Law with Criminology with a Foundation Year, LLB (Hons)

Clearing is open!

Apply now
Students working together and chatting

This course is available through Clearing

Clearing Help and Support 0808 175 3071

Course Overview

If you don’t attain the grades needed to enrol on to the LLB Law with Criminology undergraduate programme, then this 4-year programme, including a Foundation Year, could be for you.

The Foundation Year is an excellent way to gain the knowledge and skills needed to begin the LLB Law with Criminology degree; you will be introduced to key themes in law, as well as being provided with opportunities to pick up new skills that will be of use throughout your undergraduate degree.

The Foundation Year is taught at The College, located on our Bay Campus. After you complete this year, you will move to Singleton Campus for the remainder of your studies.

During the following three years of your undergraduate law degree, you will develop research and analytical skills, learning to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing, while gaining a comprehensive grounding in the foundations of both law and criminology.

As your studies progress, you can choose from a wide range of specialised Law modules relating to areas such as: Medicine, Human Rights, Family, the Environment, Trade, Employment, and the Media. Alongside this, you will study key concepts in the field of criminology; the most important theories of crime and deviance, and their relevance to contemporary criminal justice policy, research and practice.

All of our undergraduate Law programmes contain the foundations of legal knowledge needed to enter the legal profession. Our programmes provide a strong foundation for students who may wish to take the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE) in the future, and satisfy the academic stage of training required by the Bar Standards Board for those wishing to become barristers.

Why Law with Criminology with a Foundation Year at Swansea?

As a student on a Foundation programme, you will benefit from being part of a diverse teaching environment, based in state-of-the-art facilities on our £450m Bay Campus.

You will spend a year on the Foundation Year, which is entirely focused on getting you ready to undertake your undergraduate LLB Law with Criminology degree.

Swansea University has an established and growing reputation for both law and criminology teaching and research, and is wholly committed to continuous improvement in teaching and learning, and to putting students at the centre of its activities.

As a result, Law at Swansea is ranked:

  • Top 125 in the World (The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025)
  • Top 150 in the World (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)

Criminology at Swansea is also ranked:

  • 3rd in the UK for Career Prospects (Guardian University Guide 2025)

Your Law with Criminology with a Foundation Year Experience

Teaching on the Foundation Year takes place in smaller class sizes, allowing for a more personalised experience. You will be given the opportunity to pick up essential skills through modules such as Critical Thinking, IT Support, and Composition and Style.

In addition to this, you will be introduced to legal concepts and terminology through a range of teaching themes that include Legal Skills, Contract Law and Criminal Law.

After you’ve continued on to your LLB Law with Criminology degree, the School of Law offers a broad range of opportunities for you to get involved with; from research-based placements, to working with clients, and developing advocacy and other skills. Our thriving Law Clinic offers students the opportunity to get involved in actively giving advice to clients, and we have extra-curricular activities such as mooting, negotiation and interviewing.

Our undergraduate degree structure, with its range of final year optional modules, gives you plenty of scope to tailor your studies to your particular interests, career goals, or ambitions. We also offer a range of work and study placement opportunities in a wide range of settings, providing experience that can prove useful when embarking on your career.

Throughout the 4-year programme, we offer an inclusive, student-focussed learning environment and community. Modules are delivered and assessed in a variety of different ways and you will be encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning, to work independently as well as with others, to act professionally, and to master new skills.

Law with Criminology with a Foundation Year Employment Opportunities

Studying a Foundation Year, followed by an LLB Law with Criminology degree, can lead to a range of careers. We aim to equip students with multiple skills to enhance their graduate prospects. Our graduates go on to a wide variety of careers, which include being a:

  • barrister, civil servant, lecturer, legal executive, local government officer, paralegal, police officer, prison officer, researcher, solicitor, stockbroker or trading standards officer.

Modules

Your first year of study will be your Foundation Year at The College. This covers a mix of key themes in law, combined with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in your degree.

On successful completion of your Foundation Year, you will move to Singleton Campus to complete your LLB degree. Your second year is made up of compulsory modules covering a range of themes in both Law and Criminology.

In your third year you will again study compulsory modules covering key themes in Law and Criminology, including Criminal Law, Equity and Trusts, and Penology and Punishment

Your fourth and final year is made up entirely of optional modules, allowing you to shape your own learning.

Law with Criminology with a Foundation Year, LLB (Hons)