MA Criminology and Criminal Justice

The course was one of the first to take an internationally comparative perspective across a broad range of criminology and criminal justice issues.

It is designed to meet the needs of three groups of potential students: those requiring a thorough research training specialising in criminology and criminal justice; those who are interested in pursuing criminology and criminal justice to an advanced level; and practitioners in the criminal justice field who wish to expand their horizons from national to international levels.

The programme components consist of a generic research module (The Research Process) for training in qualitative and quantitative research methods in the Social Sciences, specialised training in Applied Research Criminology and a module on international case studies in Criminology, which allows students to incorporate their particular research interests and areas of enquiry in comparative criminological and criminal justice research. The MA includes a 20,000 word dissertation.

Research Interests of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Team

• Youth homelessness and crime
• Institutional child abuse
• Critical approaches to law, crime and criminology
• Sociology of law
• Public opinion on crime and criminal justice
• Penal policy
• Rural criminology
• Lay judges and jurors
• Procedural justice
• Popular legal culture, including film and TV
• Victimology
• Islamic extremism and terrorism
• Trust in courts, police and the legal profession

Teaching and assessment methods

Teaching occurs via lectures, seminars and tutorials given by research experts in the Social Sciences. The team of lecturers employs the concept of ’active learning’ by students. Assessment methods include essays, assignments, presentations and a 20,000 word dissertation.

Study modes

Full Time Study In full-time mode, the course normally lasts for a period of twelve months. Taught courses are undertaken September – May, and the dissertation completed from May to September.

Part Time Study In part-time mode, the course normally lasts for a period of two and a half years. Taught courses are undertaken from September to May over a period of two years, and on successful completion of the 120 credits of taught courses, the dissertation may be undertaken. Lectures are concentrated on one day per week for part-time students.