Criminology MA 2022/23 entry
The content of this course for September 2022 entry is still being updated. The information on these pages relates to September 2021 entry and is for guidance only. September 2022 entry content will be updated by spring 2022. Please revisit this course page for updated information.
Overview
The PGDip and MA Criminology courses have been designed to give both recent graduates and practitioners currently working in the criminal justice system greater insight in to the dynamic issues surrounding crime and criminal justice in the modern world. You will explore a broad definition of crime, considering multiple perspectives and scales, from crimes committed by one person against another to crimes perpetrated by corporations and states against whole populations. You will explore the causes of crime and the implications for everyone affected by crime, including victims, offenders, witnesses and criminal justice staff at all stages of the criminal justice process.
You will also examine the challenges of delivering criminal justice, including global concerns over security. The global perspective is an important element of the course, including discussion of what crime is across the globe and who defines what constitutes criminality.
Throughout the course contrasting theoretical approaches are compared to engender a lively on-going debate reflective of developments in global criminology. The main purpose of the course is to support your academic, personal and professional development, aiming to prepare you for a variety of criminal justice, rehabilitation and victim support roles; as well as wider possible career destinations such as drug rehabilitation, mental health support, policy, health security and fraud investigation. You will have the opportunity to go on visits to relevant destinations, such as prisons and courts and hear from guest speakers working in criminal justice roles to provide access to ‘real-world’ applications of your learning (subject to availability). On successful completion of the course you will have a detailed understanding on the key approaches to preventing, investigating and tackling crime at all levels.
The courses have been designed to enable you to study full-time over one year, or part-time over two years, and can be studied through both face-to face and blended learning. The MA starts in September and January and the PGDip starts in January only.
Coventry University has extensive experience of on-line learning. In a recent (2020) article in The Guardian, Coventry University was listed as one of just 6 UK universities with the capacity and will to develop high-quality online education. This recognition follows Coventry’s 4th place ranking in 2020, in MoocLab's World University Rankings by MOOC Performance, the only UK university to make it in to the top 10.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
COVID-19
The University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
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Course information
The courses are designed to enhance your understanding and provide you with new perspectives on criminological theory and practice. In addition to established theories, new areas of criminological concern are discussed, such as criminalisation of migration; harm to the environment; and breaching public health measures. Studying criminology on these courses is also designed to extend your awareness and understanding of the ways that globalisation has accelerated organised crime as it follows money flows, necessitating international collaboration for public protection. There is a focus on how emerging technologies impact on crime and security and links between youth, popular culture and crime. A central focus throughout is the effect of crime and social harm on communities and individuals.
How thinking on criminology has developed over time, and been refined due to new evidence and knowledge in the field is a key component of the course. You will also examine the important issue of how and when the criminal justice system has failed, through miscarriages of justice and systemic failings such as institutional racism.
Modules
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
In more detail...
During this course you will comprehensively explore criminology, examining the subject from a truly global perspective. You will investigate subjects at the cutting edge of criminology, including topics that create discussion in wider society, for example border control and drug policy. It is one of a small number of courses where you will have the chance to study forensic linguistics, which incorporates the study of the language used in court and police interviews, and the impact this has on justice. The course is taught by staff with published expertise in criminal youth gangs, drugs and forensic mental health**. You will explore complex criminological theory through representations in popular culture (e.g. Walter White’s transition from law-abiding high school chemistry teacher to psychopathic drug lord in the TV show Breaking Bad).
The course has been designed for graduates of criminology, professionals currently working in the field and graduates of other disciplines looking to develop their career in a criminology related field.
There is an emphasis throughout the course on developing the skills required for a range of roles within the criminal justice sector. On successful completion of the course you will have a detailed understanding of the various career options available and the skills and attributes (including resilience, empathy and analytical problem solving) required to be successful in those roles. You will appreciate the importance of multi-agency working and collaboration, including the importance of data security.
You will also explore how the criminal justice system is run and governed, and how the different aspects of the system work together (or do not work together leading to failures and injustice).
**staff may be subject to change
- Applied approach designed to develop the skills required for employment in various criminal justice roles.
- Expert speakers from agencies involved in criminal justice complement and contextualise your understanding .
- International perspective on crime.
- Opportunities to participate in international field trips – previous criminology trips have included South Africa, the USA, Finland and Estonia. *
- * Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student
These courses take a global perspective on crime, yet enable you to understand the impact of crime and criminal justice on individuals. You will examine contemporary approaches to understanding a range of crimes including violent/sexual crimes, white-collar crime and environmental crime.
You will be taught though a mixture of lectures, seminars and tutorials. A case-study approach is taken to enable you to apply your learning to real life scenarios.
This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Please contact ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk for more information about studying this course part-time.
The University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to Covid-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
You will be assessed through a range of innovative assessment methods designed to enable you to demonstrate your knowledge and professional skills, including scenario-based assignments, essays, presentations and group work.
On successful completion of the course, you will:
- Be able to evaluate international best practice in criminal justice and inter-related fields (e.g. public protection, management, care, rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders, and victim and witness support) .
- Have developed a range of skills related to careers in the criminal justice field.
- Be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of comparative theoretical approaches to criminology.
- Have the ability to appraise contemporary interdisciplinary and emergent contributions to the study of criminology and to criminological research.
- Have developed decision-making, initiative and personal responsibility through co-production of definitions of criminal justice and injustice .
- Understand criminology from a global perspective .
Full-time students will normally have around 10 hours of lecture, workshops or blended learning each week. And approximately 2 hours in small group tutorials. This is supplemented by around 5 hours of online guided delivery.
Part time students will have half of the hours outlined above.
Undergraduate criminology students normally undertake international visits and in the past have included observing a trial in New York and Krakow in Poland to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. MA criminology students have the opportunity to go on these trips too.*
* Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student
Entry Requirements
Fees and funding
2022/23 Tuition fees
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to) travel, accommodation, activities and visas.
Career prospects
Graduate Immigration Route visa
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
These courses have been designed in consultation with employers within the criminal justice system and have been developed with the aim of producing graduates able to demonstrate the skills and attributes required for a range of roles in criminal justice, including probation work, police, border control, offender management and victim support.
Disclaimer
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For Home Students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Facilities are subject to availability. Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. The 2022/23 Contract is currently being updated so please revisit this page before submitting your application. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
