Law with Criminology
Law with criminology combines the formal analytical discipline of legal study with the social scientific examination of crime, criminal behaviour, and the criminal justice system. Law develops your ability to read complex texts with precision, to apply legal rules to factual situations, and to construct rigorous arguments. Criminology extends the analysis beyond formal doctrine to ask why crime occurs, how the criminal justice system operates in practice, and what the evidence shows about the effectiveness of different responses to offending.
Together they produce graduates who understand both the legal architecture of criminal justice and the social and empirical reality in which it operates.
At Sheffield Hallam University, this three-year full-time LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology programme includes a foundation year for those who need additional academic preparation before engaging with degree-level content, and a sandwich placement year with work placement opportunities. You will gain experience through Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice Hubs, on-campus legal service providers, and with external organisations, giving the programme a practical professional dimension that goes beyond academic study. The programme is designed to be shaped around your individual interests and career aspirations within and beyond the justice sector.
You will study core legal subjects including criminal law, public law, contract, tort, and evidence, alongside criminological content covering crime causation, policing, courts, prisons, victimology, and youth justice. You will develop legal reasoning, research skills, analytical writing, and the professional awareness needed to work effectively in legal and criminal justice environments.
Graduates pursue careers in the legal profession, probation, policing, social work, youth justice, the prison service, and public policy. Some qualify as solicitors or barristers. Others bring their combined legal and criminological skills to careers in research, campaigning, and public administration.
Postgraduate study in law, criminology, or social work is a natural next step.