Law with Criminology LLB (Hons)

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Sussex

Program Overview

This degree brings together two powerful subjects — law and criminology — giving you a clear understanding of how the legal system works and why crime happens in the first place. It’s a great fit if you’re interested in justice, curious about human behaviour, and want a career that makes a real difference.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Your first year builds the foundation you’ll rely on throughout the degree. You’ll study core law subjects such as Contract Law, English Legal System, and Tort Law, which show you how legal decisions are made and why they matter. At the same time, criminology modules like Thinking Like a Criminologist and Understanding the Criminal Justice System help you start exploring how society explains and responds to crime.

Year 2

In your second year, you move into deeper, more analytical topics. Criminal Law introduces you to offences, defences, and how the law tries to balance punishment with fairness. Criminology modules such as Police and Policing and Punishment and Penology help you understand how institutions operate, why different policing styles exist, and how societies decide what justice should look like. This year sharpens both your legal reasoning and your understanding of social systems.

Year 3

Your final year gives you the freedom to specialise. You’ll take advanced legal modules like Equity and Trusts, which covers areas such as fiduciary duties and the rules that govern trusts. You’ll also choose from criminology and law options that match your interests — whether that’s ethics, human rights, social justice, or professional practice. This year helps you bring everything together and prepares you for your next steps after graduation.

Focus Areas : Criminal law, criminological theory, policing, punishment, justice systems, human rights, legal ethics

Learning Outcomes : You’ll graduate with strong legal analysis skills, a deep understanding of crime and justice, confidence in applying law to real situations, and the ability to think critically about how society responds to criminal behaviour.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation) : This degree meets the academic requirements for solicitor and barrister training, so it fully prepares you for the SQE route or the Bar pathway if you choose a legal career.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings) : Sussex is well regarded for its strength in social sciences and its supportive, skills-focused Law School. Students benefit from law clinics, real casework, and strong employer connections — all of which make graduates competitive in careers across law, criminology, and criminal justice.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Studying Law with Criminology at Sussex gives you plenty of chances to step beyond theory and actually experience how law and the criminal justice system work in real life. You’ll learn by doing — whether that’s working with real clients, practising advocacy in a courtroom-style setting, or exploring how different parts of the justice system operate. Along the way, you’ll use professional tools, dedicated facilities, and gain experience that boosts your confidence and prepares you for whatever career path you choose.

Here are some of the practical opportunities you’ll get throughout your degree:

Clinical Legal Education: In your final year, you can work directly with real clients through Sussex’s law clinics. You’ll take on genuine cases under expert supervision, learning how to interview clients, research legal problems, and prepare advice — all skills that employers really value.
Sussex Law Clinics: These clinics cover areas linked to both law and criminology, such as housing, employment, migration, and environmental justice. Depending on your interests, you can get involved in cases that give you an inside look at how the justice system affects people’s everyday lives.
Environmental Justice Clinic: If you’re passionate about social and environmental issues, you can join this clinic to support communities facing environmental challenges. It’s a great way to see how law and public policy interact.
Mooting and Advocacy Practice: You’ll have opportunities to take part in mooting, client interviewing, negotiation, and other advocacy competitions. These activities help you build confidence in presenting arguments, thinking on your feet, and developing a professional presence.
Courtroom-Style Facilities: The Law School has dedicated spaces — including a mooting room and specialist study areas — where you can practise arguments, prepare casework, or work with your peers in a realistic legal environment.
Professional Research Tools: You’ll learn how to use industry-standard legal databases such as Westlaw and LexisNexis, giving you the same research skills used by solicitors and barristers.
Supportive Teaching Environment: Staff often bring in real examples from their own professional experience, and many activities involve small-group work where you learn by discussing, analysing, and debating cases with classmates.

Progression & Future Opportunities

When you finish the Law with Criminology LLB at Sussex, you’ll be stepping into a degree that opens doors to both legal careers and roles across the wider criminal justice sector. Many graduates go on to work in areas like legal practice, policing policy, probation, prisons, community safety, or research. It’s a versatile pathway that lets you shape a career that genuinely matches your interests.

To support you along the way, Sussex offers a strong mix of guidance, practical experience, and professional connections:

Career support that actually helps you move forward — from personalised career coaching to CV workshops, interview prep, and help finding internships through the Careers & Entrepreneurship team.
Plenty of real-world experience — with around 86% of Sussex undergraduates gaining work experience before they graduate, giving you a solid head start when you enter the job market.
Links with industry professionals — thanks to the Sussex Law School Employer Advisory Board, which includes practising solicitors, barristers, and legal specialists who help keep your degree aligned with real employer needs.
Promising graduate outcomes — many students are in skilled employment or postgraduate study about a year after finishing, with typical early-career salaries ranging roughly from £24,000 to £34,000, depending on the role.
A recognised LLB qualification — which means you meet the academic requirements if you choose to continue into solicitor or barrister training, while still having the flexibility to explore careers beyond traditional law.

Further Academic Progression:
If you decide to study further, you could continue into an LLM (Master of Laws) in areas like criminal justice, human rights, or public policy. You could also pursue a Master’s in Criminology, move into professional legal training routes, or even work toward a PhD if research interests you.