Program Overview

Criminology and Criminal Justice MA

Overview

The MA Criminology and Criminal Justice program is designed to provide students with a critical understanding of crime, criminalisation, victimisation, and criminal justice practice. The course is ideal for students who want to enhance their careers in law, prisons, probation, criminal justice organisations, or academia.

Course Structure

• Full-time: 12 months
• Part-time: Not available
• Start date: September 2026
• UK fees: To be confirmed
• International fees: To be confirmed
• Entry requirements: 2:1

Course Overview

The program aims to develop a deep understanding of how contemporary criminological and criminal justice issues occur and how they might be addressed. Students will consider the role that the criminal justice system could and should play in modern society.

Why Choose This Course?

• Co-created curriculum with students and alumni
• Top 60 worldwide for law (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025)
• School collaboration between the School of Sociology and Social Policy and the School of Law
• Top 100 worldwide for law (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)

Course Content

Core Modules

• Crime, Victimisation and Criminal Justice
• Equality, Discrimination and Criminal Justice
• Fair Trials, Human Rights, Criminal Justice and Technology
• Researching Crime and Justice
• Independent Research Project

Optional Modules

• Cyber Crime
• Life After Prison
• Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights and Criminal Justice
• War and State Violence
• Crimes and Harms of the Powerful
• Critical Approaches to Global Criminal Justice
• Principles of Criminalisation
• Theoretical Frontiers in Criminology

Learning and Assessment

• Seminars
• Essay
• Dissertation
• Research project
• Critical analysis and reflection
• Presentations
• Policy review

Entry Requirements

• Undergraduate degree: 2:1 in any discipline (or international equivalent) or 2:2 (or international equivalent) in any discipline plus one year working experience in national or local governments, or public sector or third/voluntary sector
• English language requirements: IELTS 6.5 (no less than 6.0 in each element)

Fees

• Home / UK: To be confirmed
• International: To be confirmed

Careers

• Careers advice
• Job prospects
• Placements
• Graduate destinations: BAE Systems, Clifford Chance, London Stock Exchange, and Simmons & Simmons
• Career progression: 92.9% of postgraduates from the School of Law secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation.