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Introduction
Introduction
Why choose this course?
Course structure
During year 1, we’ll introduce you to the basics of law and criminology. Through the Legal Method module you'll dive into the world of English law. You’ll learn to find and understand legal information. You’ll gain key skills in legal thought and argumentation. Also through the module Theories of Crime you'll dig into the key concepts and theories of crime.
In year 2, you’ll move on to more advanced modules in law and criminology. Optional modules let you explore how criminal justice may discriminate against different communities in society, the relationship between crime and capitalism, and crime in a globalised world.
There are more opportunities to specialise in year 3. With the support of your tutors you’ll have the chance on your Dissertation module to research an area of law you find interesting at a deeper level. Other modules, like Carnival of Pleasures, will have you exploring why some people enjoy breaking the law and the feelings they experience from doing this.
Overview
Become a law graduate with criminology expertise. Develop your understanding of English law and build your legal skills. On our Law with Criminology LLB you’ll look at policing and sentencing while gaining an understanding of the criminal justice system. You’ll investigate the issues and challenges which crime poses to our society and discover how law and criminology work together to solve these challenges.
We’re an active and friendly community. You’ll find opportunities to take part in events and activities that support your studies, often run by our teaching team. And with our diverse, international mix of staff and students, there are always new insights to gain and new perspectives to hear.
You’ll graduate with the skills to start a career. You may take the further legal training to become a barrister or solicitor. Or roles like probation officer, policy adviser, or public prosecutor may be of interest to you. Your tutors can support you to help you decide what your next steps will be.
Modules
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Contract Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with contract law. You’ll gain a detailed understanding of the formation, operation, and termination of contracts. You’ll understand the key ideas behind contract law. You’ll develop the critical skills in legal reasoning and analysis you gained from your Legal Method modules.
You’ll enhance your legal skills, as you tackle case studies in contract law. You’ll explore:
 the purpose of contract law
 formation of contract
 agreement problems (such as mistake or misrepresentation)
 terms of contract
 exclusion causes
 statutory control
 breach of contract and damages.
Criminal Law
You’ve committed a crime. But what makes you responsible for it? In this module, you’ll get to grips with the key principles of criminal responsibility, and build key skills for your degree. You’ll look at individual defences and offences, as well as fatal and non-fatal offences against people and property. You’ll study crimes including:
 murder and manslaughter
 theft and burglary
 offences against the person’ such as assault and battery.
You’ll also learn about defences such as:
 insanity and automatism
 duress and self-defence
 duress.
Legal Method
In this module, you’ll gain invaluable legal skills for your degree. You’ll learn to think like a lawyer, and understand:
 the sources of English law
 the structures and functions of the UK Courts.
You’ll also learn:
 how to critically read and assess statute and case-law
 how to evaluate legal arguments
 how to find and use online legal information.
You’ll dive into the world of UK law. You’ll learn to find and understand legal information. And you’ll gain key skills in legal thought and argumentation.
Public Law
In this module, you’ll dig into Public Law, and gain key legal knowledge for your degree. You’ll explore its key elements, including:
 civil liberties and human rights
 judicial review processes
 the separation of the different elements of the government
 constitutional and administrative law.
You’ll explore the relationship between Public Law and three key elements of the state - the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. And you’ll consider the relationship between the State and its citizens.
Theories of Crime
What is crime? Who commits crimes, and why? And why are some acts criminal, when others aren’t? In this module, you’ll dig into the key concepts and theories of crime. You’ll challenge your own common-sense understanding of crime, through the theories of celebrated criminologists. And you’ll consider:
 who invents crime and why
 the role of crime in society
 how might we study crime today digitally (online) and visually (through images).
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Digital Crime and Criminology
How does the digital world affect our understanding of key criminal law and criminological concepts? In this module, you’ll explore key concepts in the rapidly growing field of digital law and criminology and you’ll investigate how law and criminology meet and merge in the digital age. You’ll be introduced to the key theoretical frameworks of interest to digital criminologists and digital lawyers and you’ll work on applying these frameworks to specific topics of contemporary interest such as cyberhate, sexting and pornography.
Students will be introduced to the key theoretical frameworks of interest to digital criminologists and digital lawyers including the ‘digital’, intersectional digitalities and key themes in internet regulation. Students will then be applying these frameworks to specific topics of contemporary interest such as cyberhate, sexting and pornography, for example.
European Union Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with the European Union (EU) and its foundations. You’ll dig into key areas of law, central to the EU system. And you’ll explore the political and social implications of EU Law.
You’ll examine the history of EU Law, and its key institutions:
 the European Parliament
 the Council of the European Union
 the European Commission.
You’ll then focus on Union Law, and how it relates to national law. You’ll also consider the role of the Court of Justice of the EU. You’ll explore substantive law, as you understand the internal market of the EU, including:
 free movement of people
 citizenship.
Land Law
Land law is a fascinating attempt to solve people’s conflicting interests in land. You’ll get to grips with the English Land Law and its key concerns. You’ll explore:
 the nature of law, property and land
 the division of estates and interests (into legal and equitable)
 land registration.
You’ll gain a detailed knowledge of freehold and leasehold estates. And you’ll explore co-ownership and trusts of:
 land leases
 licences
 mortgages
You’ll also consider the rising importance of the Human Rights Act 1998 to Land Law.
Tort Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with tort law (law which deals with civil loss or harm). You’ll explore:
 the tort of negligence
 employers’ liability
 trespass to land
 public nuisance
 the Rylands-v-Fletcher case
 trespass to the person
 defamation
 privacy
 vicarious liability (when you’re liable for acts you didn’t commit).
You’ll also investigate the rising importance of human rights law.
Optional modules
Public Criminology
In this module, you’ll dive into real world problems of crime and criminal justice. You’ll apply your criminology knowledge to:
 find solutions to key questions of crime and justice
 find solutions to problems in current practice
 explore how these solutions can inform future research.
You’ll examine case studies from current policy and practice. You’ll apply the insights of:
 practitioners
 policy-makers
 politicians
currently working in criminal justice. You’ll gain a strong understanding of how criminology works in real life. And you’ll explore why there is a disconnect between the classroom, and criminology in practice.
Criminology Work Based Learning
In this module, you’ll kick-start your career, and gain key work experience in organisations related to crime. You’ll do a placement, or work-based learning activity in:
 a public sector organisation
 a non-governmental organisation (NGO)
 a voluntary organisation.
Whether working with the police, prison services, schools or charities, you’ll gain invaluable skills for your future career. You won’t engage directly with clients or service users, but you’ll gain a strong knowledge of how organisations identify and fight crime.
Crime and Intersectionality
In this module, you’ll get to grips with intersectionality - a way of understanding someone’s identity as made of characteristics such as race, gender and class. Intersectionality offers you a unique way to study crime. You’ll discover how criminal justice institutions, such as the police and criminal courts, respond to and discriminate against different social groups.
Crime, Capitalism and Markets
In this module, you’ll dive into capitalism, and its key relationship with crime. You’ll use a political economy approach, meaning you’ll look at the economy and its relationship with law and government. You’ll explore free-market capitalism, as well as capitalism on a global scale. And you’ll gain critical skills, as you consider the:
 individual
 moral
 cultural
 social
elements of the economy, and how these relate to crime.
Globalisation and Crime
In this module, you’ll explore and examine areas of crime and crime control across different regions of the world through the lens of 'globalisation', or the increased interconnectedness of social relations across the globe.
You’ll use a combination of theoretical concepts and case studies to interrogate and understand the interconnectedness of crime and responses to crime in the contemporary world.
Researching Crime: Methods, Approaches and Ethics
In this module, you’ll explore the key research methods of Criminology. You’ll gain invaluable critical skills, as you look at:
 research methods
 design
 processes
 outcomes
You’ll also understand the ethics of research, including:
 the requirements of conducting research with vulnerable populations.
 how your identity can help or hinder research relationships.
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Border Criminology
In this module, you’ll examine border criminology, which is the study of the intersection of border control and criminal justice. You’ll get to grips with key issues around:
 migration
 punishment
 citizenship and belonging.
You’ll investigate core developments of border criminology, including:
 immigration removal centres
 foreign national prisons
 policing of borders.
You’ll gain key critical skills, as you explore debates surrounding immigration, punishment and national identity. You’ll examine the institutions concerned with border control, and the increasing use of punishment and force around immigration control in the UK and abroad.
Equity and Trusts
In this module, you’ll explore Equity (fairness in the law). You’ll also investigate trusts, which exist to regulate situations where someone cares for another person’s affairs.
You’ll engage with Equity, and equitable remedies. You’ll also dive into trusts in all their forms. You’ll gain key critical skills as you analyse private trusts, and how they generate equitable interests. You’ll then consider the key features of charitable trusts. You’ll explore:
 the administration of trusts
 the powers and duties of trustees
 breach of trust
 the law of tracing.
Picturing the Criminal: From Mugshot to Fine Art
In this module, you’ll study images of crime, including:
 the world’s most troubling mugshots
 early crime-scene photographs
 bloody and brutal paintings
 criminal courtroom artworks.
Seeing and picturing is a key way of understanding crime. You’ll get to grips with the fast-growing field of visual criminology. You’ll discover the importance of images at the birth of criminology, and how they perpetuate stereotypes about race and gender. You’ll also consider why, because of this, criminologists have been sceptical about working with images.
You’ll have the rare chance to go behind the scenes, and visit Western-Europe’s most unique visual arts and social scientific-imaging collections, held in Oxford at:
 the Pitt Rivers Museum
 the Ashmolean Museum.
The Prison and Imprisonment
Should we punish prisoners, or support them to re-enter society? In this module, you’ll dive into the key issues of prisons. You’ll consider modern prisons, globally and historically. And you’ll examine prisons through:
 prisoners
 prison staff
 wider society.
You'll trace the evolution of the prison - from the rehabilitative ideal of the post-war period, to the greater focus on punishment today. You’ll look at how political parties use prison policies to win votes, rather than reduce crime.
You’ll dive into the inner workings of prisons, from governance to administration. You’ll look at the routines of prison life, and how prisoners cope with, and give meaning to them. You’ll consider sentence progression for different types of prisoners. And you’ll explore how well prisons prepare inmates for life after release.
Optional modules
Carnival of Pleasures
Why do people enjoy committing crimes? How might crime offer identity and purpose? In this module, you’ll explore the role of:
 pleasures
 performance
 identity
 meaning
in criminal acts. You’ll think about the multiple meanings and actions that crime holds for different people across time. You’ll consider the social benefits of crimes and resistance to the law. And you’ll explore how different interpretations of crime might affect crime control and criminal justice.
Computer Law and Artificial Intelligence
The internet rules society. In a vastly digital age, lawyers really need to understand technology and the legal challenges it presents. In this module, you’ll examine the legal issues of current internet technologies and hardware. You’ll gain key technical knowledge, as you evaluate the regulatory systems of these technologies, and how they affect society. You’ll explore how digital technologies challenge copyright law. And you’ll be introduced to some of the legal issues relating to the use of artificial intelligence.
Dealing with Drugs: Control and Intoxication
In this module, you’ll bust some key assumptions around psychoactive drugs. You’ll look at why we use them and how we control them in society. You’ll investigate:
 criminological
 sociological
 historical
and policy insights, to explore the relationship between drug use, individuals and public morality. You’ll gain key critical skills as you debate drug policies, and how we can lessen the harm of substance abuse. You’ll look at alternative ways to regulate drugs than our current ‘war on drugs’ mentality. And you’ll explore the future of synthetic drugs.
Equality Law
How do we prevent discrimination against race and sexual orientation in the law? In this module, you’ll focus on the Equality Act 2010, and other legislation on:
 sex
 race
 sexual orientation
 religion
 disability discrimination
 equal pay.
You’ll explore how courts interpret the Equality Act, and how it impacts the workplace. You’ll look at how it interacts with the law of the European Commission (EC), and how we might extend equality law. You’ll gain valuable critical skills for your career, as you ask:
 what difference the Equality Act has made
 who benefits (and does not benefit) from the act
 what we can do in the future to improve protection.
Independent Study Module
This module gives you the chance to do research on a topic that fascinates you. You’ll work independently, with the support of our expert academic team, and will carry out work on a specific project of your choosing. You’ll gain core skills for work, including in:
 enquiry
 research
 analysis
 evaluation.
International Human Rights Law
How can we effectively protect human rights? In this module, you’ll get to grips with international human rights law. You’ll gain key critical skills as you analyse arguments and ideas about human rights, and the ideas behind them. You’ll also consider their current legal and political meaning through examining:
 relevant laws
 current debates
 case studies.
Law Dissertation
This module gives you the chance to do research on a topic that fascinates you. Over the course of your final year, you’ll work independently on a research project, with the help of an expert academic supervisor. Your dissertation will grow out of your specific passion, and you’ll gain excellent self-discipline and organisational skills for work. You’ll gain core skills for your career, including:
 research
 critical analysis
 time-management
 planned and focused writing.
If you’re a combined honours student, you’ll be able to write a dissertation on both of your chosen subject areas.
Law in Action
In this module, you’ll gain core practical experience in law, as you apply your knowledge and skills to a practical legal activity. You’ll gain fantastic skills for work and boost your legal career, as you do a placement in an environment related to legal work. You’ll understand how to transfer your law studies from an academic discipline, to practicing it in the real world.
Medical Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with the structure of the NHS. You’ll explore topics such as:
 access to health care
 autonomy and consent
 responsibility
 accountability and negligence
 birth and its regulation
 death, dying and the incurably ill patient.
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum
In this module, you’ll get to grips with nationality and immigration law, and what it reveals about British society. You’ll examine the key issues and policies around nationality, national identity and migration. You’ll gain a firm understanding of migration in the UK and abroad, as you debate critical issues of today. You’ll also consider current UK law, and the historical, social and political factors that have shaped it.
Children, Parents and the State
How does the law deal with child abduction, and disputes over children? How can the state protect children who may be victims of abuse within their own families? In this module, you’ll get to grips with law relating to parents, children and the state. You’ll dive into law reports, as you look critically at the legal concepts around:
 relationships between parents and children
 the relevance of the state to parents and children.
You’ll consider:
 parental responsibility
 resolution of disputes over children
 child protection
 child abduction
 adoption.
You’ll gain vital skills in legal reasoning as you learn legal analysis techniques, and how to answer problem questions.
Work Experience/ International Study
Optional modules
Work Experience
In Year 2 and 3 you’ll have the opportunity to participate in the CLOCK scheme (Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Keele). Where you'll gain firsthand experience of the legal world. You’ll be interviewing and advising clients, in legal cases and courtroom settings. You'll join a commitment to provide wider access to justice in the local area and gain useful legal expertise for your CV.
International Study Exchange
If you take this module you will study Law in a university outside the UK for an academic year, experiencing different educational and legal cultures. This will help you develop your knowledge, skills and understanding. After the *International Study Exchange year you will complete your final year with Oxford Brookes and then graduate. The International Study Exchange year is not credit-bearing.
*To go on this exchange you must have completed all your Level 5 studies, and your exchange is dependent on the appropriate partner university's availability.
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry requirements
Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.
Standard offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 104
A Level: BCC
IB Points: 29
BTEC: DMM
Contextual offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 88
A Level: CCD
IB Points: 27
BTEC: MMM
Further offer details
Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. This combination of A-level grades would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.
Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses.
If you don’t achieve the required tariff points you can apply to join a foundation course or international foundation course to help to reach the required level for entry onto this degree.
Specific entry requirements
Our standard entry requirement is three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. In some cases, courses have specific required subjects and additional GCSE requirements. In addition to A-levels, we accept a wide range of other qualifications including:
 the Welsh Baccalaureate
 the Access to Higher Education Diploma
 a BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma at a good standard and in a relevant subject
 the International Baccalaureate Diploma
 the European Baccalaureate Diploma
 Scottish qualifications – five subjects in SCE with two at Higher level or one at Advanced Higher level, or three subjects in Scottish Highers or two at Advanced Higher level
 a recognised foundation course
 T-levels*.
 * T-levels are a relatively new qualification but are already included in the UCAS tariff. We welcome prospective students who are taking this qualification to apply. For some programmes with specific required subjects, particular subject areas or occupational specialisms may be required.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language then you will need to show that your English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in your studies.
The entry requirement for your course will be expressed as an IELTS level and refers to the IELTS Academic version of this test. We are now also accepting the IELTS Indicator test, you can find out more about the test on the IELTS Indication site. The University however does accept a wide range of additional English language qualifications, which can be found below.
The university’s English language requirements in IELTS levels are as follows:
Course IELTS level
All other undergraduate courses 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, English Literature (including combined honours), English Literature and Creative Writing 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Health and Social Care courses 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.5 or 7.0 in all components (see individual entries for course details)
Nutrition BSc (Hons) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
Built Environment Foundation,
Computing Foundation,
Engineering Foundation 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
International Foundation Business and Technology,
International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills
International Foundation Diploma 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Learning and teaching
Throughout the course, you’ll learn in different ways. You’ll be supported at every level of the course, with close access to lecturers, small seminar groups and tutorials.
You will learn through a variety of teaching and learning methods including:
 lectures, seminars and workshops
 supervised independent learning
 court visits
 work with a wide range of practical resources.
During your studies, you’ll gain a range of personal and professional skills. These skills will be a springboard for your future career development in a number of industries.
Assessment
We use a range of assessment techniques. In some modules, you’ll be assessed through formal exams. In other modules, you may be assessed through coursework, in-class exercises or other means.
Professional accreditation
After you complete your LLB, you can go straight to the vocational stage of training. If you want to be a barrister, you’ll be ready to progress to the Bar course. You’ll also have a strong foundation of law knowledge from which you can move on to prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).
Career Opportunities
Careers
After completing the course, you’ll be ready to take the next steps towards a rewarding career. A law degree can lead to a variety of careers. You could take the Bar Course and become a barrister, or start your preparation for the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exam.
Not all of our graduates go into the legal profession, for example, graduates have also joined the Civil Service, and one is now a senior policy adviser in the Home Office. You’ll also be prepared for practitioner careers in criminology - in areas like prison services, policing and local government.
Whatever your plans, you’ll have developed a range of skills which will make you a valuable employee.
To gain further specialist legal knowledge and carve your own career path, you could undertake one of our postgraduate LLM Master of Law pathways.
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