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

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, Associate Dean for Graduate Students (Taught) and a student representative (the latter for open business only).

3. The course will consist of the following elements: a core course 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 published in the Centre for Criminology Graduate Students' Handbook.

4. Details of the option modules available will be published in the Centre for Criminology Graduate Student Handbook for the year of admission, subject to any amendment posted on the Virtual Learning Environment by Monday of Week Minus One of the Michaelmas Term of each academic year. Not all options will necessarily be taught or examined in any one year.

5. The course shall be assessed as follows:

(i) Criminological Theories and Understanding Criminal Justice: Examined by an examination in Week Nought of Trinity Term in the first year of the course. 

(ii) 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 Wednesday 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 Virtual Learning Environment by noon on Friday of Week Seven of the relevant term. The essay shall be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by noon on Wednesday 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 course syllabus on the Virtual Learning Environment 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 Virtual Learning Environment at the Centre for Criminology by noon on Friday of Week 7 of the relevant term. Each essay shall be submitted by noon on Wednesday 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.

(iii) Dissertation: The dissertation shall be uploaded to 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. 

6. Arrangements for reassessment shall be as follows:

(i) Core Course: Candidates who fail, or withdraw from, the core course examination may resit the examination. This will normally be according to the standard timetable for examination in the following academic year. Candidates who fail one or more of the written examinations will have the opportunity to re-sit in September.

(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 via 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 Wednesday 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.