Criminology

One year full-time or two years part-time.

Crime is an issue of local, national and international relevance. The prevention and control of crime features prominently on the political agenda and the media's obsession with crime stimulates public interest and anxiety. In seeking solutions to the 'crime problem', the government has emphasised the need for evidence-based and multi-disciplinary interventions. Such interventions would necessarily involve government departments and criminal justice agencies. For example, the National Offenders Management Service (NOMS) has been established to enable the prison and probation services to co-ordinate their respective roles, and there are proposals to develop a national policing agency to address serious organised crime. Furthermore, the significance of international law enforcement agencies such as INTERPOL and EUROPOL is increasingly recognised as a vital resource in countering the rapid growth in transnational and global crime and the threat of terrorism.

A persistent feature of contemporary crime control strategy is the need for more professional development opportunities for criminal justice practitioners who routinely deal with all aspects of the 'crime problem'. These include the police, courts, prisons, probation, social services and many voluntary sector organisations. Moreover, the emphasis on evidence-based 'what works?' policies necessitates a critical debate around 'best practice' and a need to promote strategic thinking on crime prevention and control and on the criminal justice process.

The MSc Criminology award consists of seven new modules, the criminal justice agency placement and the Criminology dissertation, plus 12 existing modules from within the PGMS framework.

All MSc Criminology modules build upon the research and teaching expertise of individual tutors, and cover a wide range of themes in contemporary criminology and criminal justice. A key aim is to develop a sensitivity and awareness of the development of criminal justice policy in the context of the perceived increase in crime and in the fear of crime. Students will be encouraged to discuss in-depth a range of criminological issues employing the rigorous analytical approaches adopted by criminological scholars.

• Strong staff expertise
• Enthusiastic teaching team providing a supportive atmosphere for research

Modules that can be taken as options for semesters one and two typically include:

• Criminology and Gender
• Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice
• International Criminology
• National Security, Terrorism and the Rule of Law
• Forensic Mental Health Care
• Substance Use and Mis-use and Health

Semester one

The compulsory modules are:

• Criminological Theory
• Methodologies and Ethics in Criminology

Semester two

The compulsory modules are:

• Researching Victims and Offenders
• Criminal Justice Agency Placement

Semester three

• Dissertation

Akers, RL (1997) Criminological Theories: Introduction and Evaluation, Los Angeles, Roxbury.

Beccaria, C (1963) On Crimes and Punishment, Indianapolis, Bobbs-Merrill.

Crow Iain and Semmens Natasha, (2007) Researching Criminology, Open University Press.

Goodey Jo, (2005) Victims and Victimology, Longman.

Hearn Jeff (1998) The Violences of Men, Sage.

Moynihan, (2008) Understanding Crime and Criminal Justice Data, 2nd edition, Open University Press.

Rawlings Philip (1999) Crime and Power, Longman.

Sgarzi Judith and McDevitt Jack (2003) Victimology, Prentice Hall.

Swaaningen Reve (1997) Critical Criminology, Sage.

Walklate Sandra (2006) Imagining the Victim of Crime, Open University Press.

Methods of assessment include practical research, placements and a 20,000 word dissertation based on empirical research.

The growth in the criminal justice system has resulted in the creation of many employment opportunities and also to a requirement for enhanced knowledge and skills from those seeking such employment or to develop their career opportunities. Criminology as an academic discipline has its roots in Sociology. However, at The University of Northampton this approach has been enhanced with significant inputs from Law and Psychology which enables students on the undergraduate programme to engage with a broad range of perspectives from social and legal theory, criminal justice and forensic psychology. This eclectic approach will underpin the structure and delivery of the proposed postgraduate degree programme. A postgraduate qualification in Criminology is seen as a highly desirable element in applications for careers in policing and the prison and probation service. Existing employees in criminal justice agencies like the probation service, the police and the prison service can find this degree useful if they wish to enhance their career prospects. It is also anticipated that successful MSc graduates will consider the prospect of studying for a PhD. Current University staff can provide supervision in areas such as policing, prisons, forensic psychology, youth crime and issues in gender and crime.