Criminology and Criminal Justice LLM

The dissertation is an independent, in-depth inquiry into a research topic of your choosing. The topic will relate to a key legal question or issue and may also directly relate to your professional/career interests. You will: Identify and define a discrete research topic in Law; Complete and submit a Dissertation Proposal Form, signed by your chosen supervisor; Carry out a literature review of the relevant field, incorporating a comprehensive range of relevant legal materials; Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the selected legal issues through independent research; Construct and sustain a cohesive argument within your writing; Outline the implications of your findings and how they may inform further research, policy or practice. This your opportunity to make a contribution to the legal and academic community with new and original research and writing on a legal issue.

The Criminological Theory module provides students with knowledge and understanding of the key concepts and theoretical approaches that have been developed, and are continuing to develop, in relation to crime, victimisation and responses to crime and deviance. The module gives students the opportunity to further develop the critical, analytical and written skills necessary to conceptualize and explain criminological problem as well the evaluative skills necessary to assess and put criminological theories into operation through research.

The Criminological Research in Practice module presents cutting-edge research to provide students with insights into the realities of criminological research in practice, the process of research from inception of idea through development of research proposals (and applications for funding) and execution of fieldwork to dissemination of findings and contributions to development of theory and knowledge. Lectures showcase individual research projects, highlighting methodological (including practical and ethical) difficulties and how they are overcome, and the relationship between the research process and expanding the body of knowledge within the field of criminology. The module aims to: Develop a critical understanding of the realities of criminological research from project inception through to dissemination of findings; Foster a critical awareness of experiencing unforeseen methodological, practical and ethical challenges in the research process and ways to overcome these; Provide a working familiarity with a range of funding sources and how to apply to them; Develop knowledge and understanding of cutting-edge developments in a selection of criminological topics.

The Crime and Criminal Justice in the 21st Century module introduces students to the nature and extent of crime and criminal justice policy in contemporary society. Students gain an overview of crime and criminal justice statistics, with a critical understanding of how such statistics are socially constructed. They also gain an overview of current and recent trends in criminal justice policy, and an in-depth understanding of some of the key social dimensions of crime and justice (e.g. age, gender, race, social class) and some key criminological challenges for the 21st century (e.g. Cybercrime, Corporate Crime, Environmental Crime). The module aims to: Develop a critical understanding of the concepts (for instance, ?crime?, ?offender? and ?victim?) central to criminological study and their relationships to each other; Foster a critical awareness of the role of power (including individual, corporate and political power) in defining crime, developing policies to deal with it and in labelling offenders and victims; Identify, debate, analyse and understand emerging patterns of crime and criminal justice that look to characterise and dominate the early 21st century; Critically study contemporary bases of crime and criminalisation and its intellectual and historical antecedents.