Criminal Law Courses: Eligibility, Admissions, Top Colleges, Career Scope

Criminal law courses are one of the most well-known legal specializations that include the study of laws, statutes, and the judicial process used to try criminals and protect the public from damage. These courses provide students with an understanding of the criminal justice system, the purpose of law enforcement, and the various stages of criminal procedures.

Students may pursue these law courses at all academic levels, including those leading to bachelor's, master's, and postgraduate degrees. Many online criminal law courses in India are equally popular as other bachelor and diploma courses. 

Read More: Complete List of Law Courses

Top 7 Criminal Law Courses

Criminal law courses deal with criminal offenses and their punishments. A criminal law course aims to familiarise students with the fundamentals, theories, and practices of criminal law. All the popular criminal law courses are highlighted in the table below.

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A few criminal law course description is provided below:

BA Criminology

BA Criminology in India is a 3-year bachelor's degree that explores crime, behavioral deviance, behavioral science connected to crime, criminal justice administration, and other related areas. Students who meet the college's cutoff are admitted. After completing BA Criminology, students may work as crime investigators, social workers, counselors, prison managers, law enforcement officers, and private detectives.

Diploma in Criminology 

The Diploma in Criminology course lasts one year and focuses on criminal theories and the legal aspects of criminal justice. This is one of the best criminal law diploma courses investigating criminal behavior. There are a variety of jobs available, and students may work as Independent lawyers, investigators, counselors, Social Workers, and more. 

LLM Criminal Law

LLM Criminal Law is a 3-year postgraduate degree with six semesters, each focusing on a different aspect of criminal law. LLM Criminal Law focuses on Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Tort Law, Criminal Law, International Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Jurisprudence, and Current Legal Issues in detail. After completing this course, graduates will be qualified for positions as criminologists, public prosecutors, or defense lawyers.

Postgraduate Diploma in Criminal Justice

The Postgraduate Diploma in Criminal Justice is a one-year diploma tailored to the needs of working professionals or individuals interested in expanding their learning of the criminal justice system. The main objective of this course is to create highly trained professionals.

The laws, statutes, and regulations that define illegal behavior are studied in this diploma program. A PGD in Criminal Justice graduate may work as a crime intelligence analyst, law reform researcher, drug policy advisor, consumer advocate, environment protection analyst, and more.

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Eligibility Criteria for Criminal Law Courses

Students are typically required to have a minimum of a 50% grade average in 12th grade to enroll in any criminal law course. However, the basic eligibility criteria required by criminal law courses in India are outlined below.

• Certificate and diploma courses usually require a recognized 10th or 12th score.  
• Undergraduate programs need 10+2 with any stream from a recognized board. 
• PG courses require a bachelor's degree in a related domain from a recognized institute with at least 50%.

Also Read: Steps to Become a Lawyer

Criminal Law Courses Admission Process

Criminal law courses teach students about the prohibited activities that endanger the safety and well-being of individuals, organizations, or the public. Students must qualify and enroll in any criminal law course to gain legal knowledge. The admission requirements and procedure sometimes vary, but the standard requirements are listed here. 

• The first step is to confirm that students meet all the selected courses' eligibility criteria.
• The next step is to fill out the application form with all the required documents and credentials. 
• Students must appear for the relevant entrance exam (if required) and achieve the minimum cut-off. 
• The colleges then notify students by releasing the merit list online or on campus.
• Selected students are notified via mail to complete the counseling and document verification rounds. 
• Lastly, students must pay the tuition fee set by the institution to confirm the seat and close the admission process. 

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Entrance Exams for Criminal Law Courses

Students who wish to take a criminal law course must pass the following entrance examinations. The main purpose of these entrance tests is to assess students' aptitude for the chosen degree. The popular entrance exams for criminal law courses are outlined below.

• CLAT
• AILET
• BHU Entrance Test
• LSAT
• ILI Entrance Test

Read More: Top Law Entrance Exams in India

Criminal Law Courses Syllabus

The criminal law course syllabus includes all aspects of crimes, criminal culpability, criminal defenses, the rights of the accused, the criminal process, and the roles of the prosecutor and defense counsel. The core subjects covered in all criminal law courses are mentioned below. 

• Indian Penal Code
• Elements of a crime
• Evidence law
• Defenses to criminal charges
• Criminology Juvenile Justice
• Criminal procedure
• Human Rights and Criminal Justice
• Crimes against people and property

Also Read: BA Criminology Syllabus

Criminal Law Courses Specializations

After specializing in criminal law, the lawyer interviews clients, interrogates witnesses, conducts trials, prepares defense cases, and cross-examines witnesses in court. Students can choose the area of specialization as per their interests. Listed below are popular criminal law specializations. 

• Cyber Crime
• Domestic Violence
• Human Rights
• Crime against Women
• Sexual Abuse
• Criminology and Forensic Science
• Murder, robbery, theft, and kidnapping
• Criminal Trial & Criminal Appeal
• Bail and Criminal Revision
• Anti-Hijacking Matters & Anti-Terrorist Matters

Also Read: Top Government Law Colleges in India

Top Colleges for Criminal Law Courses

Criminal law courses in India are offered at undergraduate, certificate, and diploma levels in many prominent colleges. Given below are the top colleges offering these criminal law courses.

• UniPune
• IGNOU
• Madurai Kamaraj University
• Siddharth College of Law
• Mahatma Gandhi Law College
• NALSAR University of Law
• NEF Law College

Also Read: Top Private Law Colleges in India

Career Options after Criminal Law Courses

Criminal law courses provide students with an in-depth understanding of the criminal justice system and equip them for jobs in law enforcement, criminal defense, prosecution, and other associated fields. Popular professional career options after completing criminal law courses are given below.

Also Read: Diploma in Criminology Syllabus