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Criminal law and the courts

This module employs a range of multimedia sources and engaging activities to immerse you in key issues and debates relevant to the criminal justice system of England and Wales. The module will focus on a range of criminal offences, such as murder and theft, using real case studies, as well as aspects of criminal defences. You&/courses/modules/w111/39;ll also address themes of law reform, campaigning, inequality and human rights.

Modules count towards OU qualifications

OU qualifications are modular in structure; the credits from this undergraduate module could count towards a certificate of higher education, diploma of higher education, foundation degree or honours degree.

Browse qualifications in related subjects

Module

Module code

W111

Credits

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
60

Study level

Across the UK, there are two parallel frameworks for higher education qualifications, the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (FHEQ) and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). These define a hierarchy of levels and describe the achievement expected at each level. The information provided shows how OU module levels correspond to these frameworks.
Level of Study
OU SCQF FHEQ
1 7 4

Study method

Distance Learning

Module cost

See Module registration

Entry requirements

See Entry requirements

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Module details Entry requirements Module registration Study materials

What you will study

The module begins by discussing a selection of myths in criminal law, clarifying how and whether these ring true, for example, whether all criminal trials involve a jury. You&/courses/modules/w111/39;ll see how cases are brought to court and why many crimes are never prosecuted at all.

You&/courses/modules/w111/39;ll be introduced to:

  • different sources of law and the role of Parliament and the courts in developing criminal offences and defences
  • key criminal law concepts such as actus reus (wrongful act) and mens rea (blameworthy state of mind) through a real homicide case study
  • the law relating to a range of criminal offences such as murder, theft, offences against the person, criminal damage, and harassment.

The final part explores youth justice, miscarriages of justice and double jeopardy. This will allow you to engage with a critical review of criminal law and help develop skills needed for onward study.

Studying this module will also help familiarise yourself with aspects of criminal defences, and with a particular focus on self-defence and duress.

Throughout the module, you&/courses/modules/w111/39;ll be encouraged to engage with themes of law reform, campaigning, inequality and human rights through a range of multimedia sources, interactive activities and module materials. You&/courses/modules/w111/39;ll also have opportunities to develop key skills such as reading for understanding, note-taking and summary writing.

Vocational relevance

The criminal law of England and Wales and the skills developed throughout this module form a compulsory part of any career path into legal practice. The subject knowledge and skills will prepare you for any career in law.

If you intend to use this module as part of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB), and you hope to enter the legal profession, you should read our Careers in Law information. There are different entry regulations into the legal professions in England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet these requirements.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.

They’ll help by:

  • marking your assignments and offering detailed feedback to help you improve
  • providing individual guidance, whether that’s for general study skills or specific module content
  • guiding you to additional learning resources
  • facilitating online discussions between your fellow students in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Online tutorials run throughout the module. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

Future availability

Criminal law and the courts starts twice a year – in February and October. This page describes the module that will start in October 2025 and February 2026. We expect it to start for the last time in February 2029.

Regulations

As a student of 快猫视频, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our website.

Course work includes:

4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
2 Interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs)
No examination


Entry requirements

This is a key introductory OU level 1 module. OU level 1 modules provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for higher education and distance learning. It will give you the foundation knowledge and study skills to study law at a more advanced level (OU levels 2 and 3). By the end of the module, you will be expected to be working at the level required of first-year undergraduate students.

Register

Start End England fee Register
04 Oct 2025 Jun 2026 拢3892.00

Registration closes 11/09/25 (places subject to availability)
07 Feb 2026 Sep 2026 拢3892.00

Registration closes 08/01/26 (places subject to availability)
This module is expected to start for the last time in February 2029.

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In the meantime, explore our overview of Fees and funding.

Can you study an Access module for free?

Depending on eligibility and availability of places, you could apply to study your Access module for free.

To qualify, you must:

  1. be resident in England
  2. have a household income of not more than £25,000 (or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit)
  3. have not completed one year or more on any full-time undergraduate programme at FHEQ level 4 or above or successfully completed 30 credits or more of OU study within the last 10 years

How to apply to study an Access module for free

Once you&/courses/modules/w111/39;ve started the registration process, either online or over the phone, we&/courses/modules/w111/39;ll contact you about your payment options. This will include instructions on how you can apply to study for free if you are eligible and funded places are still available.

If you&/courses/modules/w111/39;re unsure if you meet the criteria to study for free, you can check with one of our friendly advisers on +44 (0)300 303 0069, or you can request a call back.

Not eligible to study for free?

Don&/courses/modules/w111/39;t worry! We offer a choice of flexible ways to help spread the cost of your Access module. The most popular options include:

  • monthly payments through OUSBA
  • part-time tuition fee loan (you&/courses/modules/w111/39;ll need to be registered on a qualification for this option)

To explore all the options available to you, visit Fees and Funding.

What's included

You will be provided with access to Complete Criminal Law: Text, Cases and Materials 8th edition (Loveless, Allen and Derry) and a module website, which includes:

  • a week-by-week study planner
  • course-specific module materials
  • audio and video content
  • assignment details and submission section
  • online tutorial access and tutor support.

Computing requirements

  • Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
  • Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
  • Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
  • Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
  • Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
  • Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying W111 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our .