Law, Policing and Justice
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Where justice matters
Law at University of East London
Former student, Nurun, did a Law Short Course at University of East London and now is a solicitor helping at the Legal Advice Centre at the university.
Our teaching philosophy combines academic excellence with giving students the practical skills and experience they need to succeed in their careers.
About us
Our undergraduate and postgraduate law courses provide legal education that relates legal knowledge to social context. They are an excellent preparation for legal practice or work in the legal field.
We give our students opportunities to volunteer at our Legal Advice Centre, joining local solicitors to support real people with real cases.
We have a chamber for moots and mock trials, and you'll benefit from our strong links with the legal profession, law firms and NGOs, who provide speakers to inform, inspire and provoke new thinking.
Speakers in recent years have ranged from Lord Neuberger, former president of the UK Supreme Court to Michael Ignatieff, Canadian politician and President of the Central European University.
Our criminology department has excellent relationships with government departments and international bodies and has particular expertise in the fields of hate crime and the rise of the far right, cyber-crime and youth crime.
Our policing programmes offer new gateways into policing careers in courses that are fully accredited by the College of Policing.
Why choose us?
92 per cent of UEL's overall research was rated as world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised in the most recent national research exercise (REF 2021).
We have a strong focus on careers and employability. There are many opportunities to incorporate work experience into your programme. In addition, students can volunteer at our Legal Advice Centre, joining local solicitors in giving their time for free to support real people with real cases.
All of our courses have a strong practical focus. Our qualifying LLB courses allow you and to obtain an additional diploma from the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP). Our Criminology courses teach criminology in the context of current debates around crime and punishment and our policing courses are aimed at helping you to develop a career in professional policing.
Our facilities
All our programmes are taught in the centre of Stratford, with our law and criminology programmes delivered taught at our state-of-the-art University Square Campus.
Our modern campus facilities are complete with extensive 24-hour library access, ultra-modern teaching hubs, tiered lecture theatres, seminar rooms, cafes and shops. To ensure our students get the best possible support, we've opened brand-new £3.1 million Student Support Hubs. These contain centralised help desks as well as comfortable areas to relax and socialise. The help desks provide a 'one-stop shop' for every possible need, from course-related enquiries to personal issues such as health and money matters.
The Legal Advice Centre
The innovative UEL Legal Advice Centre is a learning facility for our students. You will have the opportunity to volunteer to work with our team offering legal advice to members of the public who are unable access legal aid. The Legal Advice Centre specialises in cases involving contract/consumer law, family law, landlord/tenant law and welfare rights. The Centre also has a special project in partnership with the Sycamore Trust to provide free legal advice to those affected with Autism.
Our Legal Advice Centre provides excellent opportunities for our students to gain voluntary experience with external law firms and develop advocacy skills by participating in mooting and debating activities. This is a useful resource for our local community and an excellent way for you to gain invaluable legal experience handling real cases and helping real people.
Mooting Room
We have our own Mooting Room where you can participate in mock trials, mooting and debating. Our moots and debates are judged by external volunteers from the legal profession. In addition to this, students can also make use of available court rooms at Stratford Magistrates' Court.
Location
Our location in Stratford is one of Europe's largest regeneration areas, with easy access to the Royal Courts of Justice, Docklands and the City. Our extensive links to local employers will also give you access to fantastic internships and placements. From heavy industry to high-tech, health and social care to the arts, there are so many opportunities right on our doorstep.
Crime scene and Interview rooms
We offer teaching rooms, four interview rooms and a crime scene flat, all used by criminology and policing students, as well as the apprenticeship programme developed for London Metropolitan Police Services, in partnership with Babcock International.
These spaces enhance the experience for learners in the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship Programme (PCDA) and the Detective Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) as our students will have access to modern learning spaces where they can act out real-life scenarios like interviewing suspects and analysing crime scenes, in addition to having access to our brand-new Court Room at USS.
It was fantastic - a really good course. My degree was essential in helping me to get a full-time job with the Met and I'd encourage anyone to volunteer in the community early on as it really backs up your theoretical learning."
Besnik Vrapi
BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate
What we're researching
At UEL you will be taught by active researchers who are working at the forefront of changes in law, criminology and policing. Our research philosophy is inter-disciplinary, drawing together different approaches to tackle major topical issues.
Our criminology team includes world-renowned experts in areas such as hate crime and the far right, gang crime, organised crime, youth justice, victim support, and race, ethnicity and crime. The staff have links with major policing and crime institutions across the world, including the United Nations, the Home Office and NGOs in both local and international arenas.
We also have an innovative Online Harms and Cyber Crime Unit which coordinates our research in this important new area study and practice.
Our law team has expertise in many areas including international law, human rights, financial technology regulation, public law, European social policy, world trade regulation, international business law, urban law and land rights, Islamic law and finance. Much of our research has an international orientation and an important relation to questions of social justice.
Our experts have contributed to international agencies including UN Habitat, UNDP, the International Peace Institute, the World Bank and Minority Rights Group International.
We also have a number of important research centres which support and coordinate our research, including:
Our staff
Our staff include legal practitioners, high profile scholars and academics and former law enforcement professionals. Whatever your interest, you'll enjoy a wide choice of options taught by expert staff.
Find out more about our staff.
Accreditation
- Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
- Bar Standards Board (BSB)
- National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP)
- College of Policing
Careers
Studying law, criminology or policing sets you up for a vast amount of varied careers, both within the legal and police sector, and in related fields. That's why we offer a diverse range of courses as well as dedicated careers guidance for our students.
Studying law
Studying one of our qualifying law degrees will set you up for a career at the bar, but you could decide to use your legal knowledge to teach, work in charities, work for government organisations, champion human rights, work in environmental law, journalism, construction, finance, policy advice and a huge range of other related fields.
Studying criminology
Studying criminology or policing will put you on the path to a range of careers across the criminal justice sector and related fields. Graduates go on to work in the police, probation, social services, prisons, private security, community organisations, local government, charities, civil service, think tanks, journalism and academia.
You will also develop highly sought-after transferable skills - including research, essay-writing, teamwork and communication - that will be attractive to employers in any field.
Studying policing
Studying our professional policing course will open pathways to careers in the police service and law enforcement and help you develop skills and knowledge essential to those careers.
At UEL, you'll have access to:
- Employability skills training such as interview techniques and CV writing.
- Career Assessment, giving you the opportunity to learn about yourself and Career Coach will help you to discover career suggestions based on your interests.
- UEL Skills Academy, where external professionals deliver sessions on the competencies most prized by graduate employers.
- Internships, placements and volunteering opportunities from our work placements team.
- Professional mentoring scheme, matching students with staff from major companies.
- Networking opportunities and annual careers fair.
- Support with setting up your own business.
Our location in one of Europe's largest regeneration areas and our extensive links to local employers will also give you access to fantastic internships and placements. From heavy industry to high-tech, health and social care to the arts, there are so many opportunities right on our doorstep.
Career coach
Our online Career Coach shows you the different career paths that your chosen subject area can lead you to.
Get information on specific careers, job roles, potential wages and available jobs in the sector.
Or, take a quick quiz to find a career to match your personality type!
Undergraduate courses
LLB (Hons) Business Law
Our LLB (Hons) Business Law brings that diverse expertise together to create a specialist degree that applies law in a modern business context.
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BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice
Investigate the nature of crime and criminality and crime in contemporary societies, studying society's response through the criminal justice system.
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BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology
Develop an expert insight into the causes and consequences of crime - and how it is dealt with by the criminal justice system.
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Law Short Course
The Introduction to Law Short Course allows mature learners without traditional qualifications to access UEL and study one of our LLBs.
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LLB (Hons) Law
Our LLB (Hons) Law course is a qualifying law degree, forming an essential part of the training you need to become a barrister or a solicitor.
Read more LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology
Law with Criminology is a popular combination for anyone wanting to focus on law and gain valuable insights into the causes and consequences of crime.
Read more LLB (Hons) Law with International Relations
Gain valuable insights into the global political context of the law as well as the social and cultural aspects of how the legal system functions.
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BSc (Hons) Policing Top-Up
This course is for existing police personnel with over 3 years of service (and out of their probation), and for those who have recently retired.
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BA (Hons) Sociology with Criminology
Study sociology with criminology and graduate with a degree that has vocational relevance, while putting no limit on your career options.
Read morePostgraduate courses
Explore our Master of Laws (LLM)
With multiple specialisations to choose from, you can study path that suits your career and interests.
LLM Business and Financial Law
Study Business and Financial Law and familiarise with contemporary legal and regulatory issues that govern international business and finance.
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LLM Energy and Natural Resources
This master's course examines upstream and downstream regulatory trends in oil, gas and minerals in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
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LLM FinTech Law
Get expert knowledge in cryptoassets, private digital currencies, decentralized finance and central bank digital currencies in this FinTech course.
Read more LLM General
Since law is a vast and diverse subject, we offer a huge amount of flexibility in this general LLM programme.
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LLM Human Rights Advocacy
This LLM pathway is a unique course that allows you to specialise in human rights from a highly practical perspective.
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LLM International Law and Legal Practice
The LLM International Law and Legal Practice combines study of international law with practical training in advocacy, legal practice and litigation.
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LLM Transitional Justice and Conflict
This pathway connects research in law, social science and contemporary politics to provide you with a solid grounding in international human rights and international humanitarian law.
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