Study a Bachelor of Laws degree in one of the best law schools in New Zealand. Look deeper to find out why laws are made, who made them, how they work and how to change them.

From 2023, all four years of the Bachelor of Laws degree can be studied in Tauranga.

Students in Tauranga can also opt to study a two-year Diploma in Law, and have it credited to the first two years of a Bachelor of Laws degree.

480 points, 4 years

Hamilton, Tauranga

Papers offered differ by location. Find a Paper for full location info.

Trimester A (March) and Trimester B (July)

Faculty of Law thumbnail

Why study the Bachelor of Laws?

Assessed by Lawyers & Judges

Lawyers and judges will be involved in teaching and assessing your law assignments and will provide you with valuable feedback. This sort of contact with the profession will stand you in good stead when you come to apply for a full-time job.

Practical experience

At Waikato, you’ll get to practice skills you need to succeed in the profession – whether it’s interviewing a client, making a case in court, negotiating a settlement for a client, or drafting a required contract to perfect a merger.

You’ll analyse how law operates in local, national and global contexts and learn to consider the business practices of financial markets, corporations, national and local government, trusts and iwi.

Internships

There are plenty of opportunities for you to apply your practical experience to real-life problems. From your second year onward in the law degree, you’ll have the opportunity to gain work experience at the Hamilton District Community Law Centre, Police Prosecution Office, Defence Office, several city and regional councils, law firms and other organisations. You’ll also be eligible for the National Summer Clerking Employment Programme.

Career Opportunities

  • Barrister - LLB
  • Board Member for Iwi or other organisations
  • Business Owner
  • Human Resource personnel
  • Judge - LLB
  • Mediator and/or Negotiator
  • Policy Analyst or Advisor
  • Politician
  • Solicitor - LLB

480 points, 4 years

Hamilton, Tauranga

Papers offered differ by location. Find a Paper for full location info.

Trimester A (March) and Trimester B (July)

Degree information

Plan your study Entry Requirements Fees and scholarships

Direct entry

Our students do not require a special invitation to progress into 2nd year of their law degree. Our selection process takes place at the application stage. If you are accepted into the Bachelor of Laws degree and you obtain the required passing grades each year, you'll gain automatic entry into the following years until the time you graduate.

New, multi-million dollar building

In 2016 the Faculty of Law moved into the new multi-million dollar building. The new facilities were purpose-built to meet the needs of our students. Our state-of-the-art Moot Court will enable you to record your practicing mooting or negotiation for self-review and assessment.

Taught by New Zealand’s leading legal advisors

The Bachelor of Laws degree is taught by some of New Zealand’s leading scholars, who advise governments, businesses and non-governmental organisations.

The classes are small and are typically offered in seminar-style discussions. We have an open door policy, so you will have plenty of opportunities to talk to our staff. Find out more about our lecturers' areas of expertise.

Individualised, ongoing support

The Faculty's five dynamic law student associations: Pacific Law Student Association, Te Whakahiapo (Māori Student Association), Waikato University Law Student Association, Women in Law Association and the Asian Law Students Association play an important role of fostering great collegial relationships between students and offer plenty of social and learning opportunities.

Our Mentoring Programme will provide extra support.  Our Mentors are law students in their senior years of study. They will provide guidance in your studies, help you to navigate through the transition period from school or previous employment to university study as well as advise you on other services and opportunities available to you on campus.

Helpful administrative staff are also able to provide you with personalised advice on study options and assist you with your degree planning. Make a booking to talk to our staff or if you have questions about how to apply.

Accredited by the Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand

Waikato's Faculty of Law is accredited by the Arbitrators’ and Meditators’ Institute of New Zealand. This means that you will automatically become a member of this professional organisation and can specialise to practice in this growing area of law.

Practicing Law in New Zealand

The Waikato Bachelor of Laws degree is approved by the New Zealand Council of Legal Education (NZCLE). So, after graduating with your degree, you’ll be eligible to complete the Professional Legal Studies (PLS) course to be admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor to practice law in New Zealand. The Professional Legal Studies course can be completed at the Institute of Legal Studies (IPLS) or the College of Law New Zealand.

Find out more about what is required to become a New Zealand lawyer.

Personalise your law degree with a second major

The Bachelor of Laws degree requires you to choose law as a major subject. However, you can choose to take a second major in almost any other undergraduate subject offered at the University of Waikato, such as Computer Science or Human Resource Management. Talk to our friendly student advisors to tailor your law degree to your interests.

You can study a broad range of optional law papers including:

  • Advocacy
  • Competition law
  • Corporate securities and finance
  • Employment law
  • Environmental law
  • Family law
  • Human rights
  • Intellectual property
  • International trade
  • Law and information technology
  • Māori land law
  • Mediation
  • Natural resources law
  • Public international law
  • The Treaty of Waitangi in contemporary Aotearoa / New Zealand

View the full list of optional law papers.

Study a law degree in Tauranga

From 2023, all four years of the Bachelor of Laws can be studied in Tauranga.

Bachelor of Laws with Honours

If you obtain a B+ average grade for all your papers in your law degree, you may have the opportunity to study for the honours degree. The selection for this programme takes place at the end of second-year law.

Exchange programme and study abroad

Are you keen to study in another country?

Studying law in a foreign jurisdiction is not only valuable on its own merit but it also enables you to re-examine the foundations of the New Zealand legal system through a comparative lens.

In your fourth year of study, you'll have the opportunity to spend one semester of study towards your degree at one of our many partner law schools in Europe, North America or Asia.

To be eligible you must complete your third year in Law and have a sound academic record. For more information, contact the Law Student Administrators.

In addition to law exchange programme, if you’re studying for a conjoint degree, you may be able to participate in the University of Waikato exchange programme. From second year onward you may study some non-law papers overseas. Find out more.

Contact us

International Enquiries

Monday to Friday 8:30am - 5pm

School of Law, Politics and Philosophy

Te Piringa Faculty of Law, The University of Waikato, Gate 7, Hillcrest Road, Hamilton, New Zealand