Program Overview

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice is a four-year, inter-disciplinary degree programme that prepares students for a wide variety of careers within the criminal justice sector and beyond.

Key Information

• NFQ Level: 8 major Award Honours Bachelor Degree
• Course Code: LM028
• Duration: 4 Years
• Fees: See what fees may apply to students
• Subject Area: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Course Director: Dr Stefano Angeleri

About the Course

The BA (Criminal Justice) is administered by the School of Law, which boasts considerable expertise in the criminal justice area. The Centre for Crime, Justice and Victim Studies was established at the School of Law in 1997 and is a national centre of excellence for criminal justice research.

Why Study Criminal Justice at UL?

Become an expert in Criminal Justice. The BA (Criminal Justice) degree programme is unique in that it combines the study of law, sociology, politics, and public administration to provide a comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system.

What You Will Study

The programme includes seven semesters on campus and six to eight months on work placement. The programme is a structured one, with a predetermined set of modules primarily from the disciplines of Law, Sociology, Politics, and Public Administration each semester.

Year 1

• Semester 1:
  • LA4001: Legal System and Method
  • LA4211: Criminal Law 1
  • SO4001: Intro to Sociology I
  • PA4001: Introduction to Public Administration I
  • PO4051: Introduction to Politics and International Relations I
• Semester 2:
  • LA4032: Criminal Procedure
  • LA4222: Criminal Law 2
  • SO4032: Intro to Sociology II
  • PA4022: Introduction to Public Administration II
  • PO4052: Introduction to Politics and International Relations II

Year 2

• Semester 3:
  • LA4430: Constitutional Law 1
  • LA4068: Crime and Criminal Justice
  • SO4073: Classic Sociological Theory
  • PA4023: Leadership for the 21st Century
  • PO4013: Government and Politics of Ireland
• Semester 4:
  • LA4440: Constitutional Law 2
  • LA4042: Administrative Law
  • SO4036: Contemporary Sociological Theory
  • PM4022: Principles of Organisational Behaviour
  • PO4015: Government and Politics of the EU

Year 3

• Semester 5: Co-operative Work Placement
• Semester 6:
  • LA4040: Law of Evidence
  • LA4058: Human Rights Law
  • SO4078: Inequality and Social Exclusion
  • SO4006: Sociology of Crime, Deviance and Social Control
  • PA4047: Comparative Public Policy

Year 4

• Semester 7:
  • LA4021: Child Law
  • LA4017: Advanced Lawyering 1 (Alternative Dispute Resolution)
  • MG4045: Change Management
  • PS4031: Psychology and Everyday Life
  • LA4033: Law of the European Union 1
• Semester 8:
  • LA4002: Jurisprudence
  • LA4109: Law and Criminology
  • PA4008: Public Policy and the Environment
  • PS4032: Psychology and Social Issues
  • LA4044: Law of the European Union 2

Entry Requirements

• CAO Points History: 387
• Minimum Grades: Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English.
• Additional Considerations:
  • Mature Students: We welcome applications from Mature Students. Mature applicants must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February.
  • QQI Entry: Certain QQI Awards are acceptable in fulfilling admission requirements for this programme.

How to Apply

• Ireland: Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO.
• The UK: Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO.
• The EU: EU students can apply to UL via the CAO.
• Non-EU country: If you are outside of the EU, you can apply for this degree here.

Fees and Funding

• Student Course Fees: Are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy, and Tuition Fees.
• EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant:
  • HEA pays: Tuition Fees €3,058
  • SUSI pays: Student contribution €2,500
  • Student pays: Student Levy €104
  • Total: €5,662
• EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant:
  • HEA pays: Tuition Fees €3,058
  • Student pays: Student contribution €2,500
  • Student pays: Student Levy €104
  • Total: €5,662
• Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant:
  • Student pays: Tuition Fees €3,058
  • Student pays: Student contribution €2,500
  • Student pays: Student Levy €104
  • Total: €5,662
• Non-EU Students:
  • Student pays: Tuition Fees €17,396
  • Student pays: Student Levy €104
  • Total: €17,500

Your Future Career

The BA (Criminal Justice) prepares students for a wide variety of careers within the criminal justice sector and beyond. Graduates may opt for careers in policing, the legal profession, the private security industry, courts administration, or the prison service, as well as within organisations that work in the prevention of crime and/or the support of victims and communities affected by criminal activity.

Follow-on Study

Students who complete the BA (Criminal Justice) have a variety of options for postgraduate study and professional education courses both within the University of Limerick and beyond. Importantly, BA(Criminal Justice) graduates are eligible to complete the School of Law's LLB (Graduate Entry) programme in one year instead of two.