Program Overview

Course Overview

The Treaty of Waitangi, also known as Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is a foundational document in New Zealand's history. This course, LAWS 387, examines the Treaty in light of historical and contemporary legal issues and developments.

Course Details

• Course Code: LAWS 387
• Course Name: The Treaty of Waitangi
• Duration: 17 weeks
• Start Date: 23 February 2026
• End Date: 21 June 2026
• Lecture Times:
  • Thursday, 1:40 pm
  • Friday, 10:30 am
• Campus: Pipitea
• Fees:
  • Domestic students: NZ$1,020.00
  • International students: NZ$5,165.40
• Points: 15
• Availability: Limited entry

Entry Requirements

• Prerequisites: 20 LAWS 200-level points
• Corequisites: 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301
• Restrictions: Students who have passed LAWS 394 cannot take this course.

Course Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Apply the text and principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to support analysis and decision-making.
2. Summarize the major criticisms of the Treaty claims and settlement processes.
3. Illustrate understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in a Mori legal context.
4. Describe alternative approaches to addressing Treaty of Waitangi issues and critique their relative strengths and weaknesses.
5. Explain and analyze the different forums in which Te Tiriti has legal relevance.
6. Explain the relationship between the Treaty's legal, constitutional, and political dimensions and their impact on the exercise of public power.
7. Identify situations and issues that require a consideration of the Treaty or Treaty principles.

Teaching Method

The course is taught through two lectures per week, conducted in a wnanga-style with a high emphasis on collaborative discussion.

Assessment

• Assessment Type: To be confirmed, may require in-person attendance.
• Mark: 100%
• Mandatory Requirements:
  1. Complete all items of assessment.
  2. Achieve an overall pass mark of at least 50%.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be provided once the course has begun.

About the Course

This course examines Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the context of historical and contemporary legal issues and developments, with a major objective of examining Mori perspectives of the Treaty and exploring Mori expectations of the Treaty relationship.

Faculty and Staff

• School: School of Law Faculty of Law
• Course Administrator: Zoe Cachia
• Lecturer: Ria Holmes

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.