Courses, Subjects and Qualifications

Courses, Subjects and Qualifications

Courses



Year 2009 2010


Subjects

Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws LLB

Introduction

The Bachelor of Laws is a four-year professional degree that allows you to specialise in a range of areas in your third and fourth years. Law graduates are highly employable in both the private and public sectors, in law firms, business and government.

Features of the LLB at UC

  • Four-year professional degree
  • Prestigious Law School founded in 1873
  • High employment rates into stimulating, diverse careers
  • Quality teaching and innovative courses
  • Many legal textbooks are written by UC lecturers
  • Close links with the legal profession and other employers
  • Potential to study towards a highly regarded double degree
  • Numerous scholarships and bursaries
  • First-class purpose-built facilities
  • International exchanges

Recommended preparation

The study of Law does not require a background in any specific subject at school. The first-year Law course LAWS 101 The Legal System is open to all students with University Entrance.

You will need to have good reading, writing and analytical skills. Subjects such as English, drama, economics, te reo Māori, foreign languages, history and classical studies are useful preparation.

Students with science, mathematics, music or art backgrounds also succeed in Law. They must also have good language skills and express themselves well in writing.

Degree structure

The Bachelor of Laws is made up of the following:

  • Seven compulsory Law courses
  • Seven whole-year (or equivalent one semester) optional Law courses
  • 108 points of non-Law courses (six 100-level courses). LAWS 102 may be included in these.
LLB degree structure diagram

Entry to the first year of the Bachelor of Laws is open to all students with University Entrance.

In the first year students will take LAWS 101 The Legal System (36 points) and up to 108 points from other courses (note: ACIS 152 and 252 are not approved courses). LAWS 102 Law, Justice and Morality (18 points) is optional but may be included in these points. Students planning to complete the LLB degree in four years should give careful consideration to their first-year course load.

With a good grade in LAWS 101 (usually a B- or better) students can advance into 200-level Law courses, all of which are subject to limitation of entry. In their second year students who have completed the 108 points at 100-level will take four of the compulsory 200-level courses (Public Law, Criminal Law, Law of Contract, Law of Torts and Land Law). Those who have not completed the 108 points at 100-level will take the remainder of those, plus fewer 200-level courses.

In their third and fourth years, students will take LAWS 301 Equity and Succession and any other remaining compulsory courses, plus the equivalent of seven whole-year elective Law courses. The half-year course LAWS 398 Legal Ethics is mandatory for admission as a Barrister and Solicitor.

Change to 15-point courses

The University of Canterbury is moving to a common course size of 15 points (or multiples of 15 points) for all undergraduate courses from 2011, with some courses in some subjects changing to the new points values in 2010. For more information refer to the Common course sizes webpage. Points values for all courses for 2010 are available from the Course Information System (CIS).

How does this affect the LLB?

Law courses will be changing to the new points values in 2011. However if you are starting an LLB in 2010 you may be enrolling in courses with a mix of old and new point values in your first year as some non-Law (Arts, Commerce and Science) courses will be changing to the new points values in 2010.

The LLB degree requirements will change to reflect the new course sizes in 2011. If you have started your LLB prior to 2011 and your programme of study will not match the new requirements exactly contact the School of Law.

Double degrees

It is possible to combine the study of a Law degree with the study of another degree, such as Arts, Commerce or Science. Generous cross-crediting provisions mean that a double degree can be completed within five years. Students considering a double degree should consult the Academic and Student Manager of the School of Law in planning their enrolment.

See the double degrees page for an example diagram.

Further study

Postgraduate options include:

Career opportunities

Law degrees are popular because of the career opportunities that Law graduates have. There are Canterbury Law graduates among the judiciary, at all levels of the New Zealand legal profession and in towns and cities across New Zealand and the world.

The core legal skills of research, writing, analysis and reasoning are highly prized in many professions. Canterbury Law graduates have become politicians and ministers, policy analysts and public servants, diplomats and company directors.

Every industry needs people who know the law as it applies to them, so people with a background in Law have the ability to be involved in any area of life in which they are interested.

Contact

For more information email info@canterbury.ac.nz or freephone in NZ 0800 VARSITY (827 748).

For assistance with planning your programme of study contact the School of Law (advancing students) or the Liaison Team (new students) or visit the Liaison Team’s course planning page (new students).