STUDY
Course options: | Professional Placement, Study Abroad |
---|---|
Institution code: | S82 |
UCAS code: | M101 |
Start date: | September 2025 |
Duration: | Three years full-time, four and a half to nine years part-time. |
Location: | Ipswich |
Typical Offer: | 112 UCAS tariff points (or above), BBC (A-Level) DMM (BTEC), Merit (T Level). |
Course options: | Professional Placement, Study Abroad |
---|---|
Institution code: | S82 |
UCAS code: | M101 |
Start date: | September 2025 |
Duration: | Three years full-time, four and a half to nine years part-time. |
---|---|
Location: | Ipswich |
Typical Offer: | 112 UCAS tariff points (or above), BBC (A-Level) DMM (BTEC), Merit (T Level). |
Overview
As a Law with Criminology student at University of Suffolk, you will build on your knowledge of the law by critically engaging with national and international dimensions of crime and criminal justice policy and develop well informed views on contested public issues. As well as developing a technical knowledge of the law, you will engage in theoretical debates relating to both legal and criminological issues. The programme places a strong emphasis on challenging “common-sense‟ notions of criminal and deviant behaviours by critically examining academic research and making informed decisions based on available evidence.
You will be introduced to a variety of research methods and ethical considerations, so that you can challenge and understand the limitations and ambiguities of empirical research, whilst assessing its value. This will provide an excellent theoretical and practical platform for the completion of a third-year independent project in an area of personal or career interest which will draw on the knowledge and skills through the study of law and criminology.
The law programme at the University of Suffolk was re-designed in 2020-2021 to create a law degree which is fresh, innovative, and distinctive. The course aims to develop students into employable, career-ready graduates who have well-developed practical legal skills as well as high levels of knowledge and a love for the law. We consulted both our existing students and employers to produce a course which meets the needs of our students and their future employers.
Fresh
- We have replaced many of our formal written examinations with alternative assessments including case studies, portfolios, oral presentations, and advocacy exercises.
- You could learn how to apply your legal knowledge in our Legal Advice Centre from the beginning of your first year advising real clients under supervision.
- You will have opportunities to hone your courtroom skills in our realistic mock courtroom.
Innovative
- Using a cutting edge ‘block’ model of teaching, you will study one module at a time in focused four-week teaching periods.
- In our Clinical Legal Practice module, you could take a legal placement one day per week gaining practical legal experience and networking opportunities in the community.
Distinctive
- You will develop your practical legal skills throughout the course conducting legal research, drafting legal documents, and presenting legal arguments.
- Your assessments will be spread at equal intervals throughout the year giving you confidence and understanding of one area of law at a time.
- We pride ourselves in knowing all our students personally, providing you with individual attention and support throughout your degree.
- We keep our teaching groups small to create a friendly, supportive learning environment.
Further information about the university's relationship with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Bar Standards Board (BSB) is available in the PSRB register.
Law at the University of Suffolk
Course Modules
Our undergraduate programmes are delivered as 'block and blend' - more information can be found on Why Suffolk? You can also watch our Block and Blend video.
Downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.
This module introduces the essential characteristics of law and the foundational skills of lawyering. You will first explore the theories and philosophies underpinning law and the English legal system, making comparisons historically and to other jurisdictions.
This module examines the main components of the constitutional, administrative and human rights dimensions of public law in England and Wales. You will engage critically with the nature of the British constitution and the function of constitutional principles in balancing the relationship between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.
This module examines the concepts and principles of criminal law in England and Wales. It covers the general principles of criminal law and the substantive law concerning a range of offences and defences. You will be able assess the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on criminal law.
This module gives students a solid foundation in criminology using a topic-based approach. Students examine how we can make sense of crime and criminality and explore key areas of debate and controversy within the discipline of criminology. Crime dominates much discussion on the political and social stage and this module enables you to take part and contribute to these public discussions in an informed and knowledgeable way. You will be able to discuss the cause and nature of crime and criminality. Important practical data skills of mapping crime data are a key part in this module.
This module explores the links between criminology and psychology. You will explore key psychological approaches and perspectives to understand how human behaviour is influenced by biological, behavioural, cognitive, and psychoanalytical processes. The focus of the module is on providing students with a grounding in the fundamentals of psychology to complement their understanding of criminology.
You will examine the principles, policies and practical applications of contract law from a variety of perspectives. You will develop a thorough understanding of how contractual obligations are formed and regulated, how legal principles and concepts are used to identify and resolve legal problems, and the function of contracts in society and the economy.
This module places considerable emphasis on the current applications of legal principles, policy and academic discourses in this branch of the law of obligations. Very complex sets of social relationships are governed by legal concepts of duty, harm and compensation.
You would have been introduced to legal research in the first year. This module deepens understanding of legal research for particular purposes and contexts. You will develop insights into how legal research is conducted to address substantive, procedural and contextual legal issues and how to apply techniques from related subjects in the social sciences and humanities.
You will develop a solid understanding of the historical and theoretical foundations of English land law and of the current legal principles and concepts in use today. The module examines the development of the legal frameworks regulating property in land, including the normalisation of the registration of titles.
You will develop a solid understanding of the principles and concepts used in the law of trusts in England and Wales, covering the main forms of trust property. The module examines the development and current application of the fundamental maxims in equity, using both primary legal sources and academic discourses.
This module examines the institutions, practices and processes that make up the criminal justice system. You will focus on policing, the courts, the penal system and the probation service but also analyse the social, economic and political factors that underpins the values, practices and processes of these institutions. There has been much discussion about the nature of criminal justice and the apparent failure of key institutions to deliver justice, protection for the public and the punishment of criminals. You will explore the role of the media, public opinion and political expedience in these debates.
This module allows you to engage with selected contemporary issues, debates and perspectives in criminology. Based primarily on weekly seminar discussion of an identified journal article, book chapter, or report, the module will focus on critical analysis, appreciation and discussion of each issue and facilitate engagement with broader subject areas of criminology. Students will develop a critical overview of the discipline as it stands and the extent to which it is equipped or willing to engage with certain types of crime. Some topics will allow introductory insights into emerging, specialist fields of enquiry. Recent issues explore include sex work, pornography, left and right wing extremism, black criminology, gendered victimisation, and pre-empting crime.
This module consolidates the legal research skills developed over the previous two years and enables you to undertake an independent project in your final year. You will develop your project proposal with support from a supervisor on the course team.
European Union law (EU law) governs the relations among member states of the European Union and the means by which economic, social and political integration are designed and enforced. This module examines the laws and principles that comprise EU law and determine implementation in member states.
This module will focus on proceedings in the High Court for judicial review of the decision of public bodies. The module will also examine the Human Rights Act 1998 and alternatives to judicial review proceedings such as internal complaints mechanisms and ombudsmen.
Students will need to select one optional Law module from the list below:
- Advanced Property Law and Practice
- Clinical Legal Practice
- Community Legal Education
- Company Law
- Criminal Evidence
- Criminal Procedure
- Family Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Law and Human Rights
- Wills and Probate
Optional modules available in any year will be communicated to you prior to your enrolment to facilitate module choice. Some optional modules may not run in every year of study, and the availability of optional modules depends on the level of student demand, the availability of specialist staff and timetabling constraints. In addition, we regularly review our curriculum to ensure it is up-to-date, relevant, draws on the latest research and addresses contemporary issues. As a result, the modules we offer may change over the course of your degree.
Students will need to select one optional Criminology module from the list below:
- Victimology
- Drugs, Crime and Society
- Penology
Optional modules available in any year will be communicated to you prior to your enrolment to facilitate module choice. Some optional modules may not run in every year of study, and the availability of optional modules depends on the level of student demand, the availability of specialist staff and timetabling constraints. In addition, we regularly review our curriculum to ensure it is up-to-date, relevant, draws on the latest research and addresses contemporary issues. As a result, the modules we offer may change over the course of your degree.
WHY SUFFOLK
2nd in the UK for Career Prospects
WUSCA 20243rd in the UK for spend on academic services
Complete University Guide 20254th in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction
Guardian University Guide 2024Entry Requirements
Career Opportunities
Many of our graduates go on to have careers in legal practice. The Solicitors’ Qualifying Examination (SQE) has made the routes to becoming a solicitor more flexible. Although some students enrol on the Legal Practice Course, a greater number now enter employment as a paralegal upon completion of their law degree, often studying for the SQE at the same time. Our degree programme also includes all the foundational legal subjects to complete the academic stage of training to become a barrister.
As a result of our conversations with employers, we have enhanced the employability of our graduates by providing exposure to an increased range of legal and ‘soft’ skills involving interacting with clients, advising the public, interviewing and oral presentation skills would all enhance the employability of graduates.
You will have a number of opportunities to increase your employability whilst study Law with us, including:
- Volunteering as a student legal advisor in the university’s Legal Advice Centre
- Developing your advocacy skills by participating in the David White Memorial Trust Mooting Competition in our new mock courtroom
- Gaining a valuable insight into an area of legal practice through our one day per week placement scheme during your second or third year
- Meeting legal practitioners through your modules and extra-curricular activities
- Developing your awareness of the legal sector through employability and networking events
Facilities and Resources
The University of Suffolk benefits from its own mock courtroom on the top floor of the iconic Waterfront Building which was installed by professional court fitters in 2020. This provides students with the opportunity to develop their advocacy skills and apply the law learned in the classroom in a practical setting. The mock courtroom includes a dock, witness box and a judge’s bench. The realistic experience of the court is enhanced further by the legal gowns and lecterns purchased by Gotelee Solicitors and the university’s Foundation Board in 2019, and practitioner textbooks generously donated by the local courts. The University of Suffolk Law course is grateful for the strong support from local legal employers that went into making this room the brilliant learning environment that all our students can experience.
The courtroom has been thoroughly embedded into university life. It has been in regular use since its completion and hosts the annual David White Memorial Trust Mooting Competition, where students argue points of appeal to the court on a fictional legal problem. The final has been judged by our resident judge, His Honour David Goodin, who has been highly impressed by the standard of the work presented.
Our Legal Advice Centre is housed in one of the university buildings on Star Lane. This includes office space for staff and student volunteers together with interview rooms for seeing clients.
Unibuddy: Chat to our Students and Staff
Related News
- 26 January 2024
- 9 November 2023