Duration
1 year Full time / 2 years Part time
Course Structure
The posrgraduate courses are provided on a full-time and part-time basis, with teaching generally carried out in the evenings.
The Masters programme requires a total of 180 credits, comprising 60 credits from core modules, 60 credits from elective modules, and 60 credits from a dissertation.
The Diploma programme requires 120 credits, comprising 60 credits from core modules and 60 credits from elective modules. There is no requirement to produce a dissertation.
Entrance Requirements
Admission to the Masters or Diploma programmes requires the possession of a good honours degree in a relevant discipline. Students with professional, voluntary or practical criminal justice experience are encouraged to emphasise this in their application. Students without an honours degree but with suitable professional or voluntary experience may (subject to assessment by Institute staff) be permitted to enrol in the Certificate programme.
Compulsory Modules
Students are required to take a compulsory module in:
- Criminal Justice Processes (30 credits)
Elective Modules
Students must choose from the following elective modules to accrue a total of 90 credits. The full range of elective modules may not be available every year and will depend upon student demand and staff availability.
- Punishment & Social Control (15 credits)
- Penal Policy & Practice (15 credits)
- Policing (15 credits)
- Fear, Crime & the Media (15 credits)
- Crime Prevention (15 credits)
- Comparative Youth Justice (15 credits)
- A Social History of Criminal Justice (15 credits)
- Restorative Justice (15 credits)
- Criminal Justice Management (30 credits)
- Gender, Sexuality and Violence (15 Credits)
- Management Theory and the Criminal Justice System (15 Credits)
- Management Practice and the Criminal Justice System (15 Credits)
- Transnational Crime(15 Credits)
- Transitional Justice and Conflict Transformation (15 Credits)
Masters Programme
Students proceeding to the masters degree must complete a supervised dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words (worth 60 credits), on a relevant topic of their choice.
Transfer regulations from Diploma to MSSc
The Diploma in Criminal Justice may be taken on a full-time (one year) or part-time (two year) basis. Candidates who successfully complete the requisite compulsory and elective moduels (120 credits) will bea warded the degree of Postgraduate Diploma in Criminal Justice. Candidates may progress to the MSSc in Criminal Justice. However, to do so, they should have obtained a mark of at least 50% in all compulsory and elective modules at the first attempt. Progression to the MSSc is ultimately at the discretion of the MSSc Course Co-ordinator and Postgraduate Committee.
Please note that to progress to the MSSc you will need to re-register with the University and will be liable for additional fees in relation to the dissertation component (60 credits). In addition you CANNOT register for the MSSc in the same academic year as you have taken the Diploma. For instance, if you complete the Diploma in June (and decide to progress to the MSSc) you will not be permitted to register until the new academic year begins in September of that year. If you satisfactorily cmplete the dissertaiton component (60 credits) you will be eligible for Summer graduation the following year.
Assessment
Assessment methods are at the individual tutor's discretion but normally involve written assignments and may also involve assessed individual or group presentations.
