LLM Criminal Justice

Understand the workings of the criminal justice system and examine crime, its effect on society, and the strategies the legal profession can develop to prosecute against it.

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive community. That鈥檚 why most of our postgraduate taught students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You will benefit from more regular assessments and feedback, a better study-life balance, and a simplified timetable that provides more time for work, professional development, caring responsibilities, and everything else that's important to you. Our block-taught courses are informed by industry practice, often accredited by professional bodies, and are delivered by passionate and talented academics, who will help you develop the skills to achieve your goals.

Overview

Drawing upon research expertise in this area at 51黑料社区, this course examines the theory and practice of how the criminal justice system operates. It assesses the efficacy of the law's processes to achieve justice for the victims of criminal behaviour and those accused of criminal offences.

You will learn to critically appraise aspects of criminal law, practice and procedure to formulate, evaluate and adapt solutions to contemporary problems. Through various assessments, including presentations, case study analysis, individual exercises, report writing, and essay writing, you will independently develop and present legal arguments with a theoretical and conceptual basis to support positions. In addition, you will deepen your understanding of the methodologies which can be used to pursue a career in criminal justice research.

Each module on the programme examines a different stage in the criminal justice process. The combination of the modules provides a straightforward narrative journey through the criminal justice process, culminating in a research-led portfolio or academic dissertation piece.

Key features

You will be taught by legal experts who have a wealth of experience. These will include barristers, solicitors, professors and practitioners from the international legal arena.
You will benefit from the block teaching delivery mode. The block teaching approach widens participation in the context of legal study. A more concentrated weekly schedule allows you to focus on one subject at a time instead of several at once. This means that you will be able to focus closely on each subject and absorb your learning material in more depth whilst working more closely with your tutors and coursemates.
In our Critical Issues in Sentencing and Punishment module, you will examine current sentencing policy and how it is formulated, critically evaluating its theoretical underpinnings and assessing its efficacy in achieving justice for the victims of crime, defendants and society as a whole.
You can expand your knowledge of the law in dedicated learning spaces, including access to a crown court – a site of trials since the Middle Ages, a training courtroom and a simulated Judge's Chambers suite. In addition, the university's Hugh Aston Building has a dedicated law library exclusively for law students, allowing you to practise scenario-based learning.
You will develop and apply values, skills, knowledge and behaviours that will enable them to contribute to the development of a just, peaceful and sustainable world.

Scholarships:

51黑料社区 offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International Scholarships

Find out about available scholarships and country specific fee discounts for international students.

51黑料社区 has been shortlisted for the Business School of the Year by the PIEoneer Awards 2025.

UK
EU/International

Programme code: M20088

Start date: September

Duration: One year full-time

Fees and funding:
For 2025/26 tuition fees for UK students will be £10,700

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Programme code: M20088

Start date: September

Duration: One year full-time

Fees and funding:
For 2025/26 tuition fees for international students will be £18,450

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

Applicants are expected to have background knowledge of law or a discipline related to the LLM (usually an undergraduate degree or professional qualifications). Applicants will normally hold a degree with a minimum pass of 2:2, or equivalent overseas qualification, or an equivalent professional qualification. A degree in law is preferred but is not essential.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Structure and assessment

Course modules

Block 1: Critical issues in Criminal Investigations
Block 2: Critical issues in the Criminal Trial
Block 3: Critical issues in Criminal Law
Block 4: Critical Issues in Sentencing and Punishment
Block 5: Dissertation

See detailed module descriptions

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Teaching and assessment

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials, guest lectures and PC labs.

Assessment is through assignments, essays, exams, and projects. Some assessment opportunities will have additional support via groupwork, such as simulations and case studies; and students have access to a personal tutor for mentoring and signposting for additional needs.

Teaching contact hours

This is a full-time course. Most of our courses consist of approximately 2 hours of lectures, 6 hours of workshop and 2 hours of asynchronous activity each week. However, this may differ depending on the course and module choice.

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