Criminology

Entry requirements

You will be required to have:

• at least a lower second class honours degree in a relevant discipline such as criminology, or social and behavioural sciences (applications are also welcome from those who have experience in criminal justice or possess relevant professional qualifications)

Applications are welcomed from overseas students, and all applicants are considered on individual merit, without regard to gender, marital status, disability, race, ethnic origin, religion or social background.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Why study this course?

The Criminology MSc degree allows you to develop an advanced knowledge of crime and offenders, as well as to assess contemporary trends and concepts in criminal justice policy and community safety. You'll explore approaches to crime control within the community and penal institutions to gain the skills required to conduct research within the field of crime and criminal justice. This level of knowledge can prepare you for doctoral study or research posts within the criminal justice arena as well as being ideal for consolidating your professional experience. You'll also have the opportunity to be involved in a one-week exchange programme within an American university. In the most recent (2014-15) Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, 100% of graduates from this course were in work or further study within six months.

More about this course

The course looks at criminology from both a theoretical and an applied perspective, covering areas including criminal justice, prisons, crime prevention, and crime and offender patterns.

You’ll apply methods and techniques to your research including assessing patterns in specific forms of crimes and offending behaviour, considering the prevalence, characteristics and typologies of specific types of offence. You’ll also critically assess recent and current policies and practices with crime control and community safety. Option modules will allow you to develop a speciality in a field that interests you and includes intelligence analysis, psychology and crime, sexual violence, terrorism and counter-terrorism, and urban patterns.

The course invites visiting professors and experts in criminal justice and criminal areas, and the teaching staff are also engaged academics and active in research including street crime, gangs and police body cameras. Their expertise will support you when undertaking your dissertation in the field of criminology and criminal justice.

By the end of the course you’ll be able to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, making sound judgements in the absence of complete data and communicating your conclusions clearly.

Visit the criminology subject area page for news, events and staff profiles.

Assessment

You'll be assessed through essays, projects, examinations and a dissertation between 12,000 and 15,000 words. The dissertation forms a key element of the master's degree. It allows you to pursue in depth a topic of your choosing and is to be completed over the summer study period.

Course structure

Core modules include:

• Contemporary Issues in Criminology
• Crime Control and Community Safety
• Crime and Offender Patterns

Option modules include:

• Explaining Violence
• Terrorism and Counter Terrorism
• Psychology and Crime

Please refer to the course page on the London Met website for the full list of modules.

Career opportunities

The aim of the course is to prepare you for employment or further study in the criminal justice sector. The curriculum will equip you for a range of careers in the criminal justice system and related professions, all with excellent recruitment prospects. Key career paths include the Metropolitan Police Service, Probation Service, Foreign Office, Prison Service, youth offending and community safety departments, as well as academic or government research posts.

Past graduates have gone on to work as senior detective constables, researchers, fraud officers, criminal lawyers and probation officers.

Information for international students

Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.