PROFILE OF

DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, MANONMANIAM SUNDARANAR UNIVERSITY

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, since its establishment in 2003, has developed into an international hub of criminological and interdisciplinary research. Faculty members of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice involve in high quality research in the areas of Juvenile Justice, Cyber Criminology, Child Protection and Victimology. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada, and McGill University funded a Research project on Cyber Bullying to the department (2007-2008). The department is providing consultancy in the areas of Juvenile Justice, Child Protection to UNICEF and various other government agencies. The UGC has funded for a PG Diploma course in Victimology and Victim Assistance. The department's expertise in Juvenile Justice, Cyber Crimes and Victimology are widely acclaimed.

The department has international collaboration with researchers from McGill University, Canada, Bar Illan University, Israel, Rowan University, USA, University of Leeds, UK,  Wayne State University, USA and Virtual forum against cyber crimes/Korean Institute of Criminology. Faculty members of the department have won national and international awards. Dr. P. Madhava Soma Sundaram was awarded the Indian Society of Criminology (ISC) - SS Srivastava Award for excellence in Teaching and Research in Criminology in India (2009) and Dr. K. Jaishankar was awarded the Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship (2009) for research on "Victims of Cyber Crimes" tenable in University of Leeds, UK during November 2009 - April 2010. Faculty members of the department serve in editorial boards of reputed journals, executive boards of national and international academic societies, committees of state and national governments and non governmental organizations.   

Most of the students are well placed in Security, Private Detective and Non-Governmental Organizations. PhD Research Students hold a Fellowship to their credit from University Grants Commission (UGC) (Junior Research Fellowship and Rajiv Gandhi Research Fellowship), Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR & D), Indian Council for Social Sciences Research (ICSSR) and University fellowship.
The Department offers a Master in Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice Science, PG Diploma in Victimology and Victim Assistance as well as Research Programme leading to a Ph.D. degree. The Department has 5 full-time faculty members of which two are specifically recruited to teach PG Diploma in Victimology and Victim Assistance and several part-time faculty members who are criminal justice functionaries, and a diverse PhD research students group of more than 10 full time members.

Faculty Members

SEMESTER III 

*Out of 12 optional subjects in each semester, students should choose 4 in consultation with the Departmental Committee, and depending on the availability of resource persons/course experts.

Career opportunities:

Postgraduates of this programme may find employment in the following areas:

·         Research institutions dealing with the crime and criminal justice system such as Bureau of Police Research and Development; National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science (NICFS); and National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). 

• Government agencies in the areas of criminal justice and welfare such as the, police organisation,  the correctional system and community welfare services;
• Non-government and private sector organisations which provide welfare and security services; and
• Teaching services at secondary and tertiary levels in fields of criminology and police science.

 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Criminology and Criminal Justice:

          The Ph.D. is a higher degree awarded on successful completion of advanced training and research leading to a thesis. The aim of a research degree is to provide a thorough training in criminology and criminal justice through original investigation, culminating in the preparation of a thesis. A Ph.D. shows the ability to conduct original research, having acquired the necessary research methodology skills. It will be an independent study, using new data, which advances the frontiers of knowledge in criminology and/or criminal justice.

The general goals of the programme are:

·         To equip participants with a `toolkit' for research design, consisting of a range of social science research methods and strategies

• To explore in detail the philosophical assumptions underlying contemporary research in the Criminology and criminal justice  sciences
• To develop the qualities needed to evaluate critically Criminological Research
• To provide practice in a range of transferable skills, improve existing skills and enhance employability.

   Registration Period:

• Full-time 3 years minimum and five years maximum
• Part-time 4 years minimum and 6 years maximum.
• Registration is done in 4 quarters of the year (January, April, July and October) and it depends on the vacancy available with each guide.

 Course Structure:

• Research methodology training and examination

·         All students who register for research degrees are required to undertake all of the generic and specific research training elements, as well as the transferable skills elements of the research pathway of the research methodology in Criminology and Criminal Justice sciences.

·         Seminar Presentations

·         Ph.D. Thesis 

Entry Requirements:

• A Post graduate degree with minimum 55% marks.