Countering Extremist Crime and Terrorism MSc

Creating analytical, knowledge-driven leaders in counterterrorism and crime prevention

This MSc has been designed by a panel of academic departments, industrial partners and law enforcement and security agencies. Its aim is to introduce students to the fundamental knowledge, expertise and evidence-driven tools required to understand, analyse, prevent, disrupt and detect extremist crime and terrorism.

This programme boasts a unique multidisciplinary platform, and is the only postgraduate programme of its kind in the world that integrates cutting-edge insights from the social and engineering sciences in the security domain.

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A flexible approach to learning

We offer this programme in a variety of different ways so that it can fit around your work and other commitments.

A dedicated senior teaching fellow supports all distance-learning students.

Full-time, campus-based study will take you one full year and you will attend all lectures and tutorials at UCL
Full-time, distance-learning study will take you one full year, and you can view lectures and access interactive learning materials online via UCL’s virtual learning environment (VLE)
Modular-flexible, campus-based study can take up to five years, and you will attend lectures and tutorials at UCL one day per week on average
Modular-flexible, distance-learning study can take up to five years, using UCL’s virtual learning environment (VLE)

The programme is also available as a Postgraduate Diploma, which consists of eight taught modules only (with no dissertation). Students enrolling on the PG Dip may apply to upgrade to the MSc, subject to achieving good grades on their modules.

Find out more about distance learning

Facilities

The Jill Dando Research Laboratory (JDIRL) is a state-of-the-art secure computer facility, the first of its kind in Europe. It allows our students and staff to conduct world-leading research, using sensitive datasets that would not otherwise be easily accessible. Our partners include UK police forces, national and local government agencies, private companies and NGOs.

As a student on the MSc Countering Extremist Crime and Terrorism, you will be able to apply to gain access to these datasets for your dissertation research (subject to appropriate personal security checks).

Career prospects

This MSc holds appeal for employers across a broad range of industries, including the public, private, and non-profit sector. Many of the analytical techniques and the theoretical principles expounded on during the course are transferable to other domains of inquiry.

The structure and processes of our programme are also designed to allow professionals to combine learning on the MSc with a demanding day job.

See our alumni profiles for more information

Networking

The programme offers an array of networking opportunities such as careers events, seminars and annual events such as the Women in Security, Crime and Forensic Science showcase and the International Crime Science Conference. All of these events aim to enrich students’ academic experience and professional growth.

These events also provide a platform for students to connect with practitioners across the world and researchers across academia, government, and related organisations, offering a chance to learn from their expertise and establish valuable contacts.

Student testimonials

This programme opened a number of doors for me on a personal and professional level. In particular, Foundations of security and crime science gave me several analytical constructs with which to understand crime-data, while Designing and doing research taught me to distinguish between different sources of information and manage them efficiently.

There’s a lot to love about this programme: the excellent and dedicated research and teaching staff, UCL’s iconic location, and the continuous opportunities to develop yourself personally and professionally.

What made all the difference to me was the invaluable advice and support offered by staff-members and colleagues, and some strong friendships, which began and grew over the year. I also fondly recall the hands-on session of intelligence gathering in the context of heavy London snow, and vividly remember the bittersweet satisfaction of pressing ‘submit’ after months of hard work on my dissertation.

While there is a core knowledge-base you are expected to cultivate over time, the course is really as challenging as you want it to be. The material is curated by academics and made available to students, and it is up to them either to scratch the surface of the field or to explore it further. As with any investment, you really get what you put into it.