Law

Bachelor of Sharia and Law

The Bachelor of Sharia and Law is a programme that provides comprehensive training in Islamic jurisprudence and Kenyan law. Offered at the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Moi University and other select institutions, the programme prepares graduates for careers in legal practice with expertise in both Sharia and secular law.

The curriculum covers Sharia law, Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic studies, Hadith, comparative law, Kenyan constitutional law, criminal law, civil law, commercial law, family law, Islamic finance and banking, inheritance law, property law, legal ethics, legal research, moot court, research methods and a dissertation. Students develop legal reasoning and analytical skills in both legal systems.

Kenya's legal system, which recognises Kadhi courts for Muslim personal law, creates demand for graduates with dual expertise in Sharia and Kenyan law. The programme is offered through lectures, seminars, moot courts, legal aid clinics and research projects.

Graduates are prepared for careers as advocates, Kadhi court officers, legal advisors, Sharia consultants, Islamic finance lawyers, family law practitioners, legal researchers, judicial officers and legal educators. They work in law firms, Kadhi courts, judiciary, government, Islamic financial institutions, NGOs, universities and as consultants.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Council of Legal Education (CLE). Admission requires KCSE mean grade C+ with B- in English or Kiswahili. KUCCPS Cluster 1.

Prospective students should have strong analytical skills, a commitment to continuous learning, and an interest in contributing to Kenya's socio-economic development. The programme provides a solid foundation for further postgraduate study and professional advancement in related fields.

Duration: 5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 221,850
Private, up to: Ksh 303,500
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 30 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Sharia Law
Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh)
Comparative Law
Constitutional Law
Criminal Law
Civil Law
Commercial Law
Family Law
Islamic Finance and Banking
Inheritance Law

Modules

10 in the programme

Sharia Law
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Islamic law principles. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ...
Islamic Jurisprudence
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Fiqh methodology. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examin...
Comparative Law
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Sharia vs secular law. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester e...
Constitutional Law
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Kenyan constitution. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester exa...
Criminal Law
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Criminal justice. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examin...
Commercial Law
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Business law. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examinations.
Family Law
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Marriage and family. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester exa...
Islamic Finance and Banking
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Islamic finance. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examina...
Inheritance Law
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Succession and inheritance. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semes...
Dissertation
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Final year dissertation. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester...

Specialisations

Islamic Finance
Islamic banking law. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Family Law
Marriage and inheritance. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Comparative Law
Sharia and secular law. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Commercial Law
Business law. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending Sharia and law lectures, studying Islamic jurisprudence, analysing case law, participating in moot courts, researching comparative law, studying Kenyan constitutional law, learning Islamic finance principles, visiting Kadhi courts, and working on legal research projects.

The trade offs

In its favour

Unique dual expertise in Sharia and Kenyan law
Growing Islamic finance sector creates opportunities
CLE accreditation enables legal practice

Against it

Demanding 5-year programme
Limited number of universities offering the programme
Requires proficiency in Arabic for some modules

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 12 law courses

Public184k to 222k

184k at Kenyatta University222k at University of Nairobi

Private159k to 304k

159k at Umma University304k at Riara University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU LLB 183,600 & UoN 221,850 KUCCPS. Umma 159,200/yr. Riara 303,500 KUCCPS.

HELB loans and government scholarships under the new funding model are available. Islamic organisations may offer sponsorships.

Funding options

HELB Loan
County Bursaries
Government Scholarship (New Funding Model)

Scholarships

4 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan
Kenyan undergraduate students in law
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
KUCCPS-placed students
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKsh 50,000Kenyan
Kenyan students from participating counties
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Education Assistance Programme
BursaryKenyan
Children of deceased or distressed advocates and law students in need

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: KCSE mean grade C+ with B- in English or Kiswahili. Diploma in law, Islamic studies or related field from a recognised institution. KUCCPS Cluster 1.

English or Kiswahili
B-
Any other subject
C+
Any other subject
C+

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Cat20% of the mark
Regular tests and assignments
Dissertation
Project10% of the mark
Final year dissertation
End of Semester Examinations
Written examination50% of the mark
End of semester written exams
Moot Court
Practicum20% of the mark
Moot court and legal clinics

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Council of Legal Education (CLE). Offered at UoN, KU, Moi and other select institutions. Admission requires KCSE mean grade C+ with B- in English or Kiswahili. KUCCPS Cluster 1. CLE accreditation and Kenya School of Law training required for admission to the Bar.

Accredited by

Council of Legal Education
ProfessionalRequired
Statutory body responsible for regulation of legal education in Kenya
Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Legal Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 300,000
Legal research
Kadhi Court Officer
Low demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 300,000
Kadhi court
Islamic Finance Lawyer
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 450,000
Islamic finance law
Advocate
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Legal practice
Sharia Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 380,000
Sharia consulting

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as advocates, Kadhi court officers and Sharia consultants in law firms, judiciary and Islamic financial institutions.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

LexisNexis
Legal researchPrimary
Legal research database for case law and legislation
Kenya Law Reports
Legal researchPrimary
Kenya's official legal information database
HeinOnline
Legal research
Legal journals and Islamic law materials
Microsoft Word
Document drafting
Legal document drafting
Google Scholar
Research
Academic legal research
JSTOR
Academic research
Academic journal database

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Sharia and Law is only for Muslims.
The programme is open to all students interested in comparative law and Islamic jurisprudence.
Sharia law graduates only work in Kadhi courts.
Graduates practice all areas of Kenyan law plus Islamic finance and family law.
This is not a real law degree.
The programme is CLE-accredited and covers both Sharia and Kenyan law comprehensively.
Sharia and Law has limited career prospects.
Islamic finance, family law and international law create diverse opportunities.