Program Overview

We teach the law that matters. We are ‘freer, more daring and more experimental’ than a traditional law school, so your legal education is relevant and responsive to the needs of a changing society. Our approach is global in outlook, based on justice, and engaged with real-world problems.

Our LLB Law with Criminology provides you with a rigorous academic training in the discipline of law integrated with criminology. This gives you a thorough grounding in current issues in criminal law and criminal justice in a wider social context. We emphasise an awareness of how the law of England and Wales is placed in European and international frameworks.

You develop a critical awareness of the nature of law within its social, political and economic contexts. Not only will you learn legal rules, but you also consider the function of law in society, the philosophy of law, policy issues and law reform. You explore and debate the difficult questions such as should crime be punished? How do we prevent crime? Providing you with the ability to consider, evaluate and respond to alternative and, possibly, conflicting points of view.

You cover the key areas of law and criminology, as well as topics including:

• Government power
• Criminal liability
• Policing and punishment
• Crime and the media
• EU law

At Essex we specialise in commercial law, public law, and human rights law. We are ranked 51st for Law in the THE World University Rankings 2021, which is 13th in UK, and we are top 20 in the UK for research excellence (REF 2014).

Placement year

When you arrive at Essex, you can decide whether you would like to combine your course with a placement year. You will be responsible for finding your placement, but with support and guidance provided by both your department and the placements team.

If you complete a placement year you'll only pay 20% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year.