Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Research (MRes)
- Duration
- 1 year
- Entry requirements
-
A minimum Upper Second Honours degree, or the overseas equivalent, in a relevant social science discipline, and must have completed a quantitative research methods course unit and have studied criminological and/or sociological theory.
When assessing your academic record we consider your degree subject, grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
- How to apply
- Apply online
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRes | Y | Y | N | N |
Course overview
- Prepare for doctoral research and/or planning a professional research career in criminology with a focus on social statistics and quantitative data analysis.
- Explore advanced, systematic quantitative research methods and theoretical arguments in criminology or socio-legal studies.
- Attain formal, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary training in quantitative research methodologies and transferable employment related skills.
Open days
The University organises open days every year in June, September, and October.
These are an opportunity to find out about the course, meet students and staff, tour the campus, and learn about accommodation, finance, and facilities.
If you receive an offer, we will invite you to a visit day where you learn about the School, teaching and learning, study opportunities and student life.
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MRes (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £13,500
International, including EU, students (per annum): £26,500 -
MRes (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £6,750
International, including EU, students (per annum): £13,250
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Social Sciences
- Contact name
- School of Social Sciences Admissions Office
- Telephone
- +44 (0) 161 804 9198
- pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/criminology/
- School/Faculty
-
See: School Subjects
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
A minimum Upper Second Honours degree, or the overseas equivalent, in a relevant social science discipline, and must have completed a quantitative research methods course unit and have studied criminological and/or sociological theory.
When assessing your academic record we consider your degree subject, grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
English language
Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:
- IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5
- TOEFL IBT 100 with 25 in writing and no further score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall, with 76 in writing and no further score below 70
Pre-Sessional English Courses
We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you will be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.
To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:
6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and no more than one sub-skill of 6.0.
10 Week Pre-sessional Course : IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 or above in each sub-skill
If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate to ensure that you are eligible for a separate visa for the English language course.
English language test validity
Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.
Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries
If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country (or have studied for a full bachelor's degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency.
Other international entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from across the globe. To help international students, the university provides specific information for many individual countries. Please see our country-specific information page for guidance on the academic and English language qualifications which may be accepted from your country.
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
Please note, due to the high volume of applications we receive the course may close before the advertised deadline and as such, early application is advised.
If you meet our entry requirements but we are unable to make you an offer you may be placed on a waiting list. Candidates on a waiting list will receive an offer only if places become available.
Policy for applicants who resit their qualifications
Course details
Course description
The MRes in Criminology (Social Statistics) course provides you with a thorough grounding in research methods, as well as the tools to collect and analyse advanced quantitative statistical data, with a focus on criminological research, theory, policy and practice.
Combining criminology and social statistics teaching from research-active staff in the School, this course encourages you to critically examine the theoretical foundations that underpin applied criminological and sociological research and give you an advanced understanding of social statistics.
You will develop a critical understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods and their application, as well as specialist knowledge of the issues within contemporary criminological and criminal justice debates.
Aims
- To meet national and regional demands for new research and policy-oriented competencies in criminology or socio-legal studies with a focus on advanced quantitative data analysis.
- Contribute to the national need for skilled social science researchers in criminological, socio-legal and related matters.
- Ensure the necessary grounding both to understand and to contribute to the future development of quantitative methods in these research areas.
- To provide advanced, systematic and critical knowledge of research methods and theoretical arguments in criminology or socio-legal studies which are at the forefront of the subject area in a vibrant research context.
- Offer a course integrating a grounding in research methodology with understanding of the implications for policy.
- Offer you the opportunity to develop your understanding of the key theoretical and epistemological debates within the subject area and to assist you to engage in theoretical debates at an advanced postgraduate level.
- Provide formal, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary training for you in research methodology and transferable employment related skills.
- Prepare you for PhD level research careers in academic life or as professionals in government and voluntary agencies.
- Train you to appreciate the relationship between research and the application and operation of policy and practice in the implementation of justice.
- Provide you with the tools for further research or study in criminology and/or socio-legal studies.
Special features
Teaching and learning
This course is taught by an interdisciplinary team of experts using a variety of delivery methods, including:
- lectures;
- workshops;
- student-led presentations and debate;
- group work;
- individual research.
Coursework and assessment
Course unit details
To meet the requirements of the taught element of the course, all students must take course units totalling 120 credits. This is normally attained with eight 15-credit course units, as listed below, with 60 credits taken each semester. Students take 6 core units. The availability of individual optional course units is subject to change (due, among other factors, to staff availability to deliver the course units in any given year). Information that is sent to students in the month of August preceding registration onto the course will clearly state the course units that are available in the academic year ahead.
In addition, students who pass the taught element of the course and who are permitted to progress to the research element of the course must also submit a dissertation of between 12,000 and 15,000 words worth 60 credits.
Dissertation
- Dissertation of 12-15,000 words during summer, supported by two area supervisors.
Exit awards
Students who fail to fulfil the requirements to pass the 180 credits necessary to attain the final degree of MRes can leave the course with the award of Postgraduate Diploma by passing 120 credits at the pass mark of 40% or can qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate by passing 60 credits at the pass mark of 40%. Students who do not fulfil the criteria for passing the taught element of the course at the Masters' level of 50% will not be permitted to progress to the dissertation element of the course and will leave the course with the highest award that the credits that have been passed will allow.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
15 credit core units:
- Designing Criminological Research LAWS70311
- Qualitative Research Methods LAWS71361
- Statistical Foundations SOST70151
- Introduction to Statistical Modelling SOST70011
- Evaluating Policy and Practice LAWS70542
15 credit optional units:
- Drugs: Markets, Policies and Consumption LAWS70572
- Crime Mapping: Introduction to GIS and Spatial Analysis LAWS60142
- International Security and Law LAWS70022
- Economic and Financial Crime LAWS71052
- Criminology of Mass Violence LAWS61052
- International Criminal Law and Justice LAWS70432
- Advanced Survey Methods SOST70032
- Comparative Studies in Crime and Criminal Justice LAWS 60642
Short course optional units:
- Structural Equation Modelling SOST70042
- Longitudinal Data Analysis SOST70022
- Social Network Analysis SOST71032
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | CRIM65000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Evaluating Policy & Practice | CRIM70542 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Qualitative Research Methods | CRIM71361 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Research Design | SOCY60401 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Introduction to Statistical Modelling | SOST70011 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Statistical Foundations | SOST70151 | 15 | Mandatory |
| PG Crime Mapping: an introduction to GIS and Spatial Analysis | CRIM60142 | 15 | Optional |
| White-Collar and Corporate Crime | CRIM61142 | 15 | Optional |
| Necrocriminology: Human Remains and Mass Violence. | CRIM70102 | 15 | Optional |
| Drugs: Markets, Policies and Consumption | CRIM70572 | 15 | Optional |
| Displaying 10 of 19 course units | |||
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Scholarships and bursaries
We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and merit awards to outstanding applicants and international students.
In addition, the Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a first-class bachelor's degree and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course.
For more information, see fees and funding or search the University's postgraduate funding database .
What our students say
Facilities
In addition to the networked study areas, you have access to one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the country, The University of Manchester Library .
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
This degree is designed to ensure highly numerate, research-oriented and employable graduates, and will provide you with the skills necessary for roles within:
- criminal justice;
- academia;
- government departments;
- research institutes;
- commercial research.
The University also has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .