About the course

The programme welcomes recent graduates (whether UK based or international students), mature students, and professionals in one of the relevant fields (e.g. police officers, prison officers, probation officers, social workers, lawyers, magistrates).

The distinctiveness of the programme resides in its multidisciplinary curriculum which is simultaneously rooted in the University’s combined honours approach to undergraduate teaching and interdisciplinary approach to research.

Course structure

The MA Criminology and Criminal Justice programme requires satisfactory completion of 180 credits. 

The programme includes three 30-credit module teaching blocks and two 15-credit modules, followed by a 60-credit dissertation, with a target length of 15,000 words.  All taught elements of the programme are delivered through a mixture of lectures, tutorials and small group work and will include at least 12 teaching sessions per module.  

How the course is taught

The programme is taught via block teaching (30 credit) modules, which include three days of intensive face-to-face contact between staff and students, whereas attendance on the 15 credit modules will be roughly spread over 5-6 weeks of half-day teaching. This format of attendance should allow students to combine their studies with either part-time or full-time professional activities should they wish to do so.

A significant effort will be made in the programme to tailor teaching contents both to your individual educational and professional background and to your intellectual and professional interests.  Teaching mainly comprises blended learning sessions based on tutor-led seminars and discussions, small group exercises, and case studies, for example. Each module is accompanied by extensive independent study and throughout the course students are encouraged and required to undertake independent reading to both supplement and consolidate the classes, and to broaden individual knowledge and comprehension of the subject.

The programme also includes an additional half day dissertation workshop where you will be able to prepare for your dissertation research.

The MA is taught and assessment by Keele University staff who are all highly qualified, experienced and respected academics in the fields of criminology, criminal justice and governance studies. The breadth and depth of this expertise enables us to offer you excellent support and supervision during your studies.

How you'll be assessed

Each of the taught modules is assessed based on written, summative coursework assignments of up to 5,000 words (essay, case-study, research proposal, and empirical research report) - there are no exams.  Students must successfully complete each of the taught modules in order to progress to the dissertation stage of the programme, which then involves researching and writing a dissertation of up to a target length of 15,000 words. 

Entry Requirements

Applicants should have an honours degree at 2:2 class or higher (or international equivalent) in one of the humanities or social sciences subjects (e.g. law, criminal justice, criminology, sociology, history, political science). However, applicants with other qualifications and appropriate experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Students for whom English is a second language will need English language proficiency of at least 6.5 in IELTS, with 5.5 in each subtest (or equivalent).

Funding

Living costs

Keele University is located on a beautiful campus and has all the facilities of a small town. Student accommodation, shops, restaurants and cafes are all within walking distance of the teaching buildings. This is a very cost effective way to live and to reduce your living costs.

Scholarships and Funding

We are committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Please visit our scholarships and bursaries webpage for more information

It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in this case, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our Financial Support Team.

Our expertise

The core teaching staff of the Criminology and Criminal Justice programme comprises research-active specialists in Criminology with diverse areas of expertise and qualifications in both criminological research and practice. Most academic staff also work with criminal justice agencies including the police, prison services, probation, youth justice services, third sector and government. Most members of the Criminology programme teach on our postgraduate programmes. Individual staff biographies can be found on the School staff list.

Careers

Graduates from our course have found employment in a variety of occupations including: the accelerated police and prison graduate training programmes; the probation service; in other criminal justice agencies; in the voluntary sector with organisations such as Victim Support and NACRO; and in a variety of other graduate level jobs. In addition, a number of graduates have gone on to take postgraduate courses at Keele and elsewhere.

As part of your Criminology degree you will have gained a set of Distinctive Graduate Attributes that put you in a unique position in an uncertain labour market that demands graduate employees to be skilled, yet flexible, workers.

For further help and advice about how to put yourself in the best position upon graduation explore the Careers and Employability web pages or drop in to see them. They can help with all aspects of the transition into employment, from drawing up a CV to preparing for job interviews.

Further sources for advice about what to do with a degree in Criminology:

• British Society of Criminology jobs board
• Prospects in Criminology
• The Guardian, careers with a Criminology degree
• The Complete University Guide, Social Policy careers