Why Study Bachelor of Laws

The University of Waikato’s Bachelor of Laws (LLB) is a four-year undergraduate law degree designed to provide students with a strong understanding of New Zealand law while developing practical legal, analytical, research and communication skills. The qualification is approved by the New Zealand Council of Legal Education and is designed to meet the academic requirements for progressing towards admission as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand.

• Level of study: Bachelor’s Degree (LLB)
• Duration: 4 years full-time
• Total points: 480 points
• Campuses: Hamilton and Tauranga
• Intakes: Trimester A – March; Trimester B – July
• Faculty: Te Piringa – Faculty of Law
• Delivery: Primarily campus-based/in-person; individual papers may have different delivery arrangements and locations. The University also provides online options for some law study, but the LLB should not be considered a fully online programme.

Key Benefits

• Degree designed to meet the academic requirements of the New Zealand Council of Legal Education.
• Lawyers and judges are involved in teaching and assessment.
• Strong focus on practical legal skills and professional communication.
• Opportunity to combine Law with a second major from another undergraduate subject.
• Opportunity for a semester of overseas study in fourth year through partner law schools, subject to eligibility and academic performance.
• Strong bicultural focus, including M?ori legal perspectives and the Treaty of Waitangi in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Students can potentially continue to the Bachelor of Laws with Honours if they achieve the required academic performance.
• Waikato’s Law subject is ranked among the top 300 globally for Law in the QS World University Rankings.

Program Structure

The LLB requires 480 points over four years. The Law major itself requires 390 points from specified Law papers, together with 120 points of 400-level Law papers including LEGAL413, under the 2026 regulations. The remaining points are used for the required non-law/elective component of the degree.

Key areas of study include:

• Legal system and foundations of New Zealand law
• Public law and constitutional principles
• Contract law
• Tort law
• Criminal law
• Land/property law
• Equity and succession
• Legal ethics and professional responsibility
• Jurisprudence
• Evidence
• Dispute resolution
• Advocacy and practical legal skills
• Research, legal writing and analysis
• M?ori and Indigenous legal perspectives
• Advanced and optional Law papers

Discipline / Specialisation

Law is the main/single major for the Bachelor of Laws. Students can personalise their degree through optional Law papers and, where appropriate, a second major in another undergraduate subject.

Possible areas of interest include:

• Advocacy and dispute resolution
• Commercial and corporate law
• Employment law
• Environmental and natural resources law
• Family law
• Human rights law
• Intellectual property
• International trade and public international law
• Maori land and Indigenous law
• Mediation
• Public law
• Technology and information law

Programme Highlights

• Practical experience through mooting, advocacy, witness examination and client interviewing.
• Purpose-built Law facilities including a Moot Court.
• Direct progression through the four years once accepted into the LLB and the required yearly academic requirements are met.
• Opportunity for international exchange/study abroad during the fourth year.
• Students who achieve a B+ average across their Law papers may be considered for the Bachelor of Laws with Honours.
• The qualification can lead towards professional legal practice in New Zealand after completion of the required Professional Legal Studies course and other admission requirements.
• Te Piringa Faculty of Law has accreditation from the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ), providing an additional pathway for professional development in arbitration and mediation.

Career Outcomes

The LLB develops legal knowledge together with analytical, research, problem-solving, written and oral communication skills that can be used in legal practice and a wide range of other professional fields.

Potential career pathways include:

• Barrister
• Solicitor / Lawyer
• Commercial lawyer
• Employment lawyer
• Property lawyer
• Mediator or negotiator
• Policy analyst
• Legal adviser
• Human resources professional
• Corporate or governance roles
• Government and public-sector positions
• NGO and community-sector roles
• Business owner or entrepreneur
• Legal researcher or academic
• Further progression towards senior legal and judicial careers

Visa Requirements (International Students)

International students normally require a New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa for full-time study. Students need an offer of place from an approved education provider, sufficient funds for tuition and living expenses, acceptable insurance and evidence that they meet the visa's health, character and other requirements.

• Tuition fees must be paid or appropriately arranged for the period required by Immigration New Zealand.
• For tertiary study of one year or longer, students generally need to show NZ$20,000 per year for living expenses, or NZ$1,667 per month for shorter study.
• Students must have acceptable medical and travel insurance for the duration required by their visa/provider.
• Students may need to provide evidence of onward travel or sufficient funds to purchase an onward ticket.
• Eligible student visa holders can generally work up to 25 hours per week during study, subject to the conditions stated on their visa, with full-time work potentially permitted during scheduled holidays.
• Immigration New Zealand increased the eligible in-study work limit from 20 to 25 hours per week from 3 November 2025.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The University’s current information confirms the following points for prospective students:

• The LLB is currently offered at Hamilton and Tauranga, with all four years available at Tauranga.
• The current standard intake pattern is March and July.
• The programme is 480 points and normally takes four years full-time.
• The 2026 Law regulations require 390 Law points plus the specified 400-level Law requirements, including LEGAL413.
• Admission is selective and applicants should provide a strong academic profile. The University considers academic results and, where applicable, work experience, community involvement and other achievements in assessing Law applications.
• Students who do not meet the standard direct-entry pathway may have alternative routes. The University’s Jump Start pathway includes Preparing for Law (LEGAL100), and successful completion with the required B- grade can provide a pathway into the LLB for eligible students.
• The University has published 2027 Law paper information, indicating continued delivery of Law papers in Hamilton and Tauranga.
• International tuition fees are reviewed annually. The University currently lists an indicative 2026 LLB fee of NZ$40,165 and the qualification page currently displays NZ$42,173 as the international annual estimate; students should rely on the fee stated in their offer/enrolment agreement for their actual study period.