Criminology (Research)

The Department of Law and Criminology offers a Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) in Criminology. An MPhil is like a smaller version of a PhD (although no less challenging!). It is an advanced research-based postgraduate qualification, where you research and write a 60,000 word thesis over 2 years. Similarly to a PhD, you’ll have the opportunity to pursue an area of interest under the guidance of their supervisor, and you’ll still undertake the viva voce exam (where you verbally defend your thesis); but an MPhil involves conducting less in-depth analysis than a PhD does. The academic standard expected is the same, however. You still conduct an original piece of research, and develop skills which are transferable within and outside of academia.

Why study for an MPhil and not a PhD?

There are a number of reasons why you should study an MPhil over a PhD. One advantage of studying for an MPhil is that it gives you a taster of a PhD, without the 4 year commitment. An MPhil is shorter than a PhD, so you can complete your research and obtain a qualification for doing so in a relatively short period of time. It can also act as a stepping stone into a PhD. Subject to approval by the Department, you can develop your MPhil in to a PhD programme.