Modules

COURSE STRUCTURE

Criminology is a fascinating, complex and practical discipline relevant to a wide range of criminal justice, security, social and legal professions. Matters of crime, harm and justice permeate everyday societies all over the world, from the responses to wrongdoing, illegality and harm, to the structure of criminal justice institutions and conduct of those working within them.

This MA builds your knowledge of these issues and current trends in national and international criminal justice, giving you a greater appreciation of the impact of public policy on crime, social control and criminal justice and penal system processes and practice. You'll be encouraged to ground theories in real-life practice and contemporary case studies, including, for example, migration 'pushback' in international waters or Covid management in prisons.

The programme helps students to develop critical thinking, problem solving and research skills that can be applied in a range of policy making and practice roles in criminal justice, as well as health settings, government, charity or industry.

You will encounter a range of classical and contemporary criminological theories relating to criminal causality, environmental, cultural, zemiological and political-economic perspectives. These reflect vital criminological and penological debates in 21st century global societies about the relationship between crime, victimisation, justice, citizenship, belonging, security and human rights. There are modules which provide training in social research methods which emphasise students active participation in knowledge production as part of a research community.

Over the course of the MA Criminology and Criminal Justice, you will complete 180 credits (including the dissertation). Students who wish to take a research-intensive pathway have the option of selecting two 15-credit modules on Approaches to Research Design and Process and Researcher Skills in Semester One.

Taught Modules & Dissertation

SEMESTER 1

CORE MODULES

CRI-40027 Contemporary Criminology: Theory and Practice (30 credits)

You will examine current developments in criminological concepts, theories and perspectives, exploring key themes, issues and political debates concerning crime, crime control and criminal and social justice in the UK and globally. You will analyse social problems and issues from different perspectives, for example, considering crime and criminal behaviour in terms of biological, psychological, economic, ecological, gender and social factors.

OPTION 1 (STANDARD)

CRI-40029 Contemporary Challenges in Criminal Justice (30 credits)

This module focuses on current trends in criminal justice at national, transnational and international levels as they relate to security, crime control, governance, regulation and criminal justice. You will consider how society, law and politics influence contemporary policy developments, for example, in sentencing, restorative justice, or community crime prevention.

OPTION 2 (RESEARCH METHODS INTENSIVE)

RT-40023: Approaches to Research Design and Process (15 credits)

Providing you with the skills to plan and execute independent academic research, this module explores the differences between types of research design, such as case-study, longitudinal, comparative and ethnographic designs. You will consider the different strategies for gathering evidence in the social sciences, including documentary research, interviews and focus groups, ethnography, and surveys.

GRT-40028: Researcher Skills (15 credits)

You will gain a solid introduction to the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers, according to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF). This internationally-respected guidance covers the wide-ranging knowledge, intellectual abilities, techniques and professional standards, including ethics, expected to do research, as well as the personal qualities, knowledge and skills to work with others and ensure the wider impact of research.

SEMESTER 2

CORE MODULES

CRI-40030 Advanced Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice (30 credits)

You will consider the contemporary forces which are shaping, and are in turn shaped by, public policy on crime and criminal justice thinking and practice. We will consider some of the controversies facing the criminal justice system today, such as arguments for criminalisation or legalisation of drug use, policing practices in relation to minority groups, or youth imprisonment.

GRT-40020 Quantitative Research and Data Analysis (15 credits)

You will learn about approaches to the design and implementation of quantitative research, the principles of developing quantitative research instruments, such as surveys, opinion polling, questionnaires, or focus groups, to gather information. You will also be introduced to statistical analysis of quantitative dataset, using the specialist software SPSS.

GRT-40021 Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits)

You will gain a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of qualitative social scientific research, engaging in the different approaches, design and methods of investigation associated with generating and analysing qualitative date. This includes, for example, observational research using case studies or interviews, or historical research using existing primary and secondary sources, records or recollections.

SEMESTER 3

After you have completed the taught modules, you will undertake an independent project to further develop your knowledge in a specific area of management or to tackle a specific management issue within an organisation, all of which is designed to enhance your employability and research skills.

CRI-40031 Dissertation (60 credits)

Representing the culmination of your studies, this is your chance to apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout the course to design, conduct, analyse and report an appropriate piece of empirical research. It provides an exciting opportunity to work under the supervision of an expert in your chosen field of interest, demonstrating a level of knowledge and understanding far beyond what you have learned in class. Past projects, including prize-winning dissertations, have included: policing the HS2 protests; youth justice sentencing in Ghana; the role of NGOs in Kenyan penal reform; ecological crime and global neoliberalism; online shaming as social control; meat production and food crime; and comic-book representations of crime in New York.