Law Subject regulations
The Rule of Law is a cornerstone of a civilised society. It defines rights and obligations and provides structure to institutions of government and commerce.
The LLB programme follows a course of study which, in addition to giving students a broad understanding of legal principles, meets the professional requirements to practice as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand.
Law is available as a first major for the Bachelor of Laws (LLB), the Bachelor of Arts (BA), the Bachelor of Climate Change (BCC), and the Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc). Law may also be taken as a second major in other undergraduate degrees, subject to approval of the Division in which the student is enrolled.
To complete Law as a single major for the LLB, students must gain 390 points from the papers listed for Law, including LEGAL103, LEGAL104, and LEGAL106; and LEGAL201, LEGAL203, LEGAL204, and LEGAL207; and; LEGAL301, LEGAL304, LEGAL306, LEGAL307, and LEGAL308; and 120 points of 400 level LEGAL papers including LEGAL413. The remaining 90 points of the Bachelor of Laws with Law as a single major must be gained from non-Law subjects. Of these 90 non-Law points, 60 points must be at or above 100 level, with 30 of those points being in the same subject; and 30 points at or above 200 level.
To complete Law as part of a double major for the Bachelor of Laws, students must gain 390 points from the papers listed for Law, including LEGAL103, LEGAL104, and LEGAL106; and LEGAL201, LEGAL203, LEGAL204, and LEGAL207; and; LEGAL301, LEGAL304, LEGAL306, LEGAL307, and LEGAL308; and 120 points of 400 level LEGAL papers including LEGAL413. A further 120 points are required in the double major subject taken by the student.
To complete a major in Law for the BA, BCC or BSocSc, students must gain 135 points from the papers listed for Law, including 105 points above 100 level, and 60 points above 200 level. Students must complete LEGAL103, LEGAL104, a minimum 45 points from any 200 level LEGAL papers, and 60 points from any 300 or 400 level LEGAL papers.
To complete Law as part of a double major, students must gain 120 points from the papers listed for Law, including 90 points above 100 level and 45 points above 200 level. Students must complete LEGAL103, LEGAL104, 45 points from any 200 level LEGAL papers, and 45 points from any 300 or 400 level LEGAL papers.
To complete a minor in Law, students must complete 60 points from the papers listed for the BA Law major, including at least 30 points above 100 level. Students must complete LEGAL103 and LEGAL104.
Most Law papers are offered via FLEXI Async Delivery Mode and students may complete their studies either on campus or online or by a mix of on campus/online attendance. However, for the core papers for the LLB degree students may be required (under CLE moderation requirements to undertake their exams for these papers in person (rather than online) either at our Hamilton or Tauranga campuses in New Zealand or at a different place and time approved by the University.
Candidates must gain at least 60 points at 100 level in any subject(s) before enrolling in Law papers above 100 level, and at least 90 points at 100 and 200 level before enrolling in Law papers above 200 level.
Students who complete a major in Law towards any undergraduate degree other than the LLB will not be eligible to practice Law.
LEGAL436 is mandatory for all LLB students who wish to be admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. Students who wish to be admitted must include LEGAL436 in their selection of 400 level LEGAL papers.
In order to undertake the Professional Legal Studies Course (PLSC) students must have satisfied all requirements for the LLB degree. This includes completing all 100, 200, 300, and 400 level LEGAL papers together with any required non-Law papers as noted above.
LLB Hons students are not required to complete their 500 level LEGAL papers before undertaking the PLSC but must satisfy all other LLB degree requirements.
Other qualifications
Prescriptions for:
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DipLAW To complete a DipLAW students must complete LEGAL103, LEGAL104, LEGAL106, LEGAL201, LEGAL204 and LEGAL207.
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GradDip(DR) The Graduate Diploma in Dispute Resolution provides a practical and theoretical exploration of the processes of dispute resolution, and utilises the experience and expertise developed within the School of Law, Politics and Philosophy, the Schools of Management and the School of Education. Graduates of this qualification will satisfy the academic requirements for Associate status of the Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ). For entry to the Graduate Diploma, candidates must have either a bachelors degree in any discipline or relevant work experience considered to be equivalent.
The programme consists of papers totalling 120 points, comprising LEGAL205, LEADR302, LEGAL306 and LEGAL449, and electives totalling 60 points chosen from HMDEV340, LEGAL405, LEGAL408, LEGAL420, or LEGAL434. One of the electives can be substituted for any other 400-level LEGAL coded paper (excluding LEGAL490) approved by the Faculty.
Note: LEGAL205, LEGAL306 and LEGAL449 are requirements for admission to Associate status in AMINZ.
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GradCert(Law) and GradDip(Law) A Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma are available to graduates who have not included Law at an advanced level in their first degree.
For further details, contact the School of Law, Politics and Philosophy.
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PGCert(Law), PGDip(Law), LLB(Hons), LLM, LLM(Māori/Pacific and Indigenous Peoples), and MJur The PGCert(Law) comprises 60 points, including LEGAL507 and 30 points from any other 500-level LEGAL coded papers.
The PGDip(Law) comprises 120 points, including LEGAL507 and 90 points from any other 500-level LEGAL coded papers.
To complete an LLB(Hons) with either Law as a single major, or Law as part of a double major, students must meet the requirements of those programmes as stipulated above. In addition, the LLB(Hons) includes 60 points chosen from any 500-level LEGAL coded papers excluding LEGAL500, LEGAL504, LEGAL506, LEGAL507, LEGAL509, LEGAL590, LEGAL591, LEGAL592, or LEGAL593. Students enrolling in the Honours programme may be subject to prerequisite and corequisite requirements.
The LLM comprises 120 points, including either ALPSS500 or LEGAL507 and at least 60 points from any other 500 level LEGAL coded papers, 45 points of which must be from any 500 level LEGAL coded paper excluding LEGAL504, LEGAL507, LEGAL560 and LEGAL575.
The LLM may be completed with an endorsement as follows:
For the LLM (Environmental and Climate Change Law) students must complete 60 points from the following papers: LEGAL505, LEGAL516, LEGAL520, LEGAL522, LEGAL528, LEGAL530, LEGAL531, LEGAL535, LEGAL540, LEGAL556, LEGAL562, LEGAL575, LEGAL576, LEGAL577, LEGAL583, LEGAL589, LEGAL591, LEGAL592, and LEGAL593.
For the LLM(Health Law) students must complete 60 points from the following papers: LEGAL505, LEGAL508, LEGAL577, LEGAL585, LEGAL586, LEGAL587, LEGAL588, LEGAL591, LEGAL592, and LEGAL593.
For the LLM(International Law) students must complete 60 points from the following papers: LEGAL505, LEGAL516, LEGAL522, LEGAL525, LEGAL531, LEGAL534, LEGAL537, LEGAL540, LEGAL544, LEGAL555, LEGAL560, LEGAL562, LEGAL569, LEGAL576, LEGAL577, LEGAL583, LEGAL591, LEGAL592, and LEGAL593.
For the LLM(New Technologies and Cyber Security Law) students must complete 60 points from the following papers: LEGAL505, LEGAL520, LEGAL526, LEGAL568, LEGAL574, LEGAL577, LEGAL586, LEGAL591, LEGAL592, and LEGAL593.
The LLM(Māori/Pacific and Indigenous Peoples) comprises 120 points, including either ALPSS500 or LEGAL504 and at least 60 points from any other 500 level LEGAL coded papers, 45 points of which must be from any 500 level LEGAL coded paper excluding LEGAL504, LEGAL507, LEGAL560 and LEGAL575.
The MJur comprises 120 points, including either ALPSS500 or LEGAL507 and at least 60 points from any other 500 level LEGAL coded papers, 45 points of which must be from any 500 level LEGAL coded paper excluding LEGAL504, LEGAL507, LEGAL560 and LEGAL575.
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MPhil The Master of Philosophy is a one year research-based degree in which students undertake a programme of approved and supervised research that leads to a thesis which critically investigates an approved topic of substance and significance, demonstrates expertise in the methods of research and scholarship, displays intellectual independence and makes a substantial original contribution to the subject area concerned, and is of publishable quality.
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PhD and SJD The Doctor of Philosophy is a four year research-based degree in which students undertake a programme of approved and supervised research that leads to a thesis which critically investigates an approved topic of substance and significance, demonstrates expertise in the methods of research and scholarship, displays intellectual independence and makes a substantial original contribution to the subject area concerned, and is of publishable quality.
The Doctor of Juridical Science consists of a research portfolio and a thesis which makes a contribution to knowledge consistent with at least three years of full-time research.
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LLD The Doctor of Laws higher doctorate degree may be awarded to candidates who successfully present for examination a collection of work, or a specially composed thesis based on such work, that constitutes an original, substantial and distinguished contribution to scholarship and establishes the candidate as an international authority in their particular field of study.
The level of attainment required for the Doctor of Laws (LEGAL990) is very substantially higher than that required for the PhD degree in Law and its award carries great prestige within the University, the international academic community and the legal profession. The successful award of this degree will normally reflect a significant body of post-doctoral work of international quality published over a sustained period.
Applications for the award of the Doctor of Laws degree may be submitted at any time to the School of Graduate Research in accordance with University regulations.
