Highly valued practical skills
UC Law also offers practical courses in legal skills such as Legal Internship, and Trial Advocacy. Students graduating from the University of Canterbury Faculty of Law are well-prepared in all ways and highly valued by employers for careers in many countries in the legal profession, business, governmental or non-governmental legal or criminal justice organisations.
Flexible degree combinations
About 1000 students at all levels study law at the University of Canterbury. Some are taking introductory law courses as part of a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. Others choose to take law as part of a Commerce, Arts, Science or Social Work degree.
Approximately 300 students study towards the Bachelor of Criminal Justice (BCJ) degree.
Many University of Canterbury LLB students choose to complete double degrees. A double degree consists of two separate degrees and is not the same as a conjoint degree, which cannot be separated into two individual degrees. Because of the generous cross-credits between the LLB and other degrees, students are able to complete two degrees in five years of study. Common combinations are the LLB with Bachelor of Criminal Justice (BCJ), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), LLB with Bachelor of Arts (BA) and LLB with Bachelor of Science (BSc).
The Bachelor of Criminal Justice (BCJ) can also be combined with other degrees such as the BA.
Our students
The UC Law Faculty welcomes Law and Criminal Justice students from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience. For example About 25% of UC Law students are adults. Some have already completed a Bachelor's Degree but others are entering university study for the first time. Many students have entered university after completing high school. Just over 80% of LLB students are studying full time.
Postgraduate opportunities
Between 30 and 50 students are part of a UC Law postgraduate course. Postgraduate programmes offered include the Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ), Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Laws in International Law and Politics and the PhD. UC Law also offers a one-year Graduate Diploma in Criminal Justice (GradDipCJ). Five to ten PhD students are working in the Faculty of Law at any one time. Many postgraduate students come from overseas.
