Youth Justice

Overview

Designed for those who want to advance their understanding of youth issues, youth offending and social and criminal justice responses to young people, this programme focuses on developing critical analytical skills and enhancing the ability to assess policy and practice against international standards and benchmarks.



Targeted at practitioners, policy-makers and those interested in further academic study, it provides the opportunity to apply academic knowledge and critical analytical skills to practice and enhance understanding of young people's lives, the criminal justice system and the discourse of children's rights.



Given increased policy attention in the area of youth justice and strategies impacting on children and young people more generally, the programme reflects the concern to understand the needs and rights of children and young people and ground responses in evidence, best practice and international standards.



Course Structure

The programme draws on specialisms within the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (in youth studies, criminology, children’s rights and research methods). In addition to core modules, optional modules from a range of Master’s programme are available.



A blended learning approach has been adopted which includes a mixture of face-to-face and online learning (including live online lectures and pre-recorded material), traditional lectures, workshops, condensed weekend modules, online discussion forums and guest speakers.



20 CATS modules generally involve 20 contact hours per semester, 10 CATS modules generally involve 10 contact hours per semester. Contact hours often include a blend of face-to-face lectures/workshops and online (live and pre-recorded) sessions. Students can choose some optional modules that are all face-to-face, all online or a blend of both.



The MSc is awarded to students who successfully complete a combination of core and optional taught modules (120 CATS points) and a research dissertation (60 CATS points).



A Postgraduate Diploma exit route is awarded to students who successfully complete 120 CATS points from a combination of core and optional taught modules (without the dissertation).



A Postgraduate Certificate exit route is also available (60 CATS points from core modules).

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.



Year 1

Core Modules

• Foundations of Children's Rights (20 credits)

• Perspectives on Childhood and Youth (10 credits)

• Childhood and Youth Research in Practice (10 credits)

• Youth Justice: Theory, Law and Practice (20 credits)

• An Introduction to Research Methods: Children, Young People and Education (20 credits)

• Youth Justice Dissertation (60 credits)

• Youth and Social Justice (20 credits)



Optional Modules

• Qualitative Data Analysis (10 credits)

• Qualitative Research with Children and Young People (10 credits)

• Quantitative Data Analysis: Foundational (10 credits)

• Economic Impact of Childhood Interventions (10 credits)

• Youth Justice and Desistance (20 credits)

• Social Divisions, Conflict and Change in Northern Ireland: New Sociological Research (10 credits)

• Childhood Disability and Rights (20 credits)

Graduate

Normally a strong 2.2 Honours degree (with minimum of 55%) or above or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in any subject discipline.



Applicants with an acceptable 2.2 Honours degree below 55% or equivalent, may also be considered if they have at least two years of professional experience in an education, training or relevant context.



International Students

Please see International Student's link below.

Closing date for applications: Thursday 31st July 2025 at 4pm.



Late applications may be considered.



Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder.



Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.

Modules will be assessed through a variety of written work work including: essays; blogs; research proposals/ tenders

3 years (Part-time)

1 year (Full-time)



Teaching Times:

Morning / Afternoon / Evening/ Weekend and online flexible learning.

Entry Year: 2025/26

Career Prospects

Introduction

Possible career paths include work in youth and social justice related fields. Previous graduates have been successful in gaining jobs working for NGOs in the criminal justice field, in child and youth and advocacy, and in statutory sector criminal justice agencies. A number of graduates have also gone on to PhD study.



Employment after the Course

You will have gained the skills necessary to locate and evaluate policy, research and practice on youth justice related issues, and to undertake your own research in this area. This will position you for working in organisations that: advocate for the rights and needs of children in conflict with the law; that formulate policy; that undertake research.



You will also have a more holistic understanding of the lives of children in conflict with the law, placing you in a perfect position to work with and for these children, and for organisation that support them (e.g. NGOs/ voluntary organisations, statutory sector bodies, government departments).



You may follow in the footsteps of some of our recent graduates who work in young offender's centres in the Republic of Ireland and in England, support young people transitioning from care in Scotland, mentor young people in conflict with the law in Northern Ireland, advocate for the rights of children with care experiences in Northern Ireland, facilitate restorative practice in Mumbai or have extended their studies through doctoral study.