Master of Science by Coursework in Criminology and Criminal Justice (Part-time)

Differences from 2019/20 to 2022/23

  • 1. Every candidate must follow, for at least six terms on a part-time basis, 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 Science 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. The course will consist of the following elements: twoa core coursescourse in Criminological Theories and Understanding Criminal Justice; a compulsory course in Research Design and Data Collection; five option courses; and a 12,000-15,000 word dissertation on a topic agreed by the Board of Studies submitted in the final term. The required format for the dissertation is the common format prescribed for all law theses, which is printed in the Faculty of Law's Graduate Students' Handbook.

    4. The options are listed in the Schedule below.

    Not all options will necessarily be taught or examined in any one year. Details of those which will be available over a two-year period will be published in the Graduate Student Handbook produced by the Centre for Criminology for the year of admission, subject to any amendment posted on the designated notice board in the Centre for Criminology by Monday of Week Minus One of the Michaelmas Term of each academic year.

    5. In addition to the options set out in the Schedule, candidates may offer any other option that may be approved from time to time by regulation published in the Gazette by the end of Monday of Week Minus One of the Michaelmas Term of each academic year.

    6. The course shall be assessed as follows:

    (i) Criminological Theories and Understanding Criminal Justice: Examined by a 2 houran examination in Week Nought of HilaryTrinity Term in the first year of the course.  

    (ii) Understanding Criminal Justice: Examined by a 2 hour examination to be taken in Week Nought of Trinity Term in either the first or second year of the course. 

    (iii) Options and Research Design and Data Collection:

    The compulsory course Research Design and Data Collection, and option courses Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists, and Qualitative Methods shall be examined by an assessed essay of 2,500 to 3,000 words (inclusive of footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices), to be written between Friday of Week Seven and Thursday of Week Ten of the term in which the course runs. A choice from three titles (as determined by the Board of Examiners) will be emailed to students and posted on the designated noticeboard at the Centre for Criminology by noon on Friday of Week Seven of the relevant term. The essay shall be submitteduploaded electronicallyto the University approved online assessment platform by noon on Thursday of Week 10 of the relevant term. On submitting the essay, candidates will also be required to submit an online declaration. In addition, candidates taking Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists and/or Qualitative Methods shall be required to complete to the satisfaction of the Course Tutor for the option a form of continuous assessment, which will be approved by the Board of Studies and the details of which will be published in the Graduate Student Handbook for the relevant year.

    All other option courses shall be examined by means of an assessed essay of no less than 3,500 and no more than 4,500 words (inclusive of footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices), for which time will be set aside during Weeks 8, 9 and 10 of Michaelmas and Hilary terms. A selection of three titles (as determined by the Board of Examiners) shall be emailed to students and posted on the designated notice board at the Centre for Criminology by noon on Friday of Week 7 of the relevant term. Each essay shall be submitted by noon on Thursday of Week 10 of the relevant term. On submitting each essay, candidates will also be required to submit an online declaration of authorship. Candidates will be contacted with details of how to submit the essay.

    (iviii) Dissertation: The dissertation shall be submitteduploaded electronicallyto the University approved online assessment platform by noon on Wednesday of Week    Eight of the final term. On submitting the dissertation, candidates will also be required to submit an online declaration of authorship. Candidates will be contacted with details of how to submit the dissertation.  

    7. Arrangements for reassessment shall be as follows:

    (i) Core CoursesCourse: Candidates who fail, or withdraw from, eitherthe core course examination may resit the examination according to the standard timetable for examinationsexamination in the following academic year.

    (ii) Options and Research Design and Data Collection: Candidates who have failed to obtain an aggregate mark of 50 per cent for assessment for the optional courses or Research Design and Data Collection, or who have withdrawn from any assessment, may resubmit assessments for which they obtained a mark of 49 per cent or less. Candidates may resubmit assessed essays, according to the standard timetable for submitting essays in the following academic year. Essays must be submitted electronicallyvia the University approved online assessment platform, and on submitting the essay, candidates will also be required to submit an online declaration of authorship. Candidates will be contacted with details of how to submit the essay.  

    (iii) Continuous assessment element of Research Design and Data Collection, Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists and Qualitative Methods: Candidates who fail to complete an assignment which forms part of the continuous assessment element of Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists and/or Qualitative Methods to the satisfaction of the respective Course Tutor may be required to resubmit that assignment once by noon on Thursday of Week Ten of the relevant term.

    (iv) Dissertation: Candidates who fail, or withdraw from, the dissertation may resubmit the dissertation by the required date in Trinity Term of the following academic year.

    SCHEDULE

    Comparative and Transnational Criminal Justice

    Comparative Criminal Justice, Security and Human Rights

    Crime and the Family

    Criminal Justice in Transitional Settings

    Criminal Justice, Migration and Citizenship

    Desistance from Crime: The Role of Criminal Justice Agencies

    Global Criminology

    Law, Economics and Crime

    Mafias

    News Media, Crime and Policy

    Policing Global Insecurities

    Prisons

    Psychology, Law and Criminal Justice

    Public and Private Policing

    Public Opinion, Crime and Criminal Justice

    Qualitative Methods

    Quantitative Analysis for Social Scientists

    Race and Gender

    Research Design and Data Collection

    Restorative Justice

    Risk, Security and Criminal Justice

    Sentencing

    The Death Penalty

    The Politics of Crime Control

    Theorising Punishment

    Transitional Justice

    Victims

    Victims and Restorative Justice

    Violence and Civilisation

    Youth Justice