Course details

Summary

AUT's law degree opens the door to a wide range of rewarding careers. AUT law graduates have established successful careers in a range of law firms, immigration consultancies and commercial establishments.

Our interactive lectures and regular case-study workshops develop your ability to interpret, critically analyse, reason and deliver practical solutions to legal problems. You become an articulate communicator, and confident in your understanding of legal principles and their relevance to business and community. You also develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, your ability to act ethically, and your sense of community and professional responsibility.

Career opportunities:

AUT law graduates have established successful careers in a range of law firms, immigration consultancies and commercial establishments including Kensington Swan, Bell Gully, Buddle Findlay, Chapman Tripp, Meredith Connell, Langdon and Co Lawyers, Enterprise Law, Simpson Dowsett Mackie, Davies Law, Te Nahu Lovell & Co, Simpson Grierson, Kayes Fletcher Walker, Russell McVeagh and Wynyard Wood.

Graduates of AUT’s Bachelor of Laws are eligible to gain admission as barristers and solicitors of the High Court of New Zealand on completion of their Professional Legal Studies course. As a lawyer you might practise in a wide range of legal areas including corporate law, commercial and intellectual property, family law, environmental law, criminal law, taxation and general practice.

Law graduates also move into roles as:

In-house lawyers in large New Zealand and multinational businesses and organisations
Patent attorneys
Policy advisors to central and local government
Senior management roles in business
Taxation practitioners in accountancy practices

Entry criteria

Applicants must be 18 years old and have obtained a qualification equivalent to New Zealand year 13.

Preferred New Zealand school subjects: Subjects that develop a very good standard of reading, oral and written English

The AUT Law School welcomes applications for direct entry into Part II of AUT's law degree from students who have:

Obtained at least a B grade average in their first‑year law papers at another New Zealand law school, and
Passed at least 120 points including the first-year law papers

English Language Requirements:

Minimum IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 overall with all bands 5.5 or higher; TOEFL iBT score of 80; Computer-based: Total score of 213 with a minimum essay rating of 4.0; Certificate in English for Academic Study (CertEAS) with B/B+ grade; GIE with B grade; CAE minimum overall score of 169; PTE minimum overall score of 50.