This module introduces you to the scholarship in criminological theory and the sociology of deviance from the nineteenth century to the present.

A unifying theme is the relationship between the problem of social order and strategies of social control as this has been conceived since the late nineteenth century. You will learn about the social and political context from which these various theories have emerged as well as their place within the intellectual development of Criminology.

Tort law addresses civil wrongs, aiming to provide a legal remedy. The scope of these civil wrongs is broad. For instance, tortious remedies might be sought in cases as varied as negligence causing harm, nuisances between neighbours and intentional wrongs. You will study core concepts in tort law at an introductory level. Topics covered may include:

• Key principles in tort
• Negligence
• Intentional torts
• Nuisance
• Defamation
• Vicarious liability

Related defences and remedies may also be covered. The study of tort law is mandatory for a qualifying law degree

This module will explore questions such as:

• How can we know about the true extent of crime?
• Are official data sources valid and reliable in informing crime-related policy?
• Can we predict future offending behaviour?
• How should we evaluate crime reduction programmes?

By the end of the module, you will have some of these answers.

You will be learning and working with different data sources related to crime and criminal justice, exploring data from police-recorded crime, the Crime Survey for England and Wales and criminal justice statistics from the courts.

You will develop highly valuable skills in data-handling and analysis during the computer workshops. You do not require any previous knowledge of maths or statistics. All you need is the willingness to learn and continuous practice.

Research provides an important means of producing knowledge and evidence within Criminology. It also contributes to the planning and evaluation of policies and provisions operating within the criminal justice system (CJS); an area of interest for criminologists. Focusing on real-world research in the ‘field,’ you will study the theoretical foundations of how knowledge and evidence is understood and produced and how this underpins the methods adopted by researchers.

You will explore the methods commonly used in criminological research such as:

• Quantitative questionnaires
• Evaluation and randomized control trials (RCTs)
• Qualitative interviews
• Ethnography
• New innovative creative methods
• Participatory action research

You will be able to engage critically with methodological debates within the field of Criminology and develop your own practical research skills.

In this module you will focus on the criminal justice response to children in conflict with the law.

The prevalence and nature of youth crime has been a persistent concern for society and is regularly subject to media and political debate. You will examine trends in youth justice policy as well as various possible responses to offending behaviour. You’ll focus particularly on the tension between conceptualising individuals as 'children in trouble' or 'children in need' and an explore how this shapes youth justice policy and practice.

Whilst the current focus on ‘child-first’ youth justice highlights the need to remove the label of ‘offender’, you will examine how far a ‘child-first’ approach is applied equally to all children. You will undertake a critical exploration of why some children continue to be stubbornly over-represented in the youth justice system and what efforts at diversion and decriminalisation might look like.

This module aims to provide you with knowledge and understanding of:

• The range, extent and nature of cybercrime in the 21st Century.

• The role of the Internet and other ICT in criminal networking, planning and communication for both cyber (online) and 'traditional' (offline) crime.

• The challenges inherent in responding to cybercrime and online aspects of traditional crime and criminality.

• Criminal justice and other (e.g. personal and private security) responses to cybercrime and criminality.

• The application of established criminological theories to cybercrime and online criminality.

Gain a foundational understanding of business law with a comprehensive overview of the legal framework that underpins contemporary business practice. You will begin by analysing the legal implications associated with diverse corporate structures, including companies, partnerships, limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and sole proprietorships. You will go on to examine and explore:

• The concepts of legal personality and limited liability and their practical application
• The legal principles governing internal management and decision-making processes within the organisational context
• The legal dimensions of business financing and payment methods
• The taxation of corporate entities and their stakeholders

How does the law regulate the world of work? Who is protected, what rights do workers have and what responsibilities do employers bear? This module provides a comprehensive introduction to UK employment law. You will focus on key topics such as:

• Employment contracts
• Wages
• Working time
• Work-life balance
• Equality at work
• Dismissal redundancy
• Collective labour rights

You will gain a solid understanding of key statutes and case law, develop a critical and analytical perspective on related legal rules and evaluate the underlying social and policy principles. Whether you’re pursuing a legal career, working in HR, a trade union, government agencies, or simply want to understand workplace rights, this module equips you with essential knowledge for navigating the world of work.

Family Law aims to examine law as it impacts upon the family as a unit and upon the individuals within a familial group. It takes law as an object of study and examines how family relationships are understood in that context.

You are expected to explain, analyse and evaluate the legal rules, concepts and values governing and regulating intimate or domestic relationships. You will locate the development of the law, including the institutions and procedures, within a broader historical, demographic and social context.

The module will promote awareness of the implications for family law of the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into the UK. You will examine:

• The relationship between families and the state
• The interface between family law and family policy
• The roles of individuals within families
• Various theoretical perspectives on family law

Gain a clear understanding of what international law is and how it operates. The key areas you will cover are:

• The sources of international law, with particular attention on treaties and custom
• The subjects of international law, especially states and international organisations
• How international law relates to national law
• Responsibility for breaches of international law
• Settling disputes in international law, including the role of the International Court of Justice
• The immunities enjoyed by states and diplomats

Gain a comprehensive overview of mediation and conflict resolution principles and practices. You will explore the nature of conflict, various conflict styles and the theoretical underpinnings of mediation.

You’ll learn practical skills in active listening, communication, negotiation and facilitation that will prepare you to effectively manage and resolve disputes in various contexts. The module emphasises ethical considerations and cultural sensitivity in mediation. You will develop a deep understanding of the mediation process and gain confidence in applying these skills to real-world scenarios, fostering constructive dialogue and building positive relationships.

Knowledge of Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution is an essential part of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam and in this practical module you will examine some of the core principles of litigation and dispute resolution in England and Wales.

You will focus on a simulated case, reminiscent of the type of cases handled by large commercial law firms. You’ll cover several different stages of a case, from the first client meeting to trial. Your learning will focus on practical skills such as legal drafting and advocacy.

Many commentators claim that organised crime is one of the greatest problems facing contemporary societies. Law enforcement officials around the world have reported a significant increase in the range and scope of international criminal activity since the early 1990s.

Worldwide shifts in social, political and economic arrangements- often described as ‘globalisation’ - have opened up opportunities for organised crime groups. The extent of groups involved in transnational organised crime (TOC) and the profits made means TOC has become a priority area for governments around the world.

Explore a range of topics and perspectives related to Contemporary Issues in Policing. This module will cover three key core areas:

• The role of the police in a contemporary and historical context
• Key policing concepts
• Contemporary issues related to policing in the UK

You will develop an understanding of contemporary issues in policing in the UK and critically consider the role of police officers within the criminal justice system. You’ll gain a critical understanding of key policing concepts such as police power, accountability and ‘cop culture’ and interpret theories in the context of policing.

Land Law immerses you in real life scenarios to promote an understanding of how land law really works. The module provides opportunities to work through legal problems from the perspective of a legal practitioner and discuss some of the documentation and protocols that are used by property lawyers.

We encourage lively debate and discussion and aim to develop your skills in critical thinking and reasoning logically and creatively, challenging convention and understanding how land law interacts with society.

Commercial law is the area of law governing the way goods and services are bought and sold, together with connected questions of ownership of goods, responsibility for what happens to them ("risk"), storing and transporting and paying for them.

In this module you will study key areas of commercial law, typically including agency, sale of goods, bailments, carriage of goods and commercial dispute resolution.

The European Union Law module provides an in-depth exploration of the legal framework of the European Union, its foundational principles and its evolving relationship with the UK. You will examine the nature of EU law, the structure of the EU legal system and the key concepts that make it unique.

You’ll explore the competences of the EU and its nature as a supranational legal order, as well as the primary and secondary sources of EU law.

You will also examine the core doctrines of EU law such as direct effect, direct applicability and the supremacy of EU law, as well as the ongoing relationship between EU and UK law following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

The landscape of financial crime has dramatically shifted in recent decades, becoming a pervasive threat to economies worldwide and legal systems are constantly challenged to adapt. In this module you will delve into the core aspects of this complex field, specifically: fraud, money laundering, terrorism financing and the increasingly intertwined relationship between financial crime and cybercrime, where technological advancements often outstrip regulatory capabilities.

You will analyse how these crimes operate, including where appropriate, the implications of technology - cryptocurrencies, ransomware, dark web on these crimes - emphasising the inherent difficulties in effective legal enforcement.

In this module, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the limitations of global and domestic regulatory frameworks, engage in critical analysis of leading cases and statute. You’ll acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the challenges of financial crime prevention and detection, while acknowledging the ongoing struggle of law to effectively regulate these activities.

Explore the nature, scope and impact of human rights legal provisions and the wider culture of civil liberties legal reasoning on domestic law. You will acquire the reasoning tools to understand, analyse and independently evaluate human rights issues, for example, through wider ideals (such as human dignity), specifically human rights concepts, (such as proportionality) and particular mechanisms of the Human Rights Act 1998.

It is an important principle of human rights law that rights should be enjoyed not just in theory but also in practice and you will consider particular areas of human rights law, not just as a set of rules, but as a dynamic body of principles that have concrete and social impacts and implications. Drawing on contemporary examples and controversies you will have the freedom to explore issues that are of most importance to you.

This module examines how international law is applied in practice in three key areas:

• The use of force in international relations, including the law of armed conflict and its enforcement in international criminal law
• The different regimes for territory, covering land, sea, air and outer space
• International law and the protection of the environment

Explore contemporary issues surrounding the law’s impact upon the lives of children and young people. In this module you will take both a theoretical and practical approach to understanding and applying the law. You will have the opportunity to work through legal case studies from the perspective of a practitioner.

You’ll look at a range of topics that involve children and young people, such as children’s and parental rights, rights to education and special educational needs and children’s rights in relation to protest and punishment. In addition, you will focus on practical legal skills such as drafting, legal letter writing and legal research.

Legal Technology is a topic of growing importance. You will explore areas of interest in legal tech and will examine the legal and social implications of key innovations.

You’ll study how design thinking can be applied to create innovative solutions to legal problems and will consider the deployment of technology in ways that enhance the experiences of practising law and delivery of legal services. There will also be analysis of the social implications of these technological developments.

Many of these issues will be examined from a practical perspective.

Learn about forms and methods of punishment today and historically and consider the place of prisons within this wider context. You’ll explore key theories and perspectives around the justification and limitations of past and present practices as you examine the shift to a prison industrial complex.

You will learn to ask key questions such as:

• What constitutes ‘punishment’?
• How have prisons evolved, and what perspectives have influenced carceral projects nationally and internationally?
• Who is most likely to be punished or imprisoned?

You will also question who is most likely to be subject to punishment or imprisonment and how this relates to wider social inequalities and demographic experiences of social control.

Throughout the module you will critically consider the role of reformative approaches to punishment as well as abolitionist perspectives on prisons and restorative and community alternatives to punitive punishment.

In this module you will research a criminological topic of your choice in much greater depth than you have previously.

The module is worth 40 credits, which is the equivalent of two optional taught modules. You are encouraged to undertake your own empirical research, using the methods and techniques you have learned in your second year to generate new evidence. There is also the scope to undertake a desk-based research project if you prefer. The dissertation will span the entire final year of study, but planning will start earlier in the previous academic year.

You will work independently on your project but will be supported by a Criminology academic working in the related field. Academic supervisors will oversee the entirety of your project and advise you on all aspects of it.

You’ll produce a dissertation proposal towards the end of your second year, apply for ethical approval to conduct your research early in your final year and finally, submit your dissertation, which will consist of a series of relevant chapters that collectively address a relevant research question.

A Law dissertation is an opportunity to become an expert in a focused area of the law, under the supervision of world-leading researchers in your chosen field. You will study independently to produce a dissertation to answer a research question chosen by you. This is particularly suitable if have a strong interest in deepening your understanding of a specific legal area and are able to work independently.

You will develop high-level research skills as you synthesize a wide range of primary and secondary legal sources, placing them within their wider societal and disciplinary contexts. The transferable skills gained in this module will be useful both in future legal careers and in research and policy-focused roles.

Green Criminology is the application of Criminological thought (concepts, methods, theories etc.) to environmental harm.In this module, you will engage with the increasing awareness of the damage contemporary industrial society inflicts on the natural world - and the urgent need for effective responses and solutions to environmental problems. You’ll focus on a range of environmental harms, whether or not subject to criminal control and you will examine society’s attempts to control them.

A relatively recent addition to criminology, Green Criminology draws on established traditions of examining ‘crimes of the powerful’ and focuses on a zemiological (harm-centred) perspective rather than legalistic definitions of crime. You will learn about the theoretical roots of this approach based on Ulrich Beck’s ‘Risk Society’, 'ecological Marxism' and theories of criminalisation and crime control.

An engaging and highly relevant module, Drugs, Crime and Society examines the nature and extent of drug taking in the UK and beyond.

We will:

• explore the difficulties of researching hidden populations, like drug users

• engage with theories of drug use from a sociological, psychological and cultural perspective

• consider global and national drug markets

• investigate the links between drugs and crime

• evaluate policing responses to drugs

You will be taught by research-active lecturers who will introduce you to the latest research in this field and contemporary debate. For example, you might study current research and publications concerning cannabis cultivation, world markets, and drug distribution among friends (also known as ‘social supply’).

This module focuses on the crimes that power makes possible. Criminological theory and research has traditionally prioritized the crimes of the powerless over and against the crimes of those that make laws, wield influence and capital or authorize State violence.

As such, this module will introduce you to theory, research, and case-studies on corporate and white-collar crimes, as well as state crimes like genocide and torture, in order to provide an analysis of the commission and punishment of such crimes.

This module introduces Company Law, covering its core principles, key stakeholders and the significance of separate legal personality in corporate structure and liability. You will examine and explore:

• The concept of separate legal personality and its significance in corporate structure and liability
• The role of the company constitution in defining governance frameworks, as well as the duties, powers and liabilities of directors in managing corporate affairs
• The share capital maintenance rules that ensure financial stability and creditor protection
• The key aspects of company contracts and how companies enter into legal agreements
• Shareholders’ rights and remedies, including unfair prejudice claims and derivative actions in the context of corporate accountability
• Creditor protection that considers debentures and charges, providing insight into corporate finance and security interests
• Insolvency law including mechanisms for corporate rescue and creditor recovery

Study the current law of the environment in England and Wales. You will consider key aspects of environmental law such as overarching principles, policies and methods of regulation. You’ll explore some of the international environmental obligations that bind the UK. Specific areas covered might include:

• Principles of environmental law and regulation
• Civil and criminal liability for environmental harm
• Climate change
• Development control
• Protecting habitats and landscapes and the prevention
• Prosecution of water pollution offences

Examine the principles of UK immigration and asylum law. Asylum is a subject seldom out of the media and it has received unprecedented political attention in the last few decades. Immigration is a considerable subject and in this module, you will focus mainly on the asylum process.

You’ll consider the general issues through the study of topics such as:

• The nature of an asylum claim
• The link between human rights and asylum
• Immigration detention the foreign prisoner crisis
• Deportation

Study the principal features of Inheritance Law in England and Wales, including wills and intestacy. Taking a practical focus, you will examine the law from a practitioner perspective developing skills such as drafting letters and memos.

You’ll understand and be able to apply the principal features of inheritance law in England and Wales, understand property ownership/trusts and their interaction with laws on death and have a critical awareness of the history and socio-legal context within which inheritance laws operate.

Gain an introduction to the framework and key principles underpinning health care law and ethics. You’ll build on your understanding of these foundational issues through exploring specific and complex areas of health care law and practice, from a medico-legal and ethical perspectives. The chosen areas will reflect the continual developing nature of medical and ethical practice and will be relevant today.

You will develop your legal and ethical knowledge and skills of critical analysis in areas which continue to grow in significance, including life and death.

Engage with the often-neglected, marginalised and overlooked needs of women within the fields of Criminology and Criminal Justice. This module explores how harm and injustice may occur in various ways and at various intersections, as well as the often-blurred boundaries between victimisation and criminalisation. Yet there is also a focus on power, protest and resistance and how this might play out in different contexts.

Indicative topics and perspectives related include:

• Women, crime and poverty in an age of austerity
• Domestic violence as a pathway to offending and
• The experiences of Black and minoritised women
• Women in the global south

You will engage with a range of sources that seek to decolonise ‘official’ versions of crime and justice and that encourage learning from lived experience.

Is there such a thing as a ‘hate crime’? Not according to the stance wholeheartedly adopted by the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom within the last two decades. In this module you will study a range of perspectives.

You will examine the notion that hate crime is socially constructed by a range of social actors, such as perpetrators, victims and police officers. In an interactive process, you will define whether an interaction is a hate crime or not.

You will consider the role of legal and academic definitions used to decide if something is a hate crime. You’ll explore these by placing them in an international context

Informed by the latest research, this module critically examines the complex interactions between the media and crime.

Included in this fascinating area of study are:

• theories of deviancy, moral panics and newsworthiness

• representations of youth and female offenders

• sex and hate crimes

• revenge pornography and cybercrime

• critical explorations of the use of media in the context of crime and criminal justice

We take a multi-disciplinary approach to the module so you will study key media concepts and then discuss how these relate to crime, deviancy and criminal justice issues.

The module assessment is both novel and creative. You will produce a media portfolio - completing a literature review on a topic of your choice - before engaging in a critical analysis using sources such as newspapers, documentaries or social media content. This approach helps to ensure that you develop a practical understanding of media analysis and of the representation of crime in the media.

Our academic staff research extensively in the areas of crime and media. They will use their research to guide lecture content and, where appropriate, will provide you with data from their projects to analyse and discuss.

Explore the world of equity and trusts law by examining and locating the subject within its broad historical context to identify its development and functioning over time.

You will discover and explore the key themes, concepts and issues prevalent in equity and trusts law today, including the key elements required for the validity and operation of various types of trusts, as well as relevant aspects of equitable remedies. You will also consider modern uses and policies.

Gain a comprehensive critical analysis of governance issues that exist in relation to the management of insolvent companies. In this module you will explore both the theoretical and practical issues that face a company that is first in financial distress, but not yet in an insolvency regime and how governance issues change when the company is insolvent and enters an insolvency regime.

Topics that are explored in this module include:

• The meaning and features of corporate governance
• The functions and principles of insolvency law
• How the duties, rights and decision-making of directors alters when a company is exposed to financial difficulties

You will examine the governance issues that arise when a company enters an insolvency regime, the role and duties of insolvency practitioners in insolvent regimes, the regulation of directors and insolvency practitioners and the impact that insolvency has on company creditors.

Evidence Law may be seen as a collection of rules and procedures which govern the means through which legal assertions or ‘facts’ may be proved and the manner in which a party may substantiate or refute?assertions or ‘facts’.

In this module you will conduct a broad investigation of these rules to understand the social context in which the rules operate, to examine the principles on which the rules are founded and to apply these to concrete situations.

This module provides an overview of intellectual property law focusing on three key areas: copyright, patents and trademarks. You will examine, analyse and explore:

• Why we protect “intangible” property looking at the key aim of incentivising creativity
• The UK and international legislation and case law in the area of copyright
• How the law developed to protect groundbreaking technology in the 1700s and now protects AI-generated works in the 21st century
• Patent law and the protection of inventions
• The UK and international regime relating to trademarks and global branding
• How IP rights build recognition and generate profit

Explore the legal, practical, political and moral issues involved in using national and international criminal courts, truth commissions and other techniques of ‘transitional justice’ to pursue accountability for mass atrocities and war crimes committed by repressive regimes.

You will study the legacy of Nazi Germany, the central and southern American dictatorships, apartheid South Africa, communism in Europe up to 1989, and the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.

You’ll draw together disparate materials in law, politics, history and criminology to provide a critical window on how the very worst violations of human rights have been addressed.

Examine a range of sex crimes and forms of sexual offending as defined by the law in England and Wales. You’ll consider the wider social context which may explain why some sex crimes are defined by law and how new crimes emerge as the social context changes. Topics explored include:

• The extent of sexual offending
• How sex crimes are committed
• Who the perpetrators and victims are
• How sex crimes are dealt with by the criminal justice system, including the experiences of victims who engage with the criminal justice system

Deliver public legal education presentations to members of the community, such as to school children, charities or support groups. You will work in a team to research, design and deliver presentations (virtually or in person).

Street Law presentations encourage audience participation and you will design a series of interactive approaches which supports the content of your presentation. The topics of the presentations vary each year and will be dependent on the needs of the community groups we work with.

You’ll receive thorough training before commencing your Street Law project. For instance, you will learn about the ethos behind the Street Law approach, professional responsibilities, safeguarding, and engage in skill development activities such as teamwork, leadership and public speaking.