As one of the principal branch of Public Law, Criminal Law is the law branch which studies the pattern of human behaviours described as “crime” by law and set forth sanctions peculiar to this. In this respect, the two constituent of Criminal Law are “crime” and “sanctions”.

Named also as Substantive Criminal Law in the strict sense, Criminal Law is about crimes and sanctions. In the broad sense, besides Substantive Criminal Law, it comprises Criminal court law and law on criminal execution.

In the substantial sense, within the criminal law, students are given courses in two separate sections as General Criminal Law and Private Criminal Law. The subjects of general criminal law with pecuniary and non-pecuniary definition of crime concepts are the theories and principles valid for all crimes like general principles prevalent to criminal law, definition of crime concept, the factors eliminating the crime, the factors reducing and eliminating the punishment.   

The subjects of Private Criminal Law are which acts are accepted as crime according to laws of state, their scope and borders, the aspects diverging from each other and the punishments set forth for these crimes.

In the substantial sense, within Criminal Procedure Law courses as well as criminal law, it’s aimed to teach how to carry out criminal procedure, the rights and responsibilities of those who attend procedure, precautions concerning the protection, and stages of investigation and prosecution by means of supervision against court decision.

A variety of courses are given within Criminal Law Department at undergraduate and graduate levels.

At undergraduate level, General Provisions Criminal Law I-II, Special Provisions of Criminal Law I-II, Judicial Organisation, Criminal Procedure Law I-II, Criminology, Military Criminal Law and Law on Criminal Execution courses are given.