Criminology & Criminal Justice – (M.Sc.)

Edinburgh is an exciting environment in which to study criminology and criminal justice, and on this MSc (Master of Science) postgraduate degree programme you will be able to study with criminology staff who have expertise in a wide range of topics, from the theoretical to the applied. Staff teaching on the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice degree include Professor Richard Sparks, Dr Lesley McAra, Dr Richard Jones, Dr Alistair Henry (Programme Director of the MSc), Dr Anna Souhami, Susan McVie, Dr John Crichton and Dr Andy Aitchison. Edinburgh has a particular focus of research on 'punishment and society', broadly understood, and on youth crime and justice, policing and crime prevention, cybercrime, and comparative criminal justice. See below for further details about postgraduate scholarships.

The MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice provides an excellent way into the advanced study of criminology. The MSc is suitable both for students who have studied criminology at undergraduate level and for those who are new to the subject. All members of teaching staff are active researchers and teaching is research-informed.

The MSc degree offers a proven career development opportunity. This postgraduate degree (equivalent to an MA, Master of Criminology, MS, or taught MPhil degree) gives you the opportunity to become knowledgeable about important specific areas of criminology, study with expert staff, be intellectually stimulated, significantly enhance your CV, and gain a valuable and internationally respected qualification that will be attractive to future employers. Former graduates of the MSc degree have gone on to successful careers and employment in a wide range of fields, including at the Home Office, Scottish Government, UK Ministry of Defence, government agencies worldwide, as prison governors, in policing and law enforcement, at offender counselling agencies, drug treatment centres, crime prevention, welfare and charitable organisations, in the legal profession (including as prosecutors), at criminal intelligence agencies, and in the media. Many MSc graduates have progressed to jobs as researchers. Many others have progressed to academic careers at universities.

This Masters degree provides comprehensive training in criminology, criminal justice and research methods, and offers an excellent foundation for those interested in undertaking subsequent doctoral research. Whatever your career destination, you will graduate with a valuable Masters degree from a university with a distinguished history and an excellent reputation and rankings: the University of Edinburgh was founded in 1582 and today is ranked in the top 25 universities worldwide.