Bachelor of Laws
Program Overview
The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) is a four-year degree and the only undergraduate law degree offered in Papua New Guinea. Students must complete 36 courses — comprising 20 compulsory law courses, 9 optional law courses, and 7 enrichment courses — and must achieve an aggregate GPA of 2.00 to be awarded the degree. The compulsory courses cover both substantive and procedural aspects of law.
During the final year of study, all students are required to complete and submit a Major Research Paper of up to 20,000 words, designed to develop individual research skills with minimal supervision from a staff supervisor.
Students are encouraged to take up to seven non-law enrichment courses — four compulsory enrichment courses and three non-law broadening courses from other Schools within the University — as part of the enrichment component of their degree.
Degree Classification
The Law School classifies the LLB degree on the basis of academic performance across the program:
| Classification | Percentage | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| First Class Honours | 85 – 100% | 4.75+ |
| Second Class Honours (Division 1) | 75 – 84% | 3.75 – 4.74 |
| Second Class Honours (Division 2) | 65 – 74% | 3.45 – 3.74 |
| Pass | 50 – 64% | 1.75 – 3.44 |
Entry Requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Laws as a school leaver, applicants must satisfy the following minimum requirements:
- A grade of B or better in Language & Literature or Applied English (one subject).
- A grade of B or better in General Mathematics or Advanced Mathematics (one subject).
- A grade of B or better in three (3) subjects chosen from Economics, Geography, History, Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
Minimum GPA: 3.00, calculated across the subjects listed above (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0; subjects not taken are excluded from the calculation). Note that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission — places are limited and competition is strong.
NOSS selection formula (2025): (COUNT_B[LL,AE]=1)&(COUNT_B[GM,AM]=1)&(COUNT_B[Ec,Gr,Hi,Bi,Ch,Ph]=3)&(GPA[LL,AE,AM,GM,Ec,Hi,Gr,Bi,Ch,Ph]>=3.0)
Course Structure
Year 1
Semester 1
- LAWS1101Introduction to Law
- LAWS1102Constitutional Law
- LAWS1109Contracts Law I
- LAWS1103Communication & Life Skills
Semester 2
- LAWS1110Contracts Law II
- LAWS1105Customary Law
- LAWS2107Principles of Equity & Trust
- LAWS1104Computer Literacy & Numeracy
Year 2
Semester 1
- LAWS2101Criminal Law
- LAWS2109Law of Torts I
- LAWS2110Commercial Law
- LAWS2111Land Tenure Law
Semester 2
- LAWS2112Law of Torts II
- LAWS2105Trial Practice & Criminal Procedure
- LAWS2113Land Administration Policy
- LAWS2114Family Law
Year 3
Semester 1
- LAWS3101Jurisprudence
- LAWS2102Law of Evidence
- LAWS3102Civil Procedures & Remedies
Semester 2
- LAWS3103Administrative Law
- LAWS3104Alternate Dispute Resolution
- LAWS2104International Law Elective
- LAWS2103Criminology & Penology Elective
- LAWS3105Women & The Law Elective
Year 4
Semester 1
- LAWS4100Major Research Paper
Semester 2
- LAWS4101International Trade Law Elective
- LAWS4102Natural Resource Law Elective
- LAWS4103Environmental Law Elective
- LAWS4104Maritime Law Elective
- LAWS4105Taxation Law Elective
- LAWS4106Intellectual Property Law Elective
Course codes shown are indicative. Please contact the School directly for official course codes and credit information.