Criminology and Criminal Justice MA Postgraduate Taught - September 2025/26* & January 2025/26* Entry

The MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice is designed to meet the needs of three groups of potential students.

• Students requiring thorough research training specialising in criminology and criminal justice.
• Students who are interested in pursuing academic study of criminology and criminal justice to an advanced level.
• Practitioners in the criminal justice field who wish to expand their horizons from national to international levels.

The programme components consist of two generic research modules for training in qualitative and quantitative research methods in the Social Sciences, as well as specialised training in criminology and criminal justice. Modules cover criminological theories and their application, the work of the police and the courts, inter- and transnational crime, and crime in the media. The programme allows students to incorporate their particular research interests and areas of enquiry. This masters degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice includes a 20,000 word dissertation.

Our academic team have a range of research interest, some of these include;

• Youth homelessness and crime Institutional child abuse
• Critical approaches to law, crime and criminology
• Sociology of law
• Public opinion on crime and criminal justice
• Penal policy
• Rural criminology
• Lay judges and jurors
• Procedural justice
• Popular legal culture, including film and TV
• Victimology
• Trust in courts, police and the legal profession

Study modes

Full Time Study: This course normally lasts for a period of twelve months. Taught modules are undertaken during the period of September to May, and the dissertation element completed from May to September.

Part Time Study: This course normally lasts for a period of two years. Taught modules are undertaken from September to May over a period of two years. The dissertation is written mainly in the summer between year 1 and year 2. Depending on the individual choice of modules, lectures can be concentrated on one day per week for part-time students.

What will you study on this course?

This MA aims to provide advanced training in research and analysis, linking theoretical awareness with empirical studies in criminology and criminal justice.

This programme is taught in two key parts.

Part 1: Students must take 120 credits from modules that include;

• Research Process and Meaning
• Transnational Crime
• Climate Change and the Politics of Climate Justice
• Comparative and International Criminal Justice
• International Criminal Law
• Key Issues in Criminology
• Key Issues in Social Policy
• Nationalism
• Tackling Inequalities.

Part 2: Research Dissertation (60 credits)
The dissertation is a piece of independent research where you are expected to apply your research skills to a specific criminological or criminal justice topic. You will conduct this work with academic guidance provided by your supervisor who will be a member of the criminology and criminal justice team. 

Please note that course content is guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.

Lecture Series

MA students can also choose to take part in the schools lecture series. During the lecture series visiting guest speakers and Bangor University staff present research and discuss topics related to social policy, criminology, history, philosophy and sociology.

Modules for the current academic year

Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Criminology and Criminal Justice MA Modules page.

Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.

A single or joint honours degree of at least 2(ii) classification in Criminology, Sociology, Law, Political Science, Social Studies, Social Policy, or a related academic discipline.

Applications from candidates who have relevant professional experience in lieu of a bachelor degree will also be considered. All applicants in this category will be invited for interview.

If your native language is not English, you must provide satisfactory evidence that you have an adequate knowledge and understanding of written and spoken English: 

• IELTS: 6.0 (with no element below 5.5)
• Pearson PTE: a score of 56 (with no element lower than 51)
• Cambridge English Test – Advanced: 169 (with no element lower than 162)

The course prepares for a wide range of employment including:

• Law-enforcement agencies: the police, customs, the prison service
• Public administration: including crime prevention units, offender management, general administration, international institutions
• Political associations, work for members of parliaments, for lobby groups related to the criminal justice system and to issues of social justice broadly conceived
• Research institutes, researching criminological and sociological issues
• Paid jobs with charities working with juveniles at risk, prison leavers etc.
• Academic institutions such as universities