We use a range of assessment methods throughout the course, which includes:
- Essays
- Podcasts
- Group and individual presentations
- Scholarly Project
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Why study with us
- Gain skills and knowledge vital to higher-level criminal justice practitioners.
- Study alongside experienced researchers and practitioners with extensive experience working in and around criminal justice.
- Foster your ability to identify, build and employ evidence-based practice.
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Course modules
You will study a variety of modules across your programme of study. The module details given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Core modules
You will study the following modules throughout your degree.
Current Criminological Concepts
You will be introduced to explanations of crime suited to the current times in which we live. It will build on the criticisms levelled at 20th-century theoretical frameworks and move forward to familiarise you with the latest 21st-century frameworks currently in use and/or under development. The module will place these emerging frameworks in the contexts of today's mutating crime and criminal markets alongside current transformations in contemporary political economy, culture, social theory, psychoanalysis and philosophy.
Practical Criminological Research
Develop an advanced understanding of the processes and issues of social research. Drawing upon the philosophical underpinnings which are central to research methodologies, this module will encourage you to consider the relationship between theory, methods and data and to critically consider the need to balance theory with conducting research on real issues in the real world. This module will help you gain a coherent understanding of the decisions researchers make when deciding which research methods to use and to develop practical skills in using a variety of research methods. You will also be able to develop a sound understanding of ethical and practical issues in designing, conducting and analysing research.
Justice and Control in a Globalised World
This module examines the institutions, practices and processes that make up the criminal justice system. You will explore policing, punishment, surveillance and crime prevention, analysing the social, economic and political factors that shape these practices and their impact on different groups.
A key theme throughout is the balance between 'justice' and 'control', with particular attention to state power and accountability. The module also addresses contemporary global challenges, including policies to counter extremism and terrorism, and the use of new technologies in law enforcement across a range of national contexts.
Transnational Illicit Markets
You will build on foundational criminological knowledge by examining transnational illicit markets and profit‑driven criminal activities. Drawing on globalisation theories, you will explore how emerging criminal enterprises operate across borders, assess their social impacts, and consider law‑enforcement responses.
You will also investigate the how global criminal markets take shape within specific local conditions through the study of illicit commodities such as drugs, alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals and digital goods, as well as illegal markets including human trafficking and the sex trade. The module examines the nature and extent of organised crime, key trade routes and production centres, and how these activities are embedded in national and global political economies, before exploring specific networks of illegal trafficking.
Scholarly Project
You will demonstrate your awareness and skills in research and evaluation, and your ability to integrate, synthesise and critique criminological content, concepts and research methodologies through the production of an extended piece of independent work based on a criminological topic of your choice.
Course structures
September - Full-time
| Year | Semester | Module | Credits | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Semester 1 | Practical Criminological Research | 30 | 10 x 2.5 hours |
| Current Criminological Concepts | 30 | 10 x 2.5 hours | ||
| Semester 2 | Justice and Control in the 21st Century | 30 | 10 x 2.5 hours | |
| Illicit Markets | 30 | 10 x 2.5 hours | ||
| Semester 2 and Summer | Scholarly Project and Summer Staff and Student Research Conference | 60 | 6 hours of introductory tuition plus 12 hours of supervision and additional support workshops |
September - Part-time
| Year | Semester | Module | Credits | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Semester 1 | Current Criminological Concepts | 30 | 10 x 2.5 hours |
| Semester 2 | Justice and Control in the 21st Century | 30 | 10 x 2.5 hours | |
| 1 and 2 | Semester 1, 2 and Summer | Scholarly Project | 60 | 6 hours of introductory tuition plus 12 hours of supervision and additional support workshops |
| 2 | Semester 1 | Practical and Criminological Research | 30 | 10 x 2.5 hours |
| Semester 2 | Illicit Markets | 30 | 10 x 2.5 hours |
Learning and teaching
Learning and teaching
At Leeds Trinity we aim to provide an excellent student experience and provide you with the tools and support to help you achieve your academic, personal and professional potential.
Our Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy delivers excellence by providing the framework for:
- high quality teaching
- an engaging and inclusive approach to learning, assessment and achievement
- a clear structure through which you progress in your academic studies, your personal development and towards professional-level employment or further study.
We have a strong reputation for developing student employability, supporting your development towards graduate employment, with relevant skills embedded throughout your programme of study.
We endeavour to develop curiosity, confidence, courage, ambition and aspiration in all students through the key themes in our Learning and Teaching Strategy:
- Student Involvement and Engagement
- Inclusion
- Integrated Programme and Assessment Experience
- Digital Literacy and Skills
- Employability and Enterprise
To help you achieve your potential we emphasise learning as a collaborative process, with a range of student-led and real-world activities. This approach ensures that you fully engage in shaping your own learning, developing your critical thinking and reflective skills so that you can identify your own strengths and weaknesses, and use the extensive learning support system we offer to shape your own development.
We believe the secret to great learning and teaching is simple: it is about creating an inclusive learning experience that allows all students to thrive through:
- Personalised support
- Expert lecturers
- Strong connections with employers
- An international outlook
- Understanding how to use tools and technology to support learning and development
Fees and finance
Funding
UK Home Students:
For information about our tuition fees please visit our Student Fees and Finance pages.
If you studied your undergraduate degree at Leeds Trinity University, you may be eligible for a discount of up to 50% on the cost of your tuition fees.
International Students, including EU Students:
Visit our web page for international students.
Leeds Trinity Alumni Discount
Some Leeds Trinity graduates are eligible for a tuition fee discount on postgraduate courses of up to 50%, excluding PGCE Delivery Partner Model and Lead Partner Model, and Masters by Research courses. You will need to achieve a 2:2 or above in a Leeds Trinity undergraduate course to qualify.
| Postgraduate course | Leeds Trinity Alumni Discount |
|---|---|
| MA programmes | 50% for Leeds Trinity graduates with a 1st class honours degree |
| MA programmes | 35% for Leeds Trinity graduates with a 2:1 honours degree |
| MA programmes | 20% for Leeds Trinity graduates with a 2:2 honours degree |
How to apply
There is no official closing date for applications, but the course will be closed when it is full. We therefore encourage you to make your application as early as possible.
Please ensure you complete the application form in full and supply all the required supporting documentation when you make your initial application. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
If you need advice on your application, please contact our admissions team on 0113 283 7123 (Monday to Thursday, 9.00am to 5.00pm, or Friday 9.00am to 4.00pm) or admissions@leedstrinity.ac.uk
Home applicants - How to apply
Applicants who require a Student Route Visa
The application deadline for applicants who require a Student Route Visa in order to study in the UK is 5pm on Monday 1 June 2026.
Part-time study is not available for international students on a Student Route Visa.
For additional information, including academic requirements by country, visit our country and region page.
International applicants - How to apply
What happens next?
Our admissions team will acknowledge receipt of your application by email.
Where applications are submitted but references are still in progress, admissions will wait for the reference(s) to be received and then will process it, and forward it to the relevant Programme Leader within five days of receipt of the reference(s).
The Programme Leader will make a decision based on your application. You may be asked to provide a reference to demonstrate your academic and non-academic experiences, or you may be invited to attend an interview. If you are successful and are made an offer, the conditions will be outlined in your offer letter.
Applications will be acknowledged within five working days. Applicants will be contacted within 15 working days with a request for additional information, an invitation to an informal interview or an application decision.
Made an offer?
You should accept or decline your offer by emailing admissions@leedstrinity.ac.uk.
If you accept, you'll need to prove you satisfy the conditions outlined in your offer letter.
You may be asked to present the relevant supporting documentation in person to the student information point on campus - if originals are not needed, you’ll be contacted and given details of how to provide the supporting documentation.