Diploma in Law
The qualification to prepare for your new future.
The Diploma in Law programme has been designed to meet the needs of a wide range of students. If you are seeking to enhance your present career or exploring opportunities for a new career direction, the Diploma programme will provide you with an insight into the legal system and valuable skills in legal research and writing. Flexible full-time and part-time study options allow you to accommodate work and family commitments, while studying for your new future.
Programme structure
The Diploma requires 120 points, comprising:
- LAWS103 Legal Method and LAWS106 Legal Systems and Societies (40 points at 100 level).
- LAWS201 Public Law A, LAWS204 Contracts and LAWS207 Torts (60 points at 200 level).
- An additional 20 points in law at 200 level or above. (Please discuss your paper selection with Te Piringa - Faculty of Law).
- The Diploma is normally a two year programme of study, with most students studying LAWS103, LAWS106 and LAWS201 in the first year of study and LAWS204 and LAWS207 and the additional paper in law at 200 level or above in their second year of study. The Admissions Committee may allow students, who are sufficiently academically prepared, to enrol in all of the law papers in one year.
#LAWS201 Public Law A from the Diploma will count as LAWS107 Constitutional Law for credit purposes.
Programme delivery
- Videoed lectures are available on the web to watch from home, or from the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic computers in the Bongard Centre computer lab in Tauranga. Hamilton students attend on-campus lectures or can access the videoed lectures also on the web.
- We recommend broadband capable of 400K/second and a minimum capacity of 2GB per paper.
- Tutorials are held in both centres.
- Experienced University tutors and legal practitioners provide tutorials in Tauranga. These may be complemented by some on-line tutorials.
- A course book of reading materials (cases, articles etc) will be provided and students will have access to a range of web-based legal research databases.
- Required textbooks will need to be purchased.
Credit towards the Bachelor of Laws degree
On successful completion of the Diploma in Law, you are welcome to apply for entry into the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and continue your law studies at the University of Waikato Hamilton campus.
The Diploma of Law papers can be credited towards the first and second years of the LLB programme. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Laws degree can complete their level 300 and 400 papers at the Hamilton campus.
If you are intending to continue your law studies, we recommend that you study some non-law papers at Tauranga. Student advisors at the Tauranga campus can provide advice on your paper.
Entry requirements
Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Te Piringa - Faculty of Law Admissions Committee, giving consideration to an applicant's academic perparedness to undertake this programme of study.
Please provide a written statement (letter of application) of approximately 200-300 words, with full details of any work experience (paid or unpaid) and/or community involvement, with details of any previous study (and an academic transcript), and reasons for wishing to undertake the diploma programme.
