Criminology (Taught)

Our MSc Criminology offers you cutting-edge insights into crime, punishment and justice in today’s world through an exploration of criminological theory and current real-world issues. You will also be able to tailor your studies by pursuing a specialist pathway.

Why choose this course?

• This course enables you to engage with the complexity of contemporary criminology and critically assess the political, economic, social and cultural forces that affect crime and its control.

• It provides you with an opportunity to deepen your knowledge and display expertise to future employers by tailoring your studies to a pathway of your choosing.

• You will be taught by leading critical criminologists and active researchers at the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research, who are at the forefront of generating new knowledge on contemporary criminal justice issues.

What you will learn

The MSc Criminology is ideal if you have a keen interest in crime and wish to better understand the key issues facing criminal justice today. To specialise further, you will be able to choose one of the following pathways:

• Criminology and Criminal Justice

• Gender, Sexuality and Criminal Justice

• Race, Crime and Justice

• Global Criminology

How you will learn

You can choose between full- and part-time study on this course. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening. These include lectures, seminars and tutorials, alongside your independent work. Our teaching methods are designed to support your learning and give you the opportunity to develop skills relevant to your career.

This course is part of our new Birkbeck Flexible Master’s UK, which gives you the choice of how you want to study - on campus, online or via flexible learning, which combines both. Please note, courses starting in January are not part of the Flexible Master's UK and will take place on campus.

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK, you will only be able to apply for the on-campus study option for this course. Online and flexible options will not be available to you because they may affect the conditions of your visa.

Highlights

• Your specialist pathway will reflect your interests and help you develop focused knowledge in a key area. Whichever pathway you decide on, you can look forward to a stimulating evening learning environment, alongside students with diverse backgrounds and professional experiences.

• You will be taught by staff who are part of a proud tradition of critical scholarship in criminology and criminal justice, who address issues of crime through power and inequality, and are led by principles of social and racial justice.

• Students can attend specialist research seminars, such as the Criminology Seminar Series and the Race and Justice Seminar Series, which feature national and international scholars speaking on current issues and groundbreaking interdisciplinary research.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this MSc, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

• the ability to critically understand, appraise and apply key theoretical and methodological issues

• the ability to undertake independent research and/or advanced scholarship

• the ability to present persuasive arguments

• advanced research and analytical skills.

Studying this course will prepare you for roles in:

• justice, law enforcement or corrections

• research, including domestic and international research institutions

• policy analysis and policy-making

• academia

• media

• community safety.

Some of our graduates have gone on to be employed in the following areas:

• NGOs and think tanks

• government departments and ministries

• criminal justice agencies, such as police, prisons and youth justice services.