Law with Criminology

Law with criminology is a combination that enriches the study of legal rules and systems with the social scientific understanding of crime, criminal justice and the conditions that produce them. Law provides the technical and doctrinal knowledge of how legal systems work, from contract and tort to criminal law and public law; criminology asks why crime occurs, how the criminal justice system responds, whether those responses are just or effective, and what the social causes and consequences of offending and punishment are. At the University of Derby, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, making the total period four years and providing additional academic preparation for students who need to consolidate their analytical and writing skills before beginning the main degree.

You will study the core areas of English law, developing the analytical, research and drafting skills that legal education demands and that are necessary for entry to professional practice. The criminology component engages with sociological, psychological and policy perspectives on crime and justice, examining everything from the causes of offending to the ethics of punishment and the operation of police, courts, prisons and probation services. Derby Law School is actively preparing its students for the changed routes into the solicitor profession, including the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, and the programme is structured to provide maximum flexibility.

A typical tariff of around 104 points is expected.

Graduates pursue careers in the legal profession, criminal justice agencies, social work, the probation service, police, the charity sector and public administration. The combination of legal training and criminological understanding is particularly valued in careers that engage with the interface of law and social policy. Many graduates also proceed to the further professional training required for solicitor or barrister qualification, while others go into postgraduate study in criminology, law or social policy.