Criminology (Taught)

Enhance your criminal justice knowledge and develop your criminological imagination. You’ll focus on global contemporary crime and justice-related challenges.

This is a master’s degree with a strong global focus. You’ll critically analyse some of the biggest crime, deviance and criminal justice issues affecting society right now. By doing this, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by policymakers and law enforcement organisations, and the mechanisms that prevent and manage these.

Throughout the course, you’ll learn to enhance your research skills. This will allow you to assess topical issues and develop convincing arguments for change.

Upon successful completion of the degree, you’ll be equipped with the skills to progress or begin your career in the criminal justice sector in the UK or further afield.

You will study topics such as:

• international criminal justice and law

• contemporary criminological theory

• criminological ethnography

• technological developments in criminal justice

• state crime, human rights, and transitional justice

• violent crime

This course is suited to both recent graduates of undergraduate criminology degrees and people with social science or humanities undergraduate degrees.

Consultancy projects

The consultancy project is a practical alternative to a dissertation. It’s your chance to work on a project with an external organisation, using the skills and knowledge you’ll gain during your studies.

Working with a relevant organisation, you’ll conduct appropriate research, analyse data (if necessary) and share your solution as a written report and presentation.

You will benefit from our well-established business connections in the UK and overseas.

Consultancy project numbers are limited each year. You’ll apply for a suitable project with one of our external partners and will receive support from us during this process. If a suitable project can’t be secured, you will complete a dissertation instead.

Industry insight to enhance your learning

Through a mixture of field trips and guest speakers, you’ll gain important first-hand insights into how criminal justice agencies function, how criminal justice policy is created, and how modern challenges are being addressed.

Gain key skills

You will leave the course with:

• a critical understanding of some of the most pressing, urgent criminological issues and challenges in the 21st century

• practical skills in research, analysis and communication, and an understanding of how these can be applied within the fields of criminal justice and practice

• rich experience gained from working with people from a wide range of disciplinary, professional and national backgrounds

Graduate prospects

This course will prepare you for a variety of roles with organisations in the following areas:

• prison and probation services

• victim support

• offender management

• rehabilitation

• drug taking and drug policy reform

• young offenders and youth justice reform