Criminology & Criminal Justice

Applications are invited from non-law graduates holding an excellent degree (at least 2.1) in a relevant subject area such as Sociology, Politics, Philosophy, History, Psychology or English (if you are unsure whether your area of study qualifies as 'relevant' please contact us). In exceptional circumstances, substantial professional experience within the field of criminal justice may be regarded by the selection panel as compensating for a lack of an upper second class honours level 8 qualification. Such applicants should state clearly in their application why they feel their other qualifications/experience are appropriate for admission onto the programme.



This is a unique Masters programme, based in Ireland’s only Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice. It is suitable for graduates of disciplines other than law who have ambitions to work in the field of criminology and criminal justice. It provides career-relevant knowledge, insight and skills to those working or aspiring to work in sectors such as policing, youth justice, prisons, probation and related voluntary organisations, as well as a good platform for doctoral studies and a possible academic career.



The programme is designed to ensure that participants learn to understand and think critically about the intersections between law, politics and social policy that come to the fore in the study of Criminology and Criminal Justice. On completion, graduates will have developed the skills to conduct independent research and write coherent, well-structured papers, attributes which will prove invaluable in future working environments.

Stage 1 Core Modules

LAW40640 Advances in Criminological Theory Autumn 10

LAW40620 The Prison: Contemporary Challenges Spring 10

LAW40290 Dissertation Summer 30



Stage 1 Options - A)4 of:

Choose 4 of the Following

LAW40980 Victims and Criminal Justice Autumn 10

LAW41050 Coercive Confinement: Theory and Practice Autumn 10

LAW41500 White Collar Crime Autumn 10

SPOL41130 Drugs & Drug Policy Autumn 5

LAW40970 Global Perspectives on Desistance & Rehabilitation Spring 10

LAW41090 Climate Change Law and Policy Spring 10

LAW42020 Law of Armed Conflict Spring 10

SOC40720 Organised Violence and Society Spring 10

SPOL40450 Evidence-Based Policy Making Spring 10

Applications are invited from non-law graduates holding an excellent degree (at least 2.1) in a relevant subject area such as Sociology, Politics, Philosophy, History, Psychology or English (if you are unsure whether your area of study qualifies as 'relevant' please contact us). In exceptional circumstances, substantial professional experience within the field of criminal justice may be regarded by the selection panel as compensating for a lack of an upper second class honours level 8 qualification. Such applicants should state clearly in their application why they feel their other qualifications/experience are appropriate for admission onto the programme.



These are the minimum entry requirements - additional criteria may be requested for some programmes



What is the Application Procedure?

The School encourages all applicants whose first language is not English to attend the pre-sessional English programme offered by the UCD Applied Language Centre, details of which are available at www.ucd.ie/alc.



- Go to www.ucd.ie/apply to make an application. Remember to keep a note of your login and password as you will need to return to the application.

- Official transcripts must be submitted as proof of examination results by all applicants except graduates of UCD

- Students of UCD applying for the MSc do not need to supply Transcripts, References or give names of Referees

- The personal statement is an important component of the application. It should contain information demonstrating your capability to undertake the course successfully. Thus, you should detail your relevant research and practical experience including any publications and major essays/projects.

- Applicants must nominate two academic referees unless the applicant has been in employment for more than two years, in which case one of the named referees must be an employer. Applicants are required to submit the name, position held, postal address, email address and contact number for the two academic referees.



Applicants whose first language is not English must submit satisfactory evidence of competence in written and spoken English, i.e. overall IELTS 6.5 (including a minimum of 6.5 in the reading and writing parts and no part below 6.0) or 90 in the TOEFL iBT (with a minimum of 22 (reading) and 24 (writing) and no part below 20.) The test results must be less than 2 years old.

- Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the English language requirements, may enter the programme upon successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/

- Please indicate any other Masters programmes for which you are applying.



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/

Apply online



Who Should Apply?

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes

International (Non EU) applicants: Yes



Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes

International (Non EEA) applicants: Yes

90

1 year full-time,

2 years part-time.

MSc Criminology & Criminal Justice (B220) Full Time

EU fee per year - € 9320

nonEU fee per year - € 19900


MSc Criminology & Criminal Justice (B221) Part Time

EU Year 1 - € 4660

EU Year 2 - € 4660 aa

nonEU Year 1 - € 9950

nonEU Year 2 - € 9950


aaSecond Year Fee applies to Students in 2nd Year in 2020 and who were a 1st Year Student on the programme in 2019/20

***Fees are subject to change


Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships. We also offer scholarships for EU applicants. All applicants who apply before May 31st will be included. Further details at http://www.ucd.ie/law/study/scholarships/

Intakes in January & September



Next intake

B220 Criminology & Criminal Justice (Master of Science) Full-Time

Commencing September 2026

Graduate Taught



B221 Criminology & Criminal Justice (Master of Science) Part-Time

Commencing September 2026

Graduate Taught

The MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice provides enhanced knowledge and career opportunities for non-lawyers who wish to start or progress a career within the fields of policing, youth justice, prisons, probation and voluntary organisations.



This Masters degree can also provide a good platform for doctoral studies with the possibility of leading to an academic career in what has become an area of substantial growth in universities around the world.



Masters students in UCD Sutherland School of Law can benefit from engaging both with the UCD Careers Network and the Head of Career Development in the School. There are careers events hosted through the academic year and a specific Law Fair every October where Domestic and International Employers come on campus to meet with students.