Master's in International Advanced Research in Criminology: Border Crossing, Security and Social Justice

Ghent University is a public university in Ghent, Belgium. It was founded in 1817 and is one of the largest universities in Belgium. The university has over 40,000 students and 6,000 staff members. It offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in the fields of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, medicine, and engineering. Ghent University is ranked #121-130 in the QS World University Rankings 2024. It is also a member of the League of European Research Universities and the Coimbra Group.

The International Master of Science in Advanced Research in Criminology (IMARC) aims to address the need for internationally oriented and interdisciplinary trained researchers that can offer original insights and analyses as well as innovative, effective and ethical solutions to advance policy, practice and academic research. Increasing flows of people, goods and information raise new questions about how governments and societies respond to perceived and actual threats of crime. Current developments in Europe and beyond challenge not only our understanding of crime and crime control, but also the balance between demands for security and social justice. IMARC trains students to develop fresh and critical views on terrorism, human trafficking, cybercrime, corporate and organized crime, external and internal border control, EU criminal justice, policing and crime prevention, migration policies, human rights, social exclusion and urban safety. The programme gives students the opportunity to study a broad range of substantive criminological issues, whilst simultaneously providing a robust theoretical foundation within which students can develop deeper analytical and critical thinking. As a research-intensive master’s programme there is also a strong emphasis on providing students with training in a variety of research approaches and methodologies and an extended dissertation. A consortium of three European universities – Erasmus University Rotterdam, Ghent University and the University of Kent – established this two-year joint master’s programme and brings together learning, research and practice through collaboration with already well-established partners such as governments, NGO’s, corporate actors and other universities. IMARC’s cooperation with both private and public organisations boosts the innovation of IMARC and the employability of our students. IMARC provides asset of transversal skills related to lifelong learning and employment opportunities.