Criminology and Criminal Justice

Award

MSc

Key facts

Location:: Stoke-on-Trent campus
Study option:: Full-time, distance learning
Duration:: 13 Months
Start date:: 26 September 2022
School:: School of Justice, Security and Sustainability

Flexible course design

Delivered one day a week to make allowance for working commitments

Get connected

Take advantage of academics active industry connections

Research-focused

Develop a professional research project based on current legislation

Do you want to work in criminal justice sector? Do you already work in the sector and want to advance your career? Do you want to further your education and follow your passion for criminology? Whatever the reason, our Criminology and Criminal Justice MSc is for you.

Our MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice has been designed for both graduates and practitioners who wish to develop their understanding of the debates surrounding crime and the criminal justice system. It offers an exciting opportunity to study both theoretical criminology and the more applied aspects of criminal justice.

We provide an engaging and flexible educational experience to a diverse range of students by utilising a wide range of learning and teaching methods and technologies. The course is highly participative; while teaching and learning sessions will provide periods of structured teaching, they will also provide a forum within which you will take responsibility for your own learning and share your knowledge and views with other students and staff.

Throughout the course, there is a focus on research and we will help you develop the capability to design, manage and disseminate a research project to a professional standard.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice

Part-time study

You can study this course full-time over 1 year or part-time over 3 years.

Course content

During the course, you'll develop an understanding of the organising categories and central claims of a range of modern criminological perspectives of crime and social control. Not only this, you'll gain a thorough grounding in the criminological understanding of criminal justice/penal institutions and processes.

During the later stages of the course, you'll learn the challenges and the opportunities that different methods of data collection have for validity and reliability of data. You'll also use your experience of working (or volunteering) in a criminal justice role to inform your study and consider your own personal skills, values and attributes.

To finish the course you'll create a research project, which will take the form of a 15,000 word dissertation, this will relate to a key question, issue and problem within Criminology and/or Criminal Justice be supervised by an expert member of our academic staff.

On the successful completion of each level of study (PgCert, PgDip, MSc) you will have the option to either progress to the next level of study or leave the programme with the qualification that reflects the total amount of credits successfully completed. Available qualifications are as follows:

Postgraduate Certificate in Criminology and Criminal Justice (60 credits)
Postgraduate Diploma in Criminology and Criminal Justice (120 credits)
MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice (180 credits)

Firearms publication gauges extent of global problem

News

ACADEMICS researching gun-crime have published a book which gives sight of a global problem which claims more than 200,000 lives a year.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 1 compulsory modules
Advanced Criminological Theory	20 credits
Contemporary Issues In Criminology And Criminal Justice	40 credits
Postgraduate Project	60 credits
Researching Crime And Society	40 credits

Show 2 optional modules

Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 1 optional modules
Leadership In Social And Criminal Justice	20 credits
Working In Criminal And Social Justice	20 credits

Show 4 compulsory modules

Entry requirements

You’ll normally be expected to hold a relevant honours degree with at least a 2:1 from a recognised university or body.

If you have an undergraduate degree in Sociology, Law, Criminal Justice, Forensic Investigation, or a related discipline you will be eligible to apply for this course.

If students do not have the required qualification but have professional experience, we would encourage you to apply as we consider all applications on their individual merit. Similarly, if you are unsure whether your degree would be appropriate, please contact our enquiries team who will be able to assist you.

School of Law, Policing and Forensics

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Read the latest blog post from different areas of the school

For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Check our entry and English language requirements for your country.

Facilities

Crime Scene House

We have a dedicated Crime Scene House fitted with CCTV and two-way audio which gives the option for both internal and external crime scenes, so you can hone your investigative and crime scene examination skills.

Video

Mock Courtrooms

Put legal theory into practice in our purpose-built mock courtrooms

Video

Libraries

We have Libraries and Service desks at both sites in Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford. All have experienced and friendly staff who can answer your IT queries, help you to access resources, show you how to research for your assignments and even help with referencing.

Careers

The MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice is designed for anyone working in or wanting to work in any of the many criminal justice professions, such as:

prisons
probation
police
national security agencies
voluntary organisations

It can also lead onto further research with an MPhil or PhD.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice is taught by an interdisciplinary team of research-active and experienced lecturers using a variety of delivery methods: lectures, workshops, student-led presentations and debate, group work and individual research.

Assessment

On the MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice, you will be assessed through a range of coursework, including writing a short journal article, producing a podcast or delivering a presentation, writing a work placement report, producing a dissertation research proposal and finally producing a Masters research dissertation. There are no traditional examinations as we believe Masters level work is best assessed through more expressive and creative assessments that have real-life application.

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
Written English (including punctuation, grammar)
Academic writing (including how to reference)
Research skills
Critical thinking
Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our Student Inclusion Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.

Feedback

We know that it’s important for you to be able to gauge your progress and to improve. Formal feedback will be given for each assessment you submit but you will also receive formative feedback throughout the course.

Staff

You will be taught be dedicated and research active lecturers, whose expertise and knowledge closely match the content of the course. Each of our team has a PhD, or is working towards one, and all are members of the Higher Education Authority. Each of our team has extensive contacts within the Criminal Justice System and/or local community partnerships.

Dr Jo Turner

Head Of Department - Associate Professor

Dr Jo Turner is Head of Department for Criminology, Policing and Forensic Science and Associate Professor of Criminology. She has worked at Staffordshire University since August 2017.

Jo's profile

Dr Emma Temple-Malt

Course Director

Em is the Course leader for the PG Transnational Organised Crime Masters,, Sociology and Social Justice Masters and Criminology and Criminal Justice Masters. Her expertise are in domestic abuse education and research methodology.

Emma's profile

Professor James Treadwell

Professor In Criminology

James became a Professor in Criminology at Staffordshire University in 2017. His expertise are in violent, professional and organised crime; prisons, prison violence and victimisation; drugs and crime; Ethnography; Crime and the Military.

James's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 26 September 2022 the tuition fees are:

Tuition fees for MSc-Full-time, distance learning
Study option	UK / Channel Islands	International
Full-time	£8,245 per course	£8,245 per course

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.

Alumni discount

If you've previously completed a Staffordshire University undergraduate degree (excluding HND and foundation degrees) you may be entitled to a discount of up to 25% off your course fees for any subsequent postgraduate taught course (terms apply, see the alumni discount page for details). If you have any questions about how this relates to you, please contact feesandbursaries@staffs.ac.uk.

Included in tuition fees
Included in the fees:
As a Staffordshire University student, you’ll be entitled to a range of free software programs.

Not included in tuition fees
Not included in the fees:
Text books are available from the library, but some students choose to purchase their own copies. Printing Travel costs Any optional field trips

Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £11,222 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. Student loans are available for many of our postgraduate degrees and are provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The loan can cover a wide range of postgraduate study options; part-time, full-time and distance learning.

For more information and how to apply visit masters loan.

Our students

This course will test your ability to conduct research, manage projects, write academically and even build on your social skills and questioning technique. All the while, you are given the freedom and independence to base your dissertation and other essays on whatever field of study interest you. They give you so much knowledge in this course and you are rewarded with the freedom to use that knowledge however you see fit.

Charlie Lovatt

MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice

Apply

Location	Award	Study option	Start date	Apply Link
Stoke-on-Trent campus	MSc	Full-time, distance learning	26 September 2022	Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at Staffordshire University, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of Staffordshire University enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.

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