The Advanced Master's Programs in Criminology at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum "Criminology and Police Science" and "Criminal Justice, Governance and Police Science"

This case study deals with the advanced, postgraduate and extra-occupational Master's programs in "Criminology and Police Science" (accreditation in 2005) and "Criminal Justice, Governance and Police Science" (accreditation in 2012) at Ruhr University Bochum (Faculty of Law) in Germany, which are organized as unique blended-learning courses. The German Master's program "Criminology and Police Science" offers a possibility for people who deal with crime and deviant behavior to learn in a practice-oriented study, criminological foundations, current research findings, contrasted and guided discussions in the interdisciplinary dialogue of practical action models. The international Master's program in Criminal Justice, Governance and Police Science (a joint degree together with the University College Ghent in the next future is planned) is particularly designed to cater to the needs of experienced and mostly full-time employed professionals within the field of international security and justice and sets an excellent example of how to allow people, performing on a related job, to grow and mature on an international level. Therefore, the approach in Bochum not only closes a vital gap in the academic field, but also allows (prospective) students to receive further or advanced education while on the job.