Criminology and Law BA (Hons)
Course Code
UCAS Code: M930
International Code: HLSU183
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Start date
September 2022
Course overview
Study level: Undergraduate
Bringing together the closely related disciplines of Law and Criminology, this course explores the widely publicised and often emotive issues surrounding crime, punishment, justice and the legal system.
- Designed and shared by Criminology and the Law School and also having input from International Studies, the programme aims to prepare you to think about deviance, victimisation, punishment and regulation of justice issues.
- No.1 for career prospects for Criminology in the Midlands in the Guardian University Guide 2021
- Excellent current professional links with employers including the police, HM Prison Service and Positive Youth Foundation
- Hear regularly from guest speakers from different sectors of the criminological spheres, such as the Prison Service, Police, UK Borders Agency and Youth Offending Team (subject to availability).

Global Ready
An international outlook, with global opportunities
Teaching excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field
Employability
Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeedWhy you should study this course
Our Criminology and Law degree is designed to equip you with a detailed understanding of the social, moral, psychological, philosophical and legal aspects of criminology, complemented by ongoing study of constitutional, administrative and criminal law.
Designed and shared by Criminology and the Law School and also having input from International Studies, the programme aims to prepare you to think about deviance, victimisation, punishment and regulation of justice issues. It is designed to give you an opportunity to develop a rounded understanding of public and state responses to crime with guest speakers including staff from prisons, and victims providing real-world learning insights into such topics as mental health, court procedures and custody. Law modules also emphasise putting legal writing and research skills into practice.
This course is ideal for those interested in careers in criminal justice and with transferable analytical and problem-solving skills useful in a wide range of jobs. It aims to provide you with the opportunity to acquire insight into two complementary fields concerned with the nature of deviance and its composition and treatment by the law and its agents. You will have the opportunity to learn and apply research and analysis skills to theory, agencies and specialist topics including policing, organised crime and legal advocacy.
The practical focus of the course is designed to enhance your job prospects. The law element aims to provide you with an understanding of practical legal skills and knowledge, such as dispute resolution, written and oral advocacy, negotiation and client interviewing and counselling, useful in most careers.
Students are taught using a mixture of lectures and small group seminars and ‘hands-on’ skills workshops. This supports students to explore topics more independently, in-depth and see their connection to real-world issues.
Ideal for those interested in careers in criminal justice and with transferrable analytical and problem-solving skills useful in a wide range of jobs, the course considers the strengths and shortcomings of the legal system and the various philosophical, political, social, economic and moral issues which have shaped it and affect us today.
Coventry has a reputation for teaching excellence and excellent professional links with the Police, HM Prison Service and Youth Offending Service. Our partnership with Warwickshire Police to provide Police Support Volunteers was the first scheme of its kind in the country.
Course content is regularly reviewed by our Partnership Group, which is made up of key criminal justice agencies and allied professions, including West Midlands Police, HM Prison Service, the Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, MIND and the Citizens Advice Bureau. We strongly encourage our students to gain practical work experience. You could, for example, volunteer as a special constable or spend a year on professional placement working in organisations, such as victim support or youth hostels for young offenders.*
You will have the opportunity to gain a detailed understanding of the workings of the criminal justice system, policing and different aspects of punishment, enhanced by regular interaction with criminal justice agencies. You’ll also be able to hear regularly from guest speakers from different sectors of the criminological spheres, such as the Prison Service, Police, UK Borders Agency and Youth Offending Team (subject to availability). We also organise a number of optional practical field trips – in the past visiting Rye Hill and Onley prisons, The Old Bailey and The Holocaust Centre (additional costs may apply).
You may also have the opportunity to participate in exciting field trips abroad, which have previously included the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, Robben Island and Victor Verster Prison in South Africa and the Stasi museum in Berlin.*
for career prospects for Criminology in the Midlands
Guardian University Guide 2021
More than just a degree
My course offered everything I wanted to explore. It has broadened my knowledge of all the opportunities available to me after graduating.

Criminology students observe Weinstein trial
In January 2020 our Criminology students, on a field trip to New York, had the good fortune to observe the initial stages of jury selection for the Harvey Weinstein trial. They also watched Gloria Allred, a high-profile lawyer in the US, who currently represents several of Weinstein’s alleged victims - and who has been instrumental to the #metoo movement - give a press conference. Following the press conference, Gloria Allred agreed to talk to the students and explained the importance of the case and answered questions.

What you'll study
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
You are taught using a mixture of lectures and small group seminars and ‘hands-on’ skills workshops. This combination supports you to explore topics more independently and in more depth. We adopt an innovative approach to learning through involving guest speakers from different spheres of criminological activity such as the UK Borders Agency, practising psychologists, victims and oversight agencies to provide effective learning insights.
The teaching team come from a range of specialist backgrounds including mental health, psychology, sociology, and criminal justice to name a few and these feed in to a rich and varied range of perspectives that underpins your learning. The teaching you receive will be informed by the research staff conduct and present at national and international conference presentations, and writing for publication on topical issues, such as gun control, drugs, violence, sexual abuse, policing and policy issues.
You will also have the opportunity to engage in international activities. A focus on out of classroom activity emphasises practical field trips to prisons, courts and destinations including international destinations such as South Africa, Finland, New York, Germany and Poland.*
We will also support you to apply for work experience through volunteering activities. Agencies such as Warwickshire and West Midlands Police, Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Victim Support have attended events held at the university to advertise PCSO and support worker roles. This event also provides excellent professional networking opportunities for posts such as intelligence analysts.
In a typical teaching week, you will have around 14 ‘contact’ hours of teaching. This generally breaks down as:
- Personal tutorial/small group teaching: 1-2 hours of tutorials or individual project supervision each week
- Medium group teaching: 6-8 hours of skills workshops or seminars each week
- Large group teaching: 4-6 hours of lectures each week.
In addition, you will be expected to undertake a further 15-20 hours of self-directed study each week e.g. completing the recommended reading that accompanies your lectures, working on coursework assignments, taking part in group work and exam revision. Some ‘contact’ hours may take the form of synchronous online learning (e.g. live online lectures, meeting tutors via video calling etc).
The university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
The course utilises a dynamic approach to assessing and learning, including digital stories, website design, poster creation and infographics, students undertaking their own research project and practise in the university Moot room to mirror courtroom scenarios. This approach is intended to encourage student creativity and re-enforce progressive understanding of criminology and mirror modern, work-based tasks.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments may include exams, individual assignments or group work elements.
Job ready
This degree is designed to provide you with an excellent basis for graduate-level employment in a wide range of relevant professions, from the more established careers such as the prison, probation and police service to the newer initiatives in areas of community safety and crime prevention.
You will have the opportunity to gain practical work experience and develop a range of skills and competencies that are intended to set you apart from other graduates and make you attractive to potential employers, such as group work, literature reviewing, critical analysis and the delivery of oral presentations.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university’s Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.
Successful completion of this course can give students who attain a 2:2 or above the opportunity to apply for the MA Criminology course.
International experience opportunities
As well as offering a range of short international field trips, which have previously included a visit to Krakow in Poland to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, you also have the opportunity to complete the course over four years with a sandwich year spent studying abroad.*
The university has links with over 20 institutions in Cyprus, France, Malta, Spain, Sweden and Turkey, as well as several other countries around the world. Courses are largely taught in English, but there are opportunities to learn and attend courses in a foreign language (subject to availability, additional costs, application and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements). In the past, students on this course have studied the youth justice system in Malta and the sex industry in the context of people trafficking in Madrid.
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
2022/23 Tuition fees
Student | Full time | Part time |
---|---|---|
UK | £9,250 per year | Not available |
International | £15,300 per year | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
Facilities
Mock prison cells
Our mock cells enable you to experience the practical aspects of life in prison. Have a look round our mock prison cell on our virtual 360 tour.
Moot Room
Practice and develop your legal skills in the realistic setting of our Moot room.
Careers and opportunities
This degree is designed to provide you with an excellent basis for graduate-level employment in a wide range of relevant professions, from the more established careers such as the prison, probation and police service to the newer initiatives in areas of community safety and crime prevention.
You will have the opportunity to gain practical work experience and develop a range of skills and competencies that are intended to set you apart from other graduates and make you attractive to potential employers, such as group work, literature reviewing, critical analysis and the delivery of oral presentations.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university’s Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.
Successful completion of this course can give students who attain a 2:2 or above the opportunity to apply for the MA Criminology course.
Further study
You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with the Criminology MA. You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.
How to apply
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UK Students
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS. Part-time students should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
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International Students
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team.
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimer
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2021/22 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
Tuition fees
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
Facilities
Facilities mentioned on this page may not be relevant for every course. Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Placements and study abroad opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Additional costs
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to), equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas).