This programme is currently under development and may be subject to change
Key information
Duration: 1 year full time or 2 years part time
Institution code: R72
Campus: Egham
UK fees*: £9,800
International/EU fees**: £22,300
The course
Criminology (MSc)
This MSc Criminology is designed for students who are passionate about making a positive impact on society by gaining a comprehensive understanding of criminal behaviour and societal responses to crime. The course offers a rich and extensive overview of issues related to criminality, deviance, law enforcement, and social order, emphasising the centrality of various research methods and rigorous statistical techniques for studying and addressing crime. Graduates will emerge with the skills to excel in careers in academia, law enforcement, security companies, and the public sector.
The degree is offered by the Institute for the Study of Power, Crime, and Society (PCS Institute), housed in the Department of Law and Criminology. The course has a strong interdisciplinary orientation that reflects the range of expertise and approaches in the research institute and the department. During the course, you’ll address topics related to crime, deviance, and punishment within their broader social context and across different societies and settings. You will have the opportunity to engage with empirical insights from social psychology, sociology, and other social sciences. Alongside general criminology topics, domains, and theories, the course places particular emphasis on organised crime, one of the biggest societal challenges of our time. Organised crime presents complex and evolving threats to security and social order nationally and globally, making it a critical area of study within the field of criminology.
Through the MSc Criminology you’ll:
- Develop a critical awareness of the various approaches to criminology
- Learn about applied and fundamental scientific issues concerning crime and social control
- Learn data literacy skills, to enable you to analyse and understand statistical and qualitative data
- Gain generic and specialist employability skills, with the ability to pursue careers in both the criminal justice system and in academia
Course structure
Core Modules
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This module will provide you with an in-depth understanding of various theoretical perspectives in criminology. You will gain foundational knowledge that will enable you to critically analyse and engage with different theoretical frameworks and their applications in social contexts. By the end of this module, you will have developed a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical foundations of criminology and be equipped with the critical skills necessary to analyse and interpret crime in a complex and ever-changing society.
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By analysing the effectiveness and social implications of different forms of punishment, you will learn to evaluate the complexities and ethical considerations inherent in the administration of justice. This module encourages you to engage with interdisciplinary research, drawing from psychology, sociology, and related fields to understand the nature of punishment and its effects on both individuals and society as a whole. You’ll gain an understanding of how societies approach the complex issues of punishment, social control and rehabilitation, situating the debates in the context of fairness and justice.
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This module will equip students with a comprehensive understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies relevant to criminological research. The primary aim of the module is to develop students’ proficiency in designing, conducting, and critically evaluating research in criminology and related disciplines. This is achieved by focusing on broad research methods and specific techniques for qualitative data analysis.
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By combining theoretical learning and practical application, this module aims to equip students with the skills to conduct independent data analysis. By the end of the course, you will have a deep understanding of various methods and the ability to apply these skills in real-world criminological research and practice. The module prepares students for the challenges of criminological research, enhancing your employability in data-driven settings.
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This modules aims to provide students with a deep understanding of how organized crime interacts with political power, influencing and being influenced by governmental structures. The module will also address the issue of criminal governance, territorial control and exercise of political power by criminal groups, drawing on research conducted by the Power, Crime, and Society Institute.
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This module will describe the key principles of academic integrity, focusing on university assignments. Plagiarism, collusion and commissioning will be described as activities that undermine academic integrity, and the possible consequences of engaging in such activities will be described. Activities, with feedback, will provide you with opportunities to reflect and develop your understanding of academic integrity principles.
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The dissertation is a 60-credit module providing you with the opportunity to address a research question relevant to the field of criminology. This module aims to develop students' capacity to critically engage with contemporary empirical and theoretical research within criminology. Through this process, your ability to identify and formulate research questions and hypotheses that are firmly grounded in the existing empirical literature. The module places a strong emphasis on understanding and assessing the suitability of various research methods for data analysis, which is crucial for addressing specific research questions effectively. By the end of the module, you will have developed a thorough understanding of the research process in criminology, from the initial formulation of a research question to the final presentation of findings and will be equipped with the critical and practical skills needed to contribute to the field, whether in academic, policy-making, or applied research contexts.
Teaching & assessment
Teaching and learning is mostly by means of lectures; seminars, study groups, essay consultations, oral presentations and guided independent study. Assessment of knowledge and understanding is typically by formal examinations, coursework, examined essays, translation exercises, online tests and exercises, oral presentations and the dissertation or long essay. In addition, students may be involved in workshops and may produce various forms of creative or editorial work.
Entry requirements
2:2
Prior knowledge of research methods and basic statistics (UG level, typically taught in Criminology courses) will be useful but not mandatory to purse the programs.
2:2 in Sociology, business, criminology, law, psychology, or in a human or political science. 2.1 for other subjects with requirements for an interview and sample essay.
International & EU requirements
English language requirements
All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.
The scores we require
- IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 6.5. No other subscore lower than 6.0.
- Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 61. No other subscore lower than 54.
- Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
Country-specific requirements
For more information about country-specific entry requirements please see here.
Your future career
This Masters degree will prepare students for careers in academia, security companies, and the public sector and to enable you to pursue a successful career a range of assessment techniques are employed to ensure you will be well-prepared to address the challenges associated with criminological research and practice, contributing effectively to policy-making, law enforcement, research areas and other relevant roles.
Fees, funding & scholarships
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £9,800
EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £22,300
Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course.
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries.
* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2025/26. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.
Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually. Be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. The annual increase for continuing students who start their degree in 2025/26 will be 5%. For further information, see the fees and funding , and terms and conditions.
** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2025/26. Find out more
*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2025/26 academic year, and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.
