MA Criminology and Social Justice

The Criminology subject area is situated within the Department of Law, Criminology and policing and builds on the successful Criminology undergraduate provision. The Department is small, friendly, and focused on providing students with a personalised, transformative student experience.

This course is uniquely designed to offer students a foundation of critical criminological knowledge through which concerns relating to matters of social justice, equality and diversity are examined, promote access to social justice for all within the criminal justice system and wider society.

This will equip students to be prepared for the ethical challenges in applying their knowledge to this challenging area of practice and enquiry in their future careers.

You will be taught by an experienced team of academics, some of whom draw on their experience within the Criminal Justice System, and all of whom are actively engaged in innovative research, which informs their teaching. This provides our students with a contemporary knowledge of criminological and social justice issues to support the Newman mission to empower our students to transform society.

The Department has links with overseas institutions, with the teaching team being invited to present and share their research and knowledge, developing this extended academic network for the benefit of our students.

Students can study full-time (1 year) or part-time (over 2 years) electing to progress at their own pace. The programme is timetabled to enable participation by working and to promote a work / life balance.

Students will be taught through a blended approach to learning that balances traditional teaching methods, such as tutorials, lectures and seminars, with other delivery methods such as field observations, opportunities for work-place observation and learning, the use of virtual learning environments, external expert speakers, interactive learning workshops, and external visits. The programme views your learning within the ‘classroom’ as one part of a rich learning environment, which includes your own lived experiences.

Why study this course?

The MA Criminology and Social Justice has the following special features:

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Provides a broader perspective than other Criminology courses by exploring the relationship between criminal and social justice, in both a local context, and a global context.

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Draws a conceptual distinction between crime and social harm

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Reflects the University’s commitment to Social Justice.

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Opportunities for students to negotiate the content of modules with staff.

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Taught by committed research active staff who have experience as practitioners.

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Opportunities for students to engage with practitioners in a variety of criminal justice settings.

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Highly focused and student-centred programme with small class sizes and a high level of individual support for students

Enhanced employability skills needed for careers in a range of criminal justice agencies, public bodies, local and central government, and community organisations.

Students should have a minimum 2:2 undergraduate degree in either criminology, or in a relevant associated subject including but not limited to criminology, psychology, sociology, policing, law, social work. Equivalent professional experience, reflected through relevant work experience in a criminal justice agency or third sector related role, will be considered. Consideration will also be given to mature applicants with considerable ‘life experience’ for whom study at postgraduate rather than undergraduate level, is appropriate.