This law doctorate degree will prepare you for a career as a legal scholar and teacher. This degree is aimed to help you develop  advanced scholarly research and writing. This PhD is appropriate if you already possess the ability to carry out research on an independent basis.

Programme structure

You’ll acquire a law PhD by the submission of a major thesis which can be completed in a minimum of three years. Your thesis will critically investigate an approved topic of substance and significance, and make a substantial and original contribution to knowledge.

PhD supervision

This law PhD provides you with an exciting opportunity to be closely supervised by a panel of research experts who are internationally connected, well resourced, and benchmarked against the best in the world.

We provide supervision in a wide variety of legal and interdisciplinary areas such as Cyber Law, Business Law and International Law. Read more about our key areas of research here.

Waikato Faculty of Law hosts two research centres: Māori and Indigenous Governance and in Environmental, Resources and Energy Law. The Centres are dedicated to generating research into law and policy in their respective fields and to answering the challenges we face in New Zealand and worldwide.

As creators of knowledge, we’ll encourage you to be a leader and innovator, and as a result, you’ll compete at a global level in your chosen area of law.

PhD regulations

PhD regulations govern this degree. Read the Waikato law PhD degree requirements here.