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  • Criminal Law and Criminal Justice (LLM / MA)
  • 2013/2014 entry
  • Contact us
  • Assessment

    • Final assessment for most compulsory and option modules is based on a 4000-word essay. You will also submit a dissertation of 6000–8000 words on a topic of your choice, to be agreed with the programme director.

  • Attendance
      • One–two evenings a week part-time; two–three evenings a week full-time.
      • Our flexible evening teaching is ideal if you want to combine studying with working during the day. However, if you work more than 20 hours a week, we strongly recommend that you study part-time.
      • Classes held October–April.
      • Dissertation submitted in September.
  • Duration
      • Two years part-time or one year full-time.
  • Entry requirements
      • Good second-class honours degree in law or a related discipline in the humanities or social sciences.
      • Degrees from overseas institutions must be equivalent to a UK second-class degree.
      • Other relevant qualifications and appropriate professional experience and training welcome.
      • Excellent English language skills are essential.

      Find out about our international entry requirements

  • Fees and funding
    • Fees (2013/14)
      • Part-time (home/EU students): £3975 pa
      • Part-time (overseas students): £7425 pa
      • Full-time (home/EU students): £7950 pa
      • Full-time (overseas students): £14,775 pa
  • Location
      • Central London.
  • Teaching

    • This programme includes both taught and research (a dissertation) components. Teaching and learning formats may vary, some modules follow a traditional programme of weekly meetings, others may take the form of intensive courses offered over one or two weekends. 

      Independent study and active participation are essential to all course provision. You should plan to spend at least five hours in private study for every hour spent in class.

      Find out more about what you can expect from classes and the help and support we offer students.

Criminal Law and Criminal Justice (LLM / MA) - 2013/2014 entry


  • Overview

    • Security is a major contemporary preoccupation; criminal law and criminal justice are key responses. This programme offers an exciting, challenging and distinctive opportunity to undertake advanced study in these areas.

      The central focus of the programme is the interface between criminal law and criminal justice. It offers a theoretically informed and multidisciplinary course of study. In addition to studying the now established critical and theoretical perspectives relevant to criminal law and criminal justice, the programme also has a humanities focus, which offers an opportunity to explore and engage with cutting-edge scholarship in criminal law and criminal justice studies.

      The programme is delivered by staff from the School of Law, the Institute of Criminal Policy Research at Birkbeck, and a range of visiting international scholars and practitioners.

      The Institute for Criminal Policy Research is a unique resource attached to the School of Law, undertaking major empirical research into crime and the criminal justice system.  Its main areas of research are:

      • the quality and effectiveness of criminal justice services and resources (including the courts, police, probation and services for drug users)
      • the causes, consequences and prevention of offending
      • public attitudes towards: crime and sentencing, the police and community safety.

      Find out more about studying law at Birkbeck.

  • Why study this course at Birkbeck?
      • Designed for students who are passionate about criminal law and criminal justice, who want to face new challenges, and who are interested in exploring and developing new critical perspectives on major contemporary national and international debates.
      • Flexible learning, studying in the evening, makes it particularly attractive to legal and criminal justice professionals and practitioners.
      • Birkbeck School of Law is the home of the Institute for Criminal Policy Research.
      • Watch our video: studying law at Birkbeck
  • Course structure

    • The programme is made up of two core modules, three option modules and a short dissertation project of your choice, agreed with the programme director.

      The dual stream award (either LLM or MA) allows you to choose a qualification that best suits your existing and future career. The final award will be determined prior to completion, in consultation with the programme director.

      Compulsory core modules (one term each):

      Criminal justice option modules (one term each) may include:

      Please note: not all options will be available every year.

      You will also be able to choose from the range of option modules available on our other Master's programmes, subject to the approval of the programme director.

  • Study resources

    • The School of Law is an internationally recognised centre for critical and interdisciplinary legal research. It provides an exciting and innovative environment for a wide range of research with a strong theoretical and policy focus. The School is the home of Birkbeck Law Press and publishes Law and Critique: The International Journal of Critical Legal Thought.

      Birkbeck School of Law is the home of the Institute for Criminal Policy Research. Mike Hough and Paul Turnbull, its co-directors, lead a team of outstanding researchers. They bring a wealth of knowledge to the Master's programme participating in core and specialist modules and providing dissertation supervision

      We use technology, such as electronic learning environments, to enhance teaching and learning. Birkbeck Library has an extensive teaching collection of books, journals and electronic resources in law and related disciplines, such as economics, politics and sociology. For example, it provides access to over 17,000 electronic journals, which are available online 24-hours a day. Find out more about our teaching and learning resources.

      Birkbeck Library has an extensive collection of books, journals and electronic resources in law and related disciplines such as economics, politics and sociology. You can also take advantage of the rich research collections nearby, including those of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Senate House Library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science (LSE Library) and the British Library.

  • Further study opportunities
  • Careers information

    • Graduates go on to careers in the legal profession, police, probation, in a variety of local government and public sector criminal justice and security roles, or as researchers or journalists.

      Find out more about the career advice and information we offer.

  • Apply now