This is a master’s degree with a strong global focus. You’ll critically analyse some of the biggest crime, deviance and criminal justice issues affecting society right now. By doing this, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by policymakers and law enforcement organisations, and the mechanisms that prevent and manage these.

Throughout the course, you’ll learn to enhance your research skills. This will allow you to assess topical issues and develop convincing arguments for change. Through a mixture of field trips and guest speakers, you’ll also gain important first-hand insights into how criminal justice agencies function, how criminal justice policy is created, and how modern challenges are being addressed.

You will study topics such as:

• international criminal justice and law
• contemporary criminological theory
• criminological ethnography
• technological developments in criminal justice
• state crime, human rights, and transitional justice
• violent crime

This course is suited to both recent graduates of undergraduate criminology degrees and people with social science or humanities undergraduate degrees.

Dissertation or consultancy project

The consultancy project is a practical alternative to a dissertation. It’s your chance to work on a project with an external organisation, using the skills and knowledge you’ll gain during your studies.

Working with a relevant organisation, you’ll conduct appropriate research, analyse data (if necessary) and share your solution as a written report and presentation.

You will benefit from our well-established business connections in the UK and overseas.

Graduate prospects

This course will prepare you for a variety of roles with organisations in the following areas:

• prison and probation services
• victim support
• offender management
• rehabilitation
• drug taking and drug policy reform
• young offenders and youth justice reform

Get a taste of our courses before you apply

Both the wider University and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences organise a variety of course webinars and virtual open days throughout the year. Come along and speak to our academics, current students and alumni to find out which course is right for you.

Sign up for our next Postgraduate Virtual Open Day

Register for a course-specific webinar

Scholarships and bursaries

You could be considered for a bursary or scholarship to help you study at Bath.

Find out more and apply