Criminology and Criminal Justice

Entry requirements

Normally an upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent. We are keen to consider applications from a professional range of criminal justice backgrounds and experiences. English Language requirements Please check requirements for your subject and level of study.

Months of entry

October

Course content

This programme critically addresses a range of key issues and debates relating to crime and the criminal justice system. You will have the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of crime, deviance and criminal justice from critical, theoretical, policy, legal, political and practical perspectives and will address issues of historical and contemporary concern such as terrorism, prostitution, legal and illegal drugs, crime in the night-time economy, forced migration, gender and crime, domestic violence, crime prevention, punishment, policing, youth crime and justice, law enforcement and the use of new technologies. You will also study issues of theoretical and social importance with lecturers who are international experts in their fields.

Course Structure

You will take a range of taught modules primarily in the first two terms of the academic year. You will also undertake a module on research design which enables you to develop a research proposal for your dissertation.

Core modules

Theorising Crime and Criminal Justice (30 credits)

• Apply theories of crime and justice to topical issues
• Theory and practice of criminal justice
• Analysis of contemporary politics
• Governance of criminal justice.

Perspectives on Social Research (15 credits)

• Introduction to social scientific research
• Establishing cause and interpreting meaning in social sciences
• Essentials of quantitative and qualitative research in social science research.

Research Design and Progress (15 credits)

• Formulating research questions
• Ethical review procedures
• Research proposal design, evaluation, and development
• Conversational analysis in practice
• Qualitative interviewing.

Dissertation (60 credits)

• A dissertation of up to 15,000 words.

Optional modules

You may choose modules to the value of 60 credits.

In previous years, typical modules offered were:

• Gender, Violence and Abuse (30 credits)
• Drugs, Crime and Society (30 credits)
• Crime, Justice and the Sex Industry (30 credits)
• Cybercrime and cybersecurity (30 credits)
• Sociology of Forensic Science (30 credits)
• Issues in Criminal Justice (Inside-Out prison exchange programme) (20 credits)
• Statistical Exploration and Reasoning (15 credits)
• Qualitative Research Methods in Social Science (15 credits)
• Quantitative Research Methods in Social Science (15 credits).

You will also have the opportunity to take a range of modules from other programmes within the Faculty such as those associated with the MSc in Risk and Security.

Information for international students

English Language requirements Please check requirements for your subject and level of study.

Fees and funding

Qualification and course duration

MSc