Introduction
The International Master’s in Advanced Research in Criminology (IMARC) is the only existing 2-year programme in criminology that focuses on border crossing, security and social justice. The joint programme is offered by three different Universities in Europe.
IMARC deals with crucial issues ranging from the impact of the growing influx of migrants in relation to internal and external border control, transnational organised crime, human rights concerns, urban security and threats of radicalisation and terrorism, to the role of cybercrime, corporate malfeasance and the increase of hate crimes, racism and xenophobia. A major theme in addressing these current issues is the question of how to organise security as well as safeguard human rights. IMARC addresses the need for criminological expertise in the context of a common European criminal justice area coupled with challenges of internal and external border control and wider international developments.
IMARC is a full-time programme that prepares students to engage with current European developments in border-crossing, security and social justice. IMARC aims to enhance the capacity of students to apply new knowledge and advanced analytical skills to problems from an international and interdisciplinary perspective. The programme brings together learning, research and practices through collaboration with already well-established partners among which governments, NGO's, corporate actors and other Universities, which contributes to the employability of our students.
The Universities involved in the programme, all have an ample, albeit different research and teaching expertise in the field of criminology, with special regards to the border crossing, security and social justice. The main aim of the Strategic Partnership is bringing this expertise together and developing a balanced and innovative curriculum with a number of common activities and courses (mainly in the field of global criminology, research methods and transferable skills) and optional courses in order to provide the possibility to follow different tracks. ln addition, IMARC will include innovative, interactive teaching methods, in which the strengths of both face-to-face student-lecturer contact, informal learning and social media are optimised.
The Universities in this consortium are:
Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus School of Law, Criminology Department (coordinator) (the Netherlands)
Ghent University, Department of Criminology, Criminal Law & Social Law (Belgium)
University of Kent, School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (UK)
Structure
The 2-year IMARC programme is divided into four semesters:
• The programme starts at Erasmus University Rotterdam, where you take several basic theoretical and methodological courses in criminology, focusing on international criminology in general and border crossing, security and social justice in particular.
• In the second semester, you choose a specialization track at one of the three Universities.
• It is possible to move to another University or location in the third semester for an internship or to do fieldwork for your thesis. If you follow the EUR track, moving to another University is mandatory under the mobility rules (two Universities during the programme). For other tracks, you may also stay at the University within that track.
• In semester 4 you write your Master’s thesis under the supervision of the University at which you follow the track.
Employment possibilities
After successfully finishing IMARC you will have 2 or more Master of Science degrees. With an IMARC diploma, you are a highly trained professional with criminological expertise, advanced analytical skills, and an international outlook.
The collaborating organisations in the field are also potential employers. Your job opportunities are at NGO’s, governmental bodies and policy makers, and commercial organisations. Your training as a researcher enables you to work not only as a researcher in academic, public and commercial functions but also as a consultant, data analyst, compliance officer, policy adviser and policymaker, advocate, and other functions at a managerial level.
Admission
Click here to find out more about the admission procedure.
