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MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security

The MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security provides you with the opportunity to study global developments in the field of crime, criminal law, justice, and security.

Seminar

Problems of crime, insecurity, and injustice can take many forms and can undermine well-being and the stability of domestic, international, and global institutions.

Study our MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security to explore how issues of crime and security are manifest in an increasingly interconnected and global world, and how seeking justice in such a context is often highly contested and complex in ways that require inter-disciplinary reflection.

Issues of crime, security, and justice on the global stage raise distinct challenges for law, criminology, international relations, political science, and the social sciences more widely.

In particular the ways in which global crime and security have evolved in recent years, and continue to evolve, draws our attention to the:

  • criminogenic potential of increased flows of goods, money and people;
  • increased international cooperation in the field of crime control; and
  • increasing institutionalisation of international responses to state crimes, and emerging discourses focused on insecurity.

The University of Edinburgh created this degree in 2008 and was one of the very first universities in the UK to offer a programme that promoted the study of global crime issues in ways that emphasised the value of diverse disciplinary perspectives. The programme draws from academic expertise within both the School of Law and the School of Social and Political Science and Edinburgh University is also home to the Global Justice Academy.

As a student on the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security you will join active academic communities in both the Schools of Law and Social and Political Science. You will be based in the School of Law where you will be supported by academic staff with diverse research interests in criminology, criminal justice and law. Both Schools regularly invite local and international scholars and researchers to participate in events, lectures and workshops, and both also have strong links with practitioner communities who lend tangible real world insight into our academic study.

  • The programme has proved ideal for students wishing to pursue a range of careers, including: doctoral research; work in international NGOs and Think Tanks; police-work; legal and criminal justice work; government and policy briefs; commercial sector research and security work. 
  • The programme has supported students and graduates in securing internships at a range of organisations which include: Corpwatch, EUROPOL, International Crisis Group, OSCE, Transparency International and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
  • The programme derives particular strength from the diversity of the students who take the degree. Classes are diverse in terms of the countries and cultures that students come from, and in terms of their academic backgrounds. We do not only accept criminology and law students onto the programme. Students with backgrounds in international relations, political science, governance studies and the wider social sciences are welcome to apply.

Our research environment will provide you with a wide range of possibilities to engage with, and participate in, current, cutting-edge research at the University of Edinburgh. Masters degrees also involve many more possibilities for learning and networking beyond the courses taught on the programme.

At Edinburgh you will be taught by academics who are shaping the fields of study covered by the programme with their own research. Within the criminology subject area there are active research interests in the fields of:

  • global criminology;
  • penology;
  • criminal justice;
  • policing;
  • juvenile justice;
  • media and crime; and
  • qualitative and quantitative methods.

More specifically, academic staff teaching on the programme across both the Schools of Law and Social and Political Science have current research interests in:

  • atrocity crimes;
  • genocide and law;
  • democratic policing;
  • Human Rights;
  • development aid and regional studies;
  • the law of conflict;
  • EU criminal and immigration law;
  • the International Criminal Court; and
  • peace-building and reconciliation processes.

Our approach at Edinburgh is to include students in our research events and activities. These run throughout the academic year in both Schools, but an important meeting point is the Global Justice Academy. The Global Justice Academy is one of five such Academies at the University of Edinburgh. It is an inter-disciplinary network that connects researchers and research centres within Edinburgh and beyond. It encourages and facilitates dialogue on what global justice is, develops ideas to make the world more just, and provides a forum for practitioners to engage with this dialogue. Current themes in its work include:

  • Conflict and Justice;
  • Gender Justice;
  • Human Rights and Social Justice;
  • Urban Justice; and Global Justice Theory.

Students on the programme are encouraged to become members of the Global Justice Academy.

Find out more about the Global Justice Academy

Our staff also work closely with criminal justice professionals and practitioners in Edinburgh and abroad, and network with other scholars both domestically and globally. Two institutes that support this engagement and networking, and which you can connect with are:

Seminars and research events are happening all the time at Edinburgh. The Centre for Law and Society is home to one of the School of Law’s longest running seminar series, covering diverse topics in criminology, criminal law, criminal justice and wider issues in socio-legal studies. You will also find interesting seminars hosted by the Scottish Centre for International Law.

Visit the Centre for Law and Society website

Visit the Edinburgh Centre for International and Global Law website

The School of Social and Political Science also host a range of seminar series which we highly recommend.

Find out more

Contemporary Challenges: The Global Crime, Justice and Security Journal (CCJ) is a student-led journal affiliated with the University of Edinburgh. CCJ was founded in 2020 by students from the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security and related programmes at Edinburgh Law School.

CCJ is global in its outlook and interdisciplinary in nature. The editorial board is made up of postgraduate students from a variety of disciplines including law, criminology and international relations. This diversity of academic backgrounds allows engagement with contemporary challenges intersectionally and comprehensively in the way that the challenges of today demand.

Find out more

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

The MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security offers a range of subjects across the fields of criminology, criminal justice, criminal law and social sciences, allowing you to tailor an interdisciplinary programme to suit your interests.

This programme can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions. It offers a wide range of subjects that deal with various aspects of private law from a comparative perspective, with the possibility of choosing additional courses so as to enable you to tailor the MSc to meet your specific interests.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. Full programme details for the 2023-24 academic year are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View 2023-24 programme and course information for the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security

Courses listed below are scheduled for the 2023-24 academic year.

With the exception of compulsory courses, depending on demand, space on specific courses may be limited.

You must take these courses:

  • Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits, must be taken in Semester 1)

    The focus of the course is the definition, explanation and interpretation of global forms of crime, insecurity and injustice. This is tackled in a structure which examines issues of categorisation and definition first, before exploring a range of contexts in which crime and criminality may be researched, then examining particular forms of crime and finishing with questions of measurement and interpretation.

  • Responding to Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits, must be taken in Semester 2)

    The focus of the course is on legal, political and policy responses to international and transnational forms of crime, insecurity and injustice. The course is delivered in two sections focusing first on transnational forms of organised crime and secondly on atrocity crime (broadly, those defined by international criminal law). A final session looks for contrasts and connections between these two parts.

You must select between 40 and 80 credits of the following courses:

  • Current Issues in Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • Criminal Justice and Penal Process (20 credits)
  • Criminological Research Methods (40 credits)
  • EU Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • General Principles of Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • Police and Policing (20 credits)
  • Theoretical Criminology (20 credits)
  • EU Immigration and Asylum Law (20 credits)
  • Prisons and Places of Confinement (20 credits)
  • Research Skills in the Social Sciences: Data Collection (20 credits)
  • International Security (20 credits)
  • Research Design (20 credits)
  • Core Quantitative Data Analysis 1 and 2
  • Applied Criminological Research Methods (20 credits)

Select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses:

  • Policing and Punishment: Insights from across the globe (20 credits)
  • Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (20 credits)
  • International Human Rights Law (20 credits)
  • Women's Rights as Human Rights? (20 credits)
  • Citizenship in Europe (20 credits)
  • International Relations Theory (20 credits)
  • Institutions and Policies of the European Union (20 credits)
  • Conflict and Peace in Africa (20 credits)
  • International Relations and Contemporary Conflict (20 credits)
  • Conflict, Security, and Development (20 credits)
  • Advanced Issues in International Relations (20 credits)
  • Terrorism in Global Politics (20 credits)
  • Pursuing Justice after Violence (20 credits)
  • The Politics of Migration in Europe (20 credits)
  • Mental Health and Crime (20 credits)

You will have the option to take between 0 and 40 credits of courses from different subject areas offered by the Law School, depending on availability and with the express permission of the programme director.

Full programme details, including core and optional courses, are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View 2023-24 programme and course information for the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of global crime, justice and security, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You will be assigned an academic dissertation supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you prepare and write your dissertation.

The dissertation is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, asking you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during the course of the programme. Students are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking, whether in terms of the material used, or the manner in which it is presented.

The dissertation is written in the summer months (April to August) after the taught courses are successfully completed.

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Launched in 2008, the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security will draw on expertise from the Law School and the Politics and International Relations and Social Policy subject groups of the School of Social and Political Science.

Exactly which staff are involved in teaching you will depend on the courses you choose to take as part of your degree.

Oversight of the programme, day to day management and running of compulsory courses is the responsibility of the following staff:

Dr Milena Tripkovic: Co-Director 2023-24 (semester 1)

Dr Milena Tripkovic: Co-Director

Milena Tripkovic joined Edinburgh Law School in 2019 as a Lecturer in Criminology, having previously taught at the University of Birmingham, University of Kent and University of Novi Sad. Milena has researched various problems associated with crime and punishment. Her current research, which examines contemporary restrictions to citizenship rights of criminal offenders, is situated at the intersection of law, criminology and normative political theory and explores the issues of punishment, citizenship and community.

Find out more

Dr Andy Aydın-Aitchison: Co-Director 2023-24 (semester 2)

Dr Andy Aydın-Aitchison: Co-Director

Andy joined the criminology team at the Law School in 2012 having previously lectured in Social Policy, also at the University of Edinburgh. He has previously worked with the Home Office, analysing crime data on the English regions and Wales, and with Cardiff University evaluating a multi-agency robbery reduction initiative in central Bristol. He holds degrees from the University of Edinburgh and Cardiff University covering Criminology, Politics, and Modern History.
Find out more

Dr Andrea Birdsall - Co-Director 2023-24

Andrea is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Social and Political Science and Co-Director of the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security. Her main research and teaching interests lie in the interplay between International Relations and International Law with a particular focus on human rights, international criminal justice and global governance.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for the 2023-24 academic year. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Find out what it's like to study the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security at Edinburgh Law School from our current and former students.

Elena, Luxembourg

Elena from Luxembourg, studied for an MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security in the 2022/23 academic year, graduating in 2023. In this video she talks about her experience of studying for an MSc at Edinburgh Law School, life in Edinburgh and her plans for the future.

Frederik, Germany, studied for an MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security in the 2019/20 academic year, graduating in 2020. In this video he talks about his experience of studying for an MSc at Edinburgh Law School, life in Edinburgh, completing his studies during the Covid-19 pandemic and his plans for the future.

Piyali studied the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security in 2018/19, graduating in 2019. In this video she talks about her experience of studying the MSc and about life in Edinburgh.

Kelsey studied the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security in 2018/19, graduating in 2019. Here she talks about her experience on the MSc and life in Edinburgh.
Christian graduated with an MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security in 2018. In this video he talks about his experience of studying the MSc at Edinburgh Law School and life in Edinburgh.
Hailey, a student from South Korea, studied the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security in the 2018-19 academic year, graduating in 2019. In this video she talks about her reasons for wanting to study the programme, her experience at Edinburgh Law School and her plans for the future.
Josef graduated with an MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security in 2017. In this video he talks about his experience of studying the MSc at Edinburgh Law School and life in Edinburgh.
Ines studied the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security at Edinburgh Law School in the 2016-17 academic year graduating in 2017. Here she talks about her experience of studying on the MSc.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Please note that the information provided is for entry in the 2024-25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. 

This programme can be taken full time over one year, or part time over two years subject to visa restrictions.

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

We recommend that you apply as early as possible. This is particularly important for applicants who may need to allow sufficient time to take an English language test, for overseas students who may need time to satisfy necessary visa requirements and/or to apply for University accommodation.

Apply now

We require a minimum UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in law or a social science subject. We will also consider candidates with a degree in a related discipline which includes relevant prior study.

Supporting your application

  • Relevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.
  • Relevant professional qualifications will be considered.
  • Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements due to strong competition for places on this programme.

Entry to this programme is competitive and meeting the minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.

International qualifications

You can check whether your degree qualification is equivalent to the minimum standard before applying.

Check your degree

Students from China

This degree is Band A.

Find out more about our postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

Postgraduate study in the field of law requires a thorough, complex and demanding knowledge of English, so we ask that the communication skills of all students are at the same minimum standard.

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic and IELTS Academic Online: total 7.0 (at least 7.0 in the writing component and 6.5 in each other module)
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 100 (at least 25 in writing and 23 in each other module)
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 (at least 185 in writing and 176 in in all other components)
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components
  • PTE Academic: 70 overall with at least 70 in the writing component and 62 in each other component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, that was taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country as defined by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The UK Government's website provides a list of majority English speaking countries.

View the UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or equivalent, that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries.

Approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

View approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries

Your application may not be successful if you do not currently satisfy any of these requirements; alternatively, you may be offered a place conditional on your reaching the satisfactory standard by the time you start the degree.

Find out more about the University's English language requirements

Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes

We also accept satisfactory completion of our English for Academic Purposes programme as meeting our English language requirements. You must complete the programme no more than two years and one month before the start date of the degree you are applying to study.

Find out more about the University's Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes

English language support

The University runs a series of programmes for English Language Education, including a pre-sessional English Language Programme intended to strengthen your English Language skills before you start your programme of study.

Find out more about English language support offered by the University

Deadlines for applicants applying to study the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security in 2024-25 are provided in the table below.

Round Application deadline Decisions by
1 09 November 2023 11 December 2023
2 04 January 2024 15 February 2024
3 01 March 2024 15 April 2024
4 26 April 2024 20 June 2024
5 21 June 2024 17 July 2024

We monitor application numbers carefully to ensure we are able to accommodate all those who receive offers. It may therefore be necessary to close a programme earlier than the published deadline and if this is the case we will place a four-week warning notice on the relevant programme page.

Please note that the deadline for meeting the conditions of an offer is 18 August 2024.

Applications are made online via the University Application Service, EUCLID.

Please follow the instructions carefully and make sure that you have included the following documentation with your application:

  • You will need to submit a personal statement of around 500 words, outlining your academic history and relevant experience. Guidance on writing your personal statement.
  • Degree certificates showing award of degree
  • Previous academic transcripts for all past degree programmes (please upload the full transcript showing results from all years of study)
  • A reference in support of your application. The reference should be academic and dated no earlier than one year from the start of study on the MSc programme
  • Evidence of English language proficiency, if required

If you are currently studying for your degree or you are not in a possession of an English test result you may still apply to the programme. Please note that it is your responsibility to submit the necessary documents.

Please be aware that applications must be submitted and complete, i.e. all required documents uploaded, by the relevant application deadline in order to be considered in that round. Your application will still be considered if you have not yet met the English language requirement for the programme.

View full detailed application guidance

Students at this University must not undertake any other concurrent credit bearing studies in this (or in any other) institution, unless the College has granted permission. The College must be satisfied that any additional credit-bearing studies will not restrict the student’s ability to complete their existing programme of study. Students will not be permitted to undertake concurrent degree programmes in any circumstances.

If you are studying at this or another institution just prior to the start of your postgraduate studies you must have finished these studies before the start of the programme to which you have an offer.

After your application has been submitted you will be able to track its progress through the University's applicant hub.

Application processing times will vary, however the admissions team will endeavour to process your application within four to six weeks of submission. Please note that missing documentation will delay the application process.

You will be informed as soon as possible of the decision taken. Three outcomes are possible:

  • You may be offered a place unconditionally
  • You may be offered a conditional place, which means that you must fulfil certain conditions that will be specified in the offer letter. Where a conditional offer is made, it is your responsibility to inform the College Postgraduate Office when you have fulfilled the requirements set out. 
    Please note that the deadline for meeting the conditions of an offer is 18 August 2024.
  • Your application may be unsuccessful. If your application has not been successful, you can request feedback from us or refer to our guidance for unsuccessful applicants, which explains some of the common reasons we why we reach this decision.
    View the University's guidance for unsuccessful applicants

Deferring your offer

We do not normally offer deferrals, however, we may be able to make a very limited number of offers for deferred entry in exceptional circumstances.

View full guidance on deferral requests

The University’s terms and conditions form part of your contract with the University, and you should read them, and our data protection policy, carefully before applying.

University of Edinburgh admissions terms and conditions

Apply now

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security or the application process please contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk