| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
| 2025-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
Bournemouth University's MA in Criminology & Criminal Justice advances knowledge of criminology, criminal justice processes and outcomes, and research skills. It offers career-focused units, such as Policy Making in Criminal Justice and Professional Practice, and an independent dissertation, preparing graduates for leadership roles in criminal justice and related sectors. The program caters to full-time or part-time students, and individual units can be taken for professional development.
Program Outline
It caters to both career development and those transitioning from undergraduate studies. The program aims to:
- Develop advanced analytical knowledge and understanding of criminological theory and criminal justice processes and outcomes, informed by current practice and research.
- Enhance existing leadership and practice skills to support career progression and align with requirements from current employers in criminal justice.
- Conduct an independent piece of critical research in a related area of choice.
- Develop advanced research skills for critically examining complex problems, suitable for theoretical and practical application.
- Consider criminology and criminal justice from a global perspective.
- Advance knowledge of crime and criminology under the tutelage of research-active teaching staff, bringing research and professional practice into the classroom environment.
Outline:
The program is structured around core and optional units.
Core Units:
- Contemporary Criminological Theory: This unit explores new criminologies, such as Gothic, Narrative, or Visual Criminology, Queer Criminology, and Green Criminology. It examines established and contemporary approaches to theory, evaluating their contribution to the discipline. Students compare theoretical trends over time and place them within the criminological tradition to form contemporary criminological thought.
- Research Methods for Criminology and Criminal Justice: This practical unit explores a range of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies. It establishes connections between theory, method, ethics, and data analysis. Students critically evaluate the suitability of research designs to conduct meaningful and ethical research.
- Penalism and Punishment: This unit examines the role of punishment and penal policy, asking the question "why punish?". It explores the development and function of the modern prison, the purpose of community-based sanctions and alternatives to custody, and the changing functions of prison over time. Students delve into issues of gender, race, and ethnicity, considering the changing composition of the prison population.
- Policy Making in the Criminal Justice System: This unit critically examines criminal justice policy, exploring how, by whom, and for whom policy is made. It investigates the role of ideology, economics, and political pragmatism in the policy-making process, as well as the challenges in implementing policy. Students have opportunities to compare national and international policy practice, considering theories, policy-making processes, decision-making, power, and decision-making in criminal justice.
- Dissertation: This independent piece of work allows students to use their knowledge and analytical techniques to evaluate and explore a specific topic related to criminology and/or criminal justice. With guidance from academic supervisors, students apply theoretical knowledge and demonstrate research competence in producing a substantial empirical research project, systematic review, or systematic case study.
Optional Units:
- Complexities of Contemporary Policing: This unit critically examines contemporary policing, considering problems, challenges, and controversies pertaining to policing, both nationally and abroad. Students learn about challenges of governance and accountability, transnational policing, post-Brexit challenges, ethics, and frameworks for analyzing policing. They also consider democratic policing, police professionalization, and the role of Higher Education within police learning and development.
- Hate Crime and Extremism: This unit introduces concepts and debates around hate crime policy and legislation and forms of extremism in contemporary society. Students learn about hate crime's historical and theoretical conceptualizations, from its origins in identity politics to the changes in criminal justice practice in the UK.
- Professional Practice and Leadership Skills: This unit develops students' skills in critically evaluating, communicating, and presenting ideas and results, and preparing and structuring reports. Students gain theoretical understanding and practical skills for presenting materials to criminal justice and other agencies. They also consider how leadership efficacy is produced, developed, and evaluated. This unit aims to support career progression, providing students with the capacity to work effectively, respectfully, and resiliently within a professional criminal justice environment. Students learn about collaborative practices and perceived blockages between all departments in the Criminal Justice System, including the restraints of finances and the challenges of competing targets between agencies. This provides invaluable insight into the Criminal Justice System and assists in seeking leadership roles across the sector.
- Victimisation and Sexual Violence: This unit develops a critical understanding of classic and contemporary debates on victimization with a focus on sexual violence, informed by theoretical debates, policy interventions, and empirical research literature. Students critically explore how victimization is understood within the criminal justice system and consider the role of the victim in the criminal justice process. They then consider current debates on sexual violence in society, learning about the changing role of the victim, the advancement of the "survivor" label, support systems for victims, and how notions of victimhood are constructed within criminological research.
Assessment:
Details of the assessment methods and contact hours for each unit of the course can be found in the programme specification.
Teaching:
- The course is taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This includes senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians, and research students.
- Students benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.
- The course is part of a coordinated suite of social sciences courses.
Careers:
This degree supports the career development of those already working within policing or criminal justice-related areas, as well as providing the base for those looking to start a career in this area. It provides students with the knowledge, skills, and understanding needed for a range of roles in policing, the prison and probation services, youth justice, criminal justice, social services, government, and the civil service. For those currently employed in criminal justice professions, the degree is designed to support career advancement through dedicated units such as "Policy Making in the Criminal Justice System" and "Professional Practice and Leadership Skills". The degree also prepares students for future postgraduate research by incorporating theoretical and methodological skills and the production of a final dissertation piece.
Other:
- The program is available full-time or part-time.
- Students can study individual CPD units rather than register for the whole course, such as undertaking the "Professional Practice and Leadership Skills" unit for professional development or career progression.
- The program specification provides definitive records of the university's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements.
- The program specification describes the course's aims, structure, content, and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning, and assessment methods used.
- The program specification is subject to change to take advantage of new approaches to teaching and learning and developments in industry.
Fees and funding
- For September 2024
- £9,500 (UK, ROI & CI)
- £17,250 (Int'l)
- Part-time study:
- Fees are charged on a pro-rata basis of the full-time fee
Fee regions explained:
- UK: United Kingdom
- ROI: Republic of Ireland
- CI: Channel Islands & Isle of Man
- Int'l: International
No hidden extras
- Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity.
- A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
- Access to Brightspace, our virtual leaning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
- The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
- IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
- Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
- The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.
- Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices.
- Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses.
- Accommodation and living costs. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
- SportBU Membership. While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.
Repeat units
If you need to repeat one or more units during the course of your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full time fee.
Financial help available from BU
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to eligible students who are beginning their studies at BU.
Deposits
International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. For September 2024 and January 2025 entry, a £5,000 deposit is required. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:
- You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
