Overview

This fascinating and widely recognised undergraduate law degree with the optionality of studying criminology lends itself to prospective students who wish to obtain a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD), whilst developing knowledge of criminal behaviour and its origins.

The course covers a wide range of challenging and thought-provoking legal topics, including Contract Law, Law of Tort, Land Law, Equity and Trusts and a number of substantive and optional law modules. The addition of modules in criminology makes this programme truly unique, offering the opportunity to develop social science skills and knowledge. Topics such as crime and society, justice and punishment and criminal investigation will introduce sociological, legal and economic theories that will complement the legal knowledge you gain.

Studying both law and criminology will allow for a combined understanding of these two challenging disciplines, broadening your knowledge and also the range of transferable skills you will develop.
Developed and taught by subject experts in both disciplines, this course provides an excellent opportunity to enhance your career development and improve your employability. You’ll be prepared for employment in a wide variety of fields as you will acquire a solid grounding in both legal and criminological principles while embracing all the subject-specific abilities, intellectual skills, practical professional skills and general transferable skills outlined by the QAA subject benchmarks.

The LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology is a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) approved by the relevant legal professional bodies, through which you can complete the academic stage of legal education.

This course is listed on the Solicitors Regulation Authority website as a qualifying law degree provider.

The course is also relevant if you are an international student wanting to access an English Law programme from a respected UK institution whilst living overseas.

Course structure

The LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology is made up of the following modules and, upon completion, is equal to a total of 360 credits.

Level 4 modules:

• Fundamentals of Effective Learning (15 credits)*
• Criminal Law (30 credits)*
• English Legal System (15 credits)*
• Introduction to Criminology (15 credits)*
• Constitutional and Administrative Law (30 credits)*
• One optional module from the list below

Level 5 modules:

• Contract Law (30 credits)*
• Law of Tort (30 credits)*†
• Land Law (30 credits)*†
• Criminology (15 credits)*
• One optional module from the list below

Level 6 modules:

• European Union Law (15 credits)*†
• Equity and Trusts (30 credits)*†
• Criminal Behaviour and Deviance (15 credits)*
• Research Methods (15 credits)*
• Final Year Research Project (30 credits)*
• One optional module from the list below

Optional modules:

Level 4 optional modules:

• Crime and Society (15 credits)
• Dealing with Offending Behaviour (15 credits)
• Justice and Punishment (15 credits)

Level 5 optional modules:

• Forensic and Criminal Psychology (15 credits)
• Criminal Investigation (15 credits)
• Youth Crime and Justice (15 credits)
• Prisons and Penology (15 credits)
• Probation and Community Justice (15 credits)

Level 6 optional modules:

• Victimology and Criminal Victimisation (15 credits)
• Criminal Justice in the Information Age: Cyber Crime and Security (15 credits)
• The Economics of Crime (15 credits)
• Policing (15 credits)

* These modules are core and must be passed in order to achieve the award.

† These modules are compulsory and must be passed in order to achieve a Qualifying Law Degree.

Learning and assessment

Introduction

Studying online gives you the freedom to study when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.

All of our online courses have an indicative study duration which is a guide to how long your course will take to complete. The actual duration may be longer or shorter depending on your speed of study, study options chosen and module availability. It’s possible to complete your studies faster than the indicative course duration by doubling up on modules at certain times; however, minimum study durations do apply.

All of our courses have regular start dates throughout the year. Our academic year is organised into modules, typically with a one- or two-week break between modules and a structured three-week break for the Christmas period. Students will receive a course timetable during the application process.

Teaching methods and style

As we are a 100% online university, we utilise a virtual learning environment instead of a traditional campus. The system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials.

This learning platform allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and you can listen to, and view, live lectures and seminars over the internet. All courses are delivered in English only.

You are supported throughout your course by a dedicated Student Adviser and have the opportunity to regularly interact with fellow students and your tutor. To ensure you receive the support you need from your tutor, we cap our class sizes at 20 students.

Assessment

We adopt an assignment-based approach to assessment instead of exams. LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology assignments are based on real-life work experience and assessed by tutors on an ongoing basis.

You are always aware of your current provisional grade right from the start of the programme, allowing you to evaluate the success of your current study methods and clearly identify areas to improve.

We believe that this transparency gives you the information you need to make the most of your course. We achieve this by:

• showing your marks clearly in your gradebook, which can be viewed whenever you log onto the learning platform
• the rapid turnaround of work assessed to ensure that your gradebook is always up to date
• assessing your work throughout the module rather than waiting for end of year exams
• ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Adviser
• the simplicity and transparency in the design of our assessment criteria

We also have a policy of ensuring that work submitted by students is authentic. As well as the fact that all work is frequently assessed, we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.

On successful completion of your LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology degree, you will be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex, Colchester Campus.

Career prospects

We are dedicated to improving employability amongst our graduates. Our online courses give you the opportunity to improve your career prospects and earning potential with a mix of key skills that are directly transferable to the workplace.

Individuals working in a wide range of professions, such as HR, Civil Service, Accountancy, Criminal Justice, Legal Services, Police, Probation, and the Prison Service will be able to use the skills and knowledge acquired through studying this programme to forward their own working practice.

The LLB (Hons) Law is recognised as a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) in England and Wales, through which you can complete the academic stage of legal education. After this, you can progress through further vocational study and practical training to obtain a professional legal qualification.

To be classed as a Qualifying Law Degree, you must also complete all your degree studies in not more than six years from start to finish. The minimum standard for a QLD undertaken for the purpose of completion of the Academic Stage for qualification as a barrister is lower second class honours. If you are applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), please check with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) or the Bar Standards Board to find out if this will affect the QLD status of your course.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced it will be introducing the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The earliest date for introduction is September 2021. The SRA will be providing information and guidance about how to qualify in the new system so keep checking their website.

Entry requirements

1. Academic Entry Route

In order to satisfy the Academic Entry Route requirements for the LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology degree you must have the following qualifications as a minimum:

• Three A-levels, or equivalent; plus
• If English is not your first language, IELTS (Academic) 6.0 or equivalent.
• If you do not hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification, we require students to pass a free online English test.

You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of, or if you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

You are required to pass your initial assignment set during the first 21 days of the course in order to continue with your studies

2. Work Experience Entry Route

To apply for the LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology degree via our Work Experience Entry Route you must meet the following criteria:

• GCSE Maths and English at grade C or above, or equivalent
• Three years’ relevant work experience; plus
• If English is not your first language, IELTS (Academic) 6.0 or equivalent
• If you do not hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification, we require students to pass a free online English test.

You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of, or if you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

You will be required to pass your initial assignment set during the first 21 days of the course in order to continue with your studies.

21-day money back guarantee

We want to give you the opportunity to experience a University of Essex Online course for a 21-day trial period. That’s why we have introduced our money back guarantee. If you start the course and decide it’s not for you during the first three weeks, you will receive a full refund.

Related courses

• CertHE Law
• LLB (Hons) Law
• CertHE Law with Business
• LLB (Hons) Law with Business
• CertHE Law with Criminology
• CertHE Law with Psychology
• LLB (Hons) Law with Psychology
• BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice