The Degree of Master of Laws (LLM)
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The following regulations apply to students commencing study within the 2012 academic year (January 2012-December 2012). For previously published regulations, refer to the Calendar archive (Academic Quality Assurance Unit website).
Regulations for the Degree of Master of Laws (LLM)
See also General Course and Examination Regulations.
1.
Qualifications Required to Enrol
in the Degree
A candidate for the Degree of Master of Laws must, before enrolling for the degree:
(a)
either qualify for the Degree of Bachelor
of Laws from a New Zealand University or be admitted ad eundem statum as entitled to enrol for
the Degree of Master of Laws, and
(b)
be approved as a candidate by the Dean of
Law.
Note: Relevance and standard of undergraduate studies will be criteria for approval.
2.
Structure and Requirements of the
Degree
The Dean of Law shall approve a candidate's enrolment, subject to suitable supervision being available. The degree may be taken in any one of the following ways:
(a)
The candidate may take three courses.
Each course comprises two research papers, each of which will
normally be not less than 10,000 words.
(b)
The candidate may take two courses and
write a dissertation which will normally be not less than 20,000
words.
(c)
With the permission of the Dean of Law, a
candidate may replace one research paper in up to two courses, with
appropriate coursework that will be subject to examination or other
form of assessment.
(d)
With the permission of the Dean of Law,
the candidate may take the degree by thesis alone.
(e)
In order to be awarded the degree, a
candidate must pass each course of study for which he or she is
enrolled. In special circumstances, the Dean of Law may permit a
candidate who fails a course, or the dissertation, to re-enrol in
that or another course or the dissertation, in a subsequent
year.
3.
Dissertations and Theses
(a)
A dissertation shall have the same value
as one course. It must be prepared under the supervision of a
university teacher. The candidate must show proficiency in the
exposition and application of legal principles and familiarity with
the published work relevant to the subject matter of the
dissertation.
(b)
A thesis must be prepared under the
supervision of a university teacher. It must be a substantial and
original contribution to the exposition of law in which the
candidate, in addition to the matters specified in paragraph (a),
must provide a critical appraisal of the original and secondary
sources relevant to its subject matter.
(c)
The thesis shall satisfy the conditions
laid down in the General Course and Examinations Regulations, Part
L.
4.
Award of Honours
The degree may be awarded with Honours, which may be First Class or Second Class (Division 1 or 2).
5.
Full-time and Part-time Study
(a)
Full-time study:
i.
A candidate shall normally be enrolled
as a full-time candidate.
ii.
The minimum period of enrolment for a
full-time candidate is one year.
iii.
The maximum period of
enrolment for a full-time candidate is two years, which shall be
consecutive unless the candidate's enrolment is suspended under
Regulation 5(e).
(b)
Part-time study:
i.
With the approval of the Dean of Law,
a candidate may be enrolled as a part-time candidate.
ii.
A part-time candidate is one who, because
of employment, health, family or other reasons, is unable to devote
his or her full-time to study and research.
iii.
The minimum period of
enrolment for a part-time candidate is two years, which shall be
consecutive unless the candidate's enrolment is suspended under
Regulation 5(e).
iv.
The maximum period of
enrolment for a part-time candidate is four years, which shall be
consecutive unless the candidate's enrolment is suspended under
Regulation 5(e).
(c)
Full-time and part-time candidates are
expected to be able to attend the School of Law in person. Distance
enrolment is not available for the LLM degree.
(d)
After the commencement of study and
research for the degree a candidate may, with the permission of the
Dean of Law, transfer from part-time to full-time status, or vice
versa. In granting such permission, the Dean shall determine the
minimum and maximum periods of study and may impose other
conditions.
(e)
In special cases the Dean of Law may
suspend the enrolment of a candidate, and may extend the time for
submission of a research paper, thesis or dissertation. In such a
case the Dean shall determine whether the candidate remains
eligible for Honours.
6.
Award of LLM instead of PhD
Where a thesis has been presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Law and the examiners are of the opinion that it does not justify the award of that degree they may recommend the award of the Degree of Master of Laws with or without Honours.
Schedule to the Regulations for the Degree of Master of Laws (LLM)
Note: Enrolment in the following courses will be subject to there being suitable supervision available within the Department in any one year. Not all courses will be offered in any one year.
For full course information, go to www.canterbury.ac.nz/courses
| Course Code | Course Title |
| LAWS 601 | Legal Research and Methodology |
| LAWS 602 | New Zealand Legal System |
| LAWS 603 | Public Law |
| LAWS 604 | Criminal Law |
| LAWS 605 | Commercial Law |
| LAWS 606 | Jurisprudence |
| LAWS 607 | The Law of Contract |
| LAWS 608 | The Law of Torts |
| LAWS 609 | Land Law |
| LAWS 610 | Equity and Succession |
| LAWS 611 | Evidence |
| LAWS 612 | Comparative Law |
| LAWS 613 | Family Law |
| LAWS 614 | Company Law |
| LAWS 615 | Securities Regulation |
| LAWS 616 | Intellectual Property |
| LAWS 617 | Restitution |
| LAWS 618 | Antarctic Legal Studies |
| LAWS 619 | Competition Law |
| LAWS 620 | Administrative Law |
| LAWS 621 | Law and Medicine |
| LAWS 622 | Legislation |
| LAWS 623 | Insurance Law |
| LAWS 624 | Taxation Law |
| LAWS 625 | Banking Law |
| LAWS 626 | Civil Liberties |
| LAWS 627 | Conflict of Laws |
| LAWS 628 | Labour Law |
| LAWS 629 | Natural Resource Law |
| LAWS 630 | Treaty of Waitangi |
| LAWS 631 | Welfare Law |
| LAWS 632 | Law and Sport |
| LAWS 633 | Landlord and Tenant |
| LAWS 634 | Media and Arts Law |
| LAWS 635 | Law and Information Technology |
| LAWS 636 | Indigenous People's Rights |
| LAWS 637 | Dispute Resolution |
| LAWS 638 | Legal History |
| LAWS 639 | Accident Compensation |
| LAWS 642 | Law and Economics |
| LAWS 643 | Law and Finance |
| LAWS 644 | Law and the Environment |
| LAWS 646 | Special Topic |
| LAWS 647 | Special Topic |
| LAWS 648 | Special Topic |
| LAWS 649 | Dissertation |
| LAWS 650 | International Criminal Law |
| LAWS 651 | International Human Rights Law |
| LAWS 652 | Immigration and Refugee Law |
| LAWS 653 | Principles of Public International Law |
| LAWS 654 | International Environmental Law |
| LAWS 655 | International Trade |
| LAWS 656 | International Institutions |
| LAWS 657 | European Public Law |
| LAWS 658 | Law of the Sea |
| LAWS 659 | Special Topic: Transnational Criminal Law |
| LAWS 690 | LLM Thesis |