Program Overview

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MSc Criminal Psychology and Criminal Justice

Why study this course with LJMU?

Study criminal psychology in depth and understand how it influences criminal justice practice and wider societal perspectives Obtain an overview of criminal justice policy and process, and understand key contemporary issues in these areas Choose from a number of optional modules giving a critical insight into key areas of offending such as sex crimes and society, as well as criminal justice practice, which can include drugs, policing, rehabilitation and crimes of the powerful Undertake a research dissertation to generate knowledge in this area and further your own skills as a professional Ideal for undergraduates and those already working within criminal justice agencies Part Time Study Option Available

About this course

LJMU's Criminal Psychology and Criminal Justice master's is a new stand-alone qualification designed to enhance your career prospects in criminal justice agencies, the probation service, the police and third sector agencies.

The MSc in Criminal Psychology and Criminal Justice programme offers the opportunity for graduates, practitioners, and criminal justice professionals to critically engage with a broad range of issues that impact on the effectiveness and integrity of the workings of the criminal justice system.

Through exploring a series of theoretical and policy-orientated debates relevant to the delivery of contemporary crime control and management, and assessing their cultural, social and symbolic consequences, the course helps you to develop a comprehensive and critically aware understanding of the manufacture and delivery of criminal justice policy.

In addition, you will obtain an in-depth understanding of the psychology of a range of criminal behaviours, and how this knowledge can impact on law enforcement, management and treatment of individuals with lived experience of the criminal justice system, as well as wider decision making within the justice system.

This programme is designed or those with an interest in working criminal justice or have studied in the area and want to develop their knowledge at a higher level, and as such this is not an accredited psychology programme.

Course modules

Core modules

• Criminal Psychology (40 credits)
  • This module provides students with a comprehensive and critical guide to both the theory and practical applications that currently exist within practice using criminal behaviour models.
  • It will use case examples, published journals, some that have been authored by the staffing team, to illustrate the application of these models and how they are applied by professionals.
• Criminal Psychology and Criminal Justice Dissertation (60 credits)
  • This module will provide you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of a specific criminal behaviour and/or criminal justice issue.
  • You will construct a sustained and coherent assignment at length, to show your critical ability to apply appropriate research methods.
• Research Methods for Criminal Psychology and Criminal Justice (20 credits)
  • This module will help to prepare you for your compulsory dissertation on the MSc Criminal Psychology and Criminal Justice.
  • This will enable you to develop an advanced and critical knowledge of the key ontological, epistemological and methodological issues that impact upon research into criminal behaviour and criminal justice.
• Key Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice (20 credits)
  • This module advances knowledge of criminal justice in England and Wales, covering key topics such as policing, courts, probation, prisons, and more.
  • It also explores how societal issues influence the criminal justice system.

Optional modules

• Sex, Crime and Society (20 credits)
  • This module will critically evaluate the phenomenon of sexual offences from a variety of perspectives: historical and modern; social/cultural; ethical and moral; political.
  • Within these contexts, the criminalisation of sexual behaviour will be evaluated and the law applied critically to specific factual situations.
• Drugs, Alcohol and Criminal Justice (20 credits)
  • This module aims to develop your understanding of drug and alcohol use within contemporary society.
  • It deconstructs the drug and alcohol status quo so you can acknowledge the complexities and contradictions that exist within this sphere.
• Youth Justice (20 credits)
  • This module aims to give you a critical, theoretically-informed and socially-orientated grounding in the study of youth justice.
  • It enables you to develop an analytical approach to understanding the treatment and experiences of young people within, and at the hands of, the criminal justice system.
• The Sociology of Policing (20 credits)
  • This module seeks to critically explore the complex and dynamic relationship between policing services/agents and members of the diverse public these organisations serve.
• Advanced Critical Criminology (20 credits)
  • This module is designed to examine the social construction of crime.
  • It aims to provide a balance between theoretical perspectives and empirical, practical knowledge about the power imbalances in society.
• Delivering Rehabilitation (20 credits)
  • This module critically evaluates, at an advanced level, the role and function of the prison and probation services in relation to the delivery of state punishment and rehabilitation.

Your Learning Experience

Teaching Assessment

An insight into teaching on your course

• Study hours
  • Typically, students attend teaching on two or three days per week.
  • Days of attendance vary according to timetabling requirements.
• Teaching methods
  • Teaching is delivered via a combination of lectures, workshops, seminars and one-to-one consultations with your tutors.
  • You will also be expected to study independently and conduct your own self-directed research.
• Applied learning
  • The option modules you study will help you develop an in depth knowledge of how contemporary criminal psychology helps us understand criminal behaviour and how it affects criminal justice practice.
• How learning is monitored on your programme
  • To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
  • Assessment methods may include essays, reports, quizzes, portfolios and presentations as well as a final dissertation.

Career paths

Further your career prospects

LJMU has an excellent employability record with 94% (HESA 2022) of our postgraduates in work or further study fifteen months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.

The master's in Criminal Psychology and Criminal Justice offers vocationally relevant knowledge and skills. It will be particularly relevant if you are currently working with or would like a career involving criminal justice agencies, the probation service, social science departments, the police or community-based correction/treatment and third sector agencies.

Tuition fees and funding

Home International

Fee:

£9,940

Fees

The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus wifi.

Financial Support

There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages. The University offers a range of financial support for students. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist financial support pages including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.

Additional Costs

In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:

• Accommodation
• Travel costs and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
• Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire

Full-time per year:

£17,750

International Scholarships and payment plans

Liverpool John Moores University is committed to supporting international students by providing a range of scholarships and flexible payment plans to help students manage their tuition fees.

Scholarships

LJMU provides a variety of postgraduate scholarships to support international students. Scholarships are available to self-funded students who have accepted their offer and met all the conditions outlined in their offer letter. Students must also demonstrate that they can cover living costs, travel, and other expenses associated to studying at the university. Postgraduate scholarships include tuition fee reductions and are often offered in partnership with external funding organisations such as the British Council and Chevening.

All self-funded international students are eligible for an automatic scholarship worth up to £4,000. For more details and to view our full list of scholarships, visit the international scholarship webpages.

Deposit

All students must pay a £5,000 deposit before they can receive their CAS letter.

For more information view our deposit page.

Tuition Fee Payment Plan

After paying their £5,000 deposit, students have the option to pay their fees in full or in three equal instalments minus any internal scholarships and discounts. There are two payment options available for international students. You can either pay your tuition fees in full before enrolment or opt for a payment plan. With the payment plan, you can pay your fees in three instalments after making your £5,000 deposit. The first instalment is due before enrolment.

All payments should be made through Flywire. Full details can be found in the How to Pay Guide.

Early Bird Tuition Fee discount

We are excited to introduce a £500 Early Payment Discount to all self-funded international students. Eligible self-funded students who pay their fees by the required deadlines will get a discount which will be automatically deducted from the 1st year of tuition fees.

To see the required deadlines please visit the webpage

Entry requirements

You will need:

Home International

Qualification requirements

• a minimum 2.1 Honours degree.
• applicants with a 2:2 and relevant professional experience will be referred to the Programme Leader.
• If no relevant degree or professional qualification, but does have relevant professional experience, Programme Leader might interview and request a piece of written work to determine suitability for programme.

Alternative qualifications considered

Where a candidate does not fulfil the standard entry qualification the Programme Leader reserves the right to interview the person to determine their suitability for the Programme. This process would be used where the applicant has no relevant degree or professional qualification, but does have relevant professional experience relevant to the programme, or where the undergraduate degree award criteria above have not been met. The Programme Leader would conduct an interview with another member of the programme team. Interviews would be based around the applicant's suitability for the programme, which is also measured by the completion of a written piece of work by the applicant, which is discussed at the interview.

International requirements

• The programme is taught entirely in the English language, and, due to the participatory nature of its delivery, and the need to complete reading, assignments and written work (along with participants contributing to group discussions), overseas students will normally need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component

Further information

• Extra Requirements
• Deferred Entry Allowed

Yes

Find your country

Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.

How to apply

Securing your place at LJMU

To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.

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