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

Differences from 2017/18 to 2023/24

  • 1. Every candidate must follow, for at least three terms (or six in the case of part-time students), 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: a core coursescourse in ExplanationCriminological and Understanding in CriminologyTheories 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) ExplanationCriminological Theories and Understanding in Criminology: Examined by a 2 hour examination in Week Nought of Hilary Term (in the first year for part-time students).

    • (ii) Understanding Criminal Justice: Examined by a 2 houran examination to be taken in Week Nought of Trinity Term (in the first or second year for part-time students).

    • (iiiii) Options and Research Design and Data Collection:

    • The compulsory course Research Design and Data Collection, and the option course 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 ThursdayFriday of Week Seven and Wednesday 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 Thursday Friday of Week Seven of the relevant term. The essay shall be submitted electronically by noon on Wednesday 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 Thursday  Friday of Week 7 of the relevant term. Each essay shall be submitted by noon on Wednesday 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 submitted electronically by noon on Wednesday of Week TenEight 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.

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

  • 97. Arrangements for reassessment shall be as follows:

    •  (i) Core Courses: 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 electronically, 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

    Sociology of Punishment

    The Death Penalty

    The Politics of Crime Control

  • Theorising Punishment

    Transitional Justice

    Victims

    Victims and Restorative Justice

    Violence and Civilisation

    Youth Justice

Oxford 1+1 MBA programme (full-time students only)

Candidates registered on the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme will follow an additional two or three-month bridging programme at the end of their third term of the combined programme.

Each candidate will be appointed an academic advisor from the Saïïd Business School to plan an individual course of study which will include as a minimum, the following three compulsory elements:

(i) Normally two meetings during the bridging programme with the senior advisor appointed by the Saïïd Business School at the start of the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme.

(ii) A formatively assessed Integrative Development Plan of up to 3,000 words. Candidates would be required to critically reflect on their learning from the Masters programme and relate this both to their forthcoming MBA programme as well as to their career goals. The meetings with the advisor will frame the design, delivery and discussion of the plan.

(iii) Attendance of the MBA pre-course as described in the joining instructions for the MBA class, unless granted exemption by the MBA Committee on the grounds of prior formal study or work experience.