Bachelor of Laws with Honours

A Bachelor of Law with Honours LLB (Hons) gives you the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of law while also pursuing individual and directed legal research at undergraduate level. You’ll expand your research, analytical, and oral skills in a range of specialist areas. You’ll be prepared to pursue further legal research at postgraduate level.

Students are accepted into the LLB(Hons) by invitation only. Enrolments are limited to about 35 places each year.

The first part of this degree starts with the Bachelor of Laws (LLB). You’ll typically begin the Honours part of your study in your third or fourth year.

During your Honours study, you’ll:

• complete the third-year core courses
• take a number of elective subjects
• enrol in seminar papers, under the close supervision of lecturers
• complete an 8,000-word research paper under supervision.

To be selected for Honours study, you need to achieve good grades in your 200-level LAWS courses. Selection for the LLB(Hons) is based on the results of your best three 200-level Law courses (LAWS 211–214). Your result for LAWS 297 may also be taken into account.

You will also need strong research skills to successfully complete the LLB(Hons).

Find out more about selection criteria for Law courses.

For this degree you'll need to:

Complete at least 525 points

Requirements for 100- and 200-level courses are the same as for the LLB

Complete LAWS 301 and LAWS 312

Complete nine further courses from LAWS 300-399, including:

LAWS 334 if you wish to apply for admission to the Bar

Complete three courses from LAWS at 400 level:

LAWS 489

Two courses from LAWS 430-450

Complete one course from LAWS 500-529

IELTS (Academic): minimum overall score of 6.0 with no sub-score below 5.5

TOEFL: minimum overall score of 80 (internet-based test)

Pearson Test of English: minimum score of 50 (with a 'Communicative score' of not less than 42)

Victoria University of Wellington English for Academic Purpose (EAP) programme: minimum final scores of 4,4,4,3

Cambridge English Qualifications: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169 or higher, with each skill score no less than 162

New Zealand Certificates in English Language (NZCEL): Level 4 (Academic)

NZAPA: English New Zealand Accredited Pathway Assessment Level 2 (with no skill lower than Level 1)