Master of Philosophy in Criminology and Criminal Justice

(See also the general notice at the commencement of these regulations.)

• 1. Candidates must follow for at least six terms a course of instruction in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

• 2. There shall be a Board of Studies for the course, to be chaired by the Director of Graduate Studies for Criminology, and also comprising all the members of the Board of Examiners for the Master of Philosophy in Criminology and Criminal Justice for the current year, the Director or Assistant Director of the Centre for Criminology, and a student representative (the latter for open business only).

• 3. Admissions

  Candidates may signify their intention to take the M.Phil. in Criminology and Criminal Justice when they apply for the M.Sc. in Criminology and Criminal Justice or after they have been admitted. In either case, a formal application, the form for which is obtainable from the Graduate Studies Office, must then be made by Friday of Week FourOne of TrinityHilary Term preceding the Michaelmas Term in which they wish to study for the M.Phil. Admission of those whose thesis topics are approved by the Centre for Criminology’’s Board of Studies and for whom that Committee certifies the availability of supervision will always be conditional on a specified level of performance in the Part I examination.

• 4. Residence

  Candidates must keep six terms statutory residence, which may include periods spent in residence while studying for the M.Sc. in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

• 5. Courses and examination

  Candidates for the M.Phil. shall satisfactorily complete Part I1 and Part 2. Part I1 and Part 2 shall be taken in that order and shall normally be taken in successive years. A candidate wishing to take Part 2 but not to proceed directly from Part I1 to Part 2 in successive years must seek permission from the Centre for Criminology’’s Board of Studies. Part I1 shall consist of the courses and examinations as specified for the M.Sc. in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

• 6. (a) Qualifying Test (Part 1)

  Every candidate must pass a qualifying test by the end of the third term from the beginning of the course, which shall consist of the elements as specified in cll. 3-76 of the examination regulations for the M.Sc. in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

  Candidates who fail the qualifying test may be allowed to be reassessed, as specified in cl. 107 of the examination regulations for the M.Sc. in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

• 67. (b) Final examination (Part 2)

  Candidates shall follow a course of instruction in Empirical Research Methods, satisfy the examiners that they have completed to the required standard such tests or exercises in Research Methods as prescribed as part of such a course of instruction, and be examined by thesis which must not exceed 30,000 words and should not normally be less than 25,000 words. Candidates are required to deliver two typewritten copies of theThe thesis toshall thebe Examinationsubmitted Schools, High Street, Oxford,electronically by noon on Friday of Week Eight8 of the Trinity Termterm in which the examination is totaken. On submitting the thesis, candidates will also be takenrequired to submit an online declaration that the thesis is the candidate’s own work.

• The course in Empirical Research Methods shall be Research Design and Data Collection, and either Qualitative Methods or Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists, as specified for the M.Sc. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Where candidates have already taken these courses as part of the M.Sc., they will not be required to take them a second time. Where a candidate has elected to write a thesis that draws significantly on legal research methods, the Director of Graduate Studies (Research) for Criminology, at the suggestion of the prospective thesis supervisor, may grant the candidate exemption from taking Research Design and Data Collection, and  either Qualitative Methods or Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists, and instruct the candidate to take the Legal Research Method Course, as specified for the M.Phil. in Law.

• 7. The examiners may award a distinction for excellence in the whole examination. 

• 8. Arrangements for reassessment shall be as follows:

  Candidates who fail, or withdraw from,  either Qualitative Methods or Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists may resubmit assessments in line with cl. 107 of the examination regulations for the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Such candidates who have completed successfully all or part of any of the other components may carry forward the marks gained for the successfully completed parts of the degree.

  Candidates who fail, or withdraw from, the Legal Research Method course as specified for the M.Phil. in Law (if they have received permission to take this course instead of Research Design and Data Collection and either Qualitative Methods or Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists), may resit course elements according to the standard arrangements for reassessment for that course. Such candidates who have completed successfully all or part of any of the other components may carry forward the marks gained for the successfully completed parts of the degree.

  Candidates who fail, or withdraw from, the M.Phil. thesis may resubmit the thesis to the Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford, by noon on Friday of Week 8 of the term following publication of their results. Such candidates who have completed successfully all or part of any of the other components may carry forward the marks gained for the successfully completed parts of the degree.