Master of Legal Studies

The Master of Legal Studies degree emphasises creativity, communication, critical analysis, applied knowledge and problem solving in a variety of specialist disciplines.

The curriculum will provide training in critical skills that are marketable across professions, such as the ability to "think like a lawyer" in solving problems and to make clearly written and logical arguments. It is a flexible, professionally aligned academic degree that addresses key aspects of human culture, communication, and society. It offers explicit pathways into the workforce as well as pathways for career progression or to higher degrees. Although the Master of Legal Studies will not qualify students to practice as a lawyer, it will provide graduates with the core competencies and skills required for law-related work. Students will gain practical legal knowledge that is flexible and transferable to a wide range of occupations, across the public and private sectors.

The University of Waikato, located in the central North Island cities of Hamilton and Tauranga, is an internationally recognised tertiary institution offering degree programmes designed to produce job-ready graduates. Each year, the University provides more than 2,000 industry placements and internship opportunities, believing its students benefit from the chance to put the theory they have learnt in classrooms, into practice in a real-world employment environment.

When students choose to study at waikato, they gain a globally recognised education. In 2019, the QS World University Rankings placed the University of Waikato 266th in the world, an improvement of 135 places in five years. The University is also in the top 5% of all globally ranked institutions for research impact, meaning their research is among some of the most influential in the world.