Law
Purpose
The goal of the law program is to train experts who can work in fields such as judiciary, advocacy, notary public, and legal consultancy. All social relationships that create legal effects fall under the subject of law. These relationships may pertain to the relationship between the government and the public, known as public law, or involve private relationships among individuals, referred to as private law.
In other words, public law encompasses the rights of the three branches of government, sovereignty, and matters related to the administration of the country, while private law focuses on relationships among individuals, the most significant of which are commercial relationships that have led to the establishment of the field of commercial law. It also includes civil law issues such as property, ownership, contracts, responsibilities arising from individual errors, inheritance, wills, birth, and residency and many other matters.
Nature
Students in the Bachelor’s program in law begin with an introduction to legal science to familiarize themselves with the general principles and philosophical foundations of this field. They then learn about the two main branches of law: public law and private law, each with its subdivisions of domestic and international law. For instance, topics related to contracts, personal relationships, and transactions fall under domestic private law; issues regarding punishments, crimes, and criminal trials are covered in public law; matters related to international organizations, the relationships between states, and the interactions of states with international organizations fall under public international law; and discussions involving transactions and private relationships with an international element are studied in international private law. Thus, the Bachelor’s program encompasses a comprehensive array of topics.
From this brief overview, it is evident that the scope of legal science has expanded significantly today, to the extent that no one can claim to have mastery over all branches of this field. As the late French jurist Réper noted, a legal scholar cannot read all the specialized books in their field even once in their lifetime.
The government, as the political and legal representative of society, has interests such as national unity and territorial integrity, which are inherently linked to the interests of individuals. Therefore, individuals must be aware of these rights in their interactions with the government, and their relationships with the state should be based on these interests. Likewise, the government has obligations to its citizens and must recognize their rights, which are defined in the constitution as a national charter and fall under public law.
Required Skills and Recommendations for Aspiring Students
Proficiency in English, the ability to utilize legal texts, high deductive reasoning skills, familiarity with Dari literature, logic, Arabic, and sociology are essential for this field. Courage, reasoning ability, mental creativity, and good oratory skills are crucial for success in law. In general, reasoning and speaking skills are the tools of a legal scholar. A law student should be passionate about their field; if their goal is merely to make a living through law, they will likely not become a successful legal scholar.
While obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in law may not be overly difficult, becoming a legal expert is quite challenging. This is because legal science today is intertwined with sociology, psychology, and philosophical sciences, and a legal scholar must have sufficient knowledge of these disciplines. Additionally, to succeed in their field, a law student should be proficient in the Dari language and literature, as legal reasoning resembles mathematical logic but is also persuasive and rhetorical. A legal scholar must be able to convince those they address, including courts, using clear and eloquent language.
Furthermore, knowledge of mathematics is beneficial since legal calculations may require mathematical skills, and mathematical logic forms the foundation of law. Individuals must understand how to interpret laws, as law becomes significant when legislation does not provide a ruling on a specific issue, requiring the legal scholar to deduce rulings not explicitly stated in the law. The importance of this becomes even clearer when considering that a rule might have different meanings at different times or that two different generations may interpret the same text in varying ways. For example, civil law states that spouses must maintain good relations with one another; however, the meaning of "good relations" differs from 50 years ago to today and varies between urban and rural contexts. It is the responsibility of the legal scholar to interpret the language of the law accurately and appropriately, considering the context, time, and place.
In other words, one should not assume that everything is encompassed in laws, and that anyone who knows the laws is a legal scholar. The crucial role of a legal expert lies in applying specific techniques and skills that must be learned to derive rules not present in the legal texts.
A student interested in law should not only be familiar with the Dari language but also with its literature and even the poetry of great poets, as eloquence and the ability to write are virtues of a legal scholar. A legal expert should be able to express their legal theories or thoughts through writing or speaking. With these two tools, they can advocate for the oppressed and convey their message powerfully and persuasively. Moreover, when drafting legal documents, their arguments must be supported by evidence and reasoning; thus, familiarity with logic is essential.
Continuing Education
Currently, it is possible to continue studies up to the Master's level in the country.
Career Prospects and Job Market
When discussing job opportunities for Bachelor’s graduates in various fields with university professors, most believe that a graduate at this level lacks the necessary knowledge and skills for specialized work in their field of study, and therefore should not expect an ideal job. However, law is an exception, as a Bachelor of Law can perform specific social tasks that require expertise.
In general, legal professionals can be divided into two categories: those who are familiar with regulations and apply the law as compliant followers but lack the ability to derive new rulings from the law. These individuals typically have only completed their Bachelor’s studies and can perform routine tasks in the profession. The second category consists of those who have advanced beyond this stage and possess the ability to derive new laws and provide insights on foundational legal principles; these are the legal engineers capable of discussing and, if necessary, altering the foundations of legal science.
Currently, due to the growth of this field and the large number of graduates entering the job market from both public and private universities, finding suitable work for Bachelor’s graduates can be challenging, particularly for those seeking specific roles, such as in advocacy. However, a diligent and passionate student can obtain diverse positions after earning their degree, including litigation advocacy, legal consultancy for banks, municipalities, companies, and ministries, and notary public work.
If candidates choose their field based solely on its popularity without assessing their abilities, they may experience disappointment after a year or two and might even drop out. If they continue their studies, they may struggle to find suitable employment related to their degree after graduation.
