Criminal Law

This twenty-first century LLB Criminal Law degree is perfect for those who are passionate about criminal justice. During this course, you will examine crime, criminal law and the criminal justice system and you will have plenty of opportunities to undertake valuable work experience. 

LLB Criminal Law is a practical law degree designed to meet employer needs and taught by experienced legal professionals and academics who are active for large organisations such as GRETA, the Youth Justice Board, and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 

You will study the principles of criminal law upon which most offences are based, and the key criteria in identifying the most serious of criminal offences. You will also examine the key cases and the legislation that governs criminal law and explore key theoretical perspectives that help to explain crime and social disorder in society. This will give you an opportunity to explore criminological perspectives within their social and political context. 

You will be able to take advantage of excellent social and professional opportunities such as visits to Law Fairs and Inns of Court in London. 

LLB Criminal Law offers a number of options, including the opportunity to do a work placement module in different areas of law, to study abroad in the second year at one of our many partner universities in Europe, USA, Canada and Australia 

You will have the opportunity to enhance your studies by participating in our national and international competing Mooting Society to develop your key advocacy and litigation skills. We also offer a Welsh medium Mooting competition for students who wish to moot through the medium of Welsh. 

Our Staff

Department of Law and Criminology lecturers are mostly either qualified to PHD level or have professional experience and qualifications as practicing lawyers. Many staff also have a PGCE (Higher Education).

Upon completion of LLB Criminal Law at Aberystwyth, you will emerge with real-world capabilities enabling you to shape your future and develop the career you deserve. As well as providing you with a valuable foundation for a career in criminal legal work as a solicitor or a barrister, this degree will prepare you for a career in the criminal justice system including the police, the prison service and the probation service. Recent graduates of the LLB Criminal Law degree at Aberystwyth have gone on to careers in government advisory departments, investigative work in justice and victim support, policing, the prison service and probation service.  

Your future is important to us and our degrees will equip you with the following: 

• the confidence to select and deploy the most appropriate range of legal methodologies 
• the ability to write and communicate with a range of audiences, evaluating and organising information 
• the ability to gather, assimilate and interpret a wealth of legal information quickly and accurately 
• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form 
• effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills 
• the ability to work independently 
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines 
• self-motivation and self-reliance 
• team-working skills, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement 
• research skills. 

Career development opportunities while you study 

Discover more about the various opportunities that our Aberystwyth University Careers Service offers. 

Enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and our Year in Employment Scheme (YES) which are both managed by our Careers Service.  

I love the fact that there is such a wide choice of modules available, which make it possible for me to discover which areas of law interest me. I like the fact that lecturers and seminar tutors are knowledgeable outside of their specialism, which allows you to appreciate the overlap between modules. Christopher Dunn

I chose to study the LLB Law degree as I wanted to go on to train as a solicitor. One of the great things about the degree is the wide range of optional modules you can choose, and if they don't run every year, as some don't, they run every other year so you are guaranteed to have the chance to do the ones you want. Also, the staff are extremely friendly and approachable, meaning that any problems, issues or questions you have will be answered quickly and easily. Whilst it involves a lot of hard work, as does any degree, it is well worth it in the end, and you will have fun and gain experience along the way! Katie Jayne Mansell

The combination of a brilliant course with a beautiful town is perfect. I have loved studying Law at Aberystwyth over the past 3 years. Although it has been hard work and exhausting, it has been thrilling and challenging as well. All the lecturers, tutors and staff are fantastically friendly and helpful and care about the department and the way modules are taught. The Law library houses everything you need for your degree, so you don’t need to go far. Law attracts so many different personalities and students from different backgrounds and spending 3 years with them is great. The modules offer great choice. William Pryce

Law is a challenging subject which stretches me each and every day and that is exactly why I enjoy it! Thanks to both the brilliant staff and the extensive resources available to students, the challenge remains one which I’ve never felt was out of my grasp. Aberystwyth itself is a great town, ideal for a variety of students. It has something to offer for everyone, and I know of no better place to make close friends. The town is very relaxed and welcoming, and when it is sunny there is no place in the UK I’d rather be. Andrew James Hall