Master of Arts - Organised Crime, Terrorism and Security

In recent years, issues of terrorism and organized crime have gained an unprecedented profile, provoked significant social concern, and dominated both law-and-order and many wider social policy agendas. The University of Essex MA Organised Crime, Terrorism and Security course draws on state-of-the-art research to address key critical issues surrounding organized criminality and terrorism in contemporary society.

Essex involves multi-level analyses of organized crime as a concept, alongside the impacts of urbanization, migration and globalization upon both the practice of crime and the ways in which humans understand them. Students will address cutting-edge critical, conceptual and theoretical analyses of terrorism and counter-terrorism. This course provides students with a strong grounding in the key theories, understandings and issues relating to organized crime and terrorism. Students explore topics including: globalization and organized crime; mafia, corruption and power; drug trafficking and illicit trades; security and the state; analysis, politics and prevention of terrorism; ethics of human rights; the hacker ethics. Many staff members have worked at the local level with local authorities, justice councils, community partnerships and charities. Others have worked at a national and international level with bodies like the United Nations, the European Commission’s Expert Group on Public Understanding of Science, Amnesty International, The Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, the Home Office and national non-governmental organizations.

This course provides excellent preparation for further academic study, and many of Essex's postgraduates go on to successful academic careers, both in the UK and overseas. Employment opportunities for graduates of this course include careers in security, policing, research, intelligence and justice professions. Others have established careers in non-governmental organizations, local authorities, specialist think tanks, government departments, charities, media production, and market intelligence.