Course summary

Gain the key legal skills required in our ‘law in practice’ environment while specialising in current trends and responses to crime. This degree also has the option of a one-year paid work placement. In this degree, you will be encouraged to think like a lawyer from day one. Exploring the essential law foundation subjects, you will learn to practise law, with a good understanding of current trends and responses to crime. The course has been designed by experienced academics and practitioners, with input from our internationally-renowned Crucible Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice. It is specifically designed for your career development. And we have excellent student feedback: we are ranked 1st in the UK for student satisfaction in Law (Complete University Guide 2022). Throughout your degree, you will gain the practical experience of putting law into action through our pro bono activities at the Law Clinic and the Citizens' Advice Bureau and have the opportunity to go on work placements. Through practice-based learning, you will learn to understand the law in the context of everyday life and legal practice, and apply your learning to critical criminological and legal issues. You will begin by building a comprehension of the key functions of the English legal system, explore the moral dimension of the practice of law, grasp criminal law and human rights, and learn to present reasoned and logical arguments. Drawing on disciplines such as sociology, psychology and human rights, you will gain a dynamic understanding of legal concepts, values, principles and rules, as well as criminological theories and criminal justice practice. A high proportion of your time will be spent working face to face with tutors, developing your understanding of legal and criminological issues, and the core skills and competencies legal practitioners are expected to have. Modules include Legal Systems, Ethics and Skills, where you will be introduced to the structure and functions of the English legal system; Criminal Law, which focuses on key principles in crimes such as murder, manslaughter, non-fatal and theft-related offences; and Introduction to Criminal Justice, where you will analyse contemporary trends and policies in the criminal justice system. Our dedicated Careers Adviser has established links with graduate recruiters and can help you obtain a graduate role. You will be supported to map out your aptitudes and create a career plan. We provide personalised sessions in CV and application writing, presentations, mock-interviews and commercial-awareness training, as well as opportunities to develop your networking skills. Above all, this degree provides you with a Qualifying Law Degree, with a specialism in criminology. This course offers all students the option of a one-year paid work placement, to boost your employability even further. If you choose this route, you will take the placement following year two of your course, and then return to complete your degree. A placement year is the perfect opportunity to gain valuable work experience, to build on the career skills we will teach you on this degree. The connections you make on the placement will improve your career prospects further, and equip you with the skills you need to secure graduate-level employment.