Criminal Justice
Become an expert in Criminal Justice. 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.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | University of Limerick |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | University of Limerick | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 Years
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Min requirements: 2 H5 & 4 O6/H7
English: O6/H7
2nd language: O6/H7
Maths: F6/O6/H7
Note: For certain electives, additional special qualifications specific to individual subjects or disciplines may be determined by the respective departments in accordance with Academic Council regulations.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
Minimum Entry Requirements
Degree
At the time of an offer, an applicant is required to hold the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent), with a minimum of six subjects. Results must include:
• Grade H5 (Higher Level) or better in at least two subjects and
• Grade O6 (Ordinary Level)/H7 (Higher Level) or better in at least four subjects
Notwithstanding the above, an applicant must have a minimum of an F6 in Mathematics, an O6/H7 in English, and an O6/H7 in another recognised language. Applicants must also ensure that they meet course-specific entry requirements.
For the purpose of satisfying minimum entry requirements
• An F6 (Foundation Level) grade in Mathematics can be used as an alternate to an O6 (Ordinary Level) grade and can be used to satisfy the Mathematics subject requirement.
• Foundation Irish and the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) are not recognised.
Special Mathematics Entrance Examination
The University holds a Higher Level Special Mathematics Entrance Examination in August each year for students who achieve sufficient CAO entry points and satisfy all other entrance requirements, but who do not achieve the requisite grade in Higher Level Mathematics in the Leaving Certificate for Faculty of Science and Engineering undergraduate degrees. Candidates who pass this special examination are deemed to have satisfied the Higher Level Mathematics entry requirement for all courses run by the Faculty of Science & Engineering. Further information and an application form is available from www.scieng.ul.ie
Specific Subject Requirements for Individual Courses
Specific subject requirements for individual courses are detailed above. It should be noted that candidates may continue to fulfill minimum and specific subject requirements from more than one sitting of the Leaving Certificate.
Competitive Entry
Due to the number and calibre of applicants, qualified candidates to all undergraduate degree courses who satisfy the minimum and specific entry requirements outlined above, are placed in order of merit based on a points system. The system operates as follows:
• Points are awarded for all Leaving Certificate Higher and Ordinary Level Subjects based on the grades achieved in each subject with the exception of the following subjects
• Foundation Mathematics
• Foundation Irish
• Points are awarded for the best six subjects.
• Where applicable the LCVP can be considered for points purposes provided the minimum entry requirements and specific subject requirements are satisfied.
• The six subjects must be taken at any one sitting of the Leaving Certificate.
• An additional score of 25 points is awarded for grades H1 to H6 in the Higher Leaving Mathematics. The additional scores apply only where it is included as one of the applicant’s best 6 subjects.
The following rules apply to combinations of subjects when computing an applicant’s point score. These rules also apply in fulfilling minimum entry requirements:
• Physics, Physics & Chemistry count as one subject.
• Chemistry, Physics & Chemistry count as one subject.
• Physics, Chemistry & Physics, and Chemistry count as two subjects.
• Home Economics (Scientific and Social), Home Economics (General) and Home Economics (Single course), any combination counts as one subject.
• English, English Composition count as one subject.
• Music, Music and Musicianship, Music and Musicianship A, Music and Musicianship B, any combination counts as one subject.
• Agricultural Economics, History, Economics, Economic History count as three subjects.
• Any two or three subject combination of: History, Economics, Economic History, Agricultural Economics, counts as two subjects except when Agricultural Economics and Economics are combined in which case they count as one subject.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Career Opportunities
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 private security industry, courts administration or the prison service, as well as within organisations which work in the prevention of crime and/or the support of victims and communities affected by criminal activity. You may also decide to pursue careers in related areas such as the civil service, research or journalism.
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. This programme allows individuals with an undergraduate degree in any discipline to obtain a law degree in two years. However, BA(Criminal Justice) students will have sufficient credits in law to complete the LLB (Graduate Entry) programme in one year*, thereby obtaining a law degree in one year after completion of the BA(Criminal Justice). This is an ideal postgraduate option for graduates who wish to pursue a career within the legal profession.
Graduates on the programme may also opt to complete the MA in Criminal Justice and Human Rights offered by the School of Law.
Alternatively, you may decide to choose a career in the legal profession or policing and pursue professional education and training for acceptance into these professions.
Further information
Mature Pathways. Please refer to the course web page link below.
Entry 2024
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2024 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2024 at 5pm
Exceptional online late application (see page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2024 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2024. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2024, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2024 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2024 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system. This is an exceptional late closing date and all steps must be completed by 5pm on 22 July. No changes may be made after this date.
If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.
Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.
Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.
Refer to page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
About You
You are interested in crime and the operation of the criminal justice system. You would like to work in law enforcement, security, court administration or other civil service roles or in non-governmental organisations related to the criminal justice sector. Students of the BA (Criminal Justice) have an inquiring mind and want to develop a grounding in a number of key disciplines in order to fully comprehend the complexities of crime and justice in modern society.
Why study the BA(Criminal Justice) at UL
Become an expert in Criminal Justice. 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. Students of criminal justice in the University of Limerick will thus be taught by experts in the area who have published widely both nationally and internationally on criminal justice topics. The expertise of these staff is complemented by the first class credentials of the teaching faculty from the other disciplines (i.e. Sociology, Politics, Public Administration, Psychology and Management) which contribute to the programme.
As a result of its strong research profile in criminal justice areas, the School of Law has developed important links with key criminal justice stakeholders. The School of Law provides accreditation and quality assurance for the national Garda training programme (BA in Applied Policing) in Templemore. Researchers from the Centre for Crime, Justice and Victim Studies have also been involved in research with the Inspector of Prisons, the Irish Prison Service and the Department of Justice. These links ensure that the School of Law is always at the cutting edge of developments in the criminal justice system.
What you will study
The BA (Criminal Justice) is a four year degree inter-disciplinary programme. In each semester, you will study a combination of modules from Law, Sociology, Politics and Public Administration. An exposure to each of these disciplines ensures that you will develop a comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system and how it reacts to and regulates the society within which it operates. To further enhance your learning during the programme, you will study some Psychology modules which will aid in understanding human behaviour and the motivations of those who commit crime along with the behaviours of other actors in the criminal justice system such as police, judges and juries. Modules in Management will also give you core skills which are essential for future administrative roles within the criminal justice sector.
A key learning experience within the programme is the eight-month cooperative work placement which you will undertake at the end of Year 2. Co-op will give you a unique and invaluable opportunity to gain practical experience working in social impact and community work placements. Through these placements, you will put your learning to practical use and build networks with potential future employers. It is also possible to spend some of this work placement period abroad.
To find out more go to: www.ul.ie/ courses
Year 1
Semester 1
LA4001 Legal System and Method
LA4211 Criminal Law 1
SO4001 Intro to Sociology I
PA4001 Introduction to Public Administration
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
PA4022 Principles of Organisational Behaviour
PO401 Government and Politics of the EU
Year 3
Semester 5
Co-operative Work Placement
Semester 6
LA4040 Law of Evidence
LA4058 Human Rights
SO4078 Inequality and Social Exclusion
SO4006 Sociology of Deviance and Social Control
PA4018 Public Policy Processes
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
Course Director: Dr Susan Leahy
Enquiries
Email: Law@ul.ie
Tel: 00 353 61 202015
www.ul.ie/admissions-askus