Overview
Important Updates to Law Programmes (Curriculum and MOE subsidies)From 2026, there will be changes to:
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The Singapore University of Social Sciences School of Law is the Law School for the practice of law. We are an academic institution which prepares our graduates for professional practice in Singapore.
To this end, the SUSS School of Law adopts an innovative yet practical approach to teaching and learning. Key aspects of SUSS School of Law’s practice-oriented and multi-disciplinary education are as follows:
Mastering the academic fundamentals in context and Experiential learning – You will learn the academic fundamentals of the law not merely as a theoretical subject but in the context of their application in practice. In other words, you will be trained to think and to act like a lawyer. You will also be afforded opportunities to apply what you have learnt to real-life situations, including (in particular) in the final year Legal Clerkship Programme.
Multi-disciplinary curriculum – In addition to the core legal courses, you will enrol for relevant subjects from other disciplines. This multi-disciplinary curriculum will better prepare and prime you for the demands of legal practice. You will also have the opportunity to take elective courses from other disciplines or to declare a Minor.
Developing core skills and competencies – In addition to the substantive subjects, you will learn and develop the core skills and competencies which a lawyer should possess. These are not only essential for legal practice today, but also as the law and legal practice evolves. Put another way, these core skills and competencies will ensure that you are not only practice-ready, but also future-ready.
Criminal Law and Family Law are two focus areas for SUSS School of Law. It is a fact that Criminal Law and Family Law affects families, communities, and the society in Singapore: the practitioners are involved in more than just legal issues. As part of the Singapore University of Social Sciences, SUSS School of Law draws on the expertise of the other schools in the university and offers more training and exposure to cross-disciplinary areas – these include sociology, social work, and forensics – to prepare students for legal work that has become increasingly specialised over time. SUSS School of Law aims to be a focal point for the broader eco-system of practitioners, students, government bodies, and non-governmental organisations working in these fields, generating relevant and cross-cutting research in collaboration with similar institutes in Singapore and overseas jurisdictions.
SUSS School of Law is ideal for students who wish to pursue Law studies while balancing career, family, and social responsibilities. Our students come from diverse backgrounds. The exceptional diversity and quality of our student body promise a rewarding and fulfilling learning experience in SUSS School of Law. Our students form lasting friendships and establish strong networks for their future practice.
In summary, as a graduate from SUSS School of Law: You will be practice-ready and future-ready, including in the fields of Criminal Law and Family Law. You will have forged deep personal friendships and professional connections with your fellow students. You will be well-placed to contribute to the profession and to the common good as a lawyer.
Career Prospects
The LLB is a recognised degree under the Legal Profession Act, and provided the student graduates with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.5, he/she will be a 'qualified person' under the Legal Profession Act and will be eligible to sit for Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.
The graduate is qualified to practise law generally, i.e. in any area of law. The graduate will be trained and equipped for professional practice. He/she will also possess the particular knowledge and skills to excel in the fields of Criminal Law and Family Law.
Programme Structure
Students under the Bachelor of Laws programme will need to fulfil 180 credit units.
The LLB degree programme is meant for students with 'A' Level or Diploma qualifications. Students in the LLB programme will take about 4.5 years to complete their studies. LLB students will have the opportunity to: (i) declare a Minor; or, in the alternative: (ii) take up electives from selected areas of law, psychology or social work. An indicative range of the Minor programmes and electives is available for reference below.
All School of Law students are expected to complete their degree within a maximum of 6 years.
Graduates of the LLB programme are required to complete 180 credit units comprising:
- 5 credit units of Introductory Course
- 105 credit units of Legal Knowledge Courses
- 15 credit units of Allied Knowledge (relevant non-law) Courses
- 15 credit units of Professional Courses
- 10 credit units under the Legal Clerkship Programme
- 30 credit units, which the student may fulfil in one of the following ways:
(i) Where the student has declared a Minor, the relevant courses in the Minor programme; or
(ii) Where the student has not declared a Minor, electives drawn from selected areas of law, psychology or social work.
Graduates are also required to complete as a condition of graduation, the following:
- 20 hours of pro bono services as required under the rules of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education.
SUSS Core
In the light of the content of the Introductory Course, and the compulsory Allied Knowledge courses, students of the law programmes will not have to take any SUSS Core courses.
Introductory Course
The Introductory Course introduces the students to the nuts and bolts of the study of law and reinforces the importance of being able to read and write well.
Legal Knowledge
Students take 105 credit units of Legal Knowledge courses covering the foundations of legal knowledge, and other subject areas commonly encountered by the legal practitioner.
Throughout these courses, the students will also be developing their core skills and competencies – that of reading, listening, legal research, analysis, and advocacy.
The students will spend substantial parts of their second and third years of their studies on Criminal Law and Family Law, procedure, and evidence. This is one of the distinguishing features of the programme.
Allied Knowledge
All law students will take at least 15 credit units of Allied Knowledge courses introducing them to: (i) social services in Singapore; (ii) forensics, the science behind crime scene investigations; and (iii) financial and accounting concepts.
Minor or Electives
Students preparing for the Bachelor of Laws degree will take a further 30 credit units of courses, which they can fulfil by: (i) declaring a Minor and completing the relevant courses in the Minor programme; or (ii) take elective courses drawn from selected areas of law, psychology or social work.
This allows the School of Law to train lawyers who approach issues in legal practice (including in the fields of Criminal Law and Family Law) from a more holistic approach, looking beyond just the legal problems to the wider issues.
Professional Courses
The Professional Courses echo and respond to the requirements of the report of the 4th Committee for there to be elements of practical/vocational training in this degree. The students will be given training in trial advocacy, ethical legal practice and client care, as well as in mediation advocacy. For our students, exposure to practical professional issues this early ensures that these skills will be firmly reinforced when encountered again at, for example, Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.
Legal Clerkship Programme
Practical training within the law degree programmes is a unique feature of the School of Law. The Legal Clerkship Programme will provide students with structured training in the application of their legal and professional knowledge. This clinical training would be the most appropriate platform for authentic practical training in real-life situations. The training would be arranged through various institutions (including those that work in the fields of Criminal Law and Family Law), such as the Courts, the Law Society’s Pro Bono SG or the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, and relevant state agencies such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Curriculum
| SWK350 Children and Youth Issues | 5 CU |
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| SWK354 Families and their Issues | 5 CU |
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| SWK358 Eldercare | 5 CU |
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Admission Requirements
Refer to the general admission criteria for law programmes.Some applicants will be shortlisted for interview to assess their suitability and ability to complete the programme.