MA in Criminology
Full Time - DT568
Part Time - DT550
Programme Co-Ordinator: Dr. Mairead Seymour
Claire Hamilton
School of Social Sciences and Law
Dept of Social Sciences
Dublin Institute of Technology,
41 Mountjoy Square
Dublin 1
T: 01 402 4211
F: 01 402 4263
E: claire.hamilton@dit.ie
T: 01 402 4133
E: mairead.seymour@dit.ie
Duration:
Full Time - 1 Year
Part Time - 2 Years
Closing Date:
No longer accepting applications for September 2010
Course Start Date:
21 September 2010
It is planned to hold an induction day before this but a date is yet to be finalised.
Introduction
Please note due to the great demand for our programmes early applications are assessed when received and dealt with promptly. Therefore it is advisable to make early applications for an early response. If you do not yet have your final degree results this will not hinder your application as we are happy to issue conditional offer letters in such circumstances.
The MA in Criminology at the School of Social Sciences and Law, Dublin Institute of Technology is the first postgraduate taught programme of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. The programme aims to providestudents with a firm theoretical grounding in, and understanding of, contemporary criminological issues as well as thorough training in research skills.
The programme provides an excellent grounding for those seeking to pursue a cereer in research and/or policy making or for those seeking to pursue higher qualifications (such as MPhil or PhD degrees). The programme is also targeted at those working in, or aspiring to work in, the criminal justice field including lawyers, gardai, course officers, social workers, social care workers, psychologists, yourth workers and related professionals.
Course Content
Students will be required to complete three core modules, two of five optional modules and a dissertation.
Core Modules
Criminological Theory
The Criminal Justice System
Research Methods
Dissertation
Optional Modules (Students complete two of five optional modules):
Sentencing
Youth Offending and Youth Justice Perspectives
Penal Policy
Policing, Justice and the State in Ireland
Victimology: Theory and Measurement
Criminology is traditionally defined as the 'scientific study of crime'. It is an exciting inter-discriplinary subject that drawson sociology, psychology and law to focus on issues such as the causes of crime, the meaning of crime and community or societal reactions to crime. A criminologist is not to be confused with a 'criminalist' who reconstructs a crime scene or works with crime scene evidence for forensic purposes.
Assessment
Assessment methods include examinations (in January and May/June), written assignments, individual and group presentations and a dissertation.
Location
Department of Social Sciences, DIT, 41 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1.
Who Should Apply?
The application form and procedure is available by clicking on 'How to Apply' on the left of this page.
If you are a non-EU applicant, please see useful information available here
Timetable / Hours
Full-time students complete the programme in one year. Modules are taught over two semesters (consisting of 12 teaching weeks each) and students complete a dissertation in the third semester. Students may also take the programme on a part-time basis over two years. Part-time students complete a dissertation at the end of the final year.
Full-time students attend lectures two evenings per week )from 5pm onwards) and part-time students attend on one evening. Students are required to complete substantial reading and written assignements outside of timetabled class hours. It is strongly recommended therefore that those in full-time employment complete the programme on a part-time basis.
Entry Requirements
Students must normally hold a second class honours degree, lower division (2.2) or higher in the area of social science, law, sociology, psychology or cognate discipline. Please be sure to include transcripts of your final degree award at time of application. If this is not readily available please include transcripts of your academic career to date.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum academic requirements but who have significant relevant professional or vocational experience shall also be considered. In addition to an application form, this latter category of applicants should include two written references with their application form and also may be asked to present for interview.
Note: Due to the considerable competition for our postgraduate programmes satisfying the minimum entry requirement is not a guarantee of a place. Depending on the programme of study applications will be assessed based on your academic grades and may also take into account your work/life experience. Applicants may also be required to attend for interview for specific programmes.
Award
Graduates are eligible for the award of MA in Criminology of the Dublin Institute of Technology. Students who do not wish to pursue the programme to Masters level may opt to be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Criminology after the completion of all taught modules (60 credits).
Career Opportunities
The MA in Criminology provides the opportunity for those who work in the criminal justice system or related agencies to reflect on their work from within an academic discipline. It also provides graduate students with a thorough foundation in research methods, theoretical principles and contemporary debates as a prelude to a career in research, policy making, academia or further study (PhD.).
Frequently Asked Questions
EU Fees for 2010/2011*
*The fees outlined for each course are provisional and are subject to change
DT568 - MA in Criminology (Full Time): €5,400 + capitation
DT550 - MA in Criminology (Part Time): €2,835 / yr
For information on funding please see the following link: http://www.dit.ie/study/postgraduate/feesandfunding/
Non EU fees for 2010/2011
DT568 - MA in Criminology (Full Time): €11,000
