Postgraduate Law –
Refine your expertise, pursue your interests, and join our global community of legal scholars.
Stay at the forefront of the international legal stage
Choose from a range of flexible, relevant study options—from advanced degrees of international reputation, to short courses for busy professionals.
Victoria University of Wellington's Faculty of Law is frequently ranked among the top 100 law schools in the world, confirming our place as one of the very best places to study Law.
We are ranked first in New Zealand for research quality, according to the Tertiary Education Commission’s Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) Quality Evaluation.
Available qualifications
Get the Postgraduate Law Handbook
Fill in the form to find out about postgraduate study at the Faculty of Law.
Download the handbookA programme to suit you
You can study full-time or part-time. All postgraduate courses can be credited towards one of our qualifications, or taken individually as part of a Certificate of Proficiency. An assessment-free option is also available.
Our courses meet the requirements of the New Zealand Law Society’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
You have professors from all over the world—it’s like having a hub of all the world’s teaching methods in one place.
Full storyJoe Mara
Master of Laws student
Flexible study options
Keep your options open and take a stand-alone postgraduate (500-level) Law course, under the University’s Certificate of Proficiency enrolment option. In the future if you decide to pursue a Master of Laws or Graduate Certificate in Law, you can credit the courses you’ve completed towards either qualification.
Select from our postgraduate courses and apply online, or email your enquiries to law-postgraduate@vuw.ac.nz.
Assessment-free learning for professional development
If you're interested in professional development but aren't looking for a formal qualification, the University offers you the opportunity to access relevant, thought-provoking research and expertise without the added workload of assessments. This means a reduced fee and a reduced time commitment.
You can attend and participate in selected postgraduate (500-level) and some undergraduate (300-level) Law courses, without completing assessments.
If you enrol in a professional development capacity you will not receive a formal qualification. For more information, see PED short courses.
Research topics
Be part of New Zealand's leading centre for academic legal research. Faculty staff combine their academic work with practising law—as legal advisers, counsel and arbitrators—so their research is topical, relevant and respected all over the world.
Globally ranked
The University’s Faculty of Law is ranked number one in New Zealand for research quality. And it is frequently ranked among the top 100 law schools in the world in the QS World University Rankings.
The QS World University Rankings is an annual global publication that gives overall rankings and subject rankings for more than 1,500 universities worldwide.
Connect with the Law community
Postgraduate study at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington will help you build valuable relationships and networks with peers, university staff, and future colleagues.
You’ll have access to postgraduate law study rooms in the Government Buildings and Law Library. And you’ll have the opportunity to attend a wide array of seminars, conferences, and colloquia hosted by the Faculty of Law.
Interested in studying postgraduate Law?
Sign up now to find out more about our degrees.
I have learnt so much already not just from my lecturers and courses, but also my fellow students who are all working in such diverse areas of the law.
Full storyClaire Robertson
Master of Laws student
Law Library
Take advantage of an excellent law library. Our expert subject librarians will work closely with you to help you develop effective legal research skills. The University's Law Library has an extensive collection of primary and secondary sources for the study of New Zealand law.
You'll also find statutes and reports from the major common law jurisdictions and some Pacific Island countries, as well as a substantial international law collection. The Library's collection of 110,000 volumes includes 28,000 treatises and holds 55,000 New Zealand unreported judgments, dating from 1980.
The New Zealand legal environment
When considering your research topic keep in mind some of the key features of the New Zealand legal environment. These include the unique relationship between Māori and the Crown in the context of a Westminster-style democracy, the mixed member proportional representation system of elections, our unicameral parliament and the role of our parliamentary Bill of Rights.
The small size of New Zealand's economy presents unique legal challenges and opportunities, and the location of the country highlights the importance of international trade and international commerce.
Faculty journals
You'll have the opportunity to publish your work in the Faculty’s own research publication, the Victoria University of Wellington Law Review. The New Zealand Journal of Public and International Law also offers opportunities to be published in a world-class journal.
Live and study in New Zealand's creative, compact and vibrant capital, and benefit from the University’s prime location and links with government and industry organisations. Take advantage of opportunities to hear from experts in government, the public and private sector, and from visiting academics.
Tutoring
Postgraduate students in the Faculty of Law can apply to tutor undergraduate courses. This can be a great way to look at your own work with a critical eye and refresh your existing knowledge. Applications are usually called for in September or October for the following year.
Scholarships
You can look for scholarships based on your level of study, subject area and background.