Criminology and Sociology Postgraduate Taught - January 2024/25* & September 2024/25* Entry

This MA in Criminology and Sociology combines two academic disciplines within the school. The course draws on the expertise of our criminologist and sociologist and explores the sociological context of issues in criminology.

A broad range of criminology and sociology subjects are studied which develop knowledge and understanding of a broad spectrum of topics within this field including; crime, organisations and administrations in the field of criminal justice, the social causes and consequences of crime, social change and social structures, culture and identity and related issues.

The broad yet specialised nature of this degree allows students to develop advanced and specialised knowledge alongside skills in criminological and sociological research.

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced, specialised knowledge and skills across a range of criminology and sociology applications, including an understanding of community cohesion and social identities, of criminal behaviour, its causes and consequences, its prevention and the response by criminal justice agencies.
• Conduct empirical research projects. Students will have developed specialist research skills and critical thinking across a range of criminological and sociological areas and an understanding of the complex contexts in which criminologists and sociologists work.
• Demonstrate the ability to problem solve and reason scientifically, even in complex contexts using appropriate qualitative and quantitative skills, including identifying, formulating and solving social problems and problems related to crime. Students will have the ability to create, evaluate and assess a range of options, and apply ideas and knowledge to a range of situations.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of advanced level theories and empirical evidence concerning crime, its causes and consequences, including the definition of deviant behaviour, public opinion, the media and fear of crime, political reactions to crime, support for victims, offender management and related topics.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of advanced level sociological theories and sociological findings, related to topics like the functioning of public sector organisations, social stratification, political and social movements, social values, consensus and conflicts, culture, community and identity, the social function of law.

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.

What will you study on this course?

This MA in Criminology and Sociology is taught in two parts.

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

• Research Process and Meaning: The module provides postgraduate level training in the main varieties of qualitative and mixed methods research in the social sciences, including basic literacy in qualitative data analysis. Locating the research process in debates about situated knowledge, reflexivity and subjectivity, show how research design is unavoidably grounded in assumptions about the nature of the phenomena to be investigated and how researchers are implicated in the things they describe. Students are taught how to generate qualitative data and how to apply a variety of analysis techniques. The use of ‘mixed’ methods is addressed through examples of text analysis, visual interpretation and online social research. Training in the use of NVivo qualitative data analysis software is an integral part of the module and takes place alongside the sessions dealing with analysing conversation, interviews, observations, ethnographic accounts, texts and visuals.
• Comparative and International Criminal Justice: The module provides an international and comparative perspective on key areas of criminal justice. These include questions of the operation of systems of criminal justice in the UK and other countries.
• Key Issues in Criminology: The module covers aspects of the work of the police, how citizens view law-enforcement institutions and how people react to crime and to opportunities to commit crime. Media portrayals of crime, police and justice issues are also discussed.
• Transnational Crime: This module focuses crime that transgresses national boundaries, for example people trafficking and internet crime.
• Nationalism: The module deals with the phenomenon of nationalism and its relation to societies, using historical and current examples. Discussed are issues like the construction of identities."

Other modules offered include: 

• Climate Change and the Politics of Climate Justice
• Key Issues in Social Policy, covering e.g. housing and income support
• Theorizing Society and Politics.

Part 2: Research Dissertation (60 credits)
Under guidance of a dissertation tutor, students will undertake a piece of research independently on a topic of their choice. This may be a piece of empirical research including primary or secondary data analysis or a theoretical dissertation. Part-time students in employment may choose a topic related to their profession and an area in which they wish to develop further expertise and specialisation The dissertation is normally around 20,000 words in length.

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.

A single or joint honours degree of at least 2(ii) 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 on providing housing, or working with juveniles at risk or prison leavers etc
• Academic institutions such as universities