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Overview

Are you passionate about crime prevention? Or perhaps you’re keen to learn more about different types of crime – why people commit crime, and the laws surrounding specific criminological concerns.

Our Criminology with Law BSc(Hons) will see you delve into a wealth of topics, from a critical social sciences perspective. You’ll study the foundations of criminology in partnership with our Law Department, who will teach you the fundamentals of law.

Why study Criminology with Law BSc(Hons)

On the course, you’ll explore the law relating to criminological concerns, including medical, family, immigration, and human rights laws. You’ll also learn about crime prevention, criminal justice and punishment, mentally disordered offenders, and violent and organised crime.

In your second year of study, you’ll have the opportunity to gain real-world experience through a work placement. Past students have completed placements with the police, youth offending teams, in prisons, restorative justice organisations, CCTV units, as well as in voluntary agencies supporting offenders and victims in the community. You may also have the opportunity to work and study abroad via the Turing Scheme.

On campus, you’ll be taught by experts from both criminology and law disciplines, who have a wide range of research, practice specialisms and knowledge of the areas you’ll study. You’ll also hear first-hand experiences and viewpoints from guest speakers, such as legal professionals, senior police officers, drug outreach workers, and criminal justice staff; they’ll give you an insight into key contemporary debates, concerns, and practices, as well as what it’s like working in positions in the criminal justice or legal practice fields.

You’ll also be able to specialise your study on key areas of interest in both criminology and law, including crime prevention and criminal justice to types of crime or offending, such as mentally disordered offenders. You might also focus on key explanations for crimes and criminal offending, and how crimes are defined and constructed. Enhancing your post-university career prospects, this course could prepare you for roles within the criminal justice system and beyond.

If you do not have the appropriate qualifications for direct entry to this degree you may be able to apply to our Psychology and Crime Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree or our Health Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree.

Entry requirements

BBC-BCC at A Level .

112-104 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications.

Pass in T Level with grade C or above on core.

DMM-MMM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

  • Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits at Merit or above.
  • 112-104 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications including a Higher Level at grade 6.

If you do not have the appropriate qualifications for direct entry to this degree you may be able to apply to our Psychology and Crime Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree or our Health Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

You may be eligible to gain accreditation for your prior learning towards this course.

We are keen to support a wide and diverse range of applicants on to our courses. Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

Course Detail

Exploring the Social Sciences

This module guides you through the process of exploring social science subjects at university and provides the opportunity for you to develop your ability to be a successful student. You’ll have the opportunity to strengthen your academic study skills, as well as your knowledge of research approaches and methods, using subject-specific topics and case studies. You’ll explore ways to assess your learning needs, set learning goals, develop learning action plans and produce effective academic assignments. You’ll also be introduced to the philosophies, methods and ethics of social research processes.

English Legal System and Method

The English legal system is complex, rooted in history and constantly evolving. This module introduces you to the key elements of the English legal system and also looks at the procedure to enact legislation, an analysis of the anatomy of an Act of Parliament, delegated and secondary legislation and principles of statutory interpretation. A brief history of the evolution of common law is also considered, together with an analysis of the current English court system and the continuing importance of the doctrine of precedent. In this module you'll also learn the methods and techniques necessary for using legal resources, such as cases and legislation to construct legal arguments.

Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice

This module explores the nature of crime and deviancy, the main perspectives in explaining criminal behaviour, and the structures of the criminal justice system. You’ll start by examining the definitions of crime, followed by an exploration of the criminal legal system including the key criminal offences and defences. You’ll then be introduced to the key agencies within the criminal justice system, which include the Police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Courts, and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. The second half of this module introduces the key theoretical explanations for criminality, ranging from psychological explanations to sociological explanations.

Law in Society

This module explores the original theories of law, as well as legal theories which disprove the myth of law as inherently neutral. By exploring areas such critical race theory, feminism and/or postmodernism, this module is inspired by Woodie Guthrie: this module kills fascists. The module explores depictions of law and legal injustices in popular culture and looks at the nature of human rights, the Human Rights Act 1998, and the place of the individual in society.

Doing Social Research

In this module you’ll explore these questions and study qualitative and quantitative research approaches. You’ll explore philosophical underpinnings of social research, key considerations concerning research ethics and researcher reflexivity, a range of data collection methods and techniques for data analysis, and how social research can be evaluated.

Criminological Explanations

This module explores the explanations for crime and disorder, which you will relate to the ways that criminological thought has developed over time. These issues will be set in a social, political, theoretical and historical context.

Doing Social Research

In this module you’ll explore these questions and study qualitative and quantitative research approaches. You’ll explore philosophical underpinnings of social research, key considerations concerning research ethics and researcher reflexivity, a range of data collection methods and techniques for data analysis, and how social research can be evaluated.

Exploring Work and Careers

You’ll have the opportunity to plan and complete a practical work based experience related to your course. This will give you the chance to apply your theoretical subject knowledge to a professional setting, helping to develop your employability skills in preparation for your future career.

Human Rights Law

This module critically explores the Human Rights Act 1998 and its implications for society today. It focuses on post-colonial critiques of human rights and the role of human rights as a tool of liberation. The Human Rights Act 1998 has defied its critics and has matured into an essential aspect of the UK’s legal landscape. You'll learn by being involved in practical debates about Human Rights and the 1998 Act, such as the application of human rights to British armed forces overseas, and debates as to the future and whether it is important to have a Human Rights Act, what its future legal status should be, or whether it should be repealed.

Law of Torts

You'll learn about the common law of England and Wales concerning liability in tort. Particular emphasis is placed on the theoretical justifications of a duty of care, the coherence of breach of duty, as well as causation and defences. You'll also learn through an in-depth analysis, of specific torts as black letter law.

Option modules. Choose one from a list which may include:

Approaches to Policing

You’ll study the history of police and policing in England and Wales and critically consider different styles and approaches to policing, with particular reference to globalisation and police legitimacy. You’ll further explore these issues by discussing approaches in other countries, cross-border and international policing.

Organised and International Crime

You’ll explore two aspects of organised crime. Firstly, you'll study white-collar, financial crimes and the damaging impact that they can have on the economy of a country. Secondly you’ll examine how organised crime can drive people trafficking and trading of drugs and illegal arms, which enables ‘rogue’ states to wage war on their own people. Finally you‘ll explore how both kinds of crime relate to your own life.

Reducing Crime

This module explores the strategies of crime reduction and prevention. You’ll explore a range of different reduction responses and investigate the evidence regarding their effectiveness in different situations. You’ll also consider explanations for the different ways that society responds to crime, setting these in a social, political and theoretical context.

Violent Crime

You'll explore the nature, variety and extent of violent crime and its prevention (for example terrorism, homicide, work-placed bullying, and stalking). You'll demonstrate your knowledge of theoretical explanations for violent crime and violence prevention methods.

Working with Offenders and Victims

You’ll be introduced to critical perspectives of the methods and processes of work undertaken with offenders and victims within the criminal justice process. This will include an exploration of factors that may influence criminal offending and how these may be addressed with strategies to reduce and manage offending. You'll also explore patterns of victimisation and repeat victimisation and strategies to address the needs of victims.

You may also have the opportunity to study abroad (outside of Europe) for a term in your second year. Within Europe, the University is also part of Erasmus+, the European Commission’s Exchange programme, giving you the chance to study for part of your degree in another country.

Contemporary and Comparative Criminology

You'll be encouraged to critically consider contemporary and newly emerging issues and debates within criminology. You'll be introduced to the field of comparative criminology by exploring key criminological problems in England and Wales within the context of historical and international comparisons of crime patterns and trends, criminal justice policy, practice and theoretical developments. Example topics include prostitution, the illegal trade in endangered species, management of sex offenders, cyber crime and people trafficking.

Final Year Project for the Social Sciences

You'll research a topic of your choice in depth, giving you the opportunity to develop your own research interests. Drawing on the area you have chosen to study, you'll engage with issues of project design and research methods. You'll discuss your project proposal in a presentation and produce a dissertation about your research topic. Throughout you will be supported by one-to-one supervision.

Option modules. Two options from a pool which may include:

Family Law

In this module you'll explore the relationships between members of a family and how the law is applicable to the breakdown of marriage/civil partnership or the relationship of a cohabitating couple. You'll evaluate the legal provisions relating to divorce and dissolution proceedings in respect of married couples and the legal principles that apply when dividing financial assets. The terms relating to married couples and their finance will be contrasted against the lack of formality surrounding cohabiting couples and their finances on relationship breakdown. The module also consider remedies available to couples in respect of domestic abuse.

Immigration and Asylum Law

In this module you'll explore the framework of immigration control and the right of abode and consider the law relating to deportation and removal from the UK. You'll also study the law relating to claims for asylum, including separate elements of the definition of a refugee under international law. This module explores the approach to asylum claims including matters relating to credibility, sufficiency of protection and internal relocation and taking a human-rights oriented approach, looks at the context in which the law arises.

Medical Law and Ethics

In this module you'll explore law and ethics in the provision and regulation of healthcare and medicine. There is a particular recognition that medical law cannot be considered as a purely national subject, and this module will adopt a comparative approach, additionally focusing on Europe and the international agenda. You'll learn how the same regulatory and ethical questions have been resolved in different jurisdictions to help the critical comprehension of the issues raised by health and social care within England and Wales, but also in the development of a critical ability to discover how law may be reformed to be more socially just.

Plus one option from a pool which may include:

Experiencing Punishment and the Penal System

This module critically examines the key elements of the penal or 'punishment' system. Time is spent considering the penal system for adults in England and Wales including the courts, prisons and non-custodial penalties. Focus is placed on how people working in the system, and caught in the system, experience this. Diversity of experiences and perspectives is explored alongside theoretical consideration of these experiences in the context of the formal structures and role of the system.

Serious Crime Investigation

You’ll explore modern police investigation practice in relation to serious crime, including the contribution of forensic science, offender profiling, surveillance data and new technologies. You’ll consider how current research into serious crime, such as homicide, terrorism and sexual offences, informs practice and police decision making, as well as how investigations and major enquiry management have become increasingly professionalised.

Offenders and Mental Disorder

In this module you'll be supported to develop your knowledge of the relationship between mental illness and criminal activity. You'll explore a range of mental illnesses and disorders as a cause of offending and have the opportunity to consider the links between theory and practice.

This course has modules making up 360 credits over the 3 Years, with each credit being 10 hours of study (3600 hours in total). An average of approximately* 34% (1520 hours) of the study time on this course is spent with your tutor’s face to face or online in lectures, seminars and tutorials. The remainder of the time will be spent on independent study. Assessments takes place through a variety of coursework, presentations, work-based learning and examinations.

Subject to mode of study. *Based on current core modules.

Calculated using data from the academic year 2024/25, as of November 2024.

Teaching

The teaching year for most courses normally starts in September with breaks at Christmas and Easter, finishing with a main examination/assessment period around May/June. Teaching on other courses including professional courses, postgraduate taught, research, distance learning and apprenticeship may have other start dates including January and May. All start dates can be found on each course page and term dates are also available. Students on a full-time course may have to attend every day of the week. Students who choose to study a full-time course on a part-time basis will generally attend modules at the same time as our full-time students. Timetables are normally available one month before registration.

Our courses are taught at our University campus and you can expect that your lectures and seminars will be held face to face, except in cases of emergency or if specifically stated otherwise in the module description.

Feedback

Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

Progression

You may progress to the next stage of your course or research degree, subject to meeting University assessment criteria and professional, statutory or regulatory body guidelines.

  1. The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. We were the only university in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West to achieve Gold ratings in all three aspects of the TEF among those announced in September 2023. In fact only 13 Universities, out of the 96 that were announced in September 2023, were Gold in all three ratings.

  2. Our teaching staff rank first in England for the proportion with higher degrees and teaching qualifications, as well as being top five for those holding doctorates (HESA 2025). So you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.

  3. We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 23 since 2008 (2024 data).

  4. We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

Read more about academic staff at the University of Huddersfield

At Huddersfield, you'll study the Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* so that you gain valuable qualities and experiences that could help you to get the career you want, no matter what your field of study is. On completion of the Award, you'll receive a GPA certificate from the University of Huddersfield, alongside the specialist subject skills and knowledge you gain as part of your degree, which may help to set you apart from other graduates.

Giving students access to the Global Professional Award is one of the reasons the University won ‘Best University Employability Strategy’ award at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2021. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.

*full-time, undergraduate first degrees with a minimum duration of three years. This does not include postgraduate, foundation, top-up, accelerated or apprenticeship degrees.

Placements


This course includes compulsory work experience in the second year. You'll be expected to undertake at least 30 hours of work experience relevant to your course during that year. The module is designed to enhance your academic and personal development through work experience that shapes your key skills and increases your confidence for future employability.

Your work and careers module tutor, as well as your personal academic tutor, will be on hand to support you in finding suitable work opportunities. They will assist you with preparing your CV and with interview techniques. They'll also be in contact with you during your work experience so that you'll be fully supported while you gain the skills that employer’s value so highly.

Previous work experiences within the criminology and policing subject area have included working with the police in roles such as being a special constable, translator and appropriate adult. As well as departments and organisations such as the police visitor scheme, youth offending teams, prisons, restorative justice organisations, CCTV units, Local Authority anti-social behaviour units and courts as well as in voluntary agencies that provide support to adult and juvenile offenders and victims in the community.

For more information visit our placements page.](https://www.hud.ac.uk/undergraduate/placements/)

I gained valuable experience calling vulnerable individuals in West Yorkshire, assessing their needs, and reporting any safeguarding issues so that support could be provided. Assessing individuals’ needs and referring them to services will benefit my career as a Probation Officer.

None

Lauren Bradshaw, graduated from Criminology BSc(Hons) in 2022, now Trainee Probation Officer at NPS Salford

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Further Study

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Research Excellence

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Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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