Criminology and Criminal Justice

Criminology and Criminal Justice - MA

The fascinating discipline of Criminology addresses crime, criminal harms and justice and their impact on people at local, national and global levels. Taught by experts whose wide-ranging research provides expert insight into criminal justice issues at national and international levels, our MA covers the latest criminological theories, trends and developments in crime, criminal justice, and governance. You’ll be prepared for careers in law enforcement, planning, policy, social work, charity, advocacy and more. Should you wish to undertake PhD study or focus on research, we offer a research methods intensive pathway designed to meet UK government postgraduate funding criteria.

Month of entry

September

Mode of study

Full time, Part time

Location

Keele University campus

Subject area

Humanities, Social Science

Fees for 2023/24 academic year

UK - Full time £8,900 per year. Part time £4,900 per year.
International - £17,700 per year.

Duration of study

1 year full time, 2 years part time

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Please note: this course is no longer accepting applications from international students for September 2023 entry

Why study Criminology and Criminal Justice at Keele University?

Keele is ranked among the top 300 universities in the world for Criminology (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022).

High staff-to-student ratio enhanced by small-group tutorials and research-led teaching drawing on experiences with government, third sector, police, prison, probation and youth justice services.

Flexible block teaching delivery allows you to study, continuing to work full-time or balance any other personal or professional commitments.

An approved route for PhD study, the research methods pathway responds to growing demand for research and evaluation across public, private and third sector.

Opportunities to hear from guest lecturers, when possible, previously from the police, offender housing, community safety, and those working with victims of domestic or sexual violence.

Course summary

Criminology addresses urgent contemporary events - from policing, civil disorder, migration and border security, to probation, imprisonment and sentencing - and their impact on people locally, nationally or internationally.

The principles, theories and research covered on this MA aim to help us – as individuals and society – better understand the causes and effects of crime, offending and penal sanctions, generating the insight needed to inform social policy development and criminal justice practice.

This course will be of interest to anyone motivated to make the world a safer place to live and work, whether seeking to reduce and better control crime, or by helping to create and deliver a fair justice process. It will be particularly relevant if you currently or would like to work in criminal justice, community safety, policy, research, rehabilitation, victim support or similar fields. We welcome applicants holding a Bachelor’s degree in any area of the social sciences (broadly defined), law, or forensics. Applicants with equivalent professional or career experience are also welcome.

The programme provides opportunities for the advanced study of criminal justice as a specialised, interdisciplinary field, to think critically about legal and social orders and understand changes in law, policy and practice. There is a strong emphasis on understanding criminal justice as a dynamic and complex field.

Students are equipped with the intellectual, analytical and research skills needed for understanding criminal justice, crime control and security, policing, penality and offender management.

You will develop a wide range of practical qualitative and quantitative research skills, preparing you for fieldwork and equipping you with transferrable written and oral communication skills useful in almost any profession. Through module selection, you also can choose to develop more advanced social science research approaches and skills in line with best practice outlined in the widely respected Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF).

Keele University has been an international centre for research and teaching in crime and justice since the late 1960s. You will be taught by staff who work with the full range of criminal justice agencies, including the police, magistracy, prison services, probation, youth justice services, third sector and government. Their broad expertise includes prisons, resettlement, community-based justice, restorative justice, lay participation in criminal trials, fear of crime, crime and the family, politics of crime control, police-community relations, inequality, alternative responses to youth offending, terrorism, and the criminalisation and securitisation of migration.

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PhD/MPhil Criminology

MRes Social Science Research Methods

LLM Criminal Law and Criminal Justice

MA Human Rights

MA Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Exploitation

MA Safeguarding Adults - Law, Policy and Practice

MA Social Work

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Course structure

Criminology is a fascinating, complex and practical discipline relevant to a wide range of criminal justice, security, social and legal professions. Matters of crime, harm and justice permeate everyday societies all over the world, from the responses to wrongdoing, illegality and harm, to the structure of criminal justice institutions and conduct of those working within them.

This MA builds your knowledge of these issues and current trends in national and international criminal justice, giving you a greater appreciation of the impact of public policy on crime, social control and criminal justice and penal system processes and practice. You'll be encouraged to ground theories in real-life practice and contemporary case studies, including, for example, migration 'pushback' in international waters or Covid management in prisons.

The programme helps students to develop critical thinking, problem solving and research skills that can be applied in a range of policy making and practice roles in criminal justice, as well as health settings, government, charity or industry.

You will encounter a range of classical and contemporary criminological theories relating to criminal causality, environmental, cultural, zemiological and political-economic perspectives. These reflect vital criminological and penological debates in 21st century global societies about the relationship between crime, victimisation, justice, citizenship, belonging, security and human rights. There are modules which provide training in social research methods which emphasise students active participation in knowledge production as part of a research community.

Over the course of the MA Criminology and Criminal Justice, you will complete 180 credits (including the dissertation). Students who wish to take a research-intensive pathway have the option of selecting two 15-credit modules on Approaches to Research Design and Process and Researcher Skills in Semester One.

Taught Modules & Dissertation

SEMESTER 1

Core modules

CRI-40027 Contemporary Criminology: Theory and Practice (30 credits)

You will examine current developments in criminological concepts, theories and perspectives, exploring key themes, issues and political debates concerning crime, crime control and criminal and social justice in the UK and globally. You will analyse social problems and issues from different perspectives, for example, considering crime and criminal behaviour in terms of biological, psychological, economic, ecological, gender and social factors.

Option 1 (Standard)

CRI-40029 Contemporary Challenges in Criminal Justice (30 credits)

This module focuses on current trends in criminal justice at national, transnational and international levels as they relate to security, crime control, governance, regulation and criminal justice. You will consider how society, law and politics influence contemporary policy developments, for example, in sentencing, restorative justice, or community crime prevention.

Option 2 (Research methods intensive)

RT-40023: Approaches to Research Design and Process (15 credits)

Providing you with the skills to plan and execute independent academic research, this module explores the differences between types of research design, such as case-study, longitudinal, comparative and ethnographic designs. You will consider the different strategies for gathering evidence in the social sciences, including documentary research, interviews and focus groups, ethnography, and surveys.

GRT-40028: Researcher Skills (15 credits)

You will gain a solid introduction to the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers, according to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF). This internationally-respected guidance covers the wide-ranging knowledge, intellectual abilities, techniques and professional standards, including ethics, expected to do research, as well as the personal qualities, knowledge and skills to work with others and ensure the wider impact of research.

SEMESTER 2

Core modules

CRI-40030 Advanced Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice (30 credits)

You will consider the contemporary forces which are shaping, and are in turn shaped by, public policy on crime and criminal justice thinking and practice. We will consider some of the controversies facing the criminal justice system today, such as arguments for criminalisation or legalisation of drug use, policing practices in relation to minority groups, or youth imprisonment.

GRT-40020 Quantitative Research and Data Analysis (15 credits)

You will learn about approaches to the design and implementation of quantitative research, the principles of developing quantitative research instruments, such as surveys, opinion polling, questionnaires, or focus groups, to gather information. You will also be introduced to statistical analysis of quantitative dataset, using the specialist software SPSS.

GRT-40021 Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits)

You will gain a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of qualitative social scientific research, engaging in the different approaches, design and methods of investigation associated with generating and analysing qualitative date. This includes, for example, observational research using case studies or interviews, or historical research using existing primary and secondary sources, records or recollections.

SEMESTER 3

After you have completed the taught modules, you will undertake an independent project to further develop your knowledge in a specific area of management or to tackle a specific management issue within an organisation, all of which is designed to enhance your employability and research skills.

CRI-40031 Dissertation (60 credits)

Representing the culmination of your studies, this is your chance to apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout the course to design, conduct, analyse and report an appropriate piece of empirical research. It provides an exciting opportunity to work under the supervision of an expert in your chosen field of interest, demonstrating a level of knowledge and understanding far beyond what you have learned in class. Past projects, including prize-winning dissertations, have included: policing the HS2 protests; youth justice sentencing in Ghana; the role of NGOs in Kenyan penal reform; ecological crime and global neoliberalism; online shaming as social control; meat production and food crime; and comic-book representations of crime in New York.

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"I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the course. My favourite aspects however have been the small teaching groups, the diversity of students and their interests, the knowledgeable and supportive teaching staff, and the teaching content which has been challenging and thought provoking. In the last year I feel my Criminological knowledge has considerably improved, especially in areas that I didn’t even know I was interested in! The nature of the enthusiastic teaching has made it all so accessible and given the opportunity I would stay on and do the course all over again!"

Jodie, MA Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate

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Teaching, learning and assessment

How you'll be taught

Our teaching and learning strategy is wide-ranging and innovative, seeking to give you a rich learning environment that draws actively upon leading-edge research, as well as current professional practice. It includes traditional lectures, workshops and small group tutorials.

You’ll be taught by staff who will share their wide-ranging experience in research, and who regularly work in partnership with youth offending teams, the Police, prisons and the Probation Service. This includes services such as resettlement, mentoring, legal advice, housing support, assistance with drug and alcohol or mental health problems, and criminal justice interventions.

External practitioners, including past students, will share insight into different perspectives and mindsets towards criminal justice around the world. Previous talks have covered areas including policing practice, offender resettlement in prison, domestic abuse services and health management in prisons.

You’ll gain valuable transferrable skills such as learning how to design research, conduct interviews and collect and analyse data using appropriate statistical methods.

Teaching schedule

The MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice is made up of three semesters:

Semester 1: Runs from the end of September to the end of January
Semester 2: Runs from the last week of January to the middle of June
Semester 3: Runs from June to the end of September

Teaching takes place over the first two semesters. There are no formal group classes during Semester 3, but you will be able to consult with supervisors and access the University’s learning and teaching facilities and support services during this period.

You will be assessed after the end of each module, and for the full time MA, you will complete a dissertation in semester 3, ready to submit in September.

Semester 1

The core Criminology modules in semester 1 (CRI-40027 Contemporary Criminology: Theory and Practice and CRI-40029 Contemporary Challenges in Criminal Justice) are each taught by a combination of a 3-day intensive mixture of lectures, workshops and discussions delivered on-campus, plus extensive online content that students can work through at their own pace over the course of the module.

The 3-day on-campus block for CRI-40027 Contemporary Criminology: Theory and Practice usually takes place in early October, and for CRI-40029 Contemporary Challenges in Criminal Justice it is in mid-late November.

This enables you to accommodate your online learning around your personal and professional responsibilities with the benefits of block teaching. For students pursuing the research-intensive pathway and taking research related modules in semester 1 – these are usually taught on campus weekly, each as an afternoon workshop, for 5 weeks.

Semester 2

The core Criminology module (CRI-40030 Advanced Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice) is again delivered by a mixture of an intensive 3-day on-campus block after Easter, with online materials and support. You will also take two research modules (GRT-40020 Quantitative Research and Data Analysis and GRT-40021 Qualitative Research Methods) which are both delivered as a weekly afternoon workshop for 5 weeks – from the start of semester 2 until late February/early March.

Semester 3

During semester 3, you will work on your dissertation topic in collaboration with an allocated supervisor from the programme team.

How you’ll be assessed

Assessment is varied and includes individual essays, research design portfolios, the production of ethical and fieldwork-related material, and a dissertation. Where possible, assessment strategies support students to develop specialist and transferable general skills, such as team working, idea generation, critical thinking, problem solving, meeting deadlines and so on.

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Keele Postgraduate Association

Keele University is one of a handful of universities in the UK to have a dedicated students' union for postgraduate students. A fully registered charity, Keele Postgraduate Association serves as a focal point for the social life and welfare needs of all postgraduate students during their time at Keele.

KPA interior

Hugely popular, the KPA Clubhouse (near Horwood Hall) provides a dedicated postgraduate social space and bar on campus, where you can grab a bite to eat and drink, sit quietly and read a book, or switch off from academic life at one of the many regular events organised throughout the year. The KPA also helps to host a variety of conferences, as well as other academic and career sessions, to give you and your fellow postgraduates the opportunities to come together to discuss your research, and develop your skills and networks.

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Our expertise

Teaching staff

Keele has been an international centre for research and teaching in crime and justice since the late 1960s. The Centre for Social Policy conducts historical, comparative and psychosocial research on a broad range of crime and justice issues, providing new insight into experiences, opinions and patterns of behaviour in order to support policy makers and practitioners in the fields of crime, punishment and criminal justice.

You will be taught by staff whose expertise spans policing, crime prevention and community justice, the third sector in criminal justice, victimology, professional practice in criminal justice, cultural representations of crime and punishment, risk, governance and regulation, and race, gender and citizenship in criminal justice. They are also involved with professional associations such as the British Society of Criminology, serving on the editorial boards of leading disciplinary journals.

Teaching team includes:

Dr Santiago Abel Amietta. Research interests: legal and criminological practice; lay participation in criminal justice; fear of crime; law in everyday life; post-colonial criminology with a continued regional focus on Latin America.
Professor Mary Corcoran. Research Interests: imprisonment; political crime and offending; women and criminal justice; the voluntary sector in criminal justice; inter-agency partnerships; marketisation in criminal justice; justice alternatives to prison.
Dr Anne-Marie Day. Research interests: youth justice, prisons and imprisonment, criminal justice policy and practice; resettlement.
Dr Evi Girling. Research interests: crime and insecurities in everyday life; crime, globalisation and identity; capital punishment; the anti-death penalty movement, restorative justice, globalisation and punishment.
Dr Clare Griffiths. Research Interests: immigration and crime, urban criminology and sociology, vulnerability.
Dr Tony Kearon. Research Interests: Media representations of crime, cultural histories of crime and criminological theory and the role of ‘the criminal’ in late modernity; policing.
Dr Helen Wells. Research Interests: Controversies surrounding the use of speed cameras to enforce speed limits; ‘the crimes of the law-abiding’ – the regulation of a variety of ‘minor’ offences; surveillance, technology and crime control.
Dr Sam Weston. Research Interests; Mental health; drugs policy; policing; health and criminal justice; vulnerability.
Professor Bela Arora: Research interests: international security; global governance; modern slavery; knowledge co-production transfer; student employability.
Dr Liam Wrigley: Research interests: youth justice; intersectionality; co-productive ethnographies and methodologies.

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