Course overview

All applicants should apply as soon as possible to reserve a place and ensure adequate preparations are made for the start of your studies. The latest we can receive an 'on time' application (with all associated documentation)is: 6 September 2013 (16 August 2013 for non-EU students). Applications received after this date may be processed, but your course induction and start to studies may well be disrupted.

This established programme of studies is designed to provide you with an exciting learning journey to develop your understanding of the internationalisation of criminal justice, and the importance of comparative perspectives, for an informed broad-based understanding of international criminal justice in the contemporary context. Students are globally distributed and nationally diverse, and you will interact with each other at regular intervals online. For each core subject unit of study there will be two online seminars run over a five-day period to cater for all time zones. Throughout the course you will also have access to your course leader via a virtual classroom as a group, and for one-to-one tutorials via Skype.

This Higher Education award has been specifically designed for students with an interest in crime, criminality and criminal justice in an international context. Students would include serving law enforcement practitioners, officials, those on UN policing and criminal justice reform duties, or those working for national or international pressure groups or other non-governmental organisations. The course is specifically designed for, and therefore specifically recruits from, those with an interest in international justice within, around, and outside of criminal justice bodies to enable a mutual reflection, engagement and consideration of different perspectives on international law, international justice, progressive criminal justice reform and respect for human rights.

The programme examines national and international criminal justice with reference to international norms and standards of human rights and police ethics. Specifically, the programme aims to develop students' understanding of systems of justice, the role, function and international criminal justice policy-making, the impact of a diverse range of international and (principally European) regional criminal justice bodies, whilst developing students' awareness of universal human rights standards and ethics. Students will also have opportunities to critically examine the development of international and transnational offending via appropriate criminological, legal and political perspectives, and to study a range of relevant international criminal justice, international police bodies, and relevant elements of the United Nations system.

The curriculum is responsive to students' diverse international backgrounds, with all units providing opportunities to undertake case studies and consider examples from their own country, or region. In the final stages of the course, you will be specifically supported to design, research and write a substantial piece of academic written work.

Students should note that this specific master's award is delivered online. As such, there is a requirement for all students to have routine access to the Internet, to access to the course Virtual Learning Environment on a regular basis, and so become an active participant in the annually-recruited course learning community. Learning materials will only be accessible online within the Virtual Learning Environment and from the electronic library services of the University of Portsmouth.

Course content

The specific programme aims are

• To develop students’ understanding of the internationalisation of criminal justice and the importance of comparative perspectives;
• To develop students’ understanding of the role, function and international policy-making impact of a diverse range of international criminal justice bodies;
• To develop students critical understanding of the development of international and transnational offending via appropriate criminological, legal and political perspectives;
• To provide students with the opportunity to consider a range of international policing issues associated with a range of forms of transnational offending and political violence;
• To develop students’ ability to use a range of research methods, understand the importance of research design, information literacy and to develop students’ writing skills to enable the completion of a substantial research project of the students’ choice.

The available mode of study is

• Part-time by online distance learning from any location world-wide

This interdisciplinary programme of study combines specially authored online multimedia learning materials with online 'thematic debates' and a broad range of electronic texts that caters for a diverse range of students interests, professional backgrounds and geographic locations.

Students interact and network with each other within a web-based learning environment for each of the modules, and have access to a network of Institute-wide online Criminal Justice Hubs encompassing cybercrime, policing, diversity, terrorism, etc.

Course structure

• International and Comparative Criminal Justice (30 credits)
• International and Transnational Offending (30 credits)
• Issues in Transnational Policing (30 credits)
• Research Methods and Research Management (30 credits)
• 15,000 word Dissertation (60 credits)

Your ‘subject core’ units of study

International and Comparative Criminal Justice (30 credits)

In this unit students will initially examine concept of justice and the workings of criminal justice in a comparative perspective. In doing so, students will examine the aims and methods of comparative research and differing systems of criminal justice. The development and source of international norms and standards in criminal justice will be reviewed; the role, function and policymaking processes of international criminal justice bodies and the human rights system within United Nations, as well as European Union criminal police and judicial cooperation will be critically examined.

International and Transnational Offending (30 credits)

This unit examine the ideas and concept of international and transnational offending and the methodological issues raised in the study of such forms of offending. A broad range of ‘traditional’ transnational crimes will be researched and examined along with crimes against international law – such as genocide and contemporary slavery. One of the key objectives of this unit is the overcome general perceptions of these forms of offending and seek to critically examine the relevant scale, trends and extent of involvement of individuals, groups and states in such forms of offending and recent global trends. This focus on the global breadth of the phenomena of international crime will complement other units more focussed on states’ responses to such forms of offending.

Issues in Transnational Policing (30 credits)

This unit examines a range of contemporary transnational policing issues. The unit has been designed to accommodate student preferences in the selection of a specific category of transnational or organised crime. The transnational crime issues selected will be considered in relation to the breadth of forms of transnational policing, international police cooperation and where relevant counterterrorism. Key issues of human rights, accountability and governance will be covered alongside a critical appreciation of how these issues are affected by levels of economic development, globalisation and conflict. Students will undertake a range of practical report-like assignments, which will enable students to reflect upon the professional context, whilst accommodating specific professional interests and needs. The online thematic discussion events also include peer review, and assessment of students’ personal reflection and critical review of the propriety of alternative perspectives on the transnational policing of crime.

Your ‘research core’ units

Research Methods and Research Management (30 credits)

Research on crime, criminal justice and related settings is a very broad church. Research methods in this field include for example - complex statistical modelling and analysis, surveys to establish self-reported offending and victimisation, in-depth interviews, ethnographies, as well as various forms of content, narrative and documentary analysis. This unit prepares students for their Dissertation and aims to give students an overview of many of the possibilities, as well as directions on where to look for more information and ideas about particular techniques (such as using vignettes in research), approaches (such as action research and evaluative research) or issues (such as research involving children and young people). The unit covers structured literature reviews, increasingly important given the volume and breadth of e-journals and the web); the methodology behind systematic reviews and meta-analysis are also introduced (techniques that have become increasingly important to government departments); and finally the unit sets out to raise awareness and prepares students for the tasks of constructing a professional research proposal and a structured literature review in a subject area of their choice.

Dissertation (60 credits)

This final substantial unit enables students to demonstrate their achievement on the course as a whole via the conduct of a small-scale 15,000-word research project culminating in an academic dissertation. To do so students demonstrate their grasp of research design, methods and ethics, as well as their personal organisation and planning in the conduct of their criminal justice research based project. The dissertation topics are identified by students – taking onto account academic advice and guidance and may be within the broad criminal justice field (within the broad parameters of the expertise of the Institute’s academic staff) and may be literature based or involve the conduct of ethical empirical research.

Please note that this information is correct at this date, but is subject to change and review.

Please note that course structure may vary from year to year; course content and learning opportunities will not be diminished by this.

Teaching and assessment

This course is delivered entirely over the web and requires all students to be online to access the virtual learning environment where the learning materials, online discussions, web-based learning and library resources are hosted.

Annual student intakes at the start of the normal academic year (mid-September) are coupled with a programme designed to ensure you study alongside your colleagues throughout the duration of your studies (over two or three years). This allows us to develop and cultivate a distinct learning community that you will become familiar with without the ‘anonymous’ nature of other distance learning programmes.

The course commences with a two-week online induction in early September in the run up to an optional two-day face-to-face induction event, where you will have the opportunity to meet your course leader and other new students. This event ensures all the practical arrangements, expectations of the course and higher education study are tackled at an early stage.

Learning materials entail professional customised online multimedia resources with embedded links to further academic and other readings, online discussion and audio commentaries from subject experts. Some hard-copy materials not available electronically may be sent to you for some units. Your course leader will also hold live web-based classroom sessions to support you in your studies and promote the networked learning community at the start of the programme and in the run up to key events.

To participate fully, a headset (i.e. earphones with microphone) will be required and, optionally, a webcam. Other key learning opportunities for you include the annual two-day student School and the Research Study Day (at start of the second academic year) when you embark on the crucial personal research project.

Assessment will be in the form of academic essays, some assessment of online discussion contributions, research reports, a literature review and dissertation proposal focussed on your chosen project, and finally a 15,000 word dissertation. For each assignment full academic support is provided by an academic subject expert and you will be provided with academic supervisor once you have identified the subject area of your research project.

Student support

All ICJS distance learning students are supported in the initial stages by the extended Induction Programme (online and face-to-face). Immediately following Induction, an ‘engagement officer’ proactively ensures any issues are resolved rapidly, and thereafter personal support is provided by their Course Leader for the duration of their studies.

Academic support will be delivered by the relevant academic Unit Coordinators and the Course Leader. This will take the form of online, telephone, email and virtual classroom sessions (timetabled and ad hoc on request). All students have access to the formal and informal support areas of the course discussions areas (Graduate Common Room, etc) and student peer support and Library support services in specific discussion rooms.

Career prospects

Students have enrolled on the award to further develop their professional expertise in the international criminal justice or international policing context, or to help support a career change or specialisation in this direction. Our students have included those from within the UK as either police, civil servants, or private sector investigators either within or moving towards international and transnational criminal justice responsibilities.

Over the years, we have attracted extremely wide variety of nationalities working for international criminal justice and law enforcement bodies. These have included those performing a variety of administrative, analytical or enforcement roles within Europol, Interpol, the International Office of Migration, or those working as investigators or administrators at international criminal tribunals.

Increasingly, a broader range of students outside of formal criminal justice system system - in the private sector, or working for non-governmental agencies or international non-governmental agencies - have been attracted to the programme, alongside recent full-time undergraduate degree graduates.

Facilities and features

Academic Skills Development

Relevant Unit Coordinators will also act proactively, for example in contacting those students whose performance appears to indicate that they would benefit from study support, and will follow up with direct contact to any student non-submission. A marker referral system is also in place to identify specific academic skills gaps and their resolution via additional skills support.

The library

The library is renowned for its high quality, responsive and customised support to students studying at a distance, or seeking to research criminal justice projects at a distance. A range of library services for distance learning students are provided to supplement the broad range of online academic resources (e-journals and e-books, etc.) available to all.

• Library Information Literacy
• Library services for distance learning students
• Criminology subject resources

Further support

Other key support services include:

• Academic Skills Unit
• Additional Support and Disability Advice Centre

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for MSc International Criminal Justice are shown above, for more detailed information please contact:

Department: Institute of Criminal Justice Studies
Tel: +44 (023) 9284 3459
Email: paul.norman@port.ac.uk