MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice

If you’re looking to enhance your knowledge in criminology or make a change to the discipline, then our Master’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice is the next step to take on your career journey.

Taught by lecturers with significant professional experience, you'll gain a systematic understanding and critical awareness of key principles of criminology, developing knowledge of the history of ideas, the cultural context, and the social and political theories that inform and influence the practice of criminology.

Students will graduate with the ability to identify appropriate methodologies for dealing with complex problems and design and successfully complete a substantial empirical criminology research project, systematic review or systematic case study, informed by wide understandings of criminology in the contemporary world.

What makes this course unique is our professional focus, choice of routes and teaching approach. For example, you will be taught to analyse the intersectionality of criminology topics in relation to criminal justice organisations and responses to crime, harm, deviance and victimisation.

You will be taught and engage with a wide range of research methods which will enable you to conduct your own impactful research. Much of this course focuses on topical debate – helping you to look at things critically and from different perspectives. You also have a choice of two routes to take on your course:

Desistance and Resettlement Route: You will have the opportunity to engage with key issues related to prisons, probation and rehabilitation and resettlement. You will also be able to work with criminal justice organisations and people with prison experience on a digital co-production project. This route is ideal for those keen to work within the criminal justice system, especially the third sector, prison and probation. Social Justice Route: This route takes a critical approach in investigating the criminal justice system. It examines how the system has been perceived and resisted by those working outside of institutional power structures. It investigates how criminology is a ‘rendezvous discipline’ by engaging with, and pushing at, the margins of the discipline, the relationship between social marginalisation and criminalisation, and how to put the ‘margins’ at the centre. This pathway is ideal for those who want to work to shape the system from either outside or within the system. Both routes provide the opportunity for real-world experience, for example through ride alongs with the City of London Police and other employability activities arranged through our team.

Why study MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice with us?

Work Experience Opportunities: The embedding of our digital co-production opportunity, utilising our connections with the Prison and Probation Service and charitable organisations is unique to us.

Award-winning Employability support: From day one to beyond graduation, you’ll have access to 1:1 support from our dedicated Employability Service to help you stand out in the job market with career planning, work experience and other support tailored to your ambitions.

Soft Skill Development: Our practical course assists with the development of soft skills, both important to the profession, and that employers find desirable. Helping you to learn skills like critical thinking, problem solving and how to articulate yourself.