Law with Criminology LLB (Hons)

UCAS code M107

Location

Stoke-on-Trent campus

Learn about theories of crime, how the legal system works and offender management with this innovative and hands-on degree.

You’ll gain an insight into the full spectrum of criminal justice, allowing you to explore lots of exciting career opportunities in law and beyond. These could include working with prisons and probation services, supporting victims or delivering crime prevention strategies.

You’ll put your skills into action in our simulation spaces, where you could be presenting cases in court and booking suspects into our mock custody suite and prison cell. Other practical opportunities include the chance to help real clients in our Legal Advice Clinic.

The course will also give you a firm grounding in many other aspects of law, so you can keep your career options open. Assessments will be based on real-world scenarios, such as a simulated property law advice session or a case study on child safeguarding.

As the course is taught by specialist law and criminology teams, you’ll gain lots of transferable skills. There will be input from a range of other professionals as well.

Once you graduate, you can progress with confidence onto the next stage of qualification to become a barrister, solicitor or CILEX lawyer.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology

Duration

University of Staffordshire undergraduate courses are usually 3 years for full-time study.

Courses which offer other study options have longer durations:

  • Full-time with a placement year, 4 years
  • Full-time with a foundation year, 4 years
  • Part-time, 4-9 years

Work placements

Work experience and volunteering placements are encouraged. Examples of recent opportunities for LLB students include volunteering at the local Coroner’s Court, placements with the Citizens Advice Bureau, work experience with the Crown Prosecution Service in daily webinars for one week, and the Freedom Law Clinic criminal practice work experience project. Similar projects and opportunities are constantly being sought by staff to give students support in building their CVs.

Extra-curricular trips to courts and professional environments for observing the Law in action are offered to all students. Typical visits may be to courts, the UK or regional parliaments, or museums to explore the social and historical context of contemporary legal issues such as slavery, criminal justice or the constitution. Students can also access any relevant extra-curricular activities offered in Criminology which may involve visits to prisons, police museums and historic archives. Local professionals and alumni support students by giving guest lectures and talks on their careers in both subject areas, which have included solicitors, barristers, and professionals from the police, prison and probation services as well as other investigatory bodies. 

Course content

First year:

You will explore the theory and practice of crime prevention, and also look at how to create safer communities.

As well as a criminology module, you will complete five core law modules. These include learning about contract and tort law, which are both aspects of civil law and cover legal agreements and civil liabilities. You’ll also look at constitutional law – the rules and laws of the state.

And you will begin to develop your legal skills, including writing, referencing and research – crucial for any future legal career.

Second year:

You’ll investigate the experiences of victims and theories behind victimology. We will also look at crime and harm committed by the powerful.

For criminal law, you’ll delve into how courts operate and cover key elements of criminal liability. There will also be modules exploring property law, EU law and the lawfulness of decisions taken by public bodies. You’ll develop your analytical and problem-solving skills by looking at complex case scenarios.

Third year:

You can choose from a wide range of optional modules. For criminology, these topics include multidisciplinary work to rehabilitate offenders, the role of community justice, and child safeguarding. You’ll also be able to delve into criminological theories that help us understand serial killers.

In law, optional modules cover areas such as human rights, cyber law and AI, alternative dispute resolution, employment law, and family law. You can learn mooting in our digitally enabled mock courtrooms, where you’ll present a point of law and argue your case in front of a judge.

If you volunteer with our Legal Advice Service, you’ll offer free advice to the public under supervision. We also offer street law, where you could be doing presentations for school students or community groups on useful legal topics.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module where available.

Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 1 compulsory modules
Constitutional Law 20 credits
Contract Law 20 credits
Crime Prevention 20 credits
English Legal System 20 credits
Legal Skills 20 credits
Tort Law 20 credits
Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 2 compulsory modules
Administrative Law 20 credits
Crime Harm And Victimisation 20 credits
Criminal Law 20 credits
European Union Law 20 credits
Law Of Trusts And Equitable Remedies 20 credits
Property Law 20 credits
Year 3 compulsory modules
Year 3 compulsory modules
There are no compulsory modules for this year.
Show 18 optional modules

Entry requirements

We understand that you might have experienced a challenging run up to higher education and may have not met the entry requirements as listed. If this is the case don’t worry, contact us and our team of expert advisors can guide you through the next stages of application, or help you find the perfect course for your needs.

For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Get country-specific details on entry requirements, fees, scholarships and support services. Choose your country to see how University of Staffordshire can support you from application to arrival.

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Facilities

You'll learn in a range of simulation and immersive facilities, from our courtroom to our prison cell, we've re-created lifelike environments that can be set up to mirror different scenarios for you to grow real-world skills. 

Mock Courtrooms

One room is designed as a crown courtroom and the other for cases at magistrates’ court. Read more

Students can present legal arguments, act as expert witnesses, or take part in mooting.

Our digitally enabled mock court rooms are designed to create simulated scenarios for students to put theory in to practice and gain confidence, skills and knowledge to take forward in to their career. 

One room is designed as a crown courtroom and the other for cases at magistrates’ court. Students can present legal arguments, act as expert witnesses, or take part in mooting. Each space includes a dock, lawyers’ area and a bench for the judge or magistrates.

The courtrooms are used by a wide range of students from different perspectives including law students, policing, forensics, international relations and more, to give practice with not only mooting but also in presenting evidence and various other aspects of trials.

In our video, learn about simulation in our Mock Court Room, used by students to practice their skills to prepare them for their future career.

Prison cell

With its single bed and toilet, this space can be arranged as a holding cell for detainees. It’s where students can practise offender management techniques. The room can also be turned into a more long-term prison cell.

Office simulation space

The office space is kitted out with computers and desks, making it ideal for students’ digital forensic investigations. Read more

Students from a range of courses can also practise their interview skills using an appropriate scenario. 

Careers

Our course will grow your skills and knowledge to prepare you for a range of careers.

You could progress to the next stages of studying toward becoming a solicitor, barrister or a CILEX lawyer. Alternatively, the degree gives you a vast range of practical skills into other related areas.

Students on this programme have the opportunity to enhance their studies with a placement year, gain valuable work experience, and take part in international activities—potentially supported by the Turing funding.

All students have access to Careers, Placements & Employability, our dedicated careers team.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Teaching across the range of modules is informed by staff research and practitioner expertise. Staff follow a constructivist approach to learning and teaching, facilitating students’ active engagement in the construction of their own knowledge.  Whole group lecture sessions support students in the acquisition of new knowledge, with clear guidance on core principles and required readings from a range of texts. Small group sessions require students to apply and extend that knowledge across a range of tasks focusing on problem solving in real life contexts.  

Assessment

Assessments in both subjects are designed to provide meaningful, authentic opportunities for students to develop skills and knowledges, for example advising a client in a simulated Property Law advice session, or presenting a case study in Child Safeguarding or Rehabilitation of Offenders. For students who opt for the Legal Advice Clinic module at Level 6, these simulations culminate in real world experiences of giving legal advice to clients from the local community.

At all stages of the programme, students are required to use technology effectively in the research, preparation and submission of assessments. The university library gives access to a wide range of physical and digital resources for the study of both Law and Criminology. In addition, digital copies of textbooks for Law are available electronically through the OUP Law Trove portal. This allows lecturers to set readings across a wider range of student texts from introductory to more advanced, whilst also reducing the financial burden on students who may choose not to buy print copies.

Learning support

In addition to the excellent support you will receive from your course teaching team, our central Academic Skills team provides group and one-to-one help to support your learning in a number of areas. These include:

  • study skills such as reading, note-taking and presentation skills
  • written English, including punctuation and grammatical accuracy
  • academic writing and how to reference
  • research skills
  • critical thinking and understanding arguments
  • revision, assessment and examination skills
  • time management

Additional support

Our Student Inclusion Services support students with additional needs such as sensory impairment, or learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

Staff

Our teaching teams are experts in their fields. They bring their experience from the field and research to ensure your learning is relevant and up-to-date. 

Natasha Thomas

Senior Lecturer

Natasha is a Solicitor & Senior Lecturer and the Course Lead for the LLB (HONS) Law degree. She is the clinic manager for the Legal Advice Service which provides free legal advice to the public in conjunction with our law students.

Natasha's profile

Donna Graham

Lecturer

I teach on both the undergraduate and postgraduate portfolios from Levels 3 to 7. I teach a wide range of subjects, including Tort Law, Legal Skills, Business Law, Employment Law, and Critical Thinking.

Donna's profile

Anna Garland

Course Director

Anna was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1994 and practised as a Barrister specialising in Family and Criminal Law. She is now Course Leader for LLB (Hons) Law and Course Director for our Law courses.

Anna's profile

Louis Martin

Senior Lecturer

Louis worked for Derbyshire Constabulary before becoming Head of the Roads Policing Unit and Detective Inspector for Derby City Centre. He is Course Leader for Criminal Justice with Offender Management.

Louis's profile

Dr Lauren Metcalfe

Course Director

Lauren completed her PhD in Evidence Based Policing and joined Staffordshire University in 2017. She is now Course Leader for Professional Policing (our Pre-join degree) and Course Director for our policing degrees.

Lauren's profile

Giles Gater

Senior Lecturer

Giles is a solicitor, senior lecturer, and course leader for the two-year accelerated law degree programme. Giles is a University of Staffordshire alumni, specialising in property law, tax law, cyber law, and artificial intelligence law.

Giles's profile

Dr Samantha Spence

Course Director Associate Professor

Dr Samantha Spence, Associate Professor and Course Director for PG Law, specialises in international human rights, gender justice, superstition-related harms, and marginalised communities, with global research and UN policy impact.

Samantha's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 21 September 2026 the tuition fees are:

Tuition fees for LLB (Hons)-Full-time
Study option UK / Channel Islands International
Full-time £9,535 per year of study £17,085 per year of study

UK and Channel Island students: This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX**. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any change as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.

**RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.

Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs

Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Sources of financial support

If you receive funding from Student Finance you may be eligible to apply for additional benefits. Details can be obtained by reading our additional funding web pages, or visiting www.gov.uk.

Scholarships and additional funding

As an undergraduate student at Staffordshire, you may be eligible for additional financial support through one of our scholarships and bursaries. You can visit our funding page to find out more and check your eligibility.

Apply

Location Award Study option Start date Apply Link
Stoke-on-Trent campus LLB (Hons) Full-time 21 September 2026 Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at University of Staffordshire, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of University of Staffordshire enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.

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