About this course
MA Criminology and Social Policy at Liverpool John Moores University offers critical approaches to the study of crime, social harm and criminal justice.
This course is currently not open for applications. This page will be updated with a link to apply when applications open.
- Learn from a range of experts in an interdisciplinary research environment
- Benefit from excellent research-led teaching focused on the interplay of theory, policy and practice
- Enjoy strong local, national and international links with academics, community groups and justice campaigns
- Personalise your postgraduate degree via a research pathway, a work placement route, or a combination of both
The study of Criminology is not just about the institutions of the criminal justice system. You will be encouraged to take a critical approach that examines issues of power, inequalities and social harm.
This interdisciplinary MA gives you the chance to look at Criminology from the perspective of various other disciplines such as Geography, History, Psychology, Political Science and Sociology.
As well as developing your advanced skills in research and theoretical application, the programme places a strong emphasis on the implications for policy and practice. It includes a strong comparative component, encouraging students to consider some of the international dimensions of crime, social harm and state responses to them.
Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Advanced Research Methods for Social Science
30 credits
30 credits
This module will develop your understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of criminology and social policy research and practice. You will evaluate and understand the contested and political nature of knowledge and the complex relationship between social research and the policy environment. You will critically evaluate a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods used in relevant fields of enquiry and develop advanced data analysis skills, including the use of specialist software tools.
Conceptualising Crime, Criminal Justice and Social Policy
30 credits
30 credits
This module will help you understand the fundamental connection between criminological and social policy theoretical approaches and the significance of these to analyses of social (in) justice. You will understand welfare and criminal justice institutions in their historical and contemporary contexts, and critically examine the ways in which social policy and policymaking processes inform constructions of 'social problems' and the criminal justice responses to them.
Optional modules
Criminological (Re)presentations
30 credits
30 credits
By studying this module you will understand the ways in which crime, harm and the agencies of social control are represented in different cultural/intellectual contexts. You will develop a systematic understanding of the ways in which academic theory and cultural representations intersect and coalesce around notions of 'crime', 'harm' and '(in)justice'. You will engage in the active interrogation of cutting-edge criminological theory through participatory discussion.
Social Divisions: Origins, Inequalities, Intersections
30 credits
30 credits
During this module you will critically explore the significance of historical and contemporary constructions of inequalities to the study of criminology and social policy. You will understand the interconnecting relationship between multiple social divisions and the effects these connections have in theory, policy and practice. The module will help you situate current debates around social divisions and inequalities in their political, geographical and social context.
Critical Criminology and the State: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
30 credits
30 credits
This module will help you to develop a critical understanding of the historical and contemporary relationship between the state, social divisions and the maintenance of social order.
During the module you will consider recent developments around critical theories of the state, to understand the interrelationship between the exercise of state power, policy and practice. In doing so, you will critically assess the contradictions within, and contestation around, the exercise of state power.
Practice-Based Research Project
60 credits
60 credits
During this module you will understand the ways in which criminological research can be undertaken across a range of different employment contexts. You will develop an enhanced employability profile, supported through an evidence-based skill-set. The module will provide you with the opportunity to communicate your research to a diverse audience through different methods of delivery.
Dissertation
60 credits
60 credits
During the module you will negotiate issues of methodology, research design, ethics and data analysis and apply these to research on a topic of the student's choice. You will develop a systematic and critical awareness of complex concepts congruent to the study of criminology and social policy, work independently and with some originality. You will produce a coherent and logically argued piece of writing that demonstrates competence in critical analysis.
Globalisation and Comparative Social Policy: Crime, Harm and (in)justice
30 credits
30 credits
This module with encourage you to think globally and comparatively about social policy and its connections with crime, harm and (in)justice. You will develop a critical understanding of the ways in which the economic, political and cultural milieu intersect with crime, harm and (in)justice. You will participate in online fieldwork, internet-based research, and communities of practice for digital scholarship.
Your Learning Experience
An insight into teaching on your course
Study hours
The 180-credit programme will be taught across three semesters. Each pathway will consist of one 60 credit module (either a dissertation or placement module) undertaken across the whole academic year. Accompanying this, students study two core modules in their first semester, and two optional modules in semester two. Part time students undertake one core module and two options in their first year, and their dissertation/practice-based research module and final core module in their second year.
Teaching methods
Teaching is delivered via a combination of lectures, workshops, seminars and one-to-one consultations with your tutors. You will also be expected to study independently and conduct your own self-directed research.
The teaching team is committed to ensuring you get the most out of your learning experience. Staff have office hours during which you can visit them to discuss your work and progress. You will also be allocated a personal tutor who will guide and support you throughout your time at LJMU.
Applied learning
The MA takes a student centred approach to learning, offering you the opportunity to individualise and customise your postgraduate degree by taking either a research pathway through it, a work placement route, or even a combination of both. You will be encouraged to take a fresh look at some established criminological theories and ideas, as well as being given a space through which some of the fields most contemporary and cutting-edge debates can be engaged with.
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
Staff on this programme place a high value on providing tailored feedback to students and you will normally receive extensive written feedback on assessments and regular feedback. This is designed to help you achieve your full potential.
Depending on the route you select, you will undertake either a 60 credit Masters Dissertation or a 60 credit assessed placement. Other forms of assessment may include: essays, exams, reports and briefing papers, case studies, portfolios, posters, presentations, debates, reviews and group work.
Where you will study
Based within the John Foster Building on the Mount Pleasant Campus the School of Humanities and Social Science has many outstanding facilities, including well-equipped IT Suites, a light-filled Student Common Room and dedicated postgraduate study areas. At the back of the John Foster Building is the Aldham Robarts Library, which gives access to an exceptional range of materials to support the study of humanities and social science.
Course tutors
Dr Will Jackson is Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Programme Leader for the MA Criminology and Social Policy. Will joined LJMU as Lecturer in Criminology in September 2013 having previously taught at the University of Central Lancashire. Will's teaching is focussed on criminological theory, the history of criminology and criminal justice, policing, and interpersonal violence. His main research interests are: policing, political activism, and arts based methods for criminological research.
This MA will provide students with an opportunity to think differently about a whole range of subjects related to crime, deviance, and the agencies of their control. It has been written with the modern postgraduate student in mind. This programme will appeal to those who are interested in pursuing their academic studies through research, and those who want to increase their employability through gaining 'hands on' skills via a work placement.
Career paths
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 94% (HESA 2022) of our postgraduates in work or further study fifteen months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
The MA Criminology and Social Policy degree would be particularly relevant to people working in, or hoping to work in, a range of fields including:
- research
- academia
- charities and community organisations
- children, young people's and youth justice fields
- the investigation of miscarriages of justice
- social work, prison and probation services
- policing
- media research
- writing and journalism
- teaching
- policy and administration
- government
- victim support
Research in action
LJMU academics worked alongside an artist to create a board game that brings the experiences of life on probation to the general public.
Exhibiting work in one of the countrys leading modern art galleries is not a typical experience for Criminologists, but academics from within LJMU's Criminal Justice and Criminology departments can now add this to their list of achievements. Alongside artist Hwa Young Jung, the team revealed a thought-provoking, interactive art piece a board game entitled, Probationary: The Game of Life on Licence at the Tate Modern for The Production of Truth, Justice and History exhibition hosted by the University of Warwick.
Produced through workshops with men on licence, Probationary explores the lived experience of being on probation. The board game format enables players to follow the journey of four characters as they work through the complexities of the probation process.
Board games, from Monopoly to the Game of Life, contain the structures and values of the society in which they are produced presenting back to us the world in which we live. Taking this as a starting point, Probationary reflects real experiences of being subject to the criminal justice system and presents an opportunity to collectively play, understand and discuss such systems within contemporary society.
Tuition fees and funding
- Fee:
- £8,965
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus wifi.
Financial Support
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages. The University offers a range of financial support for students. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist financial support pages including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.
Additional Costs
In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:
- Accommodation
- Travel costs and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
- Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire
- Full-time per year:
- £17,750
International Scholarships and payment plans
Liverpool John Moores University is committed to supporting international students by providing a range of scholarships and flexible payment plans to help students manage their tuition fees.
Scholarships
LJMU provides a variety of postgraduate scholarships to support international students. Scholarships are available to self-funded students who have accepted their offer and met all the conditions outlined in their offer letter. Students must also demonstrate that they can cover living costs, travel, and other expenses associated to studying at the university. Postgraduate scholarships include tuition fee reductions and are often offered in partnership with external funding organisations such as the British Council and Chevening.
All self-funded international students are eligible for an automatic scholarship worth up to £4,000. For more details and to view our full list of scholarships, visit the international scholarship webpages.
Deposit
All students must pay a £5,000 deposit before they can receive their CAS letter.
For more information view our deposit page.
Tuition Fee Payment Plan
After paying their £5,000 deposit, students have the option to pay their fees in full or in three equal instalments minus any internal scholarships and discounts. There are two payment options available for international students. You can either pay your tuition fees in full before enrolment or opt for a payment plan. With the payment plan, you can pay your fees in three instalments after making your £5,000 deposit. The first instalment is due before enrolment.
All payments should be made through Flywire. Full details can be found in the How to Pay Guide.
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Undergraduate degree
- a minimum 2.1 Honours degree in a relevant subject e.g. Criminology, Sociology, Social Policy
Further information
-
RPL
- RPL is accepted on this programme.
International requirements
IELTS
- IELTS 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each component) or equivalent
Other international requirements
- Non-standard applications are welcome
Further information
-
RPL
- RPL is accepted on this programme.
Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.
How to apply
Securing your place at LJMU
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The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.