MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology

This MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology online masters degree is designed to equip graduates with a thorough understanding of cutting-edge and important topics within criminology and criminal psychology.

Overview

Our MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology Masters degree offers an advanced qualification that is designed to equip graduates with a thorough understanding of cutting-edge and important topics within criminology and criminal psychology.

Studying for a Criminology and Criminal Psychology Masters qualification gives you the opportunity to expand your subject knowledge and build on the skills you have gained during your undergraduate studies. The benefits extend beyond improving your earning potential.

If you have not previously studied for a Bachelors degree in criminology, criminal justice or related subjects, our MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology course will provide grounding for a range of specialist careers including hundreds of different roles within the Police Service (from analytical Police Staff roles to serving Police Officers), working with offenders from support workers to probation and prison staff, working within victim services and roles within a variety of law enforcement agencies from the Security Services to the National Crime Agency.

This course is not accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Course structure

The MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology degree is made up of the following modules and, upon completion, is equal to a total of 180 credits at Level 7.

Level 7 modules:

• Applied Forensic Psychology (20 credits)
• Crime, Causation and Criminological Theory (20 credits)
• Complex Criminal investigation (20 credits)
• Practical Psychology for Policing (20 credits)
• Advanced Research Methods (20 credits)*
• Criminology and Criminal Psychology Thesis (60 credits)*

One optional module:

• Criminal Victimisation (20 credits)
• Policing: Leadership, Policy & Partnerships (20 credits)

* These modules are core and must be passed in order to achieve the award.

** In addition to the core modules, students will take one optional module.

Learning and assessment

Introduction

Studying online gives you the freedom to study when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.

All of our online courses have an indicative study duration which is a guide to how long your course will take to complete. The actual duration may be longer or shorter depending on your speed of study, study options chosen and module availability. It’s possible to complete your studies faster than the indicative course duration by doubling up on modules at certain times; however, minimum study durations do apply.

All of our courses have regular start dates throughout the year. Our academic year is organised into modules, typically with a one- or two-week break between modules and a structured three-week break for the Christmas period. Students will receive a course timetable during the application process.

Teaching methods and style

As we are a 100% online university, we utilise a Virtual Learning Environment instead of a traditional campus. The system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials.

This learning platform allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and you can listen to, and view, live lectures and seminars over the internet. All courses are delivered in English only.

You are supported throughout your course by a dedicated Student Adviser and have the opportunity to regularly interact with fellow students and your tutor. To ensure you receive the support you need from your tutor, we cap our class sizes at 20 students.

Assessment

We adopt an assignment-based approach to assessment instead of exams. Assessment for the MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology will be based on a combination of written coursework and work on a dissertation or individual project.

At the end of your studies, you will submit a 60-credit thesis.

You will be able to see your current provisional marks from the start of the programme, allowing you to evaluate the success of your current study methods and clearly identify areas to improve. We believe that this transparency gives you the information you need to make the most of your Masters course. We achieve this by:

·        showing your marks clearly in your gradebook, which can be viewed whenever you log onto the learning platform;

·        the rapid turnaround of work assessed to ensure that your gradebook is always up to date;

·        assessing your work throughout the module rather than waiting for end of year exams;

·        ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Adviser; and

·        the simplicity and transparency in the design of our assessment criteria.

We also have a policy of ensuring that work submitted by students is authentic. As well as the fact that all work is frequently assessed, we use a well established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.

On successful completion of your MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology degree, you will be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex, Colchester Campus.

Career prospects

We are dedicated to improving employability amongst our graduates. Our online courses give you the opportunity to improve your career prospects and earning potential with a mix of key skills that are directly transferable to the workplace.

A postgraduate qualification is a major achievement and greatly valued by employers. Recent surveys show that higher degree graduates are more likely to obtain jobs at professional or managerial level and less likely to be unemployed. For some jobs, a postgraduate qualification may be essential, for others it offers a competitive edge.

As companies seek out graduates with the most advanced skills to respond to the latest changes in crime and criminology, a Masters degree in Criminology and Criminal Psychology could give you the competitive edge you need to advance to these upper level positions.

Visit the MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology page on the University of Essex Online website for more details!