MSc Criminology

Criminology is the study of crime, deviance and society – but it is so much more than that. Exploring the way we define, commit, respond to and punish crime is a vast and exciting area of work. We take a ‘real world’ approach to Criminology focusing on what happens at the current time. This also means that you’ll have many opportunities to apply your criminological knowledge in contemporary settings.

Using our strong links with a wide range of organisations, you can collaborate on projects with organisations such as Gloucestershire Constabulary, Restorative Gloucestershire, CCTV Inspectorate, community groups, business partnerships active in crime prevention and reduction initiatives, and charities providing support and training around issues such as domestic homicide, stalking, sexual violence and victim support.

Study Style

You’ll learn through seminars, workshops, lectures, field trips and projects. Your studies will be assessed through a mixture of coursework, research reports, presentations and a dissertation.

You will also have available a range of extra-curricular activities such as participating in the work of one of our specialist research groups, Sexual Violence Research Group; Homicide Research Group etc.) which all work on ‘live’ projects for external organisations.

Working on real-world challenges like these can open up opportunities for your dissertation topic and your chosen career.

You’ll be encouraged to read, watch, attend events, volunteer or get involved in things wider than just the taught sessions as a way of developing your skills and knowledge in criminological settings and enhance your employability and employment readiness. We focus on ensuring students get individual guidance, discussions with tutors and chances relevant to their interests.

Our students go on to varied jobs – from the Police, Probation and the Prison Service through to charities, local and national governments to working for private companies, sometimes internationally.