MA in Restorative Justice
Programme code: 228348
Duration: Full-time 1 year; part-time 2
years
Attendance: Full-time up to 8 hours a week;
part-time up to 4 hours a week (online lectures, activities and
discussion)
Entry requirements: Applicants are normally
expected to have a 2.1 degree or equivalent in a law, social
sciences or cognate discipline, but those with other qualifications
and relevant experience – particularly restorative justice
experience – are carefully considered. You must also be able to
demonstrate English language ability equivalent to IELTS 6.5.
Fees: Information is available on The Restorative
Justice Website.
Location: Distance learning
About the programme
This MA was developed and is taught by academics at the
forefront of restorative justice scholarship. Providing a unique
opportunity to study a fascinating and important phenomenon, it is
suitable for
- graduates looking to specialise after their first
degree
- those involved in the practice of restorative justice in a
professional or voluntary capacity
- professionals and managers in criminal justice agencies,
educational institutions, the health sector, business and
international conflict resolution who are interested in the
potential of restorative justice
- anybody with an interest in the future of criminal justice and
conflict resolution
The programme commences in September of each year and runs for
12 months (full-time) or 24 months (parttime). For further details
go to the Restorative Justice web page.
Programme content
This MA imparts an understanding of
- the key ideas and values of restorative justice
- the historical development of restorative justice and its
various contemporary applications
- the relationship of restorative justice to traditional
conceptions of criminal justice
- the nature of the key practices of restorative justice, such as
conferencing, victim–offender mediation and circle processes
- the knowledge and skills required to evaluate critically the
ideas and practices of restorative justice
- the aims and methods of research into restorative justice
- what we know about the effects of restorative justice
Core modules
Delivered by the Law School
- The Principles of Restorative Justice
- Crime, Justice and Punishment
Delivered by the Department of Social
Sciences
- Research Skills
- Victims, Rights and Justice
- Peacemaking Criminology
- International Restorative Processes
Students must also undertake a dissertation over the summer
period.
Further module information
Modules are taught online, and you will have the opportunity to
read lectures that have been written by published authorities in
the field. Lectures are supported by books, DVDs and CD-ROMs which
are included in the course fee. Online discussion between students
and academics at the University is built into the weekly sessions,
and this is further supported by one-to-one email supervision. You
will be given opportunities to visit the University and to meet
both staff and students working and studying on the course. The
dissertation is an independent study of 12,000–15,000 words,
supervised by an academic member of staff.
Assessment
Assessment is by essays which are submitted digitally to the
University for marking. There are no examinations on this course,
though there will be one or two introductory web- and
computer-based tasks to help familiarise you with the learning
environment.
Special features
The MA in Restorative Justice is a distance-learning programme
which can be studied off campus where and when it suits you best,
whether full-time or part-time. It can be studied alongside
full-time employment (we recommend the part-time programme in this
case) and without visiting the UK. However, students have the
opportunity to visit the UK and the University twice during the
programme if they wish (accommodation and food are provided, but we
do not pay your travel costs). As well as the MA itself, you will
have the opportunity to take a short mediator/facilitator training
programme for an additional fee (to be arranged).
Research areas
The Law School and the Department of Social Sciences have strong
reputations in the field of restorative justice and related subject
areas. A number of individuals from both departments are at the
forefront of restorative justice scholarship. Further details may
be found at