Research degrees—PhD and Master of Laws
Our position in the heart of the legal decision-making district of Wellington means we offer students, staff, and visitors a unique university experience.
With the courts and parliament as our close neighbours, we are at the centre of debate, analysis, and dialogue about law and legal policy issues in New Zealand.
A globally ranked capital city university
Victoria University of Wellington’s graduate-level law students benefit from studying in a law school located near other globally ranked faculties and schools.
Located in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, Victoria University of Wellington has a tradition of fostering strong global links in teaching and research. Our programmes are of national significance and international quality.
Prospective students
For those seeking to pursue higher degrees by research, a PhD or Master of Laws could be for you.
For prospective candidates seeking admission to Victoria University of Wellington, two factors may be especially influential:
- the areas of expertise of the University’s full-time law academic staff
- the New Zealand legal environment.
Research quality
As New Zealand’s top-ranked university for research quality, Victoria University of Wellington has a great reputation for academic excellence. This is underpinned by the quality of our learning environment and our innovative teaching.
The excellence of the University’s legal academics was confirmed in a report released by the Tertiary Education Commission, which ranked the University number one in New Zealand for research quality. The report shows the University has the highest-rated law faculty for research in the country, establishing its research pre-eminence in New Zealand.
New Zealand’s leading legal minds
Our Faculty of Law is home to a diverse and expert group of distinguished academic staff. Their work is published in the top international and domestic law reviews. They are deeply involved in law reform initiatives, and they collaborate internationally in key research consortia.
Our conferences and lectures are attended by judges, politicians, practitioners, and academics from New Zealand and overseas. It is a rich brew of talent and experience that offers a priceless experience—to interact, debate, and exchange ideas with the very best the legal community has to offer.
The New Zealand legal environment
Some of the key features of the New Zealand legal environment include:
- the unique relationship between the indigenous peoples and the Crown, in the context of a Westminster-style democracy
- the mixed-member proportional representation system of elections
- the country's unicameral Parliament
- the role of New Zealand’s parliamentary Bill of Rights.
The small size of New Zealand's economy presents unique challenges and opportunities. And the country's location foregrounds the importance of international trade and commerce.
Leading research
The Faculty of Law's academic staff combine scholarly activities with the practice of law—as legal advisors, counsel, and arbitrators. Read recent profiles, highlighting the range of legal research projects of the University’s law faculty.
Legal community and events
The Faculty of Law is also committed to outreach to the local legal community. We host a wide array of seminars, conferences, and colloquia, creating an intense and vibrant intellectual life for our academics and students.
Expert librarians
Research students are supported by an excellent Law Library that is part of the wider Victoria University of Wellington library system. Our expert subject librarians work closely with our research students to develop research strategies and provide instruction on legal research methodology.
Faculty journals
The Faculty’s own research publication, the Victoria University of Wellington Law Review, offers an opportunity for postgraduate students to have their work published. Meanwhile, the New Zealand Journal of Public and International Law offers world-class writing on those key areas of speciality.
Research projects and profiles
Find out more about the research projects and award-winning scholarships that our staff and students have been working on. View our current postgraduate student profiles.
Human Ethics guidelines
If your research involves human subjects or human tissue, or if it affects people’s privacy, rights, and freedoms, it is subject to Human Ethics Committee Guidelines.