the program in two years for regular and in 3 years for extension modalities.

Graduate Profile

The Graduates can explain, analyze and evaluate the international and domestic rules and principles designed to govern Land, environmental law and Investment matters, mainly land use & administration issues vis-à-vis Investment concerns.
They are able to identify problems and gaps in the existing body of land and environmental laws and policy, investment regime and come up with workable solutions.
Graduates will also understand and evaluate the trade-off between land and environment governance and investment matters.
They shall be in a position to analyze and evaluate Investment, environment and land issues in the framework of sustainable development.
Further, they can possess the knowledge and skills required to conduct research in a professional manner.

Roles the graduates might fill:

Environmental Lawyer or Legal Advisor
Land Use and Zoning Specialist
Environmental Policy Analyst
Land Rights Advocate
Environmental Compliance Officer
Sustainability Consultant
Policy Developer or Advisor
Legal researcher in environmental and land issues

Potential Employers

Government Agencies: Environmental protection agencies, land management departments, urban planning authorities, and policy-making bodies.
Legal Firms & Consulting Agencies: Specializing in environmental law, land use, real estate, or sustainable development.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Focused on environmental advocacy, conservation, or land rights.
International Organizations: Such as the UN or WHO, working on environmental policies or land use projects.
Private Sector: Real estate developers, construction companies, renewable energy firms, or resource extraction companies needing compliance and legal guidance.
Academic & Research Institutions: Teaching or conducting research in environmental and land law.
Environmental & Land Use Planning Departments: Urban planning, conservation agencies, or sustainability consultancies.

LLM in Commercial Law

This Master’s program is launched in 2012. It is aimed at providing experts in commercial law so as to satisfy the demand for business lawyers, who can understand and implement the new policies of the country, extend consultancy services in the formulation of legal policy and research and teach at higher education institutions.

Students are expected to complete the program in two years for regular and in 3 years for extension modalities.

Graduate Profile

Given the objectives of the Program, it is expected that the graduates will be trained lawyers who are equipped with the current legal knowledge in their area of business law specialization and can analyze and formulate legal policy and undertake teaching, research, and high-level professional advisory services. Graduates will also understand the trade-off between trade regulations and environmental protection.

Potential Employers and Roles graduates might fill

Employees with a master's degree in commercial law can work in various roles across sectors such as finance, corporate, legal firms, government, and NGOs. Potential positions include:

Legal Advisor or Commercial Lawyer: Providing legal guidance on commercial transactions, contracts, and business regulations.
In-House Counsel: Working within companies to handle legal issues related to commerce, mergers, acquisitions, and compliance.
Compliance Officer: Ensuring company adherence to commercial laws and regulations.
Contract Manager: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and agreements.
Legal Consultant: Advising businesses on regulatory and legal risks related to commercial activities.
Regulatory Affairs Specialist: Navigating legal frameworks affecting industries like finance, import/export, or tech.
Policy Analyst: Developing or analyzing commercial legal policies for governments or research institutions.
Academician or Lecturer: Teaching commercial law at universities or training institutions.