Coronavirus information for applicants and offer-holders
We understand that prospective students and offer-holders may have concerns about the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The University is following the advice from Universities UK, Public Health England and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Arts (MA)
- Duration
- 1 year (full-time); 2 years (part-time)
- Entry requirements
-
A minimum Upper Second class honours degree, or the overseas equivalent, is required in your first degree. A social science subject is advantageous but not necessary.
When assessing your academic record we take into account your grades, your academic references, and the standing of the institution where you studied.
- 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
- Develop your intellectual, critical and analytic skills in the academic areas of criminology and criminal justice.
- Explore the interactions between politics, criminology and criminal justice, and the impact of public policy in these areas.
- Study a high-level course to prepare you for a wide range of career paths.
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 2021, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MA (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £10,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £20,000 -
MA (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £5,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £10,000
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
- Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan (CSFP) General Scholarship
- School of Social Sciences - Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme - 2021 entry
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Social Sciences
- Contact name
- Postgraduate Taught Admissions Team
- pg-law@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 class honours degree, or the overseas equivalent, is required in your first degree. A social science subject is advantageous but not necessary.
When assessing your academic record we take into account your grades, your academic references, and the standing of the institution where you studied.
English language
- IELTS - overall score of 7, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5;
- TOEFL IBT 103 with 28 in writing and no further score below 25 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757.
- Pearson - overall 73 with 73 in writing and no further score below 66
- Other English tests are also considered. Please contact us for further information - pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk
Scores are valid for 2 years.
Please note that CAS statements are issued only when all conditions of the offer have been satisfied, PDF copy of passport received and the offer accepted.
Applicants from certain countries may be exempt from having to provide an IELTS or TOEFL score. For further advice please email pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk
Pre-Sessional English Courses
If you are eligible to do a pre-sessional English course (either 6 weeks or 10 weeks, depending on your English score), you will need to successfully complete the course at the required level before you are permitted to register on your academic course.
English language test validity
Other international entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country.
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
We require the following documents before we can consider your application:
- Transcripts of your studies in English.
- Degree certificate (if you have already graduated).
- If you are not from or did not graduate from a majority English speaking country as defined by the UKVI, we will also require proof of your English language ability. If you have already taken an English language qualification, please include your certificate with your application. We may consider your application without this document, but if we choose to make you an offer, the conditions will include IELTS (or equivalent qualification).
- You are not required to submit references as part of your application. However, you must put the names and contact details of two academic referees on your application form, if we require the references we will contact them directly.
The deadline for applications is 15 June for international applicants, and 15 August for home/EU applicants.
How your application is considered
All applicants must submit:
- an online application form;
- supporting statement;
- transcripts of degree;
- two references.
Overseas applicants will need to submit a satisfactory IELTS certificate (or equivalent) at the time of application. A minimum IELTS overall score of 6.0, with 6.0 in each component.
Applications will not be considered if documents are missing.
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
The MA in Criminology course allows you to develop specialist knowledge of the current themes and historical debates surrounding crime causation, crime control and regulation of behaviour.
The course equips you with the intellectual, critical, and analytical skills needed for understanding and applying criminological theories and concepts in practice. The course also provides an in-depth understanding of the interactions between politics, criminology and criminal justice, and the impact of public policy in these areas.
This innovative course is taught by experts from sociological, legal, and psychological backgrounds with real-world experience. You will benefit from research-led teaching, as well as strong links to wider criminal justice professions and industry.
Aims
- Develop your intellectual, critical and analytic skills in the academic areas of criminology and criminal justice.
- Provide you a thorough understanding of the key theoretical and political positions, and concepts within criminology and criminal justice. As well as the ability to use this knowledge in sophisticated ways in the critical assessment and development of public policy and interventions.
- Provide you with the opportunity to explore a range of optional courses on particular areas of study that are either professionally relevant or of academic interest.
- Improve your quantitative and qualitative research method skills in a way that is consistent with the demands of the discipline and the professional market.
- Develop your appreciation for interdisciplinary studies as the only way to confront the complexity of our object of study, an interest in the applied dimension of scientific knowledge and the awareness of the ethical implications of the scientific criminological project.
- Enhance your transferable skills including proficiency in oral and written communication; the capacity for independent learning; the ability to reflect on the ethical and ideological components of your work; and the capacity for working co-operatively with others to produce professional outputs in a timely fashion.
- Develop criminological knowledge and research skills for the writing of a master's dissertation.
Special features
The School of Social Sciences works in partnership with institutions outside the higher education sector to enable you to produce research with a wider relevance and develop your knowledge and expertise.
We are dedicated to shaping policy-making and practice in diverse areas; from national healthcare guidelines, to influencing police procedures in countries such as Norway, Australia and Brazil.
Teaching and learning
This course is taught by an interdisciplinary team using a variety of delivery methods:
- lectures;
- workshops;
- student-led presentations and debate;
- group work;
- individual research.
Coursework and assessment
Course unit details
You will be taking 180 credits in total for a master's degree, 120 of which will be taught course units and the remaining 60 credits, a compulsory research component, in the form of a 12,000-15,000 word dissertation.
Course units are worth 15 or 30 credits each. You will be required to select course units to a total of 120 credits, and so must choose a minimum of four course units or a maximum of eight course 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).
Your dissertation must be within the area of one of the units you have chosen. The research element of the course is supported by weekly research methodology lectures delivered throughout semesters one and two, designed to improve your legal writing and research skills.
Dissertation
- Supervised summer dissertation of 12-15,000 words.
Exit awards
Students who fail to fulfil the requirements to pass the 180 credits necessary to attain the final degree of MA 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.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation (MA Criminology) | CRIM62000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Advanced Theoretical Criminology | CRIM70501 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Evaluating Policy & Practice | CRIM70542 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Criminal Justice Research & Policy | CRIM70561 | 15 | Mandatory |
| PG Crime Mapping: an introduction to GIS and Spatial Analysis | CRIM60142 | 15 | Optional |
| Criminology and Mass Violence | CRIM61052 | 15 | Optional |
| Evaluating Policy & Practice | CRIM70542 | 15 | Optional |
| Understanding Violence | CRIM70552 | 15 | Optional |
| Data Analysis with R & RStudio | CRIM70821 | 15 | Optional |
| Qualitative Research Methods | CRIM71361 | 15 | Optional |
| Displaying 10 of 12 course units | |||
| Display all course units | |||
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 .
Facilities
As a School of Social Sciences student, you are supported by first-class resources.
As well as access to networked study areas and one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the country, The University of Manchester Library .
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
This master's offers you the specialist knowledge attractive for a range of criminal justice careers, in areas such as local and central government and criminal justice agencies, for example:
- as a criminal intelligence analyst within the police;
- probation services;
- the voluntary sector and NGOs;
- pressure groups; and
- think-tanks.
It also allows you to develop skills applicable to jobs in social research, management, third sector services, social work, and teaching.
The University 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 .