Program Overview

Queen's University Belfast

Postgraduate Taught 2025

Youth Justice (PgDip)

Overview

The Postgraduate Diploma in Youth Justice provides an opportunity for recent graduates, and those working in policy and practice, to enhance their understanding of contemporary youth issues, system responses to young people and the discourse of children’s rights. Importantly, it aims to enhance the ability of students to apply their learning to policy, practice and research through auditing rights compliance, designing research tools and writing comment pieces/blogs.

Course Structure

The programme draws on specialisms within the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (in youth studies, criminology, children’s rights and research methods). In addition to core modules, optional modules from a range of Master’s programme are available.

A blended learning approach has been adopted which includes a mixture of face-to-face and online learning (both live lectures and pre-recorded, self-directed learning), traditional lectures, workshops, condensed weekend modules, online discussion forums and guest speakers.

20 CATS modules generally involve 20 contact hours per semester, 10 CATS modules generally involve 10 contact hours per semester. Contact hours often include a blend of face-to-face lectures/ workshops and online (live or pre-recorded) sessions. Students can choose some optional modules that are all face-to-face, all online or a blend of both.

The Postgraduate Diploma is awarded to students who successfully complete a combination of core and optional taught modules (120 CATS points).

A Certificate exit route is also available (60 CATS points from core modules).

People teaching you

• Dr Mary-Louise Corr: Senior Lecturer in Criminology
• Dr Siobhán McAlister: Programme Director, Senior Lecturer in Criminology
• Professor Laura Lundy: Professor and Director, Centre for Children's Rights

Teaching Times

• Morning / Afternoon / Evening/ Weekend and online flexible learning

Learning and Teaching

• Flexible learning: Weekend teaching and workshops outside normal teaching hours.
• Learning and Teaching Methods: Contact hours often include a blend of face-to-face lectures/ workshops and online (live or pre-recorded) sessions. You can choose some optional modules that are all face-to-face, all online or a blend of both.
• VLE: Canvas is the university’s VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). You will be introduced to Canvas in the first session of the Youth and Social Justice module.

Assessment

• Modules will be assessed through a variety of written work including: essays; blogs; research proposals/ tenders.

Facilities

• The School is situated across a suite of three buildings in Belfast's Queen's Quarter. We provide student and staff common rooms, computer suites and designated study spaces.

What our academics say

• “The Postgraduate Diploma in Youth Justice provides an opportunity for recent graduates, and those working in policy and practice, to enhance their understanding of contemporary youth issues, system responses to young people and the discourse of children’s rights. Importantly, it aims to enhance the ability of students to apply their learning to policy, practice and research through auditing rights compliance, designing research tools and writing comment pieces/blogs.” - Dr Siobhán McAlister, Programme Director

Entrance requirements

• Normally a strong 2.2 Honours degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in a social science or related discipline.
• Closing date for applications: Thursday 31st July 2025 at 4pm
• Late applications may be considered.
• Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.

International Students

• Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region.
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English Language Requirements

• Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required.
• *Taken within the last 2 years.

Tuition Fees

• Northern Ireland (NI): £4,867
• Republic of Ireland (ROI): £4,867
• England, Scotland or Wales (GB): £6,167
• EU Other: £14,333
• International: £14,333

Additional course costs

• There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.

Career Prospects

• Possible career paths include work in youth and social justice related fields.
• Previous graduates have been successful in gaining jobs working for NGOs in the criminal justice field, in child and youth and advocacy, and in statutory sector criminal justice agencies.
• Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes help our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.

Employment after the Course

• You will have gained the skills necessary to locate and evaluate policy, research and practice on youth justice related issues, and to undertake your own research in this area.
• This will position you for working in organisations that: advocate for the rights and needs of children in conflict with the law; that formulate policy; that undertake research.
• You will also have a more holistic understanding of the lives of children in conflict with the law, placing you in a perfect position to work with and for these children, and for organisation that support them (e.g. NGOs/ voluntary organisations, statutory sector bodies, government departments).

Employment Links

• Civil service; criminal justice/ youth/ children’s rights charities; government departments; research organisations.

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

• In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills.
• For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more.
• So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall.
• We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.