Criminology and Law (Q92)

This degree takes a critical and analytical view of the role and functions of the legal system, and examines its relationship with crime, harm, and criminal justice. With an appreciation of criminological theorising and evidence, you’ll develop the skills to comment on crime, victimisation, and responses to crime and deviance, including policy questions, from national to global levels. You'll gain the ability to critically assess everyday understandings of crime, harm and criminal justice, the social, political, economic, historical and ethical dimensions of law, as well as knowledge of the key institutions in the criminal justice and legal systems.

Key features of the course

• Explore the complex issues behind today’s crime, law and justice headlines

• Understand, interpret and apply concepts about crime and law to 'real world' problems

• Develop transferable employability skills to support career progression

• Identify where criminal justice and law is failing to provide social justice, fairness and equal opportunities in society.

Course Modules

This criminology and law degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

At Stage 1, you’ll begin with a broad introduction to criminology, thinking about the ways in which the study of crime has been informed by a variety of disciplines. You'll also be introduced to key social problems and criminal justice responses. Next, you'll explore criminal law and the courts, looking at how the criminal law operates in real-life scenarios and how the English criminal justice system operates within the wider legal system.

At Stage 2, you'll begin by developing your knowledge and understanding of criminological concepts and theories, with a focus on how these concepts and theories can help you to understand, interpret and reinterpret the social world in new and exciting ways. Next, you'll explore the relationship between the state and the individual in the UK by considering the UK constitution and some areas of administrative law. You'll then go on to learn about the law of evidence, which determines what evidence the courts can consider within court proceedings.

At Stage 3, you'll explore some of the fundamental distinctions between crime and social harm, with a particular focus on the role of the state. You'll also study trusts law and select your final law module. Within these options, you can either gain an intensive knowledge of different areas of European Union law, explore the relationships between law, society and culture, land law, or research a legal topic of your own choice.