Law with Criminology LLB (Hons)

UCAS code: M1M9

Are you fascinated by law and how it is viewed through a criminological lens? Our Qualifying Law Degree, Law with Criminology LLB (Hons), explores the foundations of law and theories of crime, providing exemptions from the academic stage of training to become a solicitor or barrister.

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Overview

Course length:	3 years full-time 5 years part-time
Start dates:	September 2025 September 2026
Location:	Edge Hill University
Example offers:	BBC-BBB (A Level) or DMM (BTEC) View full entry criteria
Subject(s):	Law
Faculty:	Arts and Sciences
Department:	Law and Criminal Justice

Students practice their mooting skills in a mock courtroom and consult with the judge.

Our LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology degree provides an overview of legal systems and institutions with a minor specialism in criminology. It will provide you with an engaging, insightful and thorough insight into the world of law and crime, equipping you with the practical and substantive knowledge to practice law.
You’ll explore contemporary case studies and their critiques to sharpen your critical analysis skills. You’ll look at the police, criminal courts, prisons and youth justice services under the microscope, and understand the legal system as a whole – including its impact on society.
Joining our Law with Criminology programme also means that you’re embarking on an immersive learning experience, with opportunities to practise your mooting and negotiation skills in our on-campus Moot Court Room, provide legal advice to the community in our Law Clinic or act as a criminal defence lawyer in our ‘Crime House’.
You will also benefit from being taught by current and former legal practitioners and internationally recognised academics and can take advantage of our extensive industry links.
At our School, we pride ourselves on providing not only an excellent academic experience but also a supportive environment where you can thrive. We offer a broad range of extra-curricular activities to enhance your university experience, which includes Work Placement opportunities, Careers Fairs, Insight Days, Panel Events, our Student Law Society, wellbeing weeks, commercial awareness programmes, opportunities to participate in external competitions and educational visits to Inns, conferences and courts of law, such as the UK Supreme Court and the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

A qualifying law degree

The degree fulfils the first academic component required by the Bar Standards Board to become a barrister, while also providing a strong foundation to embark on the new routes of qualifying as a solicitor through the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Bar Standards Board

Solicitors Regulation Authority

Course features

International students can apply
Learn a language option available
Professional accreditation
Sandwich year option available
Studying abroad option available

My degree has given me the opportunity to meet inspirational people from the legal sector and to create connections within my chosen field.

Vanya Krystyna

LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology

View student profile

What you'll study

In the first year of law with criminology, we’ll unpack the basics. There’s an overview of legal reasoning and analysis, and you’ll take a look at the principles that regulate legally binding contracts. Hone your practical skills in our Lawyers’ Skills module or learn the fundamentals of Cyber Security. We’ll focus on criminal justice processes in crime and social justice contexts.

Compulsory modules:

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One of:

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Cyber Security Fundamentals and Ethics provides an introduction to the principles of cyber security. Focus is particularly on how to prevent cyber attacks, and the protection, confidentiality and integrity of information across both human and technology dimensions. The module tackles cyber security as a multidisciplinary issue and introduces important cyber hygiene concepts needed to remain safe in the digital world. Cyber security is covered from both a theory-based and applied understanding of how to reduce the likelihood of harm caused by cyber crime.

Module code: LAC1000

Credits: 20

Assessment

80% Coursework

20% Practical

Explore property and land law in Year 2 of law with criminology. And decide whether to delve into administrative law as it operates in the UK or the process behind bringing a claim for judicial review. We’ll help you explore criminal law and critical criminology theory too, as well as the fundamental principles of public law. You’ll examine questions around violence. What are the various forms? And how can we understand its impact on society?

Compulsory modules:

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One of:

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Public Law in Practice equips you with a good understanding of the process involved in bringing a claim for judicial review. Judicial review is a way of challenging how an organisation carries out a public function. It is a specialised type of legal proceeding. Unlike private law which involves a dispute over a person’s rights and obligations, judicial review has a wider public importance because it is about ensuring the state does not exceed the powers given to it by law. This difference means that special rules apply to judicial review. The court’s role is to look at whether a decision was lawfully available to the body which made it. Exploring the three stages of judicial review, from pre-action protocol to the permission and substantive stages, this module will enable you to develop the skills of locating learning resources and engaging in case and statute analysis, legal reasoning, criticism, and oral presentation and argument.

Module code: LAW2028

Credits: 20

Assessment

100% Practical

In Year 3 you’ll shape your studies by choosing from a variety of specialist areas of law. You’ll study these alongside your compulsory modules and could learn about Digital Policing and Cybercrime, Family Law, or Counter Terrorism. Perhaps you’d like to specialise in human rights, sports, the media or tax law? You’ll have the opportunity to forge the first steps to your future career path and apply practical aspects through our Law Clinic Experience module.

Compulsory modules:

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The Politics of Imprisonment provides you with a critical knowledge and understanding of the nature, functions and justifications for the use of punishment, specifically incarceration, in modern society. The module will consider the philosophical theories that are used to legitimise the state’s use of imprisonment and the sociological theories that explain historical developments in the purpose of state punishment. The various divisions and functions of the prison estate will be examined within their historical, structural, political, social and geographical contexts. Related methods of state punishment, such as the death penalty, will also be considered. You will adopt an international perspective and explore penal theory and practice in a range of countries. The relationships between power, legitimacy and justice will be central themes throughout the module.

Module code: CRI3110

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Exam

The Politics of Policing equips you with a critical knowledge and understanding of the concept of policing, both in its philosophical sense and as a function of the modern liberal democratic state. The module will consider the role and function of the police service, and explore related issues including police powers, political accountability, protection of civil liberties and the concept of equality before the law. Contemporary strategies and approaches to policing will be located within their structural, political, social and geographical contexts. The module is underpinned by theories of authority, power and legitimacy.

Module code: CRI3109

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Exam

Two of:

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Alternative Dispute Resolution recognises the importance of an understanding of the legal principles, processes and procedures of alternative dispute resolution. This module will consider arbitration, mediation and negotiation as alternative methods of dispute resolution. It will provide an understanding of the law and practice of arbitration in England and Wales generally. It will also explain the fundamental principles of arbitration, mediation and negotiation, consider the Arbitration Act 1996 and contemplate the role of the courts in the arbitral process A case study of an arbitration process will be included.

Module code: LAW3054

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Practical

Criminal Law in Practice equips you with a good understanding of the vital service provided by duty solicitors. The Criminal Justice system in the UK controls the behaviour of citizens and helps citizens understand the effects of their actions through punishment and rehabilitation of those who violate the laws. This area of law is regulated by the Criminal Procedure Rules and legislation including the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984. PACE regulates the power of police and sets out rules regarding the detention and interrogation of suspects. The role of a criminal defence duty solicitor is to help suspects when detained at the police station. The duty solicitor is an advocate who ensures that the offender's legal rights are observed and that proper legal advice is given. The duty solicitor explains what is likely to happen in the case, discuss the evidence that the police have, the strengths of the evidence and whether the evidence is strong enough for the suspect to be charged. The duty solicitor advises the suspect at the police interview and provides the suspect with legal advice. This module will guide you in how to conduct interviews and to request disclosure from police. You will also learn PACE rules that regulate police interviews and applications for bail, as well as about criminal procedure rules.

Module code: LAW3222

Credits: 20

Assessment

70% Coursework

30% Practical

Digital Policing and Cybercrime equips you with an understanding of the complexities of digital policing and digitally facilitated crimes. You will be introduced to key terminology associated with digital technology and gain an insight into how technology can be used in everyday policing and criminal investigations. Legislation and regulations relevant to the use of technology within digital policing and digitally facilitated crimes will be examined and applied to offences such as hate crime, sexting, revenge porn, bullying, harassment, child grooming and fraud. The module also explores how digitally facilitated crimes are reported to the police and assesses the impact that these crimes have on individuals and their families. You will investigate how criminals engage in complex digital crimes such as hacking, malware attacks, denial of service and data manipulation and consider the impact this can have on individuals and businesses.

Module code: PLN3003

Credits: 20

Assessment

60% Exam

40% Coursework

Mediation introduces you to the skills of a mediator and the principles of conflict resolution. The civil justice system in England and Wales provides a forum for resolving civil disputes, however this is adversarial, promotes a 'winner takes all' philosophy, and can be costly and time consuming. Increasingly, alternative dispute resolution methods, of which mediation is one, are being used to resolve disputes instead of court proceedings. The Civil Justice Council in its report of June 2021 recommended the introduction of compulsory mediation for civil disputes before a dispute is brought to court. Legal and judicial initiatives point to an increased use of mediation as part of the civil justice process in the future. This module will introduce you to the skills of a mediator and the principles of conflict resolution. It will provide you with an understanding of the role and practice of a mediator and the service that the mediator provides to parties who are in dispute. It will guide you through the process of preparation for a mediation, introduce the communication skills required to facilitate a negotiation between the parties, guide you in how to manage a mediation process, and provide an understanding of a mediator's ethical obligations and practice.

Module code: LAW3058

Credits: 20

Assessment

100% Coursework

Practical: Pass/Fail Element

How you'll study

You will be taught by a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops.

Joining our LLB Law with Criminology programme means you’re embarking on an immersive learning experience, with opportunities to practise your mooting and negotiation skills in our on-campus Moot Court Room, provide legal advice to the community in our Law Clinic or act as a criminal defence lawyer in our ‘Crime House’.

All students will also receive support in developing their academic legal skills, as well as transferable skills, through our Legal Skills sessions, Uniskills workshops and Careers Team events.

How you'll be assessed

Throughout the degree there is a combination of different forms of assessment to test intellectual development, vocational capability and critical thinking. Our assessments are also designed to ensure that you acquire a wide range of skills, particularly those required by future employers. You may be assessed via exams, coursework, presentations, practical assessments or a portfolio submission.

All students will receive assessment support in each module and will have access to additional support via Uniskills. You will also receive timely feedback throughout the module and after each assessment.

Who will be teaching you

You will be taught by our highly qualified and experienced team composed of current and former legal practitioners and internationally recognised academics. Staff have practical and research experience across a number of relevant fields including youth justice, sports law, artificial intelligence, cyber security, litigation, international law, human rights law and law enforcement.

Timetables for your first week are normally available at the end of August prior to enrolment in September. You can expect to receive your timetable for the rest of the academic year during your first week. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities.

Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.

Your future career

Whether you are planning a career in the legal profession or a career in another field of expertise, our Law with Criminology programme will develop and inspire you to reach your career goals.

Our LLB law degrees are qualifying law degrees, so you’ll graduate with the key skills and knowledge required to enter the legal profession. Upon graduating, you can then undertake the required further legal training to become a solicitor or barrister, including our LLM SQE Legal Practice if you wish to qualify as a solicitor.

The transferable skills which you gain from our programmes also mean that a wide variety of doors are open to you whether in the legal sector, criminal justice system, civil service, public relations, accountancy or business and marketing.

Our recent law graduates have secured positions as Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, in-house solicitor at BAE Systems, Legal Director at Moderna and barrister at 4 King’s Bench Walk Chambers.

As a School, we are committed to enhancing your employability and helping you to find the right career path for you and that is why 98% of our Law students are employed or in further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes data released 2024 from 2021/22 graduates).

Professional development opportunities are embedded into your programme or offered through extra-curricular activities, such as:

Unique, practice-focused modules – e.g. Criminal Law in Practice, Law Clinic Experience, Mediation, Private Client, Civil Litigation.
Work placement opportunities – whether taken as part of our work placement modules or as an extra-curricular activity, there are numerous opportunities to undertake work experience.
Careers fairs, alumni panels, insight days – grow your network and build connections with our specialist School Careers Fair and annual alumni panel events.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements (2025 / 2026)

Typical offer 112-120 UCAS Tariff points. No specific subjects are required.

Example offers

Qualification	Requirement
A Level	BBC-BBB.
BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications)	Distinction, Merit, Merit (DMM).
T Level	Overall grade of Merit.
International Baccalaureate (IB)	We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points.
Access to Higher Education Diploma	45 credits at Level 3, for example 15 credits at Distinction and 30 credits at Merit or 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations.

Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.

If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.

English language requirements

International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.

If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.

For further information on how you can meet the entry requirements

UK EU International

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Fastrack

How to apply

Apply online through UCAS

Read our guide to applying through UCAS to find out more about the application process.

Apply as an international student

Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Part-time applications require a direct application to Edge Hill. Please select the year of entry that you wish to apply for.

Apply for September 2025 part-time.

Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

Facilities

Law and Psychology building

The £6m Law and Psychology building provides contemporary teaching and learning facilities for students in the School of Law and Criminal Justice.

The three-storey building includes a 250-seat lecture theatre, seminar and tutorial rooms, and social learning areas which encourage a more informal and interactive style of learning.

It is also where our moot court room and law clinic are located. Law, Policing and Criminal Justice students can train and practice their advocacy skills and cross-examination techniques as well as preparing for giving evidence in court.

Our Police Training and Simulation Facility known as the ‘Crime House’, part of which is furbished as a police station, is used to simulate a wide range of crime scenes, providing students with an immersive learning experience. The ‘Crime House’ includes a mock custody suite, mock living areas, interview rooms, a control room, and a state-of-the-art simulation suite.

This enables Policing, Criminal Justice and Law students to work together on practical exercises, developed by our expert staff and based on real-life scenarios, in areas such as gathering and analysing evidence, (including forensic evidence at crime scenes), practicing interview techniques and supporting mock clients during a police interview.

Where you'll study

Finance

Tuition fees

£9,535

a year

£79 per credit

for 360 credits

£17,000

a year

The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.

Financial support

Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the course may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.

Scholarships

We offer a range of scholarships, which celebrate the determination, commitment and achievement of our students. Many of our scholarships are awarded automatically. There are some however, where you will need to be involved in an application or nomination process. To find out more about our scholarships and check your eligibility, please visit our dedicated scholarships pages.

Money Matters

Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.

Money Matters

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.

Course changes

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.