MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice

This course critically addresses a range of key issues and debates relating to crime and the criminal justice system, and you will reflect on how they are entangled with social inequality, power and forms of marginalisation. You will have the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of crime, deviance and criminal justice from critical, theoretical, policy, legal, political and practical perspectives. 

You will also address issues of historical and contemporary concern, such as sex work, illicit drugs, crime in the night-time economy, forced migration, gender and crime, domestic violence, crime prevention, prison and punishment, policing, youth crime and justice, law enforcement and the use of new technologies. 

This course offers a fantastic platform from which to develop important critical skills that will support you in your career and educational journey.

Students on this course have the option of taking the Prisons, Crime and Justice module based on the unique Inside-Out approach to teaching and learning.  

This module provides MSc students in the department with an exciting and unique opportunity to learn about prisons and criminal justice with formerly incarcerated people.  Students learn about prisons, crime and justice experientially as participants in interactive workshops focusing a range of topical and critical issues, including, early days in custody; maternal incarceration; the social harms of recall; theorising violence and reimagining justice.  We deliver workshops in university settings, bringing formerly incarcerated people into our classrooms, as well as in criminal justice settings, including prisons and sites managed by the probation service.  

Students also have the option of taking the Placement module, which offers work-based experiential learning opportunities with a partner organisation. In previous years, partnership have included Darlington Young People’s Engagement and Justice Service and Durham Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office’s Community Peer Mentors Programme.  

Careers 

Some of our graduates have now gone on to work for the police, others now work for HM Prison and Probation Service as Prison and Probation Officers; some graduates now work with their local council supporting policy development in important areas concerning justice involved populations; others have now become teachers, whilst we also have students who have gone on to work in charities supporting people who have experienced domestic violence. A number of our students have gone on to pursue doctoral study.