Location:

Leuven, Belgium

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Academic Year

Program Overview

Program Description:

The Master of Science in Criminology programme is designed to provide students with an advanced understanding of crime, public response to crime and, specifically, criminal justice in Europe and beyond. It includes instruction in general topics such as criminological theories and models of law enforcement, psychology, law and criminal justice, youth criminology and juvenile justice, and research methods. It also includes a number of cutting-edge courses in areas in which LINC professors are internationally renowned as experts: international police and judicial cooperation, political crimes and transitional justice, restorative justice, and terrorism, organised and corporate crime. This is an initial Master's programme and can be followed on a full-time or part-time basis.

The programme is intended to prepare students for research and professional employment in national and international policy and operational agencies in the fields of criminal justice and victim assistance. It is characterised by a strong link between education and research. Students are supported by a staff of criminology experts with expertise in the field, in both its theoretical and applied aspects. The programme has a strong international orientation and promotes a comparative approach. This strengthes students' critical and reflective attitudes, methodological skills and areas of specialisation.

Launched in January 2007, the Leuven Institute of Criminology (LINC) is composed of eleven professors and more than seventy assistants and fellows involved in criminological research and education within the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology at KU Leuven's Faculty of Law. LINC is the most recent institutional incarnation of the criminological tradition in Leuven, which started with the establishment of the School for Criminology in 1929. Excellence in criminology continues today, combining solid research with a deep commitment to society structured within ten research lines.

Setting Description:

Situated in the heart of Western Europe, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) has been a centre of learning for nearly six centuries. Today, it is Belgium's largest and highest-ranked university and, founded in 1425, one of the oldest and most renowned universities in Europe. As a leading European research university and co-founder of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), KU Leuven offers a wide variety of programmes in English, all supported by high-quality, innovative, interdisciplinary research. KU Leuven is home to a vibrant community of international scholars spread out over its various campuses. 14% of the university’s 54,000 students are international representing 140 countries. KU Leuven's three doctoral schools provide internationally oriented PhD tracks for more than 4,000 doctoral students. Boasting an outstanding central location, KU Leuven offers a truly international experience, high-quality education, world-class research and cutting-edge innovation.

Cost:

The Flemish Government's generous co-financing system ensures that tuition fees for Bachelor's and initial Master's programmes remain relatively low: 890 EUR per academic year (subject to change without notice).