Criminology and Law with foundation year

Explore crime, its causes, societal impact and criminal law, and equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed for a career within the criminal justice system, both nationally and internationally.

Please note that the foundation year of this Coventry University degree will be delivered from our CU Coventry campus. Course delivery from year 1 of the degree onwards will be from the Coventry University campus.

Our degree with foundation year could be the stepping stone you need to achieve your goals. The foundation year aims to prepare you for degree-level study and is a great way to build the confidence, skills and knowledge needed to succeed on your degree course. Explore crime, its causes, societal impact and criminal law, and equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed for a career within the criminal justice system, both nationally and internationally.

Foundation year
The foundation year course offers an introduction to your chosen subject and helps you develop the necessary skills for degree-level study. It aims to provide a thorough understanding of legal principles and best practice. With a focus on European, national and local contexts, this course explores the development of legislation and case law with core academic skills.

Degree
Bridge the gap between theory and practice, applying legal and criminological frameworks to real-world challenges. With a focus on rigorous analysis and evaluation, you’ll explore developments within the legal system and learn how to address crime management.

Modern curriculum: promotes the development of forward-thinking strategies to address current challenges such as cybercrime and criminal justice reform, allowing you to gain the analytical skills needed to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of crime and justice.
Industry-focused learning: analyse and evaluate a range of topics and recent developments concerning the legal system in England and Wales and the management of crime at both local and global levels.
Real-world learning: our mock courtroom allows you to take on a range of legal roles during teaching, helping you to develop the practical skills needed for future roles in criminal justice.

Why study this course

Foundation year
• Supports you to gain the academic skills required for degree-level study.



• Provides a grounding in key areas of criminal law and legal practice.



Degree
- Project-based learning: actively engage in real-world, meaningful projects. Work on complex problems, create tangible solutions and develop essential skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and communication. Assessment is designed to replicate the work and tasks carried out by criminology and law graduates, allowing you to showcase your expertise and real-world readiness.


- Contemporary issues: course content covers a range of areas within criminology, such as victimology, criminal justice, law and advocacy.


- Academic and industry insights: You will have the opportunity to attend lectures/events led by expert speakers from agencies involved in criminal justice.2 Their insights should help provide further context on how you can apply the knowledge and skills you gain throughout the course.


- Global perspective: get a global perspective of crime and compare different methods and ideologies regarding crime prevention, management and justice.


- Build your experience: take part in authentic simulations to enhance the study of penal methods of punishment.


Please visit our website for the most up-to-date information.

Coventry University, part of Coventry University Group, is a modern, globally connected university with a mission to create better futures. Founded in 1843 through innovation and enterprise, they continue to work closely with industry to equip their graduates with the real-world skills and creative thinking they need to make a difference.

Coventry is also a Top 5 Student City in England (QS Best Student Cities Index 2026), and they guarantee accommodation if you apply through Clearing. With campuses across Coventry, London, Scarborough, Dagenham, and Greenwich, you can choose to study where it suits you best.

They're rated overall Gold in TEF 2023, recognising the quality of their teaching and student experience. From academic and wellbeing support to their Phoenix+ programme of employability activities and dedicated Success Coaches, they’re with you every step of the way.