Criminal Justice and Criminology (Taught)

During a time when a process of swift and relentless change is transforming our justice system, this MSc aims to develop and sustain a high performing, efficient and effective criminal and community justice system which both benefits victims and rehabilitates those who offend.

• Study an intellectually challenging course which fosters a deep-level understanding of how our justice and penal system works

• Benefit from the breadth and diversity of our academic expertise and our extensive professional links

• Explore issues of theoretical and social importance with our research-active teaching staff who are recognised authorities in their fields

• Keep up to date with latest policies, practices and debates so that you are better equipped to embark on a new career in the justice arena or to progress in your current working role

• Study full-time or part-time to suit your personal circumstances.

Broad appeal and relevance

Our course is designed for anyone with an interest in the critical social and political challenges which crime presents. It will appeal to recent graduates with a first degree in a relevant subject area who want to deepen their knowledge. It is equally valuable for current practitioners and managers within the criminal justice, rehabilitative and penal systems, including social workers and social work managers, prison governors or officers, police officers and lawyers.

You will become part of a dynamic learning community bringing together students from diverse backgrounds who have real-world experience of criminal justice. This means you will benefit from fascinating insights into how different professionals and organisations address current issues in crime, criminal justice and punishment.

New perspectives on crime

The need for fresh and innovative thinking about crime – informed by academically credible research – has never been greater. This applies to the problems of tackling corporate crime, state crime and terrorism as well as to specific types of offending behaviour and examples of recent cases where offenders subject to supervision have gone on to commit more serious crimes.

You will examine all these issues within the context of a comprehensive and detailed analysis of crime control and the criminal justice process, including the courts, probation and prison. You will also explore the most recent developments in criminological theory and research.

Our modules are structured around wide-ranging criminological debates, including criminal behaviour; comparative criminology; victimology; penology; crime prevention; crime, media and popular culture; civil liberties and human rights; gender; and race and ethnicity.

You will also hone high-level research and policy formulation skills to underpin the independent study project that is a cornerstone of your MSc. You can choose an original theme which reflects your personal interests, career aspirations or current job role.