- Degree awarded
- Master of Arts (MA)
- Duration
- 1 year (full-time); 2 years (part-time)
- Entry requirements
-
We require a UK bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | Y | Y | N | N |
Course overview
- Study a master’s in Criminology at a university ranked top 10 in the UK and top 40 worldwide (QS World University Rankings 2026).
- Explore the interactions between crime, politics, and justice, and the impact of public policy in these areas.
- Join a prestigious department which has set the foundations in several areas of criminological study, such as crime prevention, partner violence, and drug use.
- Specialise in cutting edge topics such as the application of data science to crime; themes that relate to social responsibility such as youth offending, domestic violence, and modern slavery; and subjects that are traditionally ignored by criminologists, such as genocide.
- Tailor your studies to your interests with a broad choice of optional course units.
- Seamlessly transition from master's to PhD study through a fully-funded 1+3 pathway with our prestigious ESRC North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP).
- Graduate from one of the UK’s most targeted universities by top employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2024).
Open days
The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to find out more about our facilities and courses.
See open days for more information.
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MA (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £14,700
International, including EU, students (per annum): £28,900 -
MA (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £7,350
International, including EU, students (per annum): £14,450
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 £1,000 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
For information on available scholarships please visit: Master’s Fees and Funding
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Social Sciences
- Contact name
- School of Social Sciences Admissions Office
- Telephone
- +44 (0) 161 306 5500
- pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/criminology/
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: School Subjects
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Regulated by the Office for Students
The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.