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Course overview
Wherever there are people, crime will follow, which makes criminology and criminal psychology an exciting interdisciplinary field to study. The specialist criminological knowledge and skills you gain through this 100% MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology could open up a variety of careers within offender support, the security services, alcohol and drug rehabilitation, and many more.
This exciting Masters degree will provide you with a sociological introduction to crime, causation and criminological theory. You’ll disseminate research undertaken at the University of Essex’s Centre for Criminology which informs both academia and public policy. This includes research strands in crime and the media, green criminology, and terrorism, security and surveillance.
You’ll explore the challenges that arise when investigating complex crime and how these can sometimes derail an investigation. You’ll also learn how to critically evaluate the application of investigative strategies and assess a range of scientific, forensic and techniques that are available to complex crime investigators.
You’ll gain an overview of the links between mental disorder, personality disorder and crime, and develop a thorough understanding of forensic psychology and its role in the assessment, treatment and management of mentally disordered offenders. You’ll also build a critical understanding of the historic relationship between psychology and police practice, including where psychology has had the greatest impact on policing.
Job outcomes
- Crime Analyst
- Police Officer
- Support Worker
- Prison Staff
Study method
- Online
- Blended
- In-class
Awards
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Duration study load
- 2 years – Part-time
Entry requirements
At University of Essex Online, we believe that everyone should be able to access education. That is why we offer two different entry routes onto our MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology, which considers academic or work-based experience.
Academic entry route
You must have the following qualifications as a minimum:
- an undergraduate degree from an approved institution, equivalent to a UK Honours degree, or a relevant professional qualification
Work experience entry route
You must meet the following criteria:
- at least three years of relevant work experience
English language requirement
Our courses are taught in English so to study with us you must have an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 or equivalent. If you don’t hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification, you will be required to pass a free online English test to assess your proficiency.
Course features
We believe you get the most out of your time spent studying when you are kept informed of your performance, and we achieve this by:
- assessing you throughout modules rather than waiting for end of year assessments
- showing your marks in your grade book which can be viewed whenever you log onto the virtual learning environment (VLE)
- rapid turnaround on work assessed to ensure your grade book is always up to date
- ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Support team
Assessment
All assessments are delivered through our virtual learning environment (VLE). You’ll submit assignments through the VLE, such as written reports, discussion forum participation or reflective journal entries.
We also have a policy of ensuring that the work submitted by students is authentic – we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.
Career prospects
Many of our graduates go on to work in senior roles within criminal justice. This could be as analytical police staff or police officers, or within offender support, prison, probation or victim services. You’ll also be well prepared for positions within alcohol and drug rehabilitation services, security services, youth support services and legal services, as well as roles in related sectors, such as counselling, education and social work.
Delivery
We’re a 100% online education provider, so we use a state-of-the-art virtual learning environment (VLE) to deliver our teaching, resources and assessments. Our system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials. The VLE is accessible 24/7 and allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and live seminars.
Subjects
The MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology is made up of the following modules and, upon completion, is equal to a total of 180 credits.
Shorter awards are also available; the 16-month postgraduate diploma (PG Dip) at 120 credits and the eight-month postgraduate certificate (PG Cert) at 60 credits.
- Criminal Victimisation (20 credits)
- Policing: Leadership, Policy & Partnerships (20 credits)
About University of Essex Online
University of Essex Online delivers 100% online part-time courses in business, computing, education, health, law, criminology and psychology. The qualifications we offer include CertHEs and Bachelors degrees at undergraduate level, and PG Certs, PG Dips and Masters degrees at postgraduate level, with study durations ranging from 8 months to 4 years.
We are one of the longest-running providers of 100% online degrees in the UK. All our courses are specifically designed for online delivery, combining silver-standard teaching with the latest technology and enabling you to gain a top-class education from anywhere in the world.
All our qualifications are awarded and validated by the University of Essex, an award-winning university with a 50-year heritage of teaching and research excellence. On completion of your studies, you’ll be invited to graduate at the University of Essex’s Colchester campus. You will receive the same certificate as campus-based students – your mode of study is only mentioned on your academic transcript.
Gaining an undergraduate qualification with the University of Essex Online also puts you in good stead for your career prospects. Results from their 2021 student survey showed:
- 92% of students said their course helped develop their research skills
- 89% of students say their studies fit with their future plans
- 25% of students saw their salaries increase by up to 10%
