I am delighted to share that I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence degree in December 2024. I was admitted to the jurisprudence program as a student of the new cohort.
At the time of receiving the offer, I was unaware that the program had transitioned to a structure involving midterms and finals...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bachelor of Jurisprudence program is an academic degree program. It does not include the study of procedural and practical courses. This degree is recognised by the Public Service Department (JPA) and the Malaysian Legal Profession Qualification Board (LPQB) as qualifying degree holders to take the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP). If you intend to practice law, it's advisable to check the entry requirements for the CLP examination too.
The entry requirement is straight forward. You can find them in Jurisprudence program website. For language requirement, please note that the BJuris office requires a MUET Band 4 result (old format) by the end of your second year. For the new MUET format, you should consult the BJuris office or their website for specific requirements.
This program is notorious for its high failure rate. Each year, around 100 students are admitted. According to the program coordinator, less than 20% successfully complete their studies. You can refer to the convo e-book for an estimate.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My Journey
I need to plan my studies carefully, as my educational background is quite different, and I'm currently working full-time. I planned to finish my studies in 5 years despite the program is design as 3-year-program.
(I'm considering whether to write about each subject individually. Given the diverse teaching styles across different lecturers, this could make this post very long.)
My Survival Guide
Understanding the subject
1. Familiarize yourself with the historical passing rate to gauge the difficulty level.
2. Thoroughly understand the syllabus and break it down into manageable sections. You can find them in the guideline booklet provided by BJuris office during the orientation.
3. Understand the exam structure, including the types of questions, time limits, and marking criteria. Spend sometimes to skim through the past year question in the beginning of the academic years.
Effective Time Management
1. Create a Study Schedule: Develop a realistic study schedule that allocates specific time slots for each subject. I prefer to split the sections by looking backward from the midterm/exam date.
2. Prioritize Tasks: Identify the most important topics and allocate more time to them.
3. Set Realistic Goals: Break down large tasks into smaller, achievable steps.
4. Avoid Procrastination: Use time management techniques to stay focused and avoid distractions. Start your study as early as possible.
5. Self-discipline: study consistently.
Learning Strategies
1. Philosophical Reasoning: Develop your ability to think critically and logically.
2. Mind Mapping: Visualize complex concepts and relationships. It is extremely important to prove that you really understand the concept and the legal principle.
3. Practice Questions: Solve past exam papers and practice questions to reinforce your understanding.
4. Practice Reading cases: Read the landmark case from A to Z, then write a case brief.
5. Read the Books: Read the textbook and extra reference books. It can help you to understand certain legal principle when you find it ambiguous.
Balancing Solo and Group Study
I prefer to study alone because I am comfortable to learn by reading and understanding by myself. However, I still need a study group to share the info and study material. The study group can also remind me when I fall behind the schedule.
Tuition
1. I completed the majority of the subjects without tuition. Besides, I feel like it more on our effort in our study and revision. Referring to the guideline, reading the cases and textbook are the must in my studies.
2. LEEP Class: There are LEEP classes offered by UM. For each subject, there will be 1 introduction class, 5 additional classes and 1 revision class. The introduction class is compulsory. The rest are optional. The introduction class is important for you understand the exam format and the lecturer's expectation. For additional classes, it is tiring to follow because the additional class is from 9am-5pm. However, this is the best way (perhaps the only way) to engage directly with the examiner.
3. Others: I attended Brickfield Tuition for some subjects in Year 2: They provide the weekly classes. Their classes are conducted in BM. The teaching quality is good. However, I did not continue in Year 3 because have a lot of family commitment during weekend.
Midterm (Open-Book Format)
1. Effective Note-Taking: Create concise and well-organized notes that are easy to reference during the exam.
2. Practice Question Solving: Practice answering questions under timed conditions to improve speed and accuracy. If you feel that there are too many past year questions to do, you practice should be at least structuring your answer in point form.
3. Direct and Focused Answers: Answer questions directly and avoid unnecessary tangents.
4. Utilize the ILAC Method: Use the Issue, Law, Application, Conclusion framework to structure your answers.
5. Critical Thinking: Develop your ability to analyze legal problems critically and provide well-reasoned arguments. Open-book test means that the lecturer is expecting something much more than what we can find from statute, textbook and notes. This is particular important in the "C" part in ILAC method. The Socratic method is helpful. I learned it from a YouTube channel, Learn Law Better.
Final Exam (Closed-Book Format)
Similar to the way how I prepare for midterm test but need to spend time to memorize.
If you can remember the law = You have brought your weapon to the battlefield successfully.
If you can understand the law = You know which weapon to use and how to use it.
NEITHER OF ABOVE CAN BE IGNORED! So, I practiced the past exam questions and drew the mind map for multiple times.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I was inspired by bloggers and a senior UM LLB graduate. Initially, the UM LLB program was my first choice on my UPU application. However, I ultimately chose a different path. The same senior who guided me during my B.Juris journey had also offered advice when I was filling out my UPU form 19 years ago.
I am also truly thankful for the support of my family, especially my mother, wife, son, brothers...
Finally, I want to thank myself for my perseverance in completing this program.
