Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Dunedin, New Zealand
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Introduction
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
The aims of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Program are to provide a good, general, critical legal education; to meet the requirements of the Council of Legal Education, so that holders of the degree are eligible for possible to the New Zealand legal profession; to provide students with skills in legal research, including use of electronic databases and search tools, writing, and advocacy, both formal and informal.
Law permeates all social activity. It defines relationships, protects rights, imposes obligations and gives structure to governmental and commercial enterprise.
Law graduates are well equipped to analyse complex issues, find solutions to a wide variety of problems and contribute to decision-making at all levels. They are skilled in the precise use of language, both oral and written. They understand the limits of law and its relationship with other social forces.
Many graduates find careers as lawyers in private practice, but others prefer to work in business, government, the public sector or welfare agencies.
Why study Law?
The LLB degree provides an excellent grounding in such skills as analysing, decision making, negotiation, researching and forming legal and other arguments. Law graduates are skilled in the precise use of oral and written language and these skills are used in a variety of occupations. Among the students enrolling in the First Year Law paper are many who want to gain an understanding of how the law works in New Zealand as part of their degree course. These include students enrolled in Commerce, Science, Physical Education, Health Science, Arts, Consumer and Applied Science and other degrees.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
Curriculum
Every degree Program shall
- Normally be pursued over four years of full-time study, or an equivalent period of part-time study;
- Consist of papers worth not less than 534 points;
- Include 36 points for the 100-level Law paper (LAWS 101);
- Include 180 points for the four 200-level Law papers (LAWS 201, LAWS 202, LAWS 203, LAWS 204) and the papers LAWS 301 and LAWS 302;
- Include further LAWS papers worth at least 210 points, provided that a student may substitute for up to 30 of those points one or more papers at 200-level or higher worth at least 30 points prescribed for any other degree or diploma;
- Include 108 points for papers in other Programs.
To qualify for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Laws, a candidate must also complete, to the satisfaction of the Dean of Law:
- Legal Writing
- Legal Research Skills
- Research and Writing
- Advocacy Skills
Subject area
- Law
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Law graduates work as legal advisers and company secretaries in the commercial world, they work in management and executive positions in business and private enterprise. Two thirds of Law students at Otago complete double degrees because Otago's flexible cross-credit system opens up job opportunities in areas like the media, public relations, entertainment industry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, information technology consultancies.
Private practice has a variety of fields of law to choose from e.g. commercial, property, public, environmental, banking, wills and trusts, family, criminal, sports, media, civil, tax, maritime, intellectual property and medical law. All government departments and local bodies employ lawyers for specialist legal advice. Otago Law graduates work in law firms all over the world and also in organisations like the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation and Amnesty International. A Law degree is training for life.
Program delivery
Application details
Applicants must apply online. They should also attach all the necessary supporting documents which includes scanned copies of their official high school or foundation transcripts (awards gained, marks, grades); scanned copies of the relevant official transcripts of previous university study; and provide proof of their identity this is usually achieved by providing a certified copy of the personal details page of their passport or a birth certificate (in English). Applicants may also be required to submit an Educational Credential Evaluators report (ECE). As soon as applicants have completed their online application, their proof of identity document must be posted to International Division, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. International student applications for semester 1/summer school study close: Oct-31.