Law and Criminology - BA (Hons) Degree

​This degree can be studied as a three-year full-time degree or a four-year degree that includes a year of foundational study. Our foundation year is intended to prepare you for your subsequent years of studying, offering you the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence.

The foundation year will be relevant to:

1. Students who have not achieved the required A-level points (or equivalent) score to enter the first year of the degree programme.
2. Mature students who have been out of the formal education system for some time.

Find out more about the foundation year.

Please note: You will need to apply using a specific UCAS code if you wish to undertake the 4 years including foundation. Please refer to Key Course Information at the bottom of this page.

Level 4

Compulsory Modules

• Introduction to Criminal Justice (20 credits)
• Constitutional Law (20 credits)
• English Legal System and Skills (20 credits)
• Criminology and the Modern World (20 credits)
• Crime, Inequality and Social Issues (20 credits)
• Criminal Law (20 credits)

Level 5

You will put theory into practice within a 15-day work placement for your Working in the Criminal Justice System module. From Commissions, Civil Service, or the Ministry of Justice to Victim Support, Crimestoppers, or Third Sector roles, you will be supported in securing a relevant work placement. This will allow you to gain hands-on experience and deepen your understanding of working in the criminal justice system.

Compulsory Modules

• Working in the Criminal Justice System (20 credits)
• Law of Torts (20 credits)
• Cyber Crime, Gender and Hate (20 credits)
• Researching Crime: Methods, Approaches and Ethics (20 credits)
• Youth, Inequality and Crime (20 credits)
  
  

Optional Modules

• International Protection of Human Rights (20 credits)
• Law of Evidence (20 credits)​
  
  

Year in Industry

You have the option to spend a year in industry on a work placement after successfully completing your second year of study. We have a dedicated work placement team to support you in securing a placement. A year-long placement can boost your career prospects and give you an advantage when applying for jobs after graduation.

Level 6

Compulsory Modules

• Dissertation (40 credits)
• Crime, Drugs and ​Society (20 credits)
• Terrorism, Radicalisation and Violence (20 credits)
• Policing, Punishment and Justice (20 credits)

Optional Modules

• Policy, Governance and Participation (20 credits)
• Family Law (20 credits)
• Corporate Crime (20 credits)
  
  

With a focus on practical learning, our Law and Criminology degree is taught through a blend of lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, mock trials and work-based placements.

Our learning and teaching style is holistic, inclusive and rooted in practice. We want you to develop into an eloquent, capable and focussed student with a sound awareness of the realities of the Criminal Justice System, for all who encounter it in whatever capacity.

Designed to include key foundational Law modules, enabling you to progress into many law-related careers by putting theory into practice. You can also choose to focus on an area of law and criminology that interests you, with our specially designed optional modules.

The compulsory dissertation provides an opportunity for in-depth research and study, the topic of which is generated by you and supported by your supervisor. You will also benefit from having your own Personal Tutor throughout your studies.

The contemporary cyber-based modules have been developed to futureproof you, preparing you for rapid developments that will inevitably come with the AI age.

You will leave us with a work ready portfolio and support from the careers team to ensure the best outcomes for you when you graduate.​

Our Law and Criminology degree is assessed through a combination of written coursework, assignments, portfolios, rapid evidence reviews, case studies, mock trials, oral presentations, exams and work-based placements. The varied assessment style develops not only academic skills but real-world, practice-based competencies and attributes.

You will be supported by the subject tutors, Cardiff School of Management careers consultants and the expert staff in Library Services. The curriculum is designed to create purposeful spaces for you to practice tasks before submitting assignments, giving you confidence and encouraging group work and peer learning.

Feedback is provided in a timely fashion and opportunities for reflection and growth are actively employed at regular intervals.

Our Law and Criminology degree will prepare you for a variety of roles within the legal and criminal justice sector and beyond, such as but not limited to:

• Solicitor
• Community Safety
• Crime Prevention
• Youth Offender Teams
• The Home Office
• Fraud Investigation
• Investigative data analyst
• Probation Officer
• Youth Offending support officer
• Emergency planning officer
• Offender Case coordinator
• Adult guidance worker
• Charity Officer
• Data Scientist
• Housing Manager/Officer
• Local Government Officer
• Paralegal
• Social researcher
• Customs
• Immigration​
  
  

Throughout our Law and Criminology degree you’ll have many opportunities to delve into real-world experiences through work placements and links with industry.

If you study on the four-year course, you’ll spend a year away from the University on a work placement after year two.

In your 2nd year you will undertake a 15-day placement working in criminal justice to put everything you learned in your 1st year into practice. This could be in any aspect of the Criminal Justice System including Commissions, Civil Service, Ministry of Justice, Victim Support, Crimestoppers, third sector such as homelessness support, inequality and discrimination support, and local area trusts, among many others.

Our dedicated careers and employability team will further support you in finding work placements, internships or jobs. They offer information, advice and resources for applications.

Typical Offers

​The following requirements are based on typical offers relevant to entering year 1 of the degree.

If you do not meet these entry requirements, we also offer a Foundation Year which allows progression to Year 1 upon successful completion.​

• Tariff points: 112
• Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
• GCSE: Five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy.
• English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
• A level subjects: Minimum three A levels to include Grades CCC. No specific subjects required. Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as a third subject.
• BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: DMM
• T Level: Merit.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma: No specific subjects required.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 2 x H5. No specific subjects required.
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 2 x H2 grades. No specific subjects required. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
• Scottish Advanced Highers: Grades DD. No specific subjects required. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers.

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.

How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044, email AskAdmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact Programme Director, Kallie Noble:
Email: KNoble@cardiffmet.ac.uk​