Course details

Summary

Broaden your legal knowledge and enhance your career with specialist study in postgraduate Law.

Take your passion for law to the next level with advanced study and research. Be at the centre of debate, analysis and dialogue about law and legal policy issues in New Zealand.

Full time or part time, your study will be relevant, accessible and intellectually rewarding research an area of law that interests you or tailor a course of study that suits your career goals.

Flexible study

Designed to be flexible, the Master of Laws offers courses that are taught in different formats. Some courses meet weekly, others are taught in a more compact format.

Block courses are taught in a concentrated manner over a one-to-two week period, and intensive courses are broken into chunks of eight to twelve hours. They are often taught over two-to-three consecutive evenings or in Friday afternoon and Saturday sessions, with a break of two-to-three weeks between sessions.

Research and supervision

No matter how you choose to study for your Master of Laws there will be an element of research required. Take advantage of exciting research opportunities at New Zealand's leading centre of academic legal research.

Master of Laws by coursework

You'll take one core course Advanced Legal Study LAWS 581 worth 10 points and make up the rest of your 120 points from a choice of other 500-level LAWS courses. Up to 40 points can be replaced by equivalent courses from another faculty or another university.

500-level LAWS courses differ from year to year and are either taught in block format, intensive format or seminars. Look at the course timetable to see when the intensive and block courses are offered. The seminar courses are mainly led by you and the other students who will prepare papers in advance.

Internship

International students can also choose to do a 20-point one-trimester internship. You'll work with a community, government or private sector organisation under the joint supervision of a Faculty member and an outside professional. Assessment is based on the work you produce, a journal and your performance at fortnightly seminars.

Alternative courses

All postgraduate LAWS courses are limited entry, so if you're opting for a Master's that involves coursework you'll need to choose the alternative courses you'd like to take if your first choices are not available.

Entry criteria

To be accepted into this programme you need:

• An LLB or LLB(Hons) degree
• To be accepted by the director of postgraduate studies for the Faculty of Law as capable of proceeding with the proposed course of study.

Other English Language requirements:

• IELTS: 7.0 minimum score overall, including writing 7.0 and no sub-score below 6.5
• TOEFL: 100 (IBT) with a minimum of 27 in writing
• EPP: final scores with writing ‘5’, reading ‘5’ and speaking ‘5’ and listening ‘4’