MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology

The course strikes a necessary balance between the ‘social’ and ‘psychological’ for an informed understanding of the ‘science of crime’. On the one hand are the predominantly individualistic perspectives of the disciplines of psychology; on the other are the social-contextual perspectives of social scientific disciplines informing criminology (e.g. sociology, political science, anthropology). In both cases, the course is underpinned by an appreciation of the multifaceted nature of the idea of justice in its different manifestations – criminal, social, political, environmental. The MSc focuses on the key theoretical and empirical dimensions that are central to understanding the individual, group and societal nature of crime. Drawing on a wide variety of social scientific and psychological traditions, this engaging and fascinating degree gets to the heart of the meaning, causes and responses to crime and criminal behaviour.