The Faculty's academic strength and the flexibiliy of the degrees we offer make our postgraduate programme an attractive option for students wanting to develop their research skills and to gain a valuable postgraduate qualification in any area of legal study.
To develop a career in the fields of policy, politics, or government, a postgraduate qualification is all but essential.
Diverse fields of research
Our academics have wide research interests and our research groups are working on diverse issues of Law. Find out more about our academic interests.
Degree options
Master of Laws - LLM
The Canterbury LLM programmes offer a wide choice of topics for either general study or specialised research drawing on particular academic strengths in the Faculty. Students can tailor their course content to enable them to develop their own interests and achieve personal benefit.
Two masters programmes are offered by the Faculty of Law at UC:
- LLM by Thesis - gives candidates the flexibility to thoroughly research an area of particular interest. In certain circumstances and with approval, students enrolled for the LLM by thesis can transfer to the PhD degree. Candidates can begin study at any time.
- LLM in International Law and Politics - is a multi-disciplinary degree, partly taught and partly research-based. Candidates may begin study in February (recommended) or July.
Full and part-time study is possible. The LLM degree can ordinarily be completed in one year of full-time study.
LLM by Thesis
The LLM may be taken by thesis alone. The thesis should be a significant piece of research of 35,000 to 50,000 words.
Before enrolling in the LLM by Thesis prospective students must contact natalie.welsh@canterbury.ac.nz and must submit a 500 word research proposal.
Starting dates
The programme runs over one year. Candidates are encouraged to start in February, but a July start can also be authorised by the Executive Dean of Law.
Broad research options
We cater for a wide variety of research interests and offer supervision in all of the core areas, including the New Zealand Legal System, Public Law, Torts and Accident Compensation, Law and Medicine, Arts and Media Law, Legal Philosophy, Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, International Law, Business and Commercial Law, and Intellectual Property.
