3-Term Pathway - Pre-Master's in Social Sciences and Law - Continue to Master of Science - Criminal Justice and Social Research Methods

This program will prepare students for entry to a postgraduate degree in a wide range of subjects at Lancaster University, including law, design and a world top 10 linguistics program (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023).

On this degree students will engage with the ethical issues concerning criminology and criminal justice research and with the policies informing the design of research into crime, deviance and punishment. It can open doors to research careers in both the public and private sectors.

This degree, which is eligible for ESRC 1+3 funding, guides students through the theory of criminological and criminal justice research and helps them to develop their skills in the collection, analysis and reporting of qualitative and quantitative data. The integration of criminal justice and criminological modules gives students a broader overview of current research and allows them to engage in more specialised criminological and socio-legal studies.

The Law School is home to the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice, the Centre for Law and Society, and the Centre for Child and Family Justice; these centres underpin the postgraduate teaching, which is often research-led and research-informed. Many of the lecturers are nationally and internationally renowned researchers. The Lancaster University Law School is ranked 6th in the UK for research impact in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021, published May 2022), with 88% of its impact rated ‘outstanding’.

The core modules are Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences, Quantitative Research Methods, Crime and Criminal Justice in the 21st Century, Criminological Research in Practice, and Criminological Theory. Students will choose one module from: Criminologies of Violence, International Criminal Law; Feminist Criminology; International Human Rights Law; International Terrorism and the Law; and Transitional Justice, Human Rights and Peace Building. A research-based Criminal Justice dissertation completes the degree.

The postgraduate degree can prepare students for research jobs in organisations such as the Home Office, Probation Service, Social Services, and other government departments or voluntary organisations. Students will have the opportunity to develop the skills to undertake and critically evaluate criminological research, which can be highly prized by employers. Whilst on the degree students will also have the chance to develop their analytical and communication skills which can help to build on their employability.