---
title: "MA Serious and Violent Crime"
description: "Kickstart your career with an MA in Serious and Violent Crime. Study your master’s degree online or on campus and explore criminal justice and crime prevention. Apply now!"
canonical: "https://ads.pr1.ops.ads.arden-prod01.arden.ac.uk/our-courses/postgraduate/masters/ma-serious-and-violent-crime"
published: 2023-04-04
updated: 2026-06-30
author: "Arden University"
---

# MA Serious and Violent Crime

## Course details and modules

The bespoke modules on this course cover serious and violent crime and its many guises. With its applied focus, you will gain the professional knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to lead in the sector. Covering areas such as reflective practice and leadership, the psychology of serious offending, and more, our niche modules will provide you with the unique opportunity to meticulously analyse serious and violent crime. Your degree culminates with an independent research project, allowing you to analyse an area of interest within a professional context.

This course primarily focuses on the current research-informed practices at use in England and Wales, helping you to critically analyse, investigate, and manage serious and violent crime. Additionally, it will explore criminal activity from an international context, such as the global impact and effects of terrorism and cybercrime.

#### A-PASS: Arden - Pathway to Academic Study Success

Here at Arden, we recognise that not everyone who can benefit from this master's in Serious and Violent Crime will meet the academic requirements. Even those that do may have been out of education for some time and could use a refresh of their academic skills to enhance their chances of success. That’s why we created A-PASS.

A-PASS is a specialised support pathway for those needing additional academic support or wanting to refresh their knowledge and skills before starting their degree studies. Our academic team has curated this pathway to reflect the skills required throughout the MA.

We offer three free sessions delivered by our dedicated Academic Skills Tutors around:

- Using our online Library Portal
- Academic writing
- Academic skills and referencing

At the start of the course, you will have a 1-2-1 meeting with our team to discuss whether you want to pursue any of our A-PASS sessions. The pathway will complement your learning, boost your academic knowledge, skills, and confidence, and support you in successfully completing your degree.

![Lorna Griffiths](https://cdn.arden.ac.uk/s3fs-public/styles/quote_m/public/2024-09/Student%20for%20website.jpg)

The course is a real breath of fresh air, the content and learning is extremely current and the assignments are pieces of work that can be easily applied to the workplace. I thought that I would struggle working full time and completing this course but if anything, working full time in the field makes it easier. It is also extremely valuable to have lecturers who have working experience of the criminal justice system to enhance learning.

Lorna Griffiths

MA Serious & Violent Crime

### Modules

- Reflective Practice and Leadership (20 credits)
- The Criminal Justice System and Globalisation (20 credits)
- The Psychology of Serious Offending (20 credits)
- Managing Intelligence and Investigations (20 credits)
- Terrorism, Extremism and Hate (20 credits)
- Cybercrime and the Dark Web (20 credits)
- Independent Research Project (60 credits)

#### How do we assess you?

The unique assessments on this course reflect the sector-specific skills needed by employers and are 100% career-focused. Each aims to provide you with transferable skills for your future and can include:

- Reports
- Business pitches
- Senior level strategic briefing documents
- Dissertation

#### Develop the professional resilience needed to succeed in the sector

You will develop crucial professional expertise on the course, such as how to cope with traumatic scenarios and material, how to lead and support groups of people through challenging and difficult incidents and investigations, and how to navigate interactions with those accused or found guilty of the most serious and violent crimes.

You will also learn how to recognise the signs of burnout, stress, and PTSD, and what steps to take when you become aware of these affecting yourself and others.

#### Supplement your learning with real-world experiences from our guest lectures

This master’s programme has been developed with a focus on gaining real insight into serious and violent crime. In addition to our applied academics, you will have the valuable opportunity to hear from a wide range of guest speakers who are leading practitioners in their fields. Examples of guest lectures for our criminology courses have included:

- ‘Policing the Police: An Insider's Guide to the Police Complaints System’ was a lecture by a solicitor and senior investigator with significant experience in law, regulation, governance, and professional conduct.
- ‘Hate Crime: Islamophobia’. Students were given the exciting opportunity to hear from one of the country’s leading criminologists on Islamophobia and hate crime.
- ‘HYPE - The Role of Pro-Social Activities in Preventing Youth Crime’ showcased criminology theory in practice, with a focus on pro-social activities as a catalyst for positive change in underprivileged youths.

## Study options

![Ryan-Jay Walsh](https://cdn.arden.ac.uk/s3fs-public/styles/quote_m/public/2022-10/Ryan-Jay%20Walsh.jpg)

Having flexible study is so important to me… I’ve had to do last-minute school runs to drop my nephews off, but Arden has been so understanding and the flexibility of study suits my life perfectly.

Ryan-Jay Walsh

BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology

#### How does it work?

Studying this course online gives you the ultimate in convenience. You can enrol with Arden from anywhere in the world and study your degree from the comfort of home, without the requirement to attend classes in a physical location.

Our online students study their degree through ilearn, Arden’s university campus in the cloud. ilearn provides everything you need to study at university. It offers an integrated virtual learning experience, including your virtual classroom, lecture theatre, and access to our Library Portal. The portal includes an extensive digital library including thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and academic and industry databases which you can use to research your assignments and projects. All of these materials are provided to you free of charge, and contain all the research information you’ll need to complete your degree with us.

ilearn is also integrated with Zoom, making it easier to chat with your course tutor during your scheduled seminar sessions. You can even integrate our study materials into your Kindle, making it possible to study wherever you have your Kindle handy.

Studying online doesn’t mean studying alone. As well as receiving regular feedback and guidance from your course tutor, you’ll be studying with like-minded students who you can meet with through our Unitu community, and you’ll have access to community message boards to discuss your course and the topics being raised within it. We’ve even set up community boards embedded into each of the course modules so you can have discussions with your tutor and classmates on the topics you’re currently learning.

Online learning students resident in the UK can apply for a Maintenance Loan if they cannot attend their course in person because of a disability. Please find more information on our [fees and funding page](https://arden.ac.uk/studying-with-us/fees-and-funding/undergraduate-loans). If you're a student from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland you can find information on Living Cost Loans from your student finance body.

[Learn more about online learning](https://arden.ac.uk/studying-with-us/online-learning?)

### Introducing your Digital Backpack

Once you’ve enrolled on your degree with Arden you’ll get access to your Digital Backpack, a toolkit of digital resources we’ve put together to help you succeed during your time studying with us.

Here are some of the digital resources you’ll have available from day one of your course:

- Office 365 subscription
- Integrated zoom video conferencing
- Free online access to our Library Portal, which includes thousands of eBooks and journals, as well as industry databases which we’ve carefully hand-picked to support your studies – all yours for free while you study with us
- Subscription to Togetherall for an abundance of mental health support
- You can find out more about how Arden supports your personal career journey on our dedicated careers page [here](https://arden.ac.uk/studying-with-us/why-arden/careers-support).

## Entry requirements

At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.

### Eligibility

To be eligible for our MA Serious and Violent Crime, you should normally have:

- A UK Honours Degree at a minimum of second class (2:2) or equivalent
- If you don't hold the above qualification three years work experience within the sector is required, without this your application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

### English proficiency

- IELTS 6.5 (no less than 6.0 in any element); or TOEFL iBT 90; or equivalent
- Alternatively, evidence you have previously studied in English, such as a letter to show that the Medium of Instruction was in English, can be accepted.

### Funding and Scholarships

We also offer a range of scholarships and funding support for eligible students, including options for UK, international, and UK-based international students. Start your application and an education advisor will be in touch to discuss your options.

## Meet the faculty

![Dr. Emma Winlow](https://cdn.arden.ac.uk/s3fs-public/styles/quote_m/public/2022-10/IMG_3568.JPG)

Dr. Emma Winlow obtained her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Criminology and Crime & Justice from the University of Chester and completed her PhD at the University of Gloucestershire. A public criminologist, Emma has extensive leadership and management experience in higher education and is passionate about accessibility, inclusion, and employability in teaching and learning. She established the School of Criminal Justice with these practices in mind. Emma is also a member of the British Society of Criminology and the British Society of Criminology’s Teaching and Learning Network.

Dr. Emma Winlow

Head of School – School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Law

## Career prospects

Our MA Serious and Violent Crime will fully prepare you to become a leader in the sector by imparting advanced professional knowledge and expertise. That means you will graduate from the course ready to take on more senior-level roles with confidence.

Related Courses

- [ BA (Hons) Criminology   ](https://arden.ac.uk/our-courses/undergraduate/criminology-degree/ba-hons-criminology)
- [ BA (Hons) Criminology with Cybercrime  ](https://arden.ac.uk/our-courses/undergraduate/criminology-degree/ba-hons-criminology-cybercrime)
- [ BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology  ](https://arden.ac.uk/our-courses/undergraduate/criminology-degree/ba-hons-criminology-psychology)

Related Articles

- [ Meet the Criminology team  ](https://arden.ac.uk/our-courses/subject/criminology-law/meet-the-team)
- [ Latest news  ](https://arden.ac.uk/knowledge-base/latest-news)
- [ Career advice  ](https://arden.ac.uk/knowledge-base/career-advice)

### What will the MA Serious and Violent Crime do for me?

This postgraduate degree has been designed to provide you with the practical skill set to address serious and violent crimes alongside the expertise integral to meeting the fast-paced demands of the sector. While studying, you will:

- Gain a comprehensive academic understanding of the societal impact of serious and violent crime
- Refine and develop the resilience needed to succeed in the sector
- Supplement your learning with unique real-world experiences from our applied academics
- Progress your career through practical assessments aligned with advanced sector-specific skills
- Apply your knowledge and experience to real-life scenarios
- Gain the essential leadership skills needed to advance your career in serious and violent crime

### What can I do after Arden University?

Completing this master’s degree will open up a world of opportunity in criminal justice and related fields and provide universal skills you can apply to diverse industries. With that in mind, some career options you might consider include:

- Police
- Security services (NCA/GCHQ/Mi5/Border Force/Interpol)
- Prison
- Probation services
- Victim advocacy
- Management of offenders (prison service/probation)
- Non-governmental organisations (IJM, CPG, HRW, etc.)
- Academia
- Civil Service

## Industry skills

The course stands out in its modern, global, and practice-driven approach, equipping you with real skills you can apply to careers both in your home country and abroad.

![Campaign for Social Science](https://cdn.arden.ac.uk/s3fs-public/2024-01/Campaign-for-Social-Science_Silver-supporter_Logo_RGB.png)

### Campaign for Social Science

Arden University is a member of the Campaign for Social Science.

The Campaign demonstrates how social science improves public policy, society, and all our lives. It highlights the value of applied social science research and advocates for its greater use in decision-making and in government. It is supported by a coalition of universities, social science societies, and publishers.

As a member, Arden receives access to case studies, research into the value provided by social sciences, and insights into the employability of social science graduates. Through this, you will gain a better understanding of the skills you are learning and their value to employers.

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