11 Distance learning Master Programmes in Criminology in Europe for 2024

Wherever there are people, crime will follow, which makes criminology and criminal psychology an exciting interdisciplinary field to study. The specialist criminological knowledge and skills you gain through this 100% online and part-time Masters could open up a variety of careers within offender support, security services, alcohol and drug rehabilitation, plus many more. This online MSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology will provide you with a sociological introduction to crime, causation and criminological theory. You will disseminate research undertaken at the University of Essex’s Centre for Criminology which informs both academia and public policy. This includes research strands in crime and the media, green criminology as well as terrorism, security and surveillance. You will explore the challenges that arise when investigating complex crime and how these challenges can sometimes derail an investigation. And you will learn how to critically evaluate the application of investigative strategies and assess a range of scientific, forensic and techniques that are available to complex crime investigators. You will gain an overview of the links between mental disorder, personality disorder and crime and develop a thorough understanding of forensic psychology and its role in the assessment, treatment and management of mentally disordered offenders. You will also develop a critical understanding of the historic relationship between psychology and police practice, including where psychology has had the greatest impact on policing.

The specialized modules offered in this MA Serious and Violent Crime course delve into the various forms of serious and violent crime. With a practical approach, you will acquire the necessary expertise, skills, and qualities to take on leadership roles in this field. These modules encompass topics such as reflective practice, leadership, the psychology of serious offenses, and more, providing you with a distinctive opportunity to thoroughly examine serious and violent crime.

Are you interested in exploring and understanding the world around you, particularly about globalization and crime, via the theory and application of the social sciences? The MSc Applied Social Sciences: Globalisation and Crime is a unique, multi-disciplinary program that allows you to explore these critical issues using the disciplines of psychology, sociology, criminology, and politics, to gain an in-depth understanding of these complex situations and employ your knowledge in the real world.

The new criminal phenomena make criminology become more relevant and the need to address crime is considered, giving solutions from a scientific perspective, deepening into the causes, extension, prediction, prevention, treatment and, in turn, analyzing the responses .

This innovative, online Master's in Criminology is delivered as a distance-learning Program, and allows you to develop specialist knowledge of the current themes and policy debates surrounding crime, criminal justice, crime control, policing, penology and offender management. It equips you with the intellectual, analytical and research skills needed for understanding and applying criminological theories and concepts in practice.

This unique MA Serious and Violent Crime will impart essential practical leadership skills for understanding, investigating, and responding to serious and violent crimes. The full flexibility of the course has been specifically designed to help you fit your career progression around your professional life. Using case studies, you will critically analyse a wide range of criminological topics within the remit of serious and violent crime, such as terrorism, sexual offences, and the dark web.

The knowledge you will gain from this course will prove invaluable encountering the ever-present and increasingly complex threat to local, national and global security.

Analyse the concepts of security studies by developing your knowledge of broader military, strategic and political considerations. You will gain a solid academic grounding in criminology, terrorism and intelligence. The Security Studies programme will help you gain a solid academic grounding in criminology, terrorism and intelligence. This is combined with the practitioner experience of our teaching team, all of which will enable you to engage with institutions and individuals central to the wide area of security.

The increasing professionalisation of the security industry has meant that both existing security professionals and those seeking entry into the profession view a postgraduate degree as essential to their career ambitions. The course will not only enable you to develop your academic knowledge of crime, risk and security management, but it will also strengthen your professional skills and abilities.

The innovative Covert Investigation and Specialist Intelligence programme explores key themes involving covert and intelligence matters including effectiveness, value, lawfulness, risks and ethics. The course incorporates a wider range of subjects including HUMINT collection, the elicitation of intelligence, investigative interview models, covert techniques, underpinning legislation, oversight mechanisms, intelligence sharing and analysis at local, national and global levels.