MSc Forensic Criminology
Full-time, Part-time
Location • Collegiate Campus
Subject area • Criminology
Related subjects • Law
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This course includes a number of initiatives designed to enhance your learning experience and make you more employable after you graduate. Find out more.
Visit the Department of Criminology website to view profiles of the staff who teach in this subject area.
Modules
Legal methodology
This module provides the necessary grounding to study law effectively. It teaches you the core skills required with emphasis placed on research and legal reasoning. You examine the court system and legal professions and we introduce the Human Rights Act of 1998.
Criminal litigation
Criminal litigation is essentially the steps required to take a criminal case to trial. This module examines the initial stages of an investigation. You examine
• police powers
• criminal procedure rules
• pre-trial hearings
• the general principles of criminal law required to ensure that charges are understood and correctly drafted
• the initial stages of a criminal prosecution with emphasis on how they are significant to expert witnesses
Law of evidence
This follows on from the criminal litigation module and progresses the investigative process from the initial court hearings through to the completion of the trial.
You addresses subjects including
• rules and principles on expert testimony
• the burden of proof
• the significance of disclosure and pre trial hearings for expert witnesses
• the rules governing advocacy and trials
• salient rules of evidence, such as hearsay
You also examine recent miscarriages of justice involving expert witnesses to identify how error arose and how to eliminate repetition.
Forensic criminology 1 – conceptual and methodological issues
You examine the development of forensic criminology in its wider social and political context which will help you develop a critical awareness of how theoretical issues impact on the criminal justice system and the professionals which work within that system.
Forensic criminology 2 – issues in policy and practice
You develop your ability to think critically about the links between theory research and policy. You analyse policy developments in the criminal justice sector and the impact those policies have on a variety of serious offences.
Forensic dissertation
This module allows you to demonstrate researcher skills at masters level. You produce a persuasively argued piece of writing that demonstrates knowledge and skills, researcher competence and the ability to work independently.
Find out more about studying MSc Forensic Criminology
Full-time – one year
Part-time – typically two years
Starts September
Complete the application form available at www.shu.ac.uk/study/form
2013/14 academic year
Full-time – typically £5,355
Part-time – typically £1,785 for year one and £3,570 for year two
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees and funding see www.shu.ac.uk/funding
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,980 for the course
2014/15 academic year
Typically £11,250 for the course
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees, scholarships and bursaries see www.shu.ac.uk/international/fees
• coursework • dissertation
Our criminology department has an active criminological society run by students
How we enhance you employability
As part of the course we run a number of initiatives designed to enhance your learning experience and make you more employable after you graduate. Examples of these initiatives are given below.
Employability fair
Every September a variety of agencies from across the criminal justice and voluntary sectors attend our event with the sole aim of employing our students as volunteers within their organisation. This has included prisons, Police, probation, SOVA and Remedi amongst others, who are involved with a broad spectrum of individuals including victim services, young offenders, neighbourhood resolution teams, prisoners and independent custody visitors. The placements you secure can be used in your second and third year of study to gain academic credit as you look at how theoretical approaches apply to real life situations.
Probation training
The department delivers the Probation Qualifications Framework across Yorkshire and Humberside and also the North West, under contract from the Ministry of Justice. This course offers the qualification required to be a probation officer.
Guest lectures and career mentoring
Throughout the year we have a variety of guest speakers. The talks are from a variety of practitioners and academics and may focus on a range of issues, from case studies to policy initiatives, from employment histories to careers advice. A number of these individuals also offer their time as career mentors, where you are partnered with a practitioner who will meet with you regularly to discuss your academic goals and your future career path.
Visit the Department of Criminology website to view profiles of the staff who teach in this subject area.
