Master of Arts in Criminology

Program Overview

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Criminology (TU321) Full Time

Course Title

Master of Arts in Criminology

TU Code

TU321

NFQ Level

Level 9

Award Type

Major

Award

Master of Arts

ECTS Credits

90

Duration

1 Year

Course Type

Postgraduate

Mode of Study

Full Time

Method of Delivery

On-Campus

Commencement Date

September 2025

Location

Grangegorman

Fees

€7,400 Total Fee

Fees (Non-EU)

€13,500 Total Fee

What is Criminology?

Criminology is an exciting inter-disciplinary subject that draws on sociology, psychology and law to focus on issues such as the causes of crime, the meaning of crime and societal reactions to crime.

Minimum Entry Requirements

• Students must normally hold a second class honours degree, lower division (2.2) or higher in the area of social science, law, sociology, psychology or cognate discipline.
• Please be sure to include transcripts of your final degree award at time of application.
• If this is not readily available please include transcripts of your academic career to date.

Alternative Entry Requirements

• Applicants who do not meet the minimum academic requirements but who have significant relevant professional or vocational experience will also be considered.
• In addition to the online application form, this latter category of applicants should include two written references with their application and also may be asked to present for interview.

English Language Proficiency

• If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website.
• Applicants for this course should have a minimum IELTS (Academic Version) English Proficiency of 6.5 overall (or equivalent) with nothing less than 6 in each component.

Career Opportunities

• The MA in Criminology provides the opportunity for those who work in the criminal justice system or related agencies to reflect on their work from within an academic discipline.
• It also provides graduate students with a thorough foundation in research methods, theoretical principles and contemporary debates as a prelude to a career in research, policy making, academia or further study (PhD.).

Module Listing

Year One

Semester 1

• Criminal Justice System [Mandatory]
• Criminological Theory [Mandatory]
• Research Methods in Criminology [Mandatory]
• Criminal Law [Elective]
• Law and Technology [Elective]

Semester 2

• Dissertation [Mandatory]
• Criminal Psychology [Mandatory]
• Youth Offending and Youth Justice Perspectives [Elective]
• Criminal Law [Elective]
• Desistance: The Route Out of Crime [Elective]
• Studies in Victimology and Crime Prevention [Elective]
• Policing and the Governance of Security [Elective]
• Deviance, Punishment and Social Control in Modern Ireland [Elective]
• Law and Technology [Elective]
• Prisons and Imprisonment [Elective]
• Masculinities, Care and Equality [Elective]

Schedule

• Full-time students attend lectures two late afternoons/evenings per week and part-time students attend on one late afternoon/evening per week (may require attendance on a second evening depending on the optional module selected in semester two, year 1).
• Please note lectures for both full-time and part-time students commence at 4pm.
• Students are required to complete substantial reading and written assignments outside of timetabled class hours.
• It is strongly recommended therefore that those in full-time employment complete the course on a part-time basis.

What our students say

I applied for the MA in Criminology, initially attracted by the range of modules and degree structure, sure that it would enhance my career within criminal justice, but uncertain as to whether I had what it took. A few years out from my last postgraduate experience, the prospect of submitting myself again to the standards of university education was unsettling.
As I was to find out, there was more reason to enjoy than to worry at TU Dublin. The core benefits for me in choosing its MA Criminology programme turned out to be the mix of students in the class, covering a variety of job-holders and different experiences of learning, and the lecturing staff. Classes delivered were clear, informative, and thought-provoking. Not only that, but lecturers were supportive, particularly when it came to the dissertation.
My positive experience on the MA was the primary reason I later pursued a PhD. The MA gave me the confidence to challenge ideas in subsequent jobs and set me up in turn for designing and leading my own modules on theory and practice to undergraduates. The MA Criminology was not the end of my learning, it had nurtured it again. - Brian Moss

Brian Moss is Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Southampton, UK. He holds a PhD in Sociology relating to analysis of police complaints using GIS and quantitative methods. Brian has worked in probation, policy analysis, research and lecturing roles in Ireland, Belgium and England. He has assisted two University departments secure top ten positions in UK Criminology rankings.