The LLM Criminal Justice & Penal Change at the University of Strathclyde is designed for aspiring professionals and academics eager to critically examine and influence contemporary justice systems. You will delve into the moral and empirical foundations of justice and penal decision-making globally, exploring how traditional theories are challenged and what progressive alternatives exist. This programme is ideal if you are driven to understand and address pressing issues in criminal justice, seeking to develop informed and just responses to crime and its societal impacts through rigorous academic inquiry and engagement with current policy debates.
Studied full-time on campus over one year, you will engage with innovative learning methods including student-led debates, role-plays, simulations, and site visits to key institutions like courts and prisons. You will explore topics such as restorative justice, sentencing, rehabilitation, and the sociology of punishment, drawing on insights from law and social sciences. Your Master’s will culminate in an extended dissertation project, allowing you to research an area of personal interest under expert guidance, or you may opt for an enhanced research proposal, a professional internship, or a professional project with a relevant organisation.