LL.B. Law with Criminology with Foundation Year

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Canterbury Christ Church University

Program Overview

The LL.B. Law with Criminology (with Foundation Year) at Canterbury Christ Church University offers a thoughtful mix of legal studies and criminology — giving you both a strong grounding in law and a deeper understanding of crime, justice, and society. It’s ideal for you if you’re curious about how law shapes society, want to explore why crime happens, and see yourself working in legal, justice, policy or social-change fields.

Curriculum Structure

Foundation Year
The first year helps you build strong academic skills and get ready for degree-level work, especially if you’re coming from a different background. You’ll grow comfortable with study skills, critical thinking, writing and research — setting a smooth path before you dive into full law and criminology studies.

Year 1
In the first full year, you begin to explore the basics of law — discovering how the legal system works, how contracts are formed and enforced, and what makes certain acts criminal. Through studying core units like the English Legal System, Contract Law and Criminal Law, you start to understand the foundations of justice, responsibilities, and rights.

Year 2
In the second year, you deepen your knowledge — exploring areas such as Property Law, Tort Law, Public/Constitutional Law — alongside beginning criminology-influenced study: thinking about crime in a social context, how laws interact with society, and how justice systems respond. You’ll sharpen your legal reasoning, research skills, and learn to analyse real-world issues from both a legal and criminological perspective.

Year 3
In your third year, you bring together everything you’ve learned: advanced legal topics, optional modules related to criminology or criminal justice, and practical work that connects theory to real-life situations. This is where you gain deeper insight into how law and crime intersect, preparing you for either further study or career in legal, justice or social-policy roles.

Focus Areas:
Law fundamentals; Criminal Law; Contract Law; Tort & Property Law; Public & Constitutional Law; Criminology; Criminal Justice; Legal Research & Analysis; Social Justice & Crime Policy

Learning Outcomes:
You’ll develop solid legal reasoning and understanding, the ability to analyse and interpret laws and criminal-justice issues, sharpen research and writing skills, and gain confidence in thinking critically about law, crime and society — preparing you for varied career or further-study paths.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):
This degree provides the academic foundation needed for further legal training or roles in criminal justice, social policy, advocacy or related fields — giving you flexibility whether you want to become a solicitor/barrister or work more broadly with justice and social systems.

Reputation (Employability & Graduate Prospects):
With this combined degree, you’re not limited to traditional law careers: many graduates go on to roles in legal firms, justice or probation services, social and community organisations, policy research, or further academic study — giving you a broad and adaptable skill set for today’s job market.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Canterbury Christ Church University, LLB Law with Criminology isn’t just about lectures — you’ll get lots of real-world experience to help you grow as a future legal or justice professional. From courtroom-style practices to hands-on clinics and group projects, the course gives you a chance to see how law and criminology play out in daily life, while building confidence and practical skills.

Here’s how you’ll get that practical edge:

Hands-on legal and mediation practice — you’ll have opportunities to take part in mediation clinics or mock courtroom exercises that closely mirror real legal work, helping you practise negotiation, dispute resolution, and advocacy in a safe, guided environment.
Group projects and case-studies — many assignments will involve working with peers to analyse real or hypothetical criminal-justice and legal cases, which helps you learn teamwork, develop your analytical thinking, and understand different perspectives.
Access to specialised law resources — you’ll use the university’s law library, journals, and legal databases, giving you the tools to research statutes, case law and criminology studies — which you’ll need whether you pursue further study or enter the legal profession.
Opportunities to connect with the justice community — through guest lectures, seminars or events with legal professionals, you’ll be able to hear real experiences from solicitors, barristers, or criminal-justice workers, helping you connect what you learn in the classroom with career realities.
Applied criminology learning — alongside legal modules, you’ll explore criminology-focused topics such as crime patterns, social causes of crime and justice responses — often through practical assignments that examine real societal issues rather than abstract theory.

With these kinds of experiences, you’ll be building more than just legal knowledge: you’ll grow confidence in speaking, arguing, understanding people and issues — all essential for a future in law, justice, advocacy or policy.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduating from the LL.B. Law with Criminology (with Foundation Year) prepares you for a range of fulfilling careers — you could enter the legal world as a trainee solicitor or paralegal, work in criminal justice or probation services, or move into research, policy or social advocacy roles that draw on both your legal knowledge and criminology insights. With this degree, you have the flexibility to pursue traditional law careers or roles that focus on justice, community welfare, and social change.

So, once you finish the degree you can look forward to:

Benefit from the university’s career support — including CV and interview help, guidance on applying to law firms or justice-sector employers, and access to graduate-job alerts tailored to law and criminology students.
Enter the job market with a degree that meets academic requirements for legal qualification, giving you a clear path if you aim to become a solicitor or barrister.
Explore roles in probation, community justice, policy research, public-sector organisations or NGOs where understanding both law and criminology is valued.
Use the versatility of your qualification to work in law firms, criminal-justice agencies, social advocacy groups or as part of research teams — offering a broad range of career options.

Further Academic Progression:
If you decide to keep studying, you could go for a Master’s degree — for example in law, criminology, criminal justice or related fields — which opens up opportunities for more specialised work, research, or even teaching.