Crime and Justice in Practice MSc



Understand how contemporary criminal, restorative, and community justice processes work in practice, both nationally and internationally.

Overview

Explore real-world workings of criminal and restorative justice.

You'll gain an in-depth understanding of how justice processes function both nationally and internationally and critically analyze the impact of justice policy and research, uncovering the complexities that shape modern justice systems.

Acquire advanced research skills, mastering both qualitative and quantitative methods, and diving into ethics and research design. These skills will empower you to create meaningful, practical solutions in the field of justice.

Typical entry point to this course is in September. Please enquire for more information. 

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Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

1 years

Start date:

Sep

Course details

The MSc Crime and Justice in Practice will help you develop a critical understanding of how contemporary criminal, restorative, and community justice processes work in practice, both at national and international levels. It will also help your ability to evaluate the role and impact of applied justice policy and research with a critical awareness of the economic, socio-cultural and political contexts that influence the practice of social research in various fields (i.e. academic, non-governmental, third sector, business, government & policy).

You will use advanced research skills across both qualitative and quantitative methods, with a strong emphasis on ethics and robust research design and have the chance to apply these skills by designing and carrying out an original research project of relevance to practice.

Lead Academics: Dr Francesca Soliman and Dr Andrew Wooff.

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    How you’ll be taught

    Core knowledge and understanding is acquired through lectures, practical activities, seminars, tutorials, online activities, group work and guided independent learning.

    Where appropriate and possible, teaching delivered by academic staff will also be supported by guest speakers from criminal justice and related organisations, offering you the opportunity to network with criminal justice professionals and potential employers. Your participation and critical thinking is encouraged across the programme, and with the Work Placement module in particular, your participation facilitates an experiential approach.

     
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    Assessments

    Your learning will be assessed using a range of traditional and authentic coursework assessments, including essays, oral presentations, portfolios, reports, risk formulation, critical reflections, case studies, and learning agreements. You will be assessed on activities that require you to show initiative and determination to solve problems that require research, creativity and perseverance. You will undertake both formative (unassessed but feedback provided) and summative (formally assessed) assessments during this degree. The execution of a dissertation will allow you to demonstrate your thinking skills to the highest level of this award.
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    Work placement

    Students who choose to undertake the Work Placement module are supported by the Module Leader and Student Futures via a series of compulsory workshops during trimester 2. These focus on skills such as CV writing, delivering effective interview presentations, writing strong covering letters. All students on placement are allocated an academic placement supervisor who oversees the placement and must sign off the learning agreement before the placement can commence.
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    Facilities

     You will study at Sighthill campus. 

Modules

Modules that you will study* as part of this course

Advanced Research Skills ( PSY11102 )

This module introduces you to advanced research skills in psychology and the social sciences. The content of this module covers three related areas:1) Quantitative research, including applying multivariate statistical analysis techniques using appropriate software (e.g. principal components analysis, SEM, cluster analysis)2) Qualitative research, including methods for collecting and analysing qualitative data (e.g. interviewing, focus groups, documentary analysis etc.).3) Research ethicsYou will have the opportunity to explore these topics across a variety of research examples from criminology and forensic psychology.

Further information

Crime, Justice and Public Health ( SSC11126 )

In this module you will explore complex social issues that intersect health and criminal justice systems, such as social and economic inequalities, adverse childhood experiences, vulnerability to violence (particularly gender-based violence in domestic settings), mental health crises, substance use and associated harms such as HIV infection, dementia, and commercial sex work and exploitation. You will delve into the multidimensional nature of these issues, comparing public health and criminal justice perspectives and examining a range of interventions, legislation, policy, and strategic responses employed by both sectors. You will critically analyse the synergies and tensions between the disciplinary perspectives of public health and criminology, enhancing your theoretical understanding and evaluation skills. Reflecting on shared and differing occupational cultures, you will explore the facilitators and barriers to service engagement, gaining insight into the implications for health/justice-involved populations.

Further information

International and Comparative Criminology ( SSC11113 )

The first part of the module aims to engage you in the critical analysis of local and global responses to crime concerns and will explore: cybercrime; organised/corporate crime; terrorism; drugs and crime; human trafficking; international/global policing.The second part of the module aims to engage you in the critical analysis of specific responses to crime within different jurisdictions, including Anglo-America, Scandinavia and low crime countries such as Saudi Arabia and Japan. Topics will include: how to conduct comparative research on crime and control; comparing criminal justice systems; comparative criminal justice policy making; comparative penal politics; comparative youth justice; comparative responses to victimisation.

Further information

Understanding and Responding to Crime ( SSC11124 )

This is indicative content and may change from year to year based on staffing and student feedback:This module provides a critical examination of the interweaving of politics, criminological theory and responses to crime (including but not limited to those in the criminal justice system). We begin with an overview of key criminological understandings of the causes of crime, setting the scene for theory which will be integrated throughout the module, before discussing the political dimensions of crime and the changing politics of crime control. The module then discusses policing and crime prevention, before addressing radical and recent ‘zemiological’ (the study of social harm) and abolitionist perspectives on crime. The module then considers policing, community safety, and criminal justice in their social, historical and political contexts, as well as policy developments in these fields and more radical and abolitionist perspectives. It concludes with a critical evaluation of ‘evidence-based’ responses to crime, helping to set the scene for you to start thinking about dissertation projects in Tri 2 and 3.

Further information

* These are indicative only and reflect the course structure in the current academic year. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for Crime and Justice in Practice?

The entry requirement for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at 2:2 (or equivalent) in a related subject (e.g. social sciences, law and humanities, including but not limited to criminology, law, geography, humanities, and business).

We may also consider lesser qualifications if you have sufficient relevant work experience within the industry.

Do I need to have my qualification before I apply?

No, it is possible to apply whilst you are in the final year of your degree. Any offer made will be conditional on you achieving a 2:2 (or equivalent).

Can I get admission into Crime and Justice in Practice based on my working experience in this sector?

This course has academic entry requirements which are assessed alongside relevant work experience. Full details of any relevant work experience, including references should be submitted with your application and may be considered for entry where the minimum academic entry requirements are below those required.

Usually, unrelated work experience is not considered sufficient for entry without meeting the minimum academic entry requirements. Please contact us with your specific circumstances by submitting an enquiry form above and we will be happy to discuss your options.

Can I make an appointment with an advisor to discuss further about the admission process?

If you want to get more information on the admission process, please get in touch with the postgraduate admissions team by submitting an enquiry form above.

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test and our minimum English language requirements will apply.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2024/25 2025/26
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £7,280 £7,650
Overseas and EU £18,800 £19,750
Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.
The University offers a 20% discount on Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. The discount can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount. For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount. Please read our full T&C here
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Careers

What can you do with a degree in Crime and Justice in Practice?

On successful completion of this programme, you will have mastered the knowledge, understanding, and skills needed to gain postgraduate-level employment within a wide variety of professional sectors.

This includes criminal justice agencies, third sector organisations, academia, public administration, social policy, and government/parliamentary agencies. As a criminology programme, the MSc Crime and Justice in Practice provides you with significant strengths in intellectual, transferable, and research skills in preparation for career development in a very wide range of sectors.

The applied focus and the carefully tailored in-module flexibility enable you to apply theoretical models to real world problems and/or design research to address specific areas of policy and/or practice. In addition, the opportunity for work experience will enable you to gain first-hand experience and learn from professional partners within real-world settings. On successful completion of the MSc, you will also be equipped to apply for doctoral-level study at Edinburgh Napier or other UK Universities.

What does a Criminal Justice Policy Analyst do?

A Criminal Justice Policy Analyst plays a crucial role in examining, evaluating, and shaping policies related to crime, law enforcement, justice reform, and public safety. They use research, data analysis, and their understanding of criminal justice systems to recommend policy changes and strategies aimed at improving the effectiveness and fairness of the justice system that is responsive to the needs of society.

Daily tasks and responsibilities in this role may include:

  • Advocacy and consultation
  • Policy development
  • Research and Analysis
  • Collaboration

What does a Case Officer do?

A Case Officer typically handles a variety of responsibilities related to the processing and management of legal cases within the court system. The specific duties may vary depending on the level of the court (e.g., Sheriff court, High court) and the nature of the cases being handled.

Alumni currently hold Case Officer positions within the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service where they play a vital role in ensuring the effective and efficient operation of the court system. Managing the administrative aspects of legal cases with their work contributes to the fair and timely resolution of legal matters, which in turn supports the wellbeing of those involved in court cases.

Daily tasks and responsibilities in this role may include: 

  • Supporting court proceedings
  • Documentation and system management
  • Case management
  • Conflict resolution

What does a Researcher do?

Researchers or Research Officers are valuable to a wide range of agencies/organisations, designing and conducting research which underpins services and interventions as well as informing policy. For example, you might work in the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, Violence Reduction Unit, or third sector organisations.

Daily tasks and responsibilities in this role may include: 

  • Designing and conducting research, including analysis
  • Consultation and engagement with stakeholders
  • Policy Analysis
  • Report writing
Police Scotland student placements at Torphicen Street Station sitting at a table talking to an officer