Law with Criminal Justice
Law with criminal justice is a combination that develops both technical legal training and a broader critical understanding of the criminal justice system, how it operates, who it affects, and how it might be reformed. Law equips you with the ability to interpret statutes, analyse cases, construct legal arguments, and understand the principles that underpin the English legal system. Criminal justice studies situate those legal skills within a wider sociological, political, and ethical context, asking why certain behaviours are criminalised, how policing and prosecution operate in practice, and what the aims of punishment should be.
The University of Chester's four-year full-time Law with Criminal Justice degree includes a foundation year for students who want additional preparation before entering the main programme, and also includes a year abroad option. The typical entry tariff is 104 points. Chester Law School maintains strong links with local legal professionals and the wider community, as the course notes, providing specialist opportunities such as guest lectures, co-curricular outreach, and pro bono legal advice work that can enhance your skills and distinguish you as a graduate.
You will study the foundations of English law alongside criminal justice, developing both the doctrinal understanding needed for legal practice and the critical awareness to engage with debates about law, society, and justice.
Graduates who wish to qualify as solicitors or barristers will need to complete further professional training, and the degree provides the strong academic foundation required for this route. Others go on to careers in probation, the Crown Prosecution Service, the prison service, social work, community legal advice, charities, or the civil service. The analytical and communication skills developed through legal study are also valued in business, journalism, public affairs, and policy roles.
Postgraduate study in law, criminology, or social policy is a natural further direction for those wishing to develop their expertise.