A bachelor’s degree with a major in social- or behaviour sciences or medicine and English 6, and passing grades on KA811E, KA913E, KA823E, KA922E and KA923E or equivalent (transferable credits).

The course is given in the fourth term of the Master’s Program in Criminology and is a course within the main field of study and can be included in the degree requirements for a two years Master’s Degree in Criminology. The course is also offered as an independent course.

The aim of the course is for the student to acquire advanced knowledge in the main field of criminology, with a special focus on assessment, prevention, intervention, and treatment within the fields of crime, substance abuse and mental illness. An additional aim is for the student to acquire advanced knowledge in research methodology and research ethics.

The course addresses the knowledge and the skills necessary for the student to be able to conduct and defend a degree project of high quality, which entails methodological, scientific and research ethical issues at an advanced level.

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to

1. independently, under supervision, conduct a degree project relevant to the study of criminology,
2. Identify and formulate relevant criminological research questions,
3. apply and analyze scientific models, theories and methods,
4. apply principals of research ethics and regulations for an ethical review of an academic paper, and
5. orally defend the degree project.

The teaching takes the form of lectures, obligatory seminars and supervision, individually as well as in groups (learning outcomes 1-5). At every meeting the student will present material for review and peer review other students’ material. At the final examination the student will defend the degree project (learning outcomes 1-5).

Student performance is assessed individually through the degree project (learning outcomes 1-5) and through activities in obligatory seminars (learning outcomes 1-5). Focus of assessment of the degree project is the student’s ability to independently identify and formulate relevant criminological research questions, apply and analyze scientific models, theories and methods, apply principals of research ethics and regulations for an ethical review of an academic paper, and orally defend the degree project. Focus of assessment for the seminars is the students ability to discuss and present individually written material. Any absence in compulsory parts shall, at the discretion of the examiner, be compensated by an individual written assignment. In order to achieve the grade pass (C- E) the student must have passed on the obligatory seminars and the degree project. Distinction (A or B) requires that originality and meta-theoretical understanding characterize the degree project.

Right to re-examination
Students who fail the exam are given the opportunity to do two re-takes with the same course content and with the same requirements. The student also has the right to take the examination in the same course in the subsequent course according to the same rule. Examination and re-takes are carried out at the times specified in the course schedule.

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that ap-plied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented.

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format. The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.