This programme critically addresses a range of key issues and debates relating to crime and the criminal justice system. You will have the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of crime, deviance and criminal justice from critical, theoretical, policy, legal, political and practical perspectives and will address issues of historical and contemporary concern such as terrorism, prostitution, legal and illegal drugs, crime in the night-time economy, forced migration, gender and crime, domestic violence, crime prevention, prison and punishment, policing, youth crime and justice, law enforcement and the use of new technologies. You will also study issues of theoretical and social importance with lecturers who are international experts in their fields.
You will take a range of taught modules primarily in the first two terms of the academic year. You will also undertake a module on research design which enables you to develop a research proposal for your dissertation.
Core Modules
Theorising Crime and Criminal Justice (30 credits)
Perspectives on Social Research (15 credits)
Research Design and Progress (15 credits)
Dissertation (60 credits)
Optional Modules
You may choose modules to the value of 60 credits.
In previous years, typical modules offered were:
You will also have the opportunity to take a range of modules from other programmes within the Faculty such as those associated with the MSc in Risk and Security.
The MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice is a 1 year full-time programme which may also be taken part-time. The programme’s core consists of a 60 credit dissertation module, one 30 credit module on Criminological Theory, one 15 credit module on Theories of Social Research and one 15 credit module on Research Design. You are also required to undertake 60 further credits of modules from within SASS or other related departments which may be taught in a variety of ways.
Core teaching on the programme falls primarily within the two 10 week terms, the second of which commences one week prior to the undergraduate term. Depending on module choice you may receive between 6 and 8 hours of tuition per week in either or both of these terms.
The programme is taught according to a variety of approaches. Modules such as ‘Theorising Crime and Criminal Justice’ operate a standard 2 hour session within which lecturing, seminar discussion, workshops or presentations may take place. Modules such as ‘Perspectives on Social Research’, ‘Quantitative Methods’ and ‘Qualitative Methods’ operate a weekly lecture series followed by seminar discussion. Other modules such as ‘Statistical Exploration and Reasoning’ operate computer-based practicals. Prisons, Crime and Criminal Justice is an innovative module that emphasises transformative education. It is taught within a prison each week using the Inside-Out dialogical pedagogy whereby university students learn together with prisoners, completing the same readings and assessments, as well as group work and group projects (please see the website for further details). For this module you will need to undertake security clearance and mandatory prison training before being allowed to enter the prison.
Following completion of teaching in terms 1 and 2, the ‘Research Design’ module allows for 4 day long workshops. Reflecting on the process of research design, the module supports the student in formulating the research question for their dissertation.
The MSc programme is research-led at its core. The compulsory module 'Theorising Crime and Criminal Justice' links explicitly with the research activities of the criminology staff; the module ‘Crime Violence and Abuse’ links with the current research activities of the School’s research group of the same name; and ‘Drugs, Crime and Society’ is taught by an internationally renowned expert in the field. You will subsequently undertake a 60 credit dissertation on a topic of your choice supervised by staff who are actively researching in a relevant area. While this module is intended to afford an opportunity for a significant piece of independent and original research, it includes up to four hours of regular supervision which takes place typically from the end of term 2. You will also participate in two one-hour workshops convened by a supervisor and usually alongside others researching in similar areas.
While teaching is intensive, particularly in terms 1 and 2, it is intended that the programme presents options for part-time study. Consequently, teaching is undertaken where possible in timetable slots which take place late in the afternoon.
This degree is for independent, critical thinkers who want to work, or are working, within criminal justice or want to undertake further research. Many of our students have undergraduate criminology degrees, and come from universities across the world. Often they want to continue their learning or specialise within a specific subject area. Students also come from other science, humanities and legal backgrounds and from within the criminal justice system. Research methods form a key component of the programme so having an interest in data collection and analysis is valuable.
At City we believe crime is multi-dimensional, which is why this MSc course brings the victim into focus, not just the offender. The criminal mind is complex and our understanding of it matters – not just to the individual, but also to their family, the community and wider society at large.
We live in a criminogenic global society; one that is producing new forms of crime, and new criminal opportunities. City’s Criminology and Criminal Justice MSc course unpicks the power of the criminological imagination within this society.
This is not a Masters that focuses purely on criminal justice or crime control – instead we emphasise cutting-edge theoretical analysis and methodological training, so you can research the contemporary significance of crime and see how it can be a powerful marker of social and institutional change.
Originally part of City’s MA in Human Rights, this degree offers a distinctive perspective on the relationship between criminology and human rights violations. It is global in outlook because, by its nature, crime is transnational and is taught by eminent criminologists who author the books that appear on reading lists across the country.
Here are some of the questions the course poses:
We will teach you through a combination of lectures, interactive workshops and seminars, in the first and second term (September-April). This is supplemented by insight from external visiting criminologists, criminal justice charities, research agencies and, in some cases, retired criminals. This gives you the opportunity to ask questions, debate your ideas and present your own evidence around particular arguments.
During the dissertation phase of the degree you also have the chance to visit the Central Criminal Court (otherwise known as the Old Bailey) and in some cases undertake a prison visit. One student is currently in New York, researching the New York Police Department, as part of her dissertation on the stresses of being a police officer in 2016.
The majority of postgraduate sociology modules are assessed by coursework. However, if you choose to study some modules outside of the department you may have different assessment methods so please check this carefully. You will need to gain a minimum pass mark of 50% in all assessment components.
Dissertation
The dissertation marks the point in the course where you begin to take hold of your research and let your criminological imagination come into play. The dissertation (of 15,000 words) accounts for one third of the total marks for the Criminology and Criminal Justice MSc degree. By the end of the first term you will have to start considering your dissertation topic. You may already know you area of focus, but we offer guidance and support through dissertation workshops.
You will take three 30-credit compulsory core modules and two 15-credit elective modules. Your choice of elective modules will hone your degree towards your own area of interest. In the final part of the course you take part in a dissertation workshop and produce a dissertation over the summer period.
The first module, ‘Analysing crime’ makes up the course’s theoretical base. You then research contemporary developments in criminal justice and penal policy within the second core module. At this point in the course you get to choose from a number of elective modules covering diverse topics including the dark side of media notoriety and celebrity, and the criminal mind. All these modules draw on the School’s research strengths making them unique to City.
Core modules
Elective modules
NB: Elective module choices are subject to availability and timetabling constraints.
The Criminology and Criminal Justice course is taught by internationally recognised experts and prepares you for careers across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
From research to policy development and from the security services to the criminal justice system and victim support, you will have a wealth of employment options once you graduate. Previous graduates are now working in:
The LLM/MSc in Criminal Justice & Penal Change examines the range of legal, political and social responses across the world to what is widely known as 'the penal crisis'.
Blending a rigorous understanding of fundamental theory with evidence about real world problems you’ll analyse recent innovations in theory, policy and practice.
Drawing on a range of disciplinary approaches, the course will enable you to develop a rational and just response to crime.
The LLM/MSc in Criminal Justice & Penal Change is unique in both its approach and its flexibility.
You can choose to graduate with either an LLM or MSc or complete the course early with a PGDip/Cert.
You'll have the option of studying full or part-time and attending classes in the early evening.
You’ll benefit from the work of the CLCJ, which brings together expertise in the study of law, crime, criminal justice as well as interdisciplinary areas between law, sociology, social work, psychology and computer and information science.
As well as providing distinctive postgraduate courses and research opportunities, it conducts internationally leading research and helps to shape public policy, discourse and practice.
You'll be taught by some of the world’s foremost experts not only in academic research but also from the fields of policy and practice.
The course is run by Strathclyde Law School’s Centre for Law, Crime and Justice. It brings together world leading research expertise with some of the most accomplished practitioners and policy officials.
As well as seminars, you’ll be asked to take part in role play exercises, presentations and other forms of learning.
We've an active programme of public lectures from eminent visiting speakers on contemporary topics. There'll be a programme of visits to local justice agencies designed to stimulate your academic learning.
Students on the Strathclyde Masters (LLM or MSc) in Criminal Justice and Penal Change come from a range of backgrounds.
Some are recent graduates in law, humanities and the social sciences from around the world. Many are current practitioners, policy-makers in different fields of criminal justice. They find the course of invaluable assistance in gaining a step up the career ladder.
Where are they now?
Occupations which criminal justice students may (and do) take up include:
Explore current issues in criminology and criminal justice and reflect upon the related themes of race, ethnicity and war.
You will investigate the different methods of criminological research before completing a dissertation on a topic of your choice and aligned to your personal interests or career ambitions.
You will study a range of interesting, innovative and challenging modules taught by academics who are actively engaged in publication and research. Your teaching team will include Professor Colin Webster, renowned for his work on ethnicity and crime.
As well as developing key critical and analytical skills, your degree will give you the skills and knowledge to work with the victims of crime, in the rehabilitation of offenders, in crime prevention and in the shaping of crime policy.
Research Excellence Framework 2014
Research Excellence Framework 2014: our University demonstrated strength in five emerging areas of research which it entered into the assessment for the first time, including social work and social policy.
Our course has been designed in consultation with statutory, charitable and voluntary crime related agencies in the region. It therefore reflects the ongoing need for agencies to upgrade the knowledge and skills of professionals and practitioners. We also introduce advanced criminological knowledge to graduates who wish to further their knowledge or interests.
Our course is taught by academic criminology experts, some of which are actively engaged in scholarship, publication and research funded by national bodies such as the Home Office, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Research Councils. Among others teaching the course, Professor Terry Thomas is renowned for his work on Violent and Sexual Offending, and Professor Colin Webster is renowned for his work on Youth Crime and Justice, and Ethnicity and Crime.
Our course will further your career prospects across a range of crime and criminal justice related fields including youth justice, the police and prison system, probation service, victim support, child protection, crime prevention and other statutory, private and voluntary sector agencies.
This MSc provides the academic training required for a career as a forensic psychologist.
The programme will introduce you to a range of psychological theories, methods and processes within the context of the legal, criminal and civil justice systems.
Based at a research-led London university with strong links to forensic services, you’ll be taught by world-class researchers, and experienced practitioners from the NHS, and the prison and probation service.
Led by chartered forensic clinical psychologist Dr Caoimhe McAnena, the MSc also includes contributions from world-class researchers and practitioners who will teach on the programme and supervise research projects.
We have been awarded full British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation, which will give you the opportunity to gain Graduate and/or Chartered Membership of the Society.
One of the major strengths of this course is our strong links with local forensic mental health services. Our studentships cover tuition fees and a placement opportunity, enabling students to study part-time while working in an NHS or prison setting.
If you will be doing a placement with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust your offer will be conditional on meeting our Fitness to Train requirements before you begin your studies. Other placements will not have these additional conditions.
The course will cover the assessment and treatment of offenders, risk assessment methods, and treatment of offenders with mental health and personality disorders.
There will be a focus on criminal investigations by examining psychological issues in eyewitness identification, investigative interviewing of witnesses and suspects, psychological profiling and detecting deception.
You'll also explore legal and criminological concepts relevant to contemporary social issues and organisations. Issues relating to ethics, human rights, professional practice and research will be emphasised to provide a firm grounding for further professional training and practice.
By completing this programme you will:
The programme is comprised of 7 core modules and 1 option modules.
The core modules are:
You then choose one option module, which may be selected from a range of courses offered in the Department of Psychology, for example:
This new programme aims to satisfy the academic component of professional training in forensic psychology. Accreditation by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as meeting the requirement for Stage One of the BPS Diploma in Forensic Psychology has been applied for. When accredited, successful completion will allow you to enrol in the BPS Qualification in Forensic Psychology (Stage Two) with the aim of achieving the Division of Forensic Psychology (DFP) Qualification in Forensic Psychology, and becoming a Chartered Psychologist with the DFP and Practitioner Forensic Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Graduates of the programme will be well-qualified a wide range careers in:
Relevant career opportunities are available in the:
Many of these posts will be training positions to allow the completion of the Stage Two qualification in Forensic Psychology described above.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
This MA addresses the historical, political, theoretical and ethical issues of applied theatre and develops your ability to contextualise, critique and create.
Our aim is to prepare students to be collaborative, responsive, imaginative, politically engaged and culturally aware artist practitioners. The course is aimed at newly-emerging practitioners with a background in theatre, education, activism or social change, as well as at more established practitioners who want to reflect, refresh and develop their skills. We actively encourage the sharing of skills and expertise among our multi-national group of students. We prioritise applicants with some experience in the arts, education, activism or social care, and it is rare that we take applicants directly from their first degree.
Together we explore the ways in which theatre and performance is created by diverse groups of people in a variety of community, social and educational settings: in schools or on the streets, in children’s homes and elderly care, in conflict zones, conferences, crèches and youth clubs, pupil referral units and prisons, women’s refuges and refugee centres, hospitals and hostels – anywhere groups of people meet and interact.
Applied theatre is an umbrella term for a range of exciting worldwide performance forms concerned with personal and social change.
The term embraces: theatre of the oppressed, community theatre, theatre-in-education, drama in education, theatre for development, prison theatre, intercultural arts, intergenerational arts, theatre in museums, archives and heritage sites, story-telling, reminiscence theatre, conflict resolution. The work often moves across art forms. This is not a definitive list, as it is a field that is dynamic and changing.
The MA considers case studies from the UK and from across the globe. Central to this investigation are: questions of identity; representation; discrimination; health; equality; human rights; opportunity; access; social inclusion/exclusion; participation; ethics; evaluation and documentation; aesthetics and the role of the artist.
The course is structured so that practice and theory constantly respond to one another, through practical classes and seminars. All students undertake a placement in a recognised host organisation where you'll work with experienced practitioners, and learn from the inside how participatory arts organisations function.
We have active partnerships with many companies, and the majority of the tutors, including the convenor, are active artists, with a variety of arts practices in performance, community and social settings.
Practical workshops
In the autumn term we look at the roots of Applied Theatre in Education, in Social and Political Change, and in Community. Classes include work with Geese Theatre on their use of mask in Prisons, Drama and Theatre in Education techniques with Gail Babb of Talawa Theatre, intergenerational arts practices with Convenor Sue Mayo, and the use of Drama to explore Domestic Violence, with Tender. Throughout this term students are also engaged in skills-sharing sessions in order to pool their knowledge and expertise.
In the Spring Term Tutor Raj Bhari, from Talk for Change, leads a module on creative approaches to Community Cohesion, Conflict Resolution, and the artist as activist. We have a short festival of art forms, with classes in song, puppetry and dance- and a residency shared with students of the MA in performance making, working across modules with artists of distinction from within the Goldsmith’s staff and beyond.
Throughout the practical sessions we work with students to develop their facilitation, devising,- project planning and management skills with attention to issues such as group dynamics; power and leadership; inclusion; accessibility; equality; conflict; intercultural practice; safe space and the ethics of touch.
In the summer term students design and lead a weekend of workshops for a public audience.
Histories, Theories and Contexts seminars
This contextual strand enables us consider the thinking behind our embodied knowledge. Through a series of seminars, we consider: the development of applied methods from political theatre; radical and celebratory arts; drama and theatre-in-education; community theatre; prison theatre; therapeutic creative practices and the legacy of Augusto Boal. We study the growing body of writing on applied theatre and its practitioners, and theatre theory. We consider local and international case studies; we read, discuss, watch videos and experience live performances.
Complementary Contextual lectures
Students also choose a lecture based Option module from one of the other exciting MA programmes. Previous modules have included, African Theatre, Performance Praxis, Radical Performance, and The Reflecxtive Practitioner. Our students can also take a specialist applied module led by Danny Braverman, on Disability Theatre, examining the scope and radical nature of disability theatre.
Placement
The Convenor, Sue Mayo, supports students to locate and develop a placement in a recognised host organisation. On the placement students further the skills they have practiced on the programme, whilst dealing with the challenges of a professional context. Placement hosts include London Bubble, Magic Me, Resonate. Greenwich & Lewisham Young People's Theatre, Talawa Theatre, Pan-arts, Crisis, Ovalhouse, Green Shoes Arts, The Young Vic, MIND, CEN8, Lewisham Youth Theatre and Spare Tyre.
Professional development
As part of our commitment to student’s employability, we offer up to five workshops covering various areas directly relevant to workplaces where drama may be applied; for example: planning and managing projects, child protection and working with vulnerable adults, ethics, evaluation, setting up a theatre company or working as an independent artist.
The MA Applied Theatre has five points of assessment:
These assessments count towards 80% of the final mark.
The remaining 20% is derived from assessment of the two shared complementary/contextual modules, which include Disability Theatre, Performance Praxis, African Theatre, Musical Theatre and Cultural Theory.
The Early Modern Studies pathway invites you to study the vibrant culture of Europe between 1300 and 1700. Our approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on aspects of history, religion, and visual culture from the period as well as on its literature. In order to develop your understanding of pre-modern documentary and material culture, our teaching involves close study of original manuscripts and early printed texts and of early objects.
Working alongside distinguished scholars in English Literature you will be asked to think about what we mean by the terms ‘Medieval’ and ‘Early Modern’, and to formulate conclusions using a profoundly interdisciplinary approach: you will examine the literature, history, religion, visual culture, social relations, and politics of the period. Imaginative and ambitious themed modules enable you to study some of the most influential writers working between the 14th and 17th centuries within their cultural and historical context: Chaucer, Erasmus, Shakespeare, Machiavelli, Montaigne, Donne, and Milton amongst others. You’ll construct a historical understanding of the key movements, debates, and ideas that shaped the period in preparation for researching and writing your dissertation.
Queen Mary’s strong early-modern cluster is widely recognised for its vibrant teaching and research strengths. The early-modern MA programme offers core study in medieval and early-modern historiography, and archival, bibliographical, and research skills. The optional modules draw on the interests of our leading researchers and vary from year to year. We have particular concentrations in globalisation, trade, the exotic, and cartography (Jerry Brotton, Alfred Hiatt); book history, the material text, and editing (David Colclough, Joad Raymond, Claire Preston, Julia Boffey, Tamara Atkin, Jaclyn Rasjic); epistolarity, early newspapers, news networks, the circulation of books and manuscripts (Ruth Ahnert, Joad Raymond, Warren Boutcher); and women’s writing (Andrea Brady).
Other research specialisms include prison writing, network theory, the history of reading, late-medieval London literary production, forgery, early-modern political thought, literary-scientific relations, medieval chronicles, prison writing, pre-Shakespearean drama, John Donne, John Milton, Thomas Browne.
You will be trained to a very high level in research skills and you’ll get hands-on experience of working with a variety of early modern items, with access to otherwise uncatalogued and unexplored materials. You’ll work with rare books and manuscripts during this training. Throughout, you’ll be considering the impact of developments in manuscript culture and the new technologies in printing and publishing in the period.
The optional modules draw on the interests of our leading researchers and vary from year to year. We have particular concentrations in globalisation, trade, the exotic, and cartography (Jerry Brotton, Alfred Hiatt); book history, the material text, and editing (David Colclough, Joad Raymond, Claire Preston, Julia Boffey, Tamara Atkin, Jaclyn Rasjic); epistolarity, early newspapers, news networks, the circulation of books and manuscripts (Ruth Ahnert, Joad Raymond, Warren Boutcher); and women’s writing (Andrea Brady).
You choose two modules from a list of options that changes from year to year (one can be from the range of modules offered across the MA English Studies curriculum). In 2017-2018 we hope to offer the following. If members of our specialist research staff win research funding it will mean that their module won’t run, so for that reason this list is indicative only.
You may also opt to take a cognate elective module offered by the Schools in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and by other Colleges of the University of London.
School of Social Sciences- a nationally and internationally recognised centre for the study of engaged social science
