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'll see how cases are brought to court and why many crimes are never prosecuted at all.
You'll be introduced to:
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'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'll also have opportunities to develop key skills such as reading for understanding, note-taking and summary writing.
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.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
You will have digital access via Law Trove to Complete Criminal Law: Text, Cases and Materials 9th edition (Loveless, Allen and Derry) and a module website, which includes:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
W111 is a compulsory module in our:
W111 is an option module in our:
Criminal law and the courts starts twice a year – in February and October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026 and February 2027.
We expect it to start for the last time in February 2029.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
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There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your personal income is £25,000 or less, or you’re on certain benefits, you could qualify for a grant and OU top-up funding to cover 100% of your course fees. Apply online at the same time as you register on your module.
For more information on how to apply, visit our Part-Time Fee Grants for students in Scotland page.
The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments.
You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:
Joint loan applications
If you feel you would be unable to obtain an OUSBA loan on your own due to credit history or affordability issues, OUSBA offers the option to apply for a joint loan application with a third party. For example, your husband, wife, partner, parent, sibling or friend. In such cases, OUSBA will be required to carry out additional affordability checks separately and/or collectively for both joint applicants who will be jointly and severally liable for loan repayments.
As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average, the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.
Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).
Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.
Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may get support from your employer to pay part of your tuition fee and pay the remainder by credit or debit card.
For more information about combining payment options, contact an adviser.
Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
