The Criminology master’s degree program is intended for all those who desire an interdisciplinary perspective on how to handle criminality in a professional context. In addition to subject-specific qualifications, key requirements include strong social skills, an interest in individual biographies, the ability to communicate with others as equals, and curiosity about the factors that shape social behavior.

The entrance requirement for the Master’s program is one of the following degrees/proofs (i.a.):

• A bachelor’s degree in law (with a focus on criminal law, the administration of criminal justice, or criminology), psychology, sociology or medicine earned at a higher education institution in Germany or an equivalent degree from a higher education institution, or
• proof of having passed the first legal exam (with a focus on criminal law, the administration of criminal justice, or criminology) in Germany, or
• a bachelor’s degree in another degree program in the humanities, cultural studies, or social sciences, as long as at least 60 credits were earned in modules assigned to the fields of criminal law, the administration of criminal justice, or criminology.

If the requested form of documentation does not include proof of credits earned, the required proficiency must be demonstrated to at least a comparable extent.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (certified copy issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to the level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be proven by the time of enrollment at JGU.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

You can find more information in the examination regulations of the master’s program.

Course sequence

In the first semester, you will learn the basics required for the Criminology master’s degree program at the intersection of doctrinal analysis and empirical research. The aim is to build on the skills you acquired during your undergraduate degree and align them with the focus of the master’s degree program. The program includes an introduction to the master’s program; courses on criminological aspects of juvenile criminal law and the law of sentencing and preventive measures; international criminology; and introductions to legal psychology, forensic psychiatry, and forensic medicine. You will also complete your first practical project.

In the second semester, you will continue to build your legal knowledge and deepen your understanding of criminology-related disciplines, further consolidating and expanding your competences. Related courses cover clinical criminology, the criminological aspects of the code of criminal procedure and the law of penal and preventive detention, the legal foundations of expert witness practice, and the sociology of law. To complement this, you will attend additional practice-oriented courses (expert witnesses in criminal proceedings; interdisciplinary seminar on criminal law; empirical-criminological social research).

In the third semester, you will build on this by improving your criminological skills through further practical application and topics. The course offerings include related specializations in the field of statistics, an applied seminar on criminal risk assessment, a direct exchange of science and practice (criminological forum), a case seminar in clinical criminology, and an additional practical project.

In the fourth semester, you will finish the degree program by completing your final thesis (accompanied by a colloquium) and taking the final oral examination.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

The best time for a stay abroad is during the third academic semester.

Practical projects and internships

Active participation in ongoing practical projects being carried out in collaboration with external partners such as Jugendhilfe im Strafverfahren, the youth and drug counseling service Brücke, and correctional facilities is part of two modules. These projects are an integral part of the degree program and facilitate direct contact with persons who have committed crimes. This allows you to collect practical experience with future client groups.

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

As a graduate of Criminology, you can look forward to a wide range of career opportunities. Typical subject-related professional fields include:

• Crime prevention, e.g., in social work or with the police
• Professional fields related to criminal proceedings, such as correctional services, juvenile court assistance, or probation services
• Administrative authorities, e.g., in ministries responsible for the supervision of correctional facilities or local authorities responsible for crime prevention
• Research, e.g., criminological services of the German federal states, higher education institutions, and other criminological institutes
• Forensic counselling and assessment, e.g., as an expert or consultant for courts, public prosecutors, or correctional authorities, particularly in the area of criminological risk assessment
• NGOs and human rights organizations, e.g., in projects for crime prevention, victim protection, rehabilitation, or fighting human trafficking and organized crime
• Security services, e.g., by analyzing and fighting terrorism, extremism, or organized crime with authorities such as the Federal Criminal Police Office, the criminal police offices of the federal states, the German Federal Intelligence Service, the military counterintelligence service, the Federal and State Offices for the Protection of the Constitution, Interpol or Europol
• Economy and compliance with legal regulations, e.g., by working in companies or law firms to uncover and prevent white-collar crimes and corruption
• Media and (specialist) publishing houses, e.g., by doing research and reporting on criminal policy topics for specialist journals, news agencies, or documentaries
• Criminal policy and legislation, e.g., through work in parliaments, political foundations, or international organizations on the development of criminal law reforms and prevention strategies
• International organizations and institutions, e.g., the UN, the EU, or the International Criminal Court in the areas of combating crime and promoting human rights

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.