Course description
Our MRes Criminology programme provides you with the advanced theoretical, conceptual and methodological expertise and skills necessary to undertake and critically evaluate criminological, socio-legal and criminal justice research.
This programme encourages you to critically examine the theoretical foundations that underpin applied criminological research. You’ll receive specialist criminology and criminal justice teaching from research-active staff, studying core areas of criminological theory and research, including the relationships between criminology, criminal justice, and public policy.
You'll also benefit from comprehensive, multi-disciplinary training in research methodologies. This will develop your advanced research skills and build competencies in technical areas such as data analysis, qualitative research, and research design.
A broad selection of optional course units allow you to explore specialist topics in depth, such as:
- Crime mapping and spatial analysis;
- White collar and corporate crime;
- Crime and networks;
- Prisons in the UK.
See a full list of mandatory and optional course units below.
This course is eligible for the 1+3 studentship offered by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC) North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP), offering a unique, fully-funded route into postgraduate research. If your application is successful, you’ll be able to seamlessly transition from master's-level study to a PhD. Find out more on our 1+3 ESRC NWSSDTP webpage .
Upon completing the course, you’ll be well placed to pursue further academic research. You’ll also have developed highly transferrable skills, setting you up well for a professional research career in the voluntary, public or private sectors.
Aims
This course aims to:
- Meet national and regional demands for new research and policy-oriented competencies in criminology and socio-legal studies.
- 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 that integrates a grounding in research methodology and that provides an 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 a formal, comprehensive, and 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.
- Contribute to the national need for skilled social science researchers in criminological, socio-legal and related matters.
- Train you to appreciate the relationship between research and the implementation and operation of policy and practice in the implementation of justice.
- Provide you with the tools for further research or study in criminology or socio-legal studies
Special features
ESRC-recognised
This acclaimed course is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESCR)and the North West Social Science Doctoral Training Centre (NWSSDTP) as a Foundation Course for Research Training and is an essential step if you wish to progress onto doctoral studies or pursue a career in research in the public or voluntary sectors.
A prestigious department
You will study in a department which has set the foundations in several areas of criminological study. Professor Ken Pease received an OBE for his service to crime prevention; Professors Russell and Rebecca Dobash are known as pioneers in the study of intimate partner violence; and Professor Howard Parker changed the way we thought about drug-use.
Real-world impact
We put theory into practice. Our academics and students are dedicated to shaping policymaking and practice nationally and internationally in diverse areas including drug policy, domestic abuse, and policing. We work closely with government, civic organisations like the police, and private companies to advise and effect meaningful change.
Teaching and learning
The MRES Criminology is taught by an interdisciplinary team using a variety of delivery methods:
- lectures;
- workshops;
- student-led presentations and debate;
- group work;
- individual research.
Part-time students
Part-time students complete the full-time course over two years. There are no evening or weekend course units available on the part-time course.
Coursework and assessment
Course unit details
To meet the requirements of the taught element of the course, you must take course units totalling 120 credits. This is normally through eight 15-credit course units, with 60 credits taken each semester. You take five 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 you in August about registration onto the course, will clearly state the course units that are available in the academic year ahead.
In addition, if you pass the taught element of the course and are permitted to progress to the research element of the course, you must also submit a dissertation between 12,000-15,000 words, worth 60 credits.
Part-time students take four out of the five compulsory course units in the first year, and then take the other one in year two.The remaining 60 credits of optional course units are selected and taken accordingly over the two years.
For the Dissertation:
- Supervised summer dissertationof 12,000-15,000 words.
For exit awards:
- If you fail to pass the 180 credits necessary to attain the final degree of MRes, you can leave the course with the award of Postgraduate Diploma by passing 120 credits at a pass mark of 40%. You can also qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate by passing 60 credits at the pass mark of 40%.
- If you do not fulfil the criteria for passing the taught element of the course at 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.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation (MRes Criminology) | CRIM64000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Advanced Theoretical Criminology | CRIM70501 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Evaluating Policy & Practice | CRIM70542 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Data Analysis with R & RStudio | CRIM70821 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Qualitative Research Methods | CRIM71361 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Criminological Research Methods | CRIM72221 | 15 | Mandatory |
| PG Crime Mapping: an introduction to GIS and Spatial Analysis | CRIM60142 | 15 | Optional |
| Comparative Criminology | CRIM60642 | 15 | Optional |
| White-Collar and Corporate Crime | CRIM61142 | 15 | Optional |
| Understanding Violence | CRIM70552 | 15 | Optional |
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What our students say
Discover why our students chose our MRes in Criminology and what they loved about their time at Manchester – take a look at our student spotlights.
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 .