LLB Law with Criminology / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

The best part of my course is meeting so many intelligent people in seminars.

People that are also passionate about different areas of law, for example, human rights.

Maya Kabasa / LLB Law with Criminology

LLB Law with Criminology combines a distinctive approach to legal education from a globally recognised institution, bringing together research-informed academic study and practice-led approaches to law, with study in a pioneering Criminology department focused on pedagogical innovation.

You will study the foundations of law in the England and Wales and gain a deeper understanding of crime and the societal responses to crime.

You will learn how to contextualise crime in its wider social and political setting and evaluate new policy developments in law and justice. You will be able to understand and evaluate the nature and complexity of the criminal justice system in the UK, as well as international legal and criminal justice systems, and their relevance and influence in a global society.

You will tailor your degree to your specific interests by choosing from a range of optional units offered by our diverse team of experienced academics and practitioners.

The course will help you develop the skills and attributes attractive to employers in law or criminal justice, including the police, prisons, offender management, youth justice and victimisation. As well as building your legal skills, you will analyse a range of sources from both disciplines and assess complex data related to experiences of criminality.

Our award-winning Justice Hub is a centre for excellence in clinical legal education and offers free legal advice to members of the public. Volunteering here gives you the opportunity to contribute to our partnerships with the public, charitable and private sectors and play your part in our commitment to social responsibility. By learning through reflection and collaboration, and applying your studies in practice, you can help access to justice for some of the most vulnerable, marginalised and disadvantaged in society.

Studying at one of the UK's most globally connected universities means you have opportunities to gain a cutting-edge perspective on law and criminology reflected in our teaching and from your experience as a member of our academic community.

Special features

Launch yourself into law and criminology

Study our Introduction to Law and Legal Skills and Foundational Criminology courses, designed to inspire your learning.

Volunteer at our Justice Hub

Get involved with our Justice Hub comprising of the Legal Advice Centre, Manchester Free Legal Help, the Manchester Innocence Project and the Dementia Law Clinic.

It is a centre for excellence in clinical legal education and offers free legal advice to the public.

Shape the future through LegalTech

Engage with LegalTech throughout your studies, exploring cutting-edge digital futures to gain a greater understanding of this new area of legal practice.

Placement opportunity

You can apply for a paid Q-Step internship during the summer between Years 2 and 3.

Gain a global perspective

Experience different legal cultures and perspectives, broaden your studies and discover different styles of education through Study Abroad.

Community beyond the classroom

Make the most of your time at Manchester with our student-led societies. They are a great way to meet students, connect with prospective employers and enhance your CV through organised events.

Teaching and learning

Our teaching is driven by active and innovative approaches to learning, aimed at inspiring and supporting you as you develop throughout your degree.

You will be challenged to reflect on what you are taught to develop intellectual independence and graduate skills.  

Contact time of lectures, seminars, and workshops amount to a minimum of 10 hours per week.

In total, you will spend about 40 hours per week studying, comprised of taught sessions and guided independent learning.  

Lectures are delivered to a large cohort of students, covering an overview of a particular subject.  

Workshops and seminars are integral to our active learning and research-oriented approach.

In small groups, you discuss, present, and apply the law based on what you have learnt.  

Our teaching is enhanced by our virtual learning environment which enables you to engage with peers, academics and interactive content to further your studies.  

You will develop independent and teamworking skills, furthering your knowledge through research and learning to communicate complex concepts to a range of audiences.  

You will be encouraged to respond to feedback from peers and staff to apply your understanding of the law in your academic work.  

Your experience and wellbeing are an integral aspect of our teaching and learning.

To ensure that you feel supported, we provide you with an Academic Advisor, a Peer Mentor, and a student representative to present student views and experiences in regular staff and student committee meetings.  

Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning

Coursework and assessment

Through your assessments, you will demonstrate graduate skills that prepare you for a range of careers. Methods of assessments include:

  • exams;
  • coursework;
  • short exercises or written pieces such as case reports and reflective diaries;
  • problem-based multiple choice questions;
  • oral presentations;
  • portfolios and project work.

We will support you through detailed feedback to help you improve and progress in your studies.

Course content for year 1

Year 1 provides you with the foundation to your studies of Law and Criminology.

You will study three 30-credit full-year Law courses:

  • Introduction to Law and Legal Skills;
  • Law of Obligations (Contract and Torts);
  • Criminal Law.

Plus, the following Criminology courses:

  • Crime and Society (10 credits);
  • Criminological Research Methods (20 credits).

Course content for year 2

In Year 2, you will study two full-year foundational subjects:

  • Land Law (30 credits);
  • Public Law (30 credits).

You will select a 20-credit full-year subject from a range of specially designed units which develop your foundational studies. The units currently offered are:

  • Human Rights
  • Law in a Global Context
  • Principles and Practice of Commercial Law
  • Law in Practice (simulated)

You will also select two 20-credit Criminology subjects which extend your understanding of criminological theory and your knowledge of the practices and techniques used in contemporary criminal justice systems. The units currently offered are:

  • Understanding Punishment
  • Modelling Criminological Data
  • Explaining Crime and Deviance

These are designed by leading researchers in their fields and will develop your knowledge of specific patterns of crime and criminality, as well as your understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Course units for year 2

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Policing and the Police CRIM20051 20 Mandatory
Public Law LAWS20100 30 Mandatory
Property Law I LAWS20110 30 Mandatory
Explaining Crime and Deviance CRIM20412 20 Optional
Modelling Criminological Data CRIM20452 20 Optional
Understanding Punishment CRIM20692 20 Optional
Principles of Commercial Law LAWS20052 20 Optional
Human Rights LAWS20092 20 Optional
Public International Law LAWS20372 20 Optional
Principles of Law, Medicine and Ethics LAWS20732 20 Optional
Miscarriages of Justice LAWS21062 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 11 course units for year 2

Course content for year 3

In your final year, you will select four 20-credit Law and two 20-credit Criminology subjects which consider specialised and in-depth areas of law and criminology.

Our optional subjects give you the opportunity to engage with our world-leading research specialisms, including:

  • Equity and Trusts*;
  • European Union Law*;
  • Law in Action;
  • Principles of Law, Medicine and Ethics;
  • Criminal Evidence;
  • Environmental Law;
  • Company Law;
  • Employment Law;
  • Intellectual Property Law;
  • Family Law;
  • Jurisprudence;
  • Competition Law;
  • Mental Health Law;
  • Miscarriages of Justice;
  • Constitutional Reform;
  • Law, Money and Technology;
  • Advocacy and the Law.

The areas in Criminology include:

  • Drugs and Society;
  • Serious and Organised Crime;
  • Criminology and Mass Violence;
  • Youth, Crime and Justice;
  • Crime Mapping: an introduction to GIS and spatial analysis;
  • Prisons: Exploring the Carceral World in the UK;
  • Understanding Violence.

You also have a choice to write a dissertation in place of one of these courses.

Please note that course units available are subject to change annually.

*Students wishing to satisfy the professional requirements for the academic stage of training for the Bar Standards Board must take these course units.

Course units for year 3

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Property Law II LAWS30330 20 Mandatory
Law of Torts / Obligations II LAWS30400 30 Mandatory
European Union Law LAWS30990 30 Mandatory

What our students say

Read profiles of our students to find out about their experiences of studying at Manchester.

Facilities

You will have access to first-class facilities to learn and practice your skills, both independently and with other students.

Moot court

Our moot court allows you to enhance your practical application of the law in a simulated court environment alongside your peers and legal experts.

Library

You can access our specialist law library, in addition to one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK

Justice Hub

Get the best possible start to your legal career with our Justice Hub network. Develop your values, ethics and civic engagement in:

  • the Legal Advice Centre ;
  • the Dementia Law Clinic;
  • the Manchester Innocence Project;
  • Manchester Free Legal Help.

You can also choose to study Law in Practice and Law in Action, and apply take part in the Justice Hub Vacation Scheme.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk