The Department of Law commenced its academic activities in October 2009. The Department’s establishement marked the revival of our university’s proud tradition of legal education. The first Department of Law to function in Peradeniya (then the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya) was moved to Colombo in the 1960s and currently functions as the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.
The new Department of Law offers a full-fledged four year Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) Degree program. It is a modern law degree program that combines cutting-edge developmens in the law with a strong social justice orientation. In keeping with modern trends in legal education, the curriculum of the degree program is inter-disciplinary and also includes several novel core courses on the law. In addition to a large number of law courses students thus have to offer courses in logic, political theory, sociology, psychology, history, economics and managements so that students are able to study the law in its larger social setting. Legal Writing and Research, Mooting, Legal Clinic and Sociology of Law are new core courses in law introduced by the Department in order to foster greater practical and analytical skills among its undergraduates. In addition to the above, law students must also submit a 10,000 word dissertation in order to complete the degree requirements.
The LL.B. degree program is offered only in the English medium. The University of Peradeniya adopted that policy concious of the need to impart legal education in an international language, so that its law graduates would have the capacity to become confident young professionals with a global outlook while at the same time possessing the capacity to address local issues with social sensitivity. The policy on the medium of instruction is equally aimed at providing equal professional opportunities to all its law graduates as they enter the world of work.
The Department is keen to promote a vibrant student cultutre, and has created an enabling environment for student initiatives, particularly those undertaken in the public interest. Students are also actively encouraged to pursue extra-curricular activities because of our firm belief that the ultimate goal of education is the moulding of a sensitive and empathetic human being and a responsible citizen.
