Law and Criminal Justice LLB (Hons)
Subject and course type
- Law, Criminal Justice and Criminology
- Undergraduate
If you’re fascinated by the application of law and the criminal justice system, kickstart your career with our Law and Criminal Justice LLB (Hons) degree course. Law at Kingston University is ranked within the top three in London for six out of seven of the NSS 2024 themes, and is No.1 for Student Voice and Organisation and Management.
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Explore the intersection between the legal and criminal justice systems
Kickstart your career in Law and Criminal Justice.
If you want to pursue a career as a lawyer, solicitor or barrister, this course provides the foundational legal knowledge as defined by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to pursue training in the legal profession. Meaning, you will graduate with the understanding you need to choose a career path and the qualification, skills and experience to enable you to do so.
You will have a wealth of opportunities outside the classroom to further your learning and gain hands-on experience in your chosen field. There are a range of extracurricular activities available, from court visits in central London to national and international law competitions. We also invite guest speakers from industry, our alumni and academic experts to share their experiences. This often leads to internships with prestigious organisations such as SecurityWomen and the Minority Rights Group International.
Why choose this course
If you want to pursue a career in law but remain open to other opportunities within the criminal justice system, this could be the right course for you. You will learn about the criminal justice system and debate the application of justice, using a case study approach to ground your studies in real world situations.
Our Law and Criminal Justice LLB (Hons) degree will enable you to study the foundations of legal knowledge required as part of the training for the Bar. In addition to this, you will critically engage with the legal system itself and develop an understanding of the principles underpinning crime control.
You will gain skills in analysis and evidence evaluation, dispute resolution, project management and communication, which are vital for working in the criminal justice system. To embed your studies in lived understanding, you will learn from practitioners who work in the criminal justice system. In addition, you will have opportunities to conduct field work in the areas of law and criminal justice that most interest you, in order to help you develop your practical skills.
Prepare for global impact
Kingston School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences offers courses in economics, sociology, law, psychology and criminology. Our degrees are underpinned by a vibrant research culture and delivered by a blend of practitioners and academics who are dedicated to equipping you with the employability skills to thrive in your career.
Course content
Please note: optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.
Foundation year - Social Sciences
If you would like to study this degree at Kingston University but are not yet ready to join the first year of an LLB (Hons) course, you may want to consider studying this course with a foundation year.
Year 1
Year 1 introduces the English Legal System, Skills and Ethics, including how to access and use legal materials. Constitutional and Administrative Law covers the UK's constitution and relationships between individuals and state. Law of Tort considers civil wrongs such as negligence, nuisance and occupier's liability. Law of Contract explores binding agreements and breaches.
Core modules
30 credits
This module develops your understanding of the English Legal System (ELS) – courts, procedure and sources of law – in order to make sense of your legal studies.
You will be equipped with a legal methods toolkit, covering skills for research, analysis and writing relevant to your studies and in legal practice.
This module also has a strong emphasis on developing your personal and professional skills. We will help you to build your professional identity and global citizenship, enhancing your understanding of ethical issues, values, design thinking and commercial awareness. You will be guided by your Personal Tutor to plan your own personal and professional development journey and identify your core graduate attributes.
30 credits
The law of contract is the law of legally enforceable agreements and is at the heart of the English common law. It is one of the seven foundations of legal knowledge and invariably forms part of any degree with an overt legal content. It describes the rules which govern commercial activity, allowing businesses and consumers to maintain stable, consistent relationships over time and over distance. The law of contract covers everything from a complex multi-party agreement to construct a stadium, the employment of the cleaners and the star players, as well as the purchase of a hot dog from a stall outside.
30 credits
The module introduces you to the constitutional and administrative law of the United Kingdom through a study of the core constitutional principles present within the UK legal system and the control of executive action by the courts. The module provides an essential introduction to the study of law since the validity of any particular law is a function of a constitutional rule which establishes manner, form and necessary pedigree for what is to qualify as a valid particular or occasional law.
30 credits
Tort can be described as the area of civil law which provides a remedy for a party who has suffered the breach of a protected interest. The module focuses on the wide range of activity to which tort law applies and examines the remedies it provides for many different types of loss or harm. Tort is also one of the foundations of legal knowledge subjects required by the professional bodies as part of a qualifying law degree for those seeking entry to the legal profession.
Year 2
In Year 2 you will build on what you have learned in Year 1. Your Land Law module will cover property ownership, use and rights. In the Criminal Law module you will study murder, theft and sexual crimes. Exploring EU Law considers the single market (informed by recent politics). You'll also develop critical insight into key issues and controversies in the delivery of justice by our principal criminal justice institutions: the police, prison and probation services. You will explore the range of different penalties available and the changing ways in which 'justice' is conceptualised and delivered.
Core modules
30 credits
Land law studies the nature of land, the history of the current legislative structure and third party interests in, on and over private land in England and Wales. It introduces the concepts behind ownership and use of private land, considering also how the law operates in the context of freehold and leasehold title, rights of way and squatters' rights.
30 credits
This module studies the general principles of criminal liability, definitions of what constitutes particular crimes and offences, and how that law affects particular circumstances. This involves not only a critical examination of the law, but also, using hypothetical factual situations, an understanding its detailed application.
30 credits
The European Union's (EU) development has had a significant impact in Europe and globally. Although the UK has left the EU, its law is still relevant not only because it remains part of the applicable law of the UK, but also to understand how the UK now interacts with the EU.
You will develop detailed knowledge and in-depth understanding of the core areas of EU law, and the relationship between the EU and its member states and the respective role of the Court of Justice of the European Union and national courts in applying EU law.
This module also has a strong focus on developing your employability skills. You will take part in personal development activities designed to strengthen your professional identity and global citizenship, while expanding your knowledge of legal practice in different professional contexts.
30 credits
This module provides you with a critical insight into key issues and controversies in the delivery of justice by our principal criminal justice institutions: the police, prison and probation services.
You will learn about the historical context of these key institutions of justice, as well as the main issues confronting the criminal justice system in the 21st century.
You will explore the range of different penalties available, from fines and community sentences to restorative justice, and the changing ways in which ‘justice' is conceptualised and delivered, or not delivered, in the present day, particularly with respect to the changing place of the victim. You will connect theory to practice through projects in partnership with external organisations.
Optional year
You will also have the opportunity to spend a year abroad on work placement or studying at one of our partner institutions in North America, Europe, Australia or Asia.
Professional placement year
This course has a professional placement year option which takes place between Year 2 and your Final year. During this professional placement year you will take a placement within a relevant setting, ensuring you gain essential experience to add to your CV and help you secure a graduate job.
Final year
In the Final Year, you will study Equity and Trusts, which considers wills, charitable trusts, and trustees. You will also study Law in Context, which will help you develop your legal reasoning and other key employability skills.
For the rest of your study you will be able to shape your degree around what interests you the most.
Core modules
30.00 credits
This module examines the idea of conscience in English law. It looks at how, historically, equity developed from the King in order to ameliorate the problems caused by an increasingly inflexible common law, at a time when Parliament met infrequently. The concept of the trust, where ownership is divided between legal and beneficial owners, is examined, including the conscience-inspired constructive trust, and the use of the trust in many contexts, including charity law. The administration of trusts is also considered.
15 credits
This module will help you to develop legal reasoning skills in specific legal contexts, such as environmental law, criminal justice, employment issues, business law, company law and family matters.
You'll analyse legal issues and how they apply to real-life scenarios, enhancing your employability skills. You'll also have a choice of pathways in which you can showcase your legal research, writing and presentation skills in a topic that interests you.
We will help you to further strengthen your professional skills, encouraging you to critically evaluate your own personal development and plan for your future career.
15 credits
This module explores how risk has become a key tool in understanding and managing crime today.
Risk assessment now shapes policing, sentencing, and offender management, influencing areas like organised crime, cybercrime, terrorism, and domestic abuse. Theories of risk help explain why this shift has happened and how it affects our perceptions of crime and security. Some see risk management as reducing bias, while others argue it fuels a ‘culture of fear.’
This module examines risk in both theory and practice, questioning how it has changed criminal justice, institutions, and even our relationships with one another.
30 credits
The aim of the module is to introduce you to relevant issues within the realm of globalisation and transnational crime: e.g. terrorism, environmental crime, piracy, human trafficking, criminal networks and cybercrime. It will enable you to develop a detailed comprehension of the complexity of these criminogenic experiences.
The course opens with consideration as to what transnational crime is and how it is researched. Various topics are then examined to illustrate the dimensions of transnational crime over the following weeks. Topics include organised crime; sex trafficking and pornography; illegal markets; problems caused by crimes against the environment and the role of technology in perpetrating crime across the globe. Politically motivated crimes such as terrorism are considered, including the interaction between terrorist discourses and the media, the work of international law enforcement bodies in relation to global security and counter-terrorism. Alongside the structural and political aspects of crime, the module also considers interpersonal and cultural experiences of harm, for example, violence against women and honour-based violence.
Optional modules (choose one)
30 credits
This module introduces you to the criminal law responsibility of private individuals and their human rights protection under international law.
The first part of the module focuses on the mechanisms of international criminal justice, and the law that underpins it. The sources and fundamental principles of ICL, institutional aspects of ICL are explored, from the Nuremberg Tribunals, to the international Criminal Court (ICC), as well as established international crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes).
The second part of the module focuses on essential aspects of international human rights law. It examines the main international instruments which provide protection for human rights, substantive established human rights, the importance of the distinction between global and regional protection of human rights, with a special focus on the European Convention of Human Rights, as well as the mechanisms in place to protect and enforce these rights.
The final part of the module focuses on a number of crimes, analysed both from an international criminal law and international human rights perspective, such as the crime of torture.
30 credits
This module will be examining some deeply troubling events in recent history and politics and the various ethical, legal and political responses that they have generated. It has been argued that the Holocaust was a critical turning point, a catastrophe which required a fundamental ethical, legal and political rethinking of how the rights of human beings could be protected when states in the modern world engage in the systematic attempt to murder large numbers of people, including many of their own citizens.
The module begins with reflections on the Nazi attempt to eliminate a whole group of people (the Jews) and to murder and enslave millions of others. It then considers a range of responses, including the Nuremberg trials, the Genocide Convention, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It examines a number of cases of genocide and crimes against humanity that have nevertheless occurred subsequently. It evaluates the repeated failure for decades to halt or prevent these crimes and then considers the rethinking caused by the genocides in Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and the setting up of ad hoc tribunals and an International Criminal Court to prosecute perpetrators and provide justice to victims.
It concludes with reflections on how much progress has been made in protecting citizens in a world of sovereign nation states and what forms of justice can work after such crimes have been committed. These are highly contested questions and the module is designed to encourage the critical analysis and evaluation of a wide range of arguments that have been put forward from a variety of perspectives.
30 credits
This module gives you the opportunity to carry out independent research and write in depth about a legal topic that interests you – particularly one you may not otherwise have the chance to explore. You’ll develop a 7,000–8,000-word essay over the course of the academic year, with support and guidance from an experienced supervisor.
By the end of the module, you should be able to:
- Research a legal issue in depth
- Construct a reasoned, well-supported argument and analysis
- Produce a well-structured, clearly presented essay of 7,000–8,000 words
- Reach a considered and evidence-based conclusion on your chosen topic
This is your chance to take ownership of your learning and develop specialist knowledge in an area of law that matters to you.
Future Skills and career opportunities
Graduates will be well-placed for careers in the legal profession, criminal justice system and advocacy. You will be able to pursue opportunities in law, as a solicitor or barrister, in the usual way as in a non-criminal justice field as you will qualify with an LLB.
There are new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) requirements emerging, which an LLB Law graduate will need to satisfy to practise law in any field. However, there are also a wide range of career opportunities outside of law in criminal justice.
Careers where a legal qualification is not required but law and criminal justice knowledge would be useful include the police or detective degree entry pathway, the Probation Service, the Prison Service, the civil service fast stream, the Health and Safety Executive, research organisations, Liberty, Amnesty International and a variety of charity and campaigning groups.
Embedded within the Law and Criminal Justice LLB (Hons) course and throughout the whole Kingston experience is our Future Skills programme. The Future Skills programme was developed to respond to the ever evolving demands from modern day employment.
It will help you obtain the skills most valued by employers, such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability, and learn how to apply these skills in different scenarios. You’ll also learn how to articulate to employers how being able to do so gives you the edge.
You will take part in an Assessment Centre Experience, providing the opportunity to experience the pathway to employment with tailored feedback:
- develop your understanding of the jobs market, including current trends and opportunities, different recruitment processes and how to identify relevant roles
- receive personalised feedback reports to help you to improve and progress
- access additional webinars on top tips, employer expectations and best practice
Social Sciences Café (SSC) is a series of events within the Department of Criminology and Social Sciences, which aims to help prepare students for life after graduation. Students can take part in seminars on employability skills and postgraduate studies, speaker and panel events on topical issues that engage the broader Kingston University (KU) community, and social events linked to key moments in the academic calendar.
SSC is often visited by KU graduates working in the public, private and third sector in the UK and around the world, who are keen to share their career journeys and advice for students at an early stage of their career planning. These events can also be visited by professionals for ‘meet the employer' advice and networking sessions.
At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it
For more information on how Kingston prepares you for the future job market, visit our Future Skills page.
Teaching and assessment
Scheduled learning and teaching on this course includes timetabled activities including lectures, seminars and small group tutorials.
Outside the scheduled learning and teaching hours, you will learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, preparing for and completing your work for assessments. Some independent study work may need to be completed on-campus, as you may need to access campus-based facilities such as studios and labs.
Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.
When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, support you throughout your time at Kingston and show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.
A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.
One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 120 credits across a year (typical for an undergraduate course) would equate to 1,200 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below for each year of study. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.
- Year 1: 22% scheduled learning and teaching
- Year 2: 22% scheduled learning and teaching
- Year 3: 20% scheduled learning and teaching
The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.
Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.
Types of assessment
- Year 1: Coursework 63%; practical 10%; exam 27%
- Year 2: Coursework 41%; practical 16%; exam 43%
- Year 3: Coursework 70%; exams 30%
Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. If your course includes optional modules, this breakdown may change to reflect the modules chosen.
We aim to provide feedback to you on your assessments within 20 working days.
Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student friendly as possible, scheduled learning and teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 6pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.
Fees and funding
| Fee category | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | £9,535* |
| International | |
| Year 1 (2026/27): | £19,200 |
| Year 2 (2027/28): | £19,900 |
| Year 3 (2028/29): | £20,700 |
The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2026/27 the fees for this course are above.
Please visit the Fees and Funding page for more information.
For courses with Professional Placement, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.
* For full time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.
Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
| Fee category | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | £9,535* |
| International | |
| Year 1 (2025/26): | £18,500 |
| Year 2 (2026/27): | £19,200 |
| Year 3 (2027/28): | £19,900 |
The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2025/26 the fees for this course are above.
Please visit the Fees and Funding page for more information.
For courses with Professional Placement, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.
* For full time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.
Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying this course at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support.
Isola Bursary
Kingston alumnus, Peter Isola, set up the Isola Bursary to help those from under-resourced backgrounds pursue a career in Law. Priority for the Isola Bursary is given to those from households with an income of £25,000 or less however, meeting the criteria does not guarantee a bursary, as there is a limited number available.
Eligible students will be identified automatically and you do not need to apply for the bursary. However, please ensure that you do apply for your student finance support as you must have a household income assessment fully completed by the relevant organisation (with all evidence verified) in order to be considered for the Isola Bursary.
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Our libraries have an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as open-access computers and laptops available to rent. However, you may want to buy your own computer or personal copies of key textbooks. Textbooks may range from £50 to £250 per year. And a personal computer can range from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.
While most coursework is submitted online, some modules may require printed copies. You may want to allocate up to £100 per year for hard-copies of your coursework. It’s worth noting that 3D printing is never compulsory. So if you choose to use our 3D printers, you’ll need to pay for the material. This ranges from 3p per gram to 40p per gram.
Kingston University will pay for all compulsory field trips. Fees for optional trips can range from £30 to £350 per trip.
Your tuition fees don’t cover travel costs. To save on travel costs, you can use our free intersite bus service. This route links the campuses and halls of residence with local train stations - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and Norbiton.
If you choose to do a placement year, travel costs will vary depending on your location. These costs could be up to £2,000.
Law competitions
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Client interviewing competition
Kingston Law students participate annually in this competition that promotes development of the essential skills involved with client interviewing. It is an excellent opportunity for students who are likely to have a direct contact with clients in the legal profession (e.g. as solicitors).
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National Student Negotiation competition
Our Law students regularly participate in the Regional Finals of this competition. This annual competition which aims to develop excellent negotiation skills is organised by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) in London.
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International Criminal Court (ICC) Moot Court competition
Our students with an interest in Public International Law, International Criminal Law, and those who wish to continue their career as barristers often come together to compete annually in the final round in The Hague, the Netherlands. Kingston University Law has won the UK round twice and has finished as runner-up twice.
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Space Law Moot Court competition
Law students from Kingston University enjoy participating in the European Rounds of this competition, traditionally taking place in continental Europe. The Competition, organised annually by the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL) and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), is recommended for students who would like to work in the fields of aviation, space or telecommunications law.
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Human Rights Moot Court Competition
Kingston Law students participated in the 2023 regional round of this competition in Tbilisi, Georgia. The Competition is organised annually by the European Law Students' Association, and focuses on the European Convention on Human Rights.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
Key information
The scrolling banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).
