Regulations for the Degree of Master of Laws (LLM)

  1. The Personal Programmes of Study Regulations apply in these regulations.

Admission

  1. Candidates for the Degree must have
    1. qualified for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Laws or a combined Law degree of the University of Waikato with at least a B grade average across the 300 and 400 level papers, or a qualification considered by the Academic Board to be equivalent, and
    2. satisfied the prerequisites for graduate study in the subject(s) being presented for the Degree, at levels considered appropriate by the Academic Board.
  2. In exceptional circumstances, based on academic merit and relevant experience, candidates who do not meet the requirements of section 2 of these regulations may be considered for admission subject to the completion of any qualifying papers the Academic Board may prescribe which must be completed either prior to or concurrently.

Requirements for the Degree

  1. The normal minimum period of enrolment for completion of the Degree is one year. The requirements of the Degree must be completed within four consecutive years of first enrolling for the Degree.
  2. Candidates must enrol in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences and follow an approved programme of study.
  3. Candidates must gain 120 points at 500 level or above.
  4. Candidates must complete either ALPSS500 or LEGAL507 and a further 90 points from papers prescribed for the Degree in the Law Subject regulations.
  5. Candidates must include at least 45 points from List A: Advanced Study.
  6. Candidates may complete the requirements of an endorsement

Endorsements

Environmental and Climate Change Law
Health Law
International Law
New Technologies and Cyber Security Law

  1. To complete the requirements of an endorsement candidates must pass 60 points from the papers prescribed for that endorsement in the Law Subject Regulations.
  2. The degree may be completed without an endorsement.
  3. Candidates may take up to 30 points from outside the field of the Degree.
  4. The field of the Degree comprises the papers prescribed for the Degree in the Law Subject Regulations.
  5. If a candidate fails a paper or papers (worth not more than 30 points in total), they may repeat the paper or papers or take an alternative paper or papers with the same total points value on one occasion only. A candidate who fails a paper or papers worth more than 30 points in total will not be permitted to proceed with the Degree.

Examination of thesis (90 points and above)

  1. The University will appoint two examiners for the candidate's thesis; one examiner external to the University and active in the research field of the thesis; and one examiner internal to the University, with a good grounding in the research field, who is not directly connected to the candidate, or the candidate’s thesis research or supervision.

Award of Honours

  1. The Degree may be awarded with
    1. First Class Honours, or
    2. Second Class Honours (first division), or
    3. Second Class Honours (second division), or

or without honours.

  1. Candidates who fail a paper will not be eligible for the award of honours.
  2. Except with the approval of the Academic Board, the level of honours will be calculated on the basis of the grades of the first 120 points completed by the candidate while enrolled for the Degree.
  3. In order to be eligible for consideration for the award of honours, the requirements of the Degree must be completed in not more than 12 consecutive months of full-time study, or, in the case of part-time study, an equivalent period not exceeding four calendar years, from the date of first enrolment in the Degree.

Variations

  1. The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Division or delegated authority may vary or waive these regulations in individual cases.

Appendix

List A: Advanced Study

Any 500 Level LEGAL paper excluding LEGAL504, LEGAL507, LEGAL560 and LEGAL575