Global Criminology MA
London, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Jul 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 15,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international | UK: £9,500
Open Days at University of Westminster
Undergraduate Open Day 23 November 2024/ Postgraduate Online Open Day 26 February 2025
Introduction
The Global Criminology MA is designed to develop your knowledge and critical understanding of criminology as an interdisciplinary subject that incorporates legal, political and psychological, as well as social scientific approaches to the study of crime, deviance, and criminal and social justice.
Led by academic experts in the area, this new course will focus on two themes – global criminology and critical criminology – giving you the unique opportunity to study the subject with both an international and critical focus.
Global criminology is a relatively new and growing area of criminology that is at the forefront of developments in postcolonial, decolonial and southern theory. It is a specialist area of critical criminology, which explores issues of crime and justice within the context of power relations and structural inequalities such as class, gender, nationality, ethnicity, disability, age and sexuality.
Specialised option modules explore the two main areas of global criminology – comparative criminology and transnational criminology. Comparative criminology studies convergences and divergences in crime and justice between nations and regions. Transnational criminology explores the nature of organised, state and corporate crimes and the responses to organised crimes that cross borders.
An option module in Convict Criminology, available to up to 16 students, will explore this emerging area of critical criminology. Convict Criminology focuses on the knowledge and standpoints of educated prisoners and former prisoners, which will be taught in prison and will include prison-based as well as University of Westminster Global Criminology MA students. You will also undertake a year-long Research Methods and Dissertation module, completing empirical research on a critical and/or global criminology issue of your choice.
Top reasons to study with us
- Experience the unique opportunity to study a combination of local, global and critical criminology
- Study in an inclusive atmosphere in which students feel comfortable sharing their own knowledge and expertise, maximising the wide range of experiences of our diverse and international student body
- Join an active research community and learn from our team of staff whose interests and expertise span areas including organised crime in Asia, global policing, Latin American prisons, state violence and sentencing practices, as well as external advisors working in criminal justice
- Up to 16 students can gain invaluable insights into convict criminology, focusing on the perspective of educated prisoners and former prisoners, whilst being taught in a prison classroom alongside inside learners
Why study this course?
- Fantastic Central London location
Based in our Regent Campus in central London, you’ll enjoy the benefits of studying in a major global city. - A supportive environment
We provide our students with the right environment, support and guidance throughout their studies to keep them motivated. - Unique insight
Our critical focus and links with London prisons provide a unique perspective with which to study crime and justice.
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Career Opportunities
The University’s Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
- Grow your network
Forge professional connections with peers and future colleagues. - Transferable Skills
Gain the knowledge and experience to work in sectors such as crime prevention, local government, the police and prisoner-support organisations. - Develop your CQ
Study in a globally diverse environment among students from across the world and develop your Cultural Quotient (CQ).
Industry links
Our team delivers higher education projects in five prisons in and around London, where the University of Westminster Criminology students are taught alongside prison staff and inmates who are also undergraduate or postgraduate students, giving them a new perspective and greater understanding of the criminal justice system. We also collaborate with a number of universities in South America to deliver prison education projects.
The teaching team benefit from strong links with a number of London-based NGOs, including the Prisoners Education Trust, Prison Reform Trust, Longford Trust and the Criminal Justice Alliance.
Job roles
This course will prepare you for roles such as:
- Charity/third sector worker
- Civil Service roles
- Local government officer
- Police officer
- Probation officer
- Youth justice worker
- Social researcher
Graduate employers
Graduates from this course will benefit from a broad range of potential national and international career opportunities in the field of criminal justice, including third sector human rights, victim and offender support organisations, research institutes, and managerial positions in statutory agencies like police, probation, and prison services.
The academic knowledge and research skills that students gain by completing the course also puts them in a strong position to undertake higher level study such as a PhD.
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, comprising a set of core and optional extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up for a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.
Admissions
Curriculum
The following modules are indicative of what you will study in this course.
In addition to taking five core modules, you'll choose two modules from the list of optional modules below.
Core modules
- Critical Criminology
- Global Criminology
- Global Policing and Transnational Security
- Global Prisons
- Research Methods and Dissertation
Option modules
- Convict Criminology
- Global Gangs
- Privatising Justice
- State Crimes and Radicalisation in the ‘War on Terror’
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.