Law with Criminology

Law and criminology are disciplines that belong together. Law defines what counts as criminal behaviour, establishes the procedures for investigation and prosecution, and sets out the penalties that follow conviction. Criminology asks why crime happens, who commits it, who is most affected by it, and whether the responses our legal systems have developed are effective, fair, and humane.

Studied together, they give you a much richer understanding of how the criminal justice system actually works than either alone can provide.

The three-year full-time Law with Criminology programme at the University of Leicester is a joint honours degree in which more than half of your modules are in the foundation subjects of law, with criminology modules making up the remainder. You will gain a solid grounding in legal doctrine, developing the analytical skills to read and apply legislation and case law, alongside a deep understanding of criminology: the basis for criminalising behaviour, penal theory, the nature of crime, its causes, its prevention, and its management. The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to experience legal education and the criminal justice system in a different national context, which adds a comparative dimension that enriches both strands.

With a typical entry tariff of 136 points, the programme attracts students who want both professional relevance and critical depth in how they engage with crime and justice. Graduates are well placed for careers in law, the criminal justice system, probation, victim support, social work, policy, research, journalism, and the voluntary sector. Many also proceed to postgraduate legal qualifications, law conversion, or further academic study in criminology or criminal justice.