Cultural Criminology - Master of Science programme

The Master's programme in Cultural Criminology focuses on crime, deviations and social control through study of how cultural norms, representations and conceptions function in society from the perspectives of individuals and of society. Issues concerning human actions and interactions as well as of collective notions of morality/immorality and normality/abnormality are of key interest. Further topics of study include which social phenomena are defined as deviant and how they are produced and reproduced.

Programme overview

The MSc in Cultural Criminology leads to a Master’s degree in Cultural Criminology with a major in Sociology or Social Anthropology.

The programme gives the students a solid understanding of criminological phenomena from a cultural perspective. The programme enables students to develop critical thinking, analytical skills and the ability to conduct cultural analysis.

The programme helps students to develop their own specialised expertise in cultural criminology for advanced professional work or to prepare them for PhD studies in anthropology or sociology.

The programme also allows students freedom to select courses, an internship or studies abroad according to interests and future needs.

In the programme, students will aquire:

• Knowledge and understanding within criminology, anthropology and sociology, including knowledge of the disciplinary foundation of the fieldsand general knowledge of current research issues
• Specialised knowledge of research methods in cultural criminology
• The ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and deal with complex cultural criminological phenomena, issues and situations
• The ability to identify and formulate research questions critically, autonomously and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work
• The skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity

Programme courses

• Theories, Perspectives and Concepts of Cultural Criminology, 15 credits
• Methods for Research in the Social Sciences, 15 credits, or Methods and Social Analysis, 15 credits
• Applied Cultural Criminology – Analysis, Organisation and Strategies, 15 credits
• Ethnography in Social Science or an equivalent course, 15 credits
• Elective courses of relevance to the programme/internship/studies abroad, 30 credits
• Master’s (Two Years) Thesis, 30 credits

Career prospects

Crime and punishment are continuously topical in public debate. Furthermore, they constitute the basis for many of modern society’s professions and professional activities: prison officers, crime prevention officers, case workers, university lecturers, police officers, social analysts, etc. Internships allow students the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have acquired in the programme in practice. The internship organisations are interested in the broad cultural criminological expertise students will have.