LAWS206-26W (C) Whole Year 2026

Public Law

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 16 February 2026
End Date: Sunday, 8 November 2026
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 15 March 2026
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 23 August 2026

Description

The principles and working of the constitution, the institutions of government, the exercise of public power and relations between the citizen and the state. Controls on the exercise of public power, including an introduction to judicial review.

The subject provides students with an understanding of the New Zealand constitution – its history, institutions, laws and conventions.  It covers two broad areas of law – constitutional law and administrative law.  Constitutional law concerns the functioning of central government, involving an
examination of the three branches of government - the executive, the legislature and the courts. It involves the study of law, politics, history and convention. Administrative law concerns judicial review of executive and official action. It involves study of citizens’ rights in dealing with central government, public decision-makers and local bodies.

Students will acquire knowledge of the workings of the constitution and will engage critically with developments within the discipline.

Students will learn the role and place of the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand's legal system and will understand the nature of biculturalism in New Zealand.

Learning Outcomes

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

Prerequisites

Co-requisites

Timetable 2026

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 09:00 - 10:00 K1 Lecture Theatre
16 Feb - 29 Mar
20 Apr - 31 May
13 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 12:00 - 13:00 K1 Lecture Theatre
16 Feb - 29 Mar
20 Apr - 31 May
13 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct
Lecture C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 12:00 - 13:00 K1 Lecture Theatre
16 Feb - 29 Mar
20 Apr - 31 May
13 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct
Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 15:00 - 16:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
2 Mar - 15 Mar
11 May - 24 May
21 Sep - 4 Oct
02 Tuesday 13:00 - 14:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
2 Mar - 15 Mar
11 May - 24 May
21 Sep - 4 Oct
03 Tuesday 14:00 - 15:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
2 Mar - 15 Mar
11 May - 24 May
21 Sep - 4 Oct
04 Tuesday 15:00 - 16:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
2 Mar - 15 Mar
11 May - 24 May
21 Sep - 4 Oct
05 Wednesday 15:00 - 16:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
2 Mar - 15 Mar
11 May - 24 May
21 Sep - 4 Oct
06 Wednesday 16:00 - 17:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
2 Mar - 15 Mar
11 May - 24 May
21 Sep - 4 Oct
07 Thursday 11:00 - 12:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
2 Mar - 15 Mar
11 May - 24 May
21 Sep - 4 Oct
08 Thursday 12:00 - 13:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
2 Mar - 15 Mar
11 May - 24 May
21 Sep - 4 Oct
09 Monday 15:00 - 16:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
16 Mar - 29 Mar
27 Jul - 9 Aug
5 Oct - 18 Oct
10 Tuesday 13:00 - 14:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
16 Mar - 29 Mar
27 Jul - 9 Aug
5 Oct - 18 Oct
11 Tuesday 14:00 - 15:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
16 Mar - 29 Mar
27 Jul - 9 Aug
5 Oct - 18 Oct
12 Tuesday 15:00 - 16:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
16 Mar - 29 Mar
27 Jul - 9 Aug
5 Oct - 18 Oct
13 Wednesday 15:00 - 16:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
16 Mar - 29 Mar
27 Jul - 9 Aug
5 Oct - 18 Oct
14 Wednesday 16:00 - 17:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
16 Mar - 29 Mar
27 Jul - 9 Aug
5 Oct - 18 Oct
15 Thursday 11:00 - 12:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
16 Mar - 29 Mar
27 Jul - 9 Aug
5 Oct - 18 Oct
16 Thursday 12:00 - 13:00 Meremere 104 Moot Room
16 Mar - 29 Mar
27 Jul - 9 Aug
5 Oct - 18 Oct

Timetable Note

Tutorials in LAWS206 will be held according to the timetable you will be given at the start of Term One.  
Enrolment in Tutorials will be advised via email closer to the start of the course.

Course Coordinator

John Hopkins

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Mid-Year Test 30%
Essay 24 Apr 2026 20%
Final Examination 50% Final Exam


Assessment may include a mid-year test and a compulsory Essay and a Final Examination.

The assessment will be confirmed in the first week of lectures.

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Joseph, Philip A; Joseph on constitutional and administrative Law ; 5th edition; Thomson Reuters New Zealand Ltd., 2021.

Course links

Library portal

Notes

This is a compulsory core course for the LLB degree.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $2,006.00

International fee $10,075.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Limited Entry Course

Maximum enrolment is 360

For further information see Faculty of Law .

All LAWS206 Occurrences

  • LAWS206-26W (C) Whole Year 2026