Criminology, Master's Programme (Two-Year)
Information film about the programme
https://youtube.com/embed/jG4XbuzrBDs?enablejsapi=1&rel=0&showinfo=1&controls=1
About the education
You will independently, critically and systematically analyse complex topics relevant to social and behavioural science with a focus on criminology. Students from a variety of fields and cultural backgrounds make up the classroom environment, and you are encouraged to discuss subjects in both a Swedish and an international context.
The Department of Criminology specialises in the areas of: risk-assessment, prevention, geography and crime, juvenile offending, criminal careers; and victimology. The department also hosts guest researchers from both Swedish and international universities for our students to broaden their perspectives. Students receive supervision while writing their thesis and have the opportunity to explore research topics of their own choosing. This is a chance for students to establish contact with employers and identify new research projects that meet the needs of society and the students’ future careers.
The programme is based on self-study, group work, journal clubs, workshops and lectures. You are encouraged to discuss, question and think critically in all learning activities. In line with the Swedish learning approach at university level, students are responsible for their own learning development and are provided with an open and interactive teaching environment.
The programme highlights international perspectives and encourages student mobility. All courses can be taken independently and are open to national and international students and free-movers, as well as exchange students.
The duration of the programme is two-year (120 credits). However, there is a possibility to graduate with a one-year master’s degree (60 credits).
There is a substantial demand in today’s labour market for knowledge in the field of criminology.
There is a need for collaboration between social actors that offenders and victims come into contact with, such as the prison and probation services, social services, the justice system, the psychiatric sector, and other sectors involving individuals with substance use and mental health issues. This programme seeks to improve the competence of students entering existing professions within municipalities, county councils and state administrations, as well as institutes and organisations within the private sector. The programme builds upon the students’ earlier experiences and academic studies.
Since the programme is taught in English, our students will be well-prepared for the international labour market.
If you are new to criminology, one or all of the following books can be useful as an introduction and/or reference during the programme: Criminology by Tim Newburn, Introduction to Criminology by Frank Hagan, The Oxford Handbook of Criminology by Mike Maguire, Rod Morgan and Robert Reiner.
International opportunities
There are various opportunities for you to do part of your studies in another country. For example, you can do an exchange semester, write a thesis or do an internship abroad. Opportunities may vary depending on your course of study.
More about international opportunities on the Student Web
Certificate of International Merits
As a student at the Faculty of Health and Society, you have the opportunity to participate in various international activities both within Sweden and abroad, and earn what is referred to as a ‘Certificate of International Merits’ (CIM). The CIM functions as a supplement to your diploma, demonstrating: your international experience, your academic personal and professional development, your intercultural competence, and your ability to compare international contexts related to your career.
Courses within the programme
In the syllabus, you can see the courses offered during the different semesters of the programme.
Entry requirements and selection
Here you can find the entry requirements, as well as how the available study places are distributed between applicants in the selection.
If you have any questions about general admission, you are welcome to contact us.
Entry requirements
Bachelor’s degree with a major in social or behavioural science or medicine and the equivalent of English 6 in Swedish secondary school.
Selection
Applicants are selected and ranked according to precedence from submitted three-part supporting document.
Apply with supporting document
Please note that you are recommended to submit a supporting document with your application to this programme. If you fulfil the admissions requirements but do not submit the supporting document, you can only be admitted if space allows. You cannot use documents from other universities.
To complete your application with the supporting document, follow the steps below:
- Create an account and apply to the programme via universityadmissions.se or antagning.se.
- Upload your documentation as a pdf on universityadmissions.se/antagning.se or send the document by post. You will need to demonstrate both a bachelor's degree and English proficiency to be considered eligible for the programme. Applicants in their final year, who will receive their diploma before the programme starts, can also apply but must follow specific instructions.
- The supporting document must be uploaded to universityadmissions.se (antagning.se) by the deadline.
- For students applying in the first application round (international admission round, 18 October – 17 January), the supporting document must be uploaded to universityadmissions.se by 1 February.
- For students applying in the second admission round, (national admission round, 15 March – 15 April ), the supporting document must be uploaded to antagning.se (universityadmissions.se) by 15 April.
Supporting documents submitted after the above dates will not be accepted. For late applications, study places and waiting list places are ranked by application date.
Assessment matrix for the supporting document
Prior knowledge and capability to perform in the programme
Part 1: List of previous experiences
Education and work experiences with relevance to the programme.
- Not applicable (0p): Not assessable/ unclear, the applicant lacks education and experiences of relevance for the master’s programme in criminology.
- To a minor extent (1p): The applicant’s previous education and experiences show some knowledge of relevance for the master’s programme in criminology.
- To a high extent (2p): The applicant’s previous education and experiences show knowledge of high relevance for the master’s programme in criminology.
- To a very high extent (3p): The applicant’s previous education and experiences show knowledge of very high relevance for the master’s programme in criminology.
Part 2: Description of how previous education and experiences are related to the Criminology master’s programme
Understanding in the subject area of the programme, ability to write, argue, and present.
- Not applicable (0p): Not assessable/ unclear, no link between the subject area of the programme and previous experiences is provided.
- To a minor extent (1p): The applicant’s previous education and experiences show some understanding of the subject area of the programme. The writing shows that the applicant can communicate on a sufficient level for advanced studies.
- To a high extent (2p): The applicant’s previous education and experiences show a good understanding of the subject area of the programme. The writing of the applicant displays good communication skills.
- To a very high extent (3p): The applicant’s previous education and experiences show a very good understanding of the subject area of the programme. The writing of the applicant displays good communication skills.
Part 3: Independent project work
Academic relevance in relation to the programme, and ability to analyse and reflect.
- Not applicable (0p): Not assessable/ unclear, the independent project work lacks relevance for the content of the programme.
- To a minor extent (1p): In the independent project work (problem, purpose and theoretical approach), the applicant displays some academic knowledge relevant to the content of the programme, and some ability to analyse and reflect.
- To a high extent (2p): In the independent project work (problem, purpose and theoretical approach), the applicant shows good academic knowledge relevant to the content of the programme, and a good ability to analyse and reflect.
- To a very high extent (3p): In the independent project work (problem, purpose and theoretical approach), the applicant shows very good academic knowledge relevant to the content of the programme, and a very good ability to analyse and reflect.
"I really made the right choice"
Every week, Martina Gardshol Gavelli meets people who have been convicted of various crimes. The goal is to get the clients to find a better path. "Seeing a client change is worth an awful lot," she says about her job as a probation officer.
"I really made the right choice"
Every week, Martina Gardshol Gavelli meets people who have been convicted of various crimes. The goal is to get the clients to find a better path. "Seeing a client change is worth an awful lot," she says about her job as a probation officer.
"We break the vicious circle" are the words on the lanyard she wears around her neck. The crimes the clients are convicted of vary, but the common thing is that they do not serve prison sentences.
“They may, for example, be paroled or have been sentenced to probation. Then they have the obligation to meet us at certain intervals for talks with their case manager or to participate in a treatment programme,” she says.
Martina's professional direction grew out of a genuine interest in people.
“I thought a lot about what makes people make different choices in life, and what makes us do or not do certain things.”
She considered studying psychology but decided that criminology was the direction that suited her best. She started with a bachelor’s at Malmö University, after which she completed a master's in criminology, also at Malmö University.
Went on to the Master's programme
During the bachelor's degree, she gained an insight into how the police and correctional services work, this reaffirmed her choice of education. Going on to study a master's was a natural progression.
“I gained a lot from the bachelor’s but became more independent and practiced reasoning and analysing more at the master's level. It was also an interesting environment with many international students.”
In the beginning, she worked with personal investigations before trials. She also worked as a support and control agency for people sentenced to probation.
Internal training programme took her further
After a few years in the role of probation inspector, she had the opportunity to become certified via internal training to work as a programme manager for various treatment programmes. These were based on social learning theory and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
The treatment aims to break a vicious circle, regardless of whether the problem involves domestic violence, drugs, or other types of crime. To help her, Martina has colleagues whom she can turn to discuss problems that arise. The team also has regular meetings with a psychologist.
“The best thing about the job is the colleagues and that I can arrange my working days as I want. I book client meetings myself and also have time to plan and study. Seeing a client change, or showing a willingness to change, is worth a great deal.”
A degree that offers many options
A degree in criminology offers many options, she notes. Within probation there is an opportunity to develop.
“"I really made the right choice; it's varied, and I find it hard to see myself getting bored. But if I were to try something else in the future, it would be exciting to work in a prison.”
Which personal qualities are important in your professional role?
“Humility in the face of the fact that people have different challenges. You need to be able to set boundaries and you need to have an interest in people and to find out why things turned out the way they did.”
Do you have any advice for those who are interested in criminology, but are unsure?
“One tip is to look for a summer job in a detention centre or institution to see if it is an environment you can imagine working in; you can also volunteer. During my studies, I had assignments as call support at the Crime Victims Emergency. And also as assistant supervisor, which meant volunteering to support a convicted person, a complement to probation staff. I highly recommend studying criminology – it’s a wide field!
Text: Cecilia Lindberg and Adrian Grist
