MSc Criminology - scholarships and bursaries available to those eligible

Enhance your criminal justice knowledge and develop your criminological imagination. You’ll focus on global contemporary crime and justice-related challenges.

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.

Through a mixture of field trips and guest speakers, you’ll gain important first-hand insights into how criminal justice agencies function, how criminal justice policy is created, and how modern challenges are being addressed.

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.

Upon successful completion of the degree, you’ll be equipped with the skills to progress or begin your career in the criminal justice sector in the UK or further afield.

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.

Consultancy projects

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.

Gain key skills

You will leave the course with:

• a critical understanding of some of the most pressing, urgent criminological issues and challenges in the 21st century
• practical skills in research, analysis and communication, and an understanding of how these can be applied within the fields of criminal justice and practice
• rich experience gained from working with people from a wide range of disciplinary, professional and national backgrounds

Graduate prospects

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

• law enforcement (including the Police Detective Graduate Scheme)
• prison and probation services
• victim support
• offender management
• rehabilitation
• drug use and drug policy reform
• young offenders and youth justice reform

Get a taste of our courses before you apply

We hold a variety of in-person 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 a Postgraduate event

Scholarships and bursaries

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

Find out more and apply