Course description

The MA in Criminology allows students to develop specialist knowledge of the current themes and historical debates surrounding crime causation, crime control and regulation of behaviour.

The course equips students with the intellectual, critical and analytical skills needed for understanding and applying criminological theories and concepts in practice. The course also provides an in-depth understanding of the interactions between politics, criminology and criminal justice, and the impact of public policy in these areas.

This innovative course is taught by experts from sociological, legal and psychological backgrounds with real-world experience, benefitting students from research-led teaching, as well as strong links to wider criminal justice professions and industry.

Aims

Develop students' intellectual, critical and analytic skills in the academic areas of criminology and criminal justice.

Produce graduates who have a thorough understanding of the key theoretical and political positions, and concepts within criminology and criminal justice, as well as the ability to use this knowledge in sophisticated ways in the critical assessment and development of public policy and interventions.

Provide students with the opportunity to explore through a range of optional courses on particular areas of study that are either professionally relevant or of academic interest.

Provide students quantitative and qualitative research method skills in a way that is consistent with the demands of the discipline and the professional market.

Develop in students an appreciation for interdisciplinary studies as the only way to confront the complexity of our object of study, an interest in the applied dimension of scientific knowledge and the awareness of the ethical implications of the scientific criminological project.

Enhance students' transferable skills including proficiency in oral and written communication; the capacity for independent learning; the ability to reflect on the ethical and ideological components of their work; and the capacity for working co-operatively with others to produce professional outputs in a timely fashion.

Develop criminological knowledge and research skills for the writing of a masters-level dissertation.

Special features

The School of Law works in partnership with institutions outside the higher education sector to enable our postgraduates to produce research with a wider relevance and to develop their knowledge and expertise. It is dedicated to shaping policy-making and practice in diverse areas; from national healthcare guidelines, to influencing police procedures in countries such as Norway, Australia and Brazil.

Teaching and learning

This course is taught by an interdisciplinary team using a variety of delivery methods: lectures, workshops, student-led presentations and debate, group work and individual research.

Coursework and assessment

  Most course units are assessed by 3,500-word essay or by essay and presentation.

Course unit details

You will be doing 180 credits in total, 120 of which will be taught modules and the remainder 60 credits in the form of a dissertation.

Course units are of the value of 15 or 30 credits. You will be required to select course units to a total of 120 credits, and so must choose a minimum of four course units or may be able to choose a maximum of eight course units to make up your course of study. The availability of individual optional course units is subject to change (due, among other factors, to staff availability to deliver the course units in any given year).

The course has a compulsory research component, in which you must write a 12,000 to 15,000 words dissertation (60 credits). The taught element of the degree programme will total 120 credits and the research element of the degree programme will total 60 credits i.e. you will study 180 credits for a master's programme. Your dissertation must be within the area of one of the units you have chosen. The research element of the course is supported by weekly research methodology lectures delivered throughout semesters one and two designed to improve your legal writing and research skills.

Dissertation

Supervised summer dissertation of 12-15,000 words. 

Part-time master's students undertake a dissertation in the summer months of year two. Please note that the part-time students can extend their registration for extra 3 months to submit their dissertations in December of their second year,  instead of September (you will be advised of the exact date on the second year of the course).

Exit awards

Students who fail to fulfil the requirements to pass the 180 credits necessary to attain the final degree of MA can leave the course with the award of Postgraduate Diploma by passing 120 credits at the pass mark of 40%, or can qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate by passing 60 credits at the pass mark of 40%.  Students who do not fulfil the criteria for passing the taught element of the course at the Masters' level of 50% will not be permitted to progress to the dissertation element of the course, and will leave the course with the highest award that the credits that have been passed will allow.