Designed for those who want to advance their understanding of youth issues, youth offending and social and criminal justice responses to young people, this programme focuses on developing critical analytical skills and enhancing the ability to assess policy and practice against international standards and benchmarks.
Targeted at practitioners, policy-makers and those interested in further academic study, it provides the opportunity to apply academic knowledge and critical analytical skills to practice and enhance understanding of young people's lives, the criminal justice system and the discourse of children's rights.
Given increased policy attention in the area of youth justice and strategies impacting on children and young people more generally, the programme reflects the concern to understand the needs and rights of children and young people and ground responses in evidence, best practice and international standards.
Course Details
20 CATS modules generally involve 20 contact hours per semester, 10 CATS modules generally involve 10 contact hours per semester. Contact hours often include a blend of face-to-face lectures/ workshops and online sessions. Students can choose some optional modules that are all face-to-face, all online or a blend of both.
Core modules:
Optional modules include:
WORLD CLASS FACILITIES
The opportunity to study Criminal Justice and Criminal Law at an advanced level is a particular strength of the LLM at the University of Leeds.
This programme will enable you to develop a sophisticated knowledge of current issues in criminal justice, criminology and criminal law in the UK, Europe and across the globe. It combines cutting-edge compulsory modules with a wide range of optional modules allowing you to tailor your degree to your own particular interests.
Throughout the course we’ll encourage you to:
This programme is offered within the dynamic Centre for Criminal Justice Studies (CCJS), an internationally-recognised research centre that provides an active and multi-disciplinary environment, whose members are committed to high-quality teaching in criminal justice, criminology and criminal law. The CCJS also excels in the production of research that is empirically rich, conceptually sophisticated and policy relevant. Research is interdisciplinary and often international in its reach. The University of Leeds recognises CCJS as one of its key 'peaks of research excellence'.
CCJS academics have conducted research for a range of external funding bodies including the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Nuffield Foundation, the Home Office, the Youth Justice Board, the Leverhulme Trust, the European Commission, the National Probation Service and others. Since 2001, CCJS members have been awarded research grants totalling over £10 million. Such projects sustain the established profile of the Centre as a pre-eminent research unit and ensure that our teaching is at the cutting edge of contemporary academic and policy debates.
The CCJS has an Advisory Board with more than twenty members who hold senior positions within local criminal justice and partner organisations, including the police, the judiciary, the probation service, prisons and the courts. Our strong links with the local criminal justice community bring valuable benefits for our students.
Compulsory modules studied throughout the year will introduce you to fundamental principles, theories, concepts and approaches in the fields of criminal law and criminal justice. You’ll also explore and examine the intricate and complex relationships and dynamics between criminological theory, research and practice, and the impact of criminal justice processes on individuals and social groups, often in the wider context of social and political change.
These modules will also enable you to hone your critical and analytical abilities and your legal research and writing skills, which you’ll be able to demonstrate in your dissertation – an independent piece of research on your chosen topic.
If you study with us, you’ll also benefit from our academic skills programme. This 10-week programme runs alongside your taught academic programme, and is specifically designed to meet the needs of home and international students in the School of Law. It allows you to refine and develop the academic and transferable skills to excel during your taught postgraduate programmes, as well as prepare for professional roles after graduation.
Our optional modules will give you the opportunity to gain specialist knowledge in topics that interest you. An indicative list of optional modules is provided below.
If you are a part-time student, you’ll take four compulsory modules in your first year. You’ll then take the compulsory dissertation module and your chosen one or two optional modules in your second year.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Our compulsory and optional modules are taught through a range of weekly seminars, lectures and workshops.
You’ll need to prepare for your seminars and lectures, undertaking any exercises that might be prescribed in advance. Independent study is integral to this programme – not just to prepare for classes but to develop research abilities and other critical skills.
The LLM Degrees Director will be your personal supervisor and will support you throughout the programme.
You’ll be assessed using a variety of methods but for most modules you’ll be required to write an essay of up to 4,500 words at the end of each module. You’ll also be expected to write a final dissertation.
This programme is particularly suited to those who wish to pursue a career in public service, the private sector, the voluntary sector, or any other arena where success is built upon higher-level skills and advanced knowledge of criminal justice, criminology and criminal law issues.
Recent graduates have gone on to do a PhD and work in academia and in research outside academia both in the UK and overseas. Other alumni hold senior positions in criminal justice organisations including police and probation services, the prison service, and youth justice services, as well as in the private and voluntary sector, both in the UK and abroad. Some graduates have been awarded promotions following successful completion of the programme.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The Department of Criminology at Swansea University has run a successful MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology since 1997. Students of the Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology will have the opportunity to learn about crime, the criminal justice system and cutting edge themes in criminology from leading experts in the field. The MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology specialises in the application of criminological knowledge to the workings of the Criminal Justice System and this is strongly reflected in the exciting range of diverse and cutting-edge modules on offer.
The MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology focuses mainly on the application of knowledge to the operation of the criminal justice system, reflecting the policy/ practice orientation of members of the staff team.
Whether you are a practitioner working in the criminal justice system, a researcher wishing to gain a firm foundation for a research degree in an ESRC recognised Doctoral Training Centre, or an undergraduate aspiring to a career in criminal justice, our Masters-level degree in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology is for you! The MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology offers you:
• an up-to-date and high quality programme which includes some of the most important theory and research in criminal justice and criminology
• an opportunity to develop your ability to apply criminal justice and criminological knowledge to research and the operation of the criminal justice system
• an opportunity to develop and apply research methods knowledge and skills
• enhanced employability for those wishing to pursue a career in the criminal justice system and for those interested in an academic or research career
Modules on the MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology typically include:
• Ethics and Philosophy of Social Research
• Quantitative Methods
• Qualitative Methods
• Case Studies in Applied Social Research
• Data Visualisation
• Crime, Drugs and Alcohol
• Gender, Crime and Criminal Justice
• Applied Criminal Justice
• Understanding Policing
• Youth Justice: Research, Policy & Practice
• Criminal Justice System in England and Wales
• Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children
• Human Trafficking
The MA in Applied Criminal Justice & Criminology will open the door to a range of careers, including: Local Government, Police Force, Prison Service, Social Work, Victim Support, Teaching, and Probation Service to name a few. Enhancing your career prospects whilst studying on this course, you will have a wealth of opportunities to take advantage of in order to boost your CV and form important employment links for the future.
Every student is allocated a Personal Tutor who offers academic and pastoral care throughout the student’s stay in Swansea. Several lecturers invite senior criminal justice practitioners, managers, and policy makers to deliver lectures on key aspects of criminal justice policy and practice. The Department of Criminology also ensures that MA in Applied Criminal Justice & Criminology students participate in social events through the Criminology Society which organises events that give students opportunities to socialise and meet others in the Department of Criminology. There may also be placement and research internship opportunities available to students (subject to availability). Research internships provide opportunities for students to observe practices in a criminal justice agency and then produce their dissertation on a topic that is relevant to the work of the agency.
- Christie Owen, MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology graduate 2010 -11
“There are a range of different modules covering a broad spectrum of subjects. Helpful tutoring means that those who have not studied Criminology previously will find the subject easy to pick up. There are plenty of approachable staff and lecturers to seek advice if you are unsure. Lectures are well structured with scope for debate with your peers and lecturers, as well as informative media such as videos and power point presentations. There is continuous mentoring while completing dissertations, with supervisors engaging well with students and aiding them in making it more manageable. Supervisors are continuously available to answer any questions or solve any problems that arise while writing such a large piece of work. The library services are also extremely helpful, with access to many books, journals and the internet with a room specifically for postgraduates which is very much needed during busier periods.
The Masters degree in Criminology encouraged me to pursue a career in the Prison Service. After graduating I was offered a position following my first interview and the course has given me skills to use in my new position.”
- Peter Doyle, MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology graduate
Retired Detective Chief Inspector and Senior Investigating Officer Peter, from Kenfig near Porthcawl, had specialised in Homicide and Serious Crime Investigation and has an extensive background in Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) investigation.
“The course was challenging for me as I do not possess a first degree – a particular challenge was writing in an academic style. I overcame the challenges by applying practice and more practice – plus support from those within the College and my family. I believe the key is not worrying about every mistake you make but learning from them instead.
“I chose Swansea University because it has an excellent reputation for criminology studies and I also worked in Swansea for many years as a police officer. It was a great honour to meet people on my course from such a wide spectrum and of all ages – this was very inspiring, I was made to feel welcome by everyone involved.”
This MA Criminology and Criminal Justice programme is designed to offer students, with or without a first degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, the opportunity to progress academically and professionally. The programme builds on expertise and specialist interests across the Criminology and Social Work programmes. It offers students and professionals the opportunity for Continuing Professional Development.
A distinctive feature of the MA Criminology and Criminal Justice programme is that it is delivered 100 per cent online, affording the busy student the flexibility to access postgraduate study while maintaining other commitments. The lectures are delivered via Moodle software, allowing excellent flexibility for times and days of study. Students will experience the programme and its online inter-active approach, its relevance to the work place and its challenging blend of modules both stimulating and supportive. This also means that the programme can be studied internationally.
The range of modules are contemporary and relevant to the current criminal justice landscape and will help to build on a number of key skills that enhance the student’s critical thinking and in turn, will thrive in a professional environment. Students will acquire an extensive range of generic skills which are widely accepted as providing an excellent preparation for many careers. In addition to subject skills and knowledge, graduates also develop skills in communication, numeracy, teamwork, critical thinking, computing, and independent learning. All are highly valued by employers.
The MA Criminology and Criminal Justice programme integrates theory, social research, skills and professional experience, preparing students with critical thinking skills for employment in the workforce in criminal and community justice related settings. The programme aims to:
Trimester One
The MA Criminology and Criminal Justice programme begins with two core modules. The Advanced Research Methods module explores paradigms and methods for research in the criminal justice area as a prelude for the Research Project module to be undertaken by those progressing to the MA award. Students complete one other core module called Contemporary Crime and Justice which explores various types of offences and categories of offenders so that students develop a critical appreciation of how processes of justice understand and respond to particular types of offending.
Trimester Two
Students then have the option of completing two out of four modules which deal with issues of relevance across a range of criminal justice practice contexts. Attachment Theory has become increasingly important in child and adult context for understanding offending behaviour and so this module explores how attachment deficits are linked to crime. Substance Misuse is a cross cutting concern in a range of criminal justice contexts and therefore also forms the basis for a specific module of study. Negotiated Learning will give students the academic flexibility to study a topic of their own choosing, which could be related to their work. Finally, students have the option of studying Terrorism and its Consequences.
Each module is delivered weekly over 12 sessions.
Trimester Three
The MA concludes when students submit a Research Project based on primary research into an issue of criminological significance.
The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.
Each module (except the Research Project) requires students to complete a 5,000 word essay. Trimester Three requires students to complete a 12,000 word Research Project.
Glyndwr University offer excellent support for students with learning differences.
The MA Criminology and Criminal Justice programme allows students to reach their vocational aspirations, making them stand out to a wide range of employers attached to the fields of:
With further postgraduate study, career paths open to graduates may include Counselling Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Social Work or teaching and research.
Are you fascinated by criminology? Hoping to increase your suitability for higher level positions within the criminal justice sector? Southampton Solent University’s postgraduate criminology and criminal justice programme will help you to develop an advanced understanding of the contemporary issues and debates surrounding criminal justice institutions, crime and criminal punishment.
Students on Southampton Solent University’s postgraduate criminology and criminal justice programme study the core curriculum alongside a choice of two specialist units. This chance to specialise is important, helping students to orient their knowledge towards specific roles in the criminal justice sector.
This programme also encourages students to develop a range of transferable interpersonal and verbal communication skills through presentations, role-plays, debates, interviews and group work. These competencies are valued in a wide range of industries.
Enrichment activities and learning opportunities are available alongside the core curriculum, giving students the chance to learn from guest speakers, visit criminal justice organisations and network at industry events. These additional activities help to provide detailed insights into the criminal justice system and the careers it offers. Past speakers have come from the police, courts, prisons, probation services, youth justice services and cyber security firms.
The course team themselves have had extensive experience of the criminal justice system and its related disciplines, providing students with unique personal insights. The ties they have with the professional world have helped past students secure volunteer placements, temporary paid work, work shadowing weeks and internships.
With this internationally respected qualification, you’ll be well placed to pursue a variety of career opportunities. Past graduates have pursued careers in police management, international law enforcement, the National Offender Management Service, financial security and academia.
This master’s degree has been designed for criminology graduates or those who have an equivalent professional qualification.
The course is ideal for those who wish to pursue a career in criminal justice or who are currently working within this area.
We provide a stimulating learning environment and access to state-of-the-art resources to help you make the most of your time with us. Flexible spaces, Wi-Fi facilities and learning zones all contribute to our lively and contemporary study environment at Solent.
Suitable roles for graduates include:
The MSc provides a solid foundation for subsequent research at MPhil and PhD level.
We welcome regular guest lecturers who provide a detailed insight into working in the criminal justice sector and prospective career opportunities.
Recent speakers have included:
Past students have completed a wide range of interesting and informative placements with:
The programme offers students the opportunity to study criminology at an advanced level. The MA encompasses in-depth investigation of major theoretical and substantive issues in contemporary criminology from a critical perspective and within an international context.
Students aim to complete the MA award within 12 months of full-time study and 24 months of part-time study. Options also exist for students to defer the programme at intermediate stages with a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma. The programme will appeal to those wishing to extend their knowledge of criminology, to explore alternative approaches/perspectives, and to broaden their understanding within an interdisciplinary, comparative and international context.
The MA will also be of interest to practitioners working in criminal justice; social care; crime prevention and community safety; youth offending and youth justice; forensics; child protection and victim support. These are also the career destinations for graduates. The MA programme follows the School's normal structure for level 7 degrees of core subjects, optional subjects and a dissertation.
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Year 2
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Taught courses are composed of lectures, seminars and workshops with group discussion and other class activities. Each course is assessed through the submission of two essays or reports of 3,500 words. Students are assigned an individual supervisor with whom they work closely on a topic of their own choosing, undertaking research and writing an extended 15,000-word research dissertation.
Employment opportunities in criminology continue to expand, here and abroad, with a huge variety of posts in criminal justice agencies such as the police service, probation service, prison service, Crown Prosecution Service and the magistracy. Posts are also available in social care, crime prevention, community safety, youth offending and youth justice, forensics, child protection and victim support.
Local and national government agencies and international governmental and non-governmental organisations also offer opportunities in policy research, public relations and specialist practice, such as working for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
To ensure we deliver the best learning experience for our students, the structure and delivery of courses may change to reflect knowledge and industry standards. Course options illustrated here may not be available to all students and may not run every year.
Criminal law and criminology lie at the heart of questions and debates on how we as a society should respond to crime. On this LLM in Criminal Law and Criminology you’ll study an exciting range of topics, covering theory, policy and practice.
Our research informs our teaching on the LLM. You’ll be taught by lecturers who specialise in critical work in areas including:
Our course addresses the most challenging issues of criminal law including the law of homicide and sexual offences, as well as important questions of criminal procedure and practice such as the role of the police, youth justice and penal policy.
You’ll engage in advanced criminal law theory and, separately, criminological theory to examine how societies can better understand and effectively respond to crime.
Our core modules give you the necessary theoretical, methodological and empirical foundations. They cover:
Our options – from both law and criminology – are taught by specialist academics based on their areas of expertise. Find out more about our core modules and options on our LLM Criminal Law and Criminology website.
Teaching methods include lectures, workshops and seminars. Assessment modes include essays and briefing papers as well as a 10,000-word dissertation.
The University of Sussex is proud to offer a range of postgraduate funding awards up to £5000, in order to help talented students to come and study at Sussex. Find out more about funding awards available to you by visiting our funding database.
You’ll gain practical abilities as well as critical and problem-solving skills valued in contemporary job markets.
You will be able to apply your analytical skills to a range of careers in legal practice and criminal justice administration as well as careers in the private and voluntary sectors.
The LLM in Criminal Law and Criminology can also provide a strong foundation for further academic study or a career in research.
This unique course views the criminal justice process as a set of decision points involving numerous agencies working singly or jointly.
It provides you with comprehensive, up-to-date, information while exploring in detail some key contemporary transformations in the field (digitalisation, partnership working, internationalisation, privatisation and accountability).
It is aimed at criminal justice practitioners, or those intending to work in this field. Our strong and growing links with local and regional criminal justice agencies support a critical and reflective approach to the workings of criminal justice.
MSc The Criminal Justice Process will lead you to:
The course has both full-time and part-time routes, comprising three 12-week semesters or five 12-week semesters, which you can take within one year, or 30 months, respectively.
All modules except the Dissertation and Criminal Justice Placement/Project are delivered via blended learning, combining some three-hour evening sessions on campus with distance learning activities (e.g. online reading, discussion board, webinars). Classes frequently use case studies as the focus for discussion. Lecturers provide key overviews of each topic. Students use classroom or online group discussions and questions-and-answers to explore each week’s topic. Where appropriate, experienced practitioners will join the session as visiting instructors.
All modules are supported by the virtual learning environment (Blackboard), which allows students to access learning materials remotely, participate in discussion boards and webinars, and access lists of recommended readings. The vast majority of the latter are available through the Library in electronic form and can be retrieved remotely.
Students opting to write a dissertation are supported by a designated supervisor. Students opting to undertake the Criminal Justice Placement/Project are supported by an on-site supervisor in the corresponding agency and by an academic supervisor on campus.
You will be assessed through written assignments (66%) and dissertation (33%) or project (25%) and oral presentation (8%)
Criminal justice practitioners who obtain this qualification will typically use it as a credential for promotion within their organisation.
Recent graduates can use this qualification to support their applications for employment in the criminal justice system.
This course will suit you if you are planning to seek promotion within the criminal justice agency in which you currently work, or are seeking to change employment within the sector.
Recent graduates can use this qualification to support their applications to the wide variety of organizations involved in the criminal justice process: police, private security companies, victim and court services, probation, the prison service, youth offending services, treatment and intervention programmes.
We are proud of the growing links we have established with our Criminal Justice Partners – experienced practitioners from all segments of the criminal justice system who support our teaching at all levels. These practitioners provide invaluable guidance on new procedures and policies in criminal justice, contribute to our classes as guest instructors, and host site visits for students. They ensure that our teaching is up-to-date, closely linked to developments in the sector, and critically informed by their professional perspectives and experiences.
Further study beyond the MSc would involve a research degree (either an MPhil or PhD). The Directorate of Social Sciences has numerous research-active staff, several of whom specialise in topics relating to criminology and security. (See http://www.salford.ac.uk/nmsw/academics for detailed information.) We welcome applications for research degrees and can support a wide variety of projects relating to the criminal justice process.
The Doctorate in Childhood Studies (DChild) is a partly taught and partly research based Professional Doctorate which has proved to be both successful and convenient for middle and senior managers and other professionals who wish to further their careers by enhancing their academic knowledge and research skills through developing and expanding on their existing expertise.
You can undertake pathways through taught modules that have an emphasis on child care/child protection; children and education; and children/young people and youth justice.
It represents a unique opportunity to pursue an original research project informed by research training and a range of theoretical perspectives on the lives of children and young people. Exploring the experience of childhood across the age spectrum, in different social and political contexts, this research degree places a strong emphasis on the links between social justice, rights, lived experiences and outcomes.
The programme content is delivered intensively through group teaching in two and a half day blocks (usually Thursday-Saturday lunchtime).
Course Details
Students are required to take eight taught modules, five of which are core and three of which are chosen from a menu of options, plus a research thesis.
Core Modules
Students must complete the following five 30-credit core modules:
Optional Modules (all 30 credit except where stated)
The above list is indicative and not prescriptive.
This programme involves cross-School collaboration and a multi-disciplinary suite of optional modules. The modules are designed to ensure that students acquire interdisciplinary, theoretical and methodological research knowledge within the field of Childhood Studies. Modules are delivered in the Spring and Autumn each year in the splendid surroundings of the historic Graduate School which provides world-class graduate education creating synergy between academic and business communities.
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