Degree Overview:

Criminology and Criminal Justice (LLM)

This exciting, stimulating, and topical postgraduate degree program in Criminology and Criminal Justice is taught by internationally-recognised scholars and researchers who offer students a wide introduction to the study of crime and criminal justice in contemporary society.

The program's objectives include:

Equipping students with a comprehensive understanding of the motivations for offending, the practical operation of criminal justice, and how the state responds to criminality and victimisation.
Providing knowledge and skills for pursuing criminal justice-related careers or undertaking advanced level study.
Enabling students to understand the complexities involved in criminal justice reform, both domestically and internationally, with a special focus on the post-conflict environment in Northern Ireland.

The program is unique in its approach:

Draws upon Northern Ireland’s experiment in overhauling its criminal justice system (police, prisons and restorative justice) as part of the political settlement reached in 1998.

Offers a focus on ‘what works’ in criminal justice reform, with police reform becoming a burning issue in many jurisdictions currently.

Combines the expertise of internationally-renowned scholars and practitioners in the field.

The Criminology and Criminal Justice program is relevant and interesting to:

Those who are already employed in criminal justice-related work in fields such as legal practice, government, non-governmental organisations.
Those who have just completed undergraduate degrees and are seeking to develop the knowledge and skills to pursue criminal justice-related careers or undertake advanced level study.

Key research strengths of the teaching staff lie in the following areas:

Community Safety and Crime Prevention
Policing
Prisoner Reintegration
Restorative Justice
Sex Offending
Victimology
Anti-Social Behaviour
Crime and the Life Course

Outline:

Course Content:

The LLM program in Criminology and Criminal Justice has a broad and interdisciplinary approach, drawing on original staff research and providing students with the opportunity to explore a wide range of criminological and criminal justice topics.

The program consists of three main components:

Taught modules:

Students must complete six core modules (80 CATS points) and two optional modules (40 CATS points).

Research dissertation:

Students complete a research dissertation (60 CATS points) on a topic of their choice, which allows them to explore a specific criminal justice-related issue in depth.

Optional Dissertation in Practice:

Students who secure a summer work placement of at least 8 weeks can complete a Dissertation in Practice, which includes a 12,000-word dissertation and a 3,000-word reflective journal of the learning experience.

Compulsory Modules:

Theoretical Criminology
Key Debates in Criminology
Criminal Justice Processes
Dissertation (Maximum 15,000 words)

Optional Modules:

Policing and Crime Prevention
Restorative Justice
Crimes of the Powerful
Youth Justice: Theory, Law and Practice
Prisons, Punishment & the Legacy of Conflict in NI
Victims & Victimology in NI

Optional modules are reviewed each year and are subject to staff availability and student numbers.

Course Schedule:

Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years) basis.

Course Structure:

The program is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, and independent study.

Methodology Mini-Modules:

Approaches to Legal Research
Criminal Justice & Criminology Methods 1
Criminal Justice & Criminology Methods 2

Individual Modules:

Theoretical Criminology:

This module provides a critical overview of the dominant theories of Western criminology, demonstrating the insights that can be gained from such theories and their application to specific criminal justice problems.

Key Debates in Criminology:

This module explores key debates in the field of criminology, including the causes of crime, the role of the criminal justice system, and the impact of crime on society.

Criminal Justice Processes:

This module examines the aims and values of criminal justice processes, policies, and practices, and provides knowledge and understanding of the law, policy, and practice relating to specific aspects of the criminal process.

Policing and Crime Prevention:

This module focuses on the historical role of the police, issues around democratic accountability, the ‘doing of policing’ involving questions of race, sexuality, gender, and age, as well as the impact of austerity and the commodification of security.

Restorative Justice:

This module explores the principles, issues, and debates surrounding restorative justice as an alternative method of dealing with offending behaviour.

Crimes of the Powerful:

This module examines the typologies of corporate crime, state crime, and state-corporate crime, exploring key historical and contemporary cases and the political, societal, and legal responses to these harms.

Youth Justice: Theory, Law and Practice:

This module covers key areas in youth justice including theories on causes of offending, the emergence of a separate response to young people who come into conflict with the law, current system and practice orientations such as prevention and early intervention, and interventions for young people who are processed through the youth justice system.

Prisons, Punishment & the Legacy of Conflict in NI:

This module explores the role and function of imprisonment during the conflict in Northern Ireland (1968-1998) and the residual impact on punishment and criminal justice policies since the signing of the peace agreement. The module also examines philosophies/ideologies of punishment, the history and emergence of approaches to imprisonment, the effects of imprisonment during times of incarceration and post-release, the legacy of conflict on approaches to punishment, and the impact on those in contact with the criminal justice system, and alternative approaches to punishment within the context of a post-conflict/transitional society.

Victims & Victimology in NI:

This module examines the experiences of victims of crime in Northern Ireland, considering the impact of the conflict on victims, the role of victim support services, and the legal and policy frameworks in place to protect victims.

Assessment:

Assessments associated with the course are as follows:

Taught modules: Assessed through a combination of coursework (essays, presentations, etc.)
Research dissertation: Assessed based on the originality, depth of research, analysis, and clarity of writing.
Dissertation in Practice: Assessed based on the quality of the placement experience, the dissertation, and the reflective journal.

Teaching:

The program also provides students with access to:

An excellent law section in the library
Extensive IT facilities
A proactive system of student support
A dedicated Programme Co-ordinator for guidance and support
Experienced and helpful administrative staff
A focus on facilitating good communication between staff and students
A Student Voice Committee, comprised of elected student representatives, the Director of Graduate Studies, and other members of academic staff, which provides a forum for students to raise concerns and allows the School to keep students informed about matters affecting the School and wider university.

Engage with subject experts
Develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society
Make use of innovative technologies and a world-class library that enhances their development as independent, life-long learners

Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course include:

E-learning technologies: Information associated with lectures and assignments is communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas.
Seminars: Seminars provide information about topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading.
Self-directed study: This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s Law student when important private reading and research, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date, and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.

Careers:

Some potential career paths include:

Legal practice:
Barrister
Solicitor
Legal researcher
Government:
Policy analyst
Criminologist
Victim support officer
Non-governmental organizations:
Project manager
Community worker
Research officer
Academia:
Lecturer
Researcher

Some of the past graduates of the program have gone on to work in the following roles:

Three of the most senior officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Policy advisors in government departments
Researchers in universities and research institutes
Lecturers in colleges and universities
Community workers in voluntary organizations

Other:

Conclusion:

The LLM Criminology and Criminal Justice program at Queen's University Belfast is a comprehensive and rigorous program that provides students with a deep understanding of crime and criminal justice in contemporary society. The program is taught by internationally-renowned scholars and researchers, and offers students a wide range of learning experiences, including lectures, seminars, workshops, and independent study. The program also provides students with the opportunity to engage in research, through the completion of a dissertation or a Dissertation in Practice. Graduates of the program are well-prepared for a variety of careers in the criminal justice field, or for further study at the PhD level.

Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

Northern Ireland (NI):

£7,300

Republic of Ireland (ROI):

£7,300

England, Scotland or Wales (GB):

£9,250

EU Other:

£21,500

International:

£21,500

Additional Costs:

There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.

Payment Information:

The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas.
More information on funding options and financial assistance can be found at the provided link.
International Scholarships information is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships.

Program start date	Application deadline
2024-09-01	-
2024-06-01	-