LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology St Mary’s University Twickenham, London

Our Law with Criminology programme is tailored for students who are interested in careers in the criminal justice system or are interested in law and in becoming barristers or solicitors.

• Practice-focussed vocational modules as well as modules exploring criminology, legal theory and cultural issues.
• Emphasis on employability via engagement with the local legal community and extra-curricular activities such as mooting, mock trials and commercial awareness workshops.
• The friendly and enthusiastic team of lecturers teach areas they've either practised or carried out research in, and are available for individual support.
• Expertise in human trafficking and much more.

Why St Mary's?

Our Law with Criminology degree is taught by leading academics in both fields - as well as former solicitors and barristers - in an open and friendly environment, with emphasis given to supporting you as an individual.

We work hard to help you develop your employability skills and this degree programme will enable you to experience external visits to the Supreme and Crown Courts, for example. The teaching staff on the programme have expertise in modern slavery and human trafficking, terrorism and counter-radicalisation, green criminology, sports criminology, and drugs, alcohol, homelessness and crime. There are also regular talks by guest speakers on topics such as organised crime and human trafficking, medical fraud and prisons.

There are opportunities for you to sign up to observe at legal advice clinics in the borough of Richmond upon Thames. You may also have the opportunity to observe practitioners at a local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) and at a pro-bono legal advice service for the local community. You may even be able to shadow a judge at a local court.

With a wide range of option modules - including work-based learning placements - and a diverse variety of assessment methods, such as simulated negotiation exercises and delivering presentations, you will learn through experiencing the law, not just through exams.

Previous students have undertaken placements in the local and wider London area, in private and sole practitioner solicitor firms, barristers' chambers, charities, and the Youth Justice Board.

The degree programme is connected to the Centre for the Study of Modern Slavery and the Centre for Law and Culture. You're encouraged to attend public lectures and other suitable events as these opportunities will enable you to develop learning beyond your undergraduate studies, both in the context of further studies and career development.

Why study Law with Criminology?

A major challenge to society is 'crime'. Criminology examines 'crime' and 'deviance,' and the processes through which the criminal justice system responds to these phenomena.

You'll learn the core ‘foundations of legal knowledge’ required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board to pass the academic stage of training and progress on to the vocational stage.

Future changes to the qualification routes for solicitors with the introduction by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) mean that if you start a law degree course in the 2021/22 academic year or later, you will need to pass the SQE to qualify as a solicitor.

The Criminology modules explore why crime exists, how crime and deviance are socially constructed, which societies have the most crime and how societies deal with crime. No society is crime-free; crime and society are intertwined.

By studying this degree you'll develop the analytical and reasoning skills essential for formulating legal arguments and will gain a thorough understanding of key issues within criminology. Not only does it allow graduates to pursue legal careers, but the programme provides the opportunity to pursue several career pathways.

Year one

• Legal Process and the Introduction to the Practice of Law
• Sources of Law and Academic Legal Skills
• Human Rights Law
• Criminal Law
• Law of Contract
• Investigating Criminal Justice

Year two

• Law of the European Union
• Land Law
• Law of Tort
• Criminalising Social Problems
• Crime and the Media

Year three

• Law Research Project
• Extended Essay in Law
• Equity and Trusts
• Criminology: New Perspectives
• Cultural Legal Studies - Optional
• Cultural Legal Studies - Optional
• Introduction to Sharia Law - Optional
• Intellectual Property Law - Optional
• Jurisprudence - Optional
• Insurance Law - Optional
• Medical Law and Ethics - Optional
• Employment Law in the Workplace - Optional
• International Criminal Law - Optional
• Counter Radicalisation and Terrorism - Optional
• Modern Slavery, Trafficking and Organised Crime - Optional

Many graduates will go on to vocational training in order to practise law as a barrister, solicitor, legal executive or paralegal. Almost half of the graduates use their law degree to enter careers in the private and public sector, public services, commerce and government.

Generally, an LLB degree is highly valued by employers in all sectors as you'll have a range of highly transferable skills and detailed and analytical knowledge of the law.

Law with Criminology graduates have a wide variety of career options including the following possible career pathways:

• Policy and administration
• Government civil service
• Campaign groups working for social and criminal justice
• Investigating justice and victim support
• The Police
• HM Prison Service
• National Probation Service
• Community, health and social work

The Careers Service has more information on careers study options for graduates.