Master’s Degree Course in Sociology and Social Research – Criminology and Change Curriculum (LM-88)

Master’s Degree Course in Sociology and Social Research – Criminology and Change Curriculum – the course in brief

The Criminology and Change Curriculum aims to train sociologists with advanced skills in the analysis of social phenomena from an interdisciplinary perspective and with a focus on demographic processes and intercultural relations. In addition to these skills, students will be able to carry out social research thanks to their knowledge of statistics, psychology and law. 

Other skills acquired during the course will be the construction, survey, processing and interpretation of social research data related to specific issues and to the various socio-economic, territorial and cultural institutional dynamics. The Master’s degree course trains professionals capable of designing and carrying out sociological research in all its phases.

The training is characterised by specific disciplines depending on the chosen curriculum.

Master’s Degree in Sociology and Social Research Online

Thanks to the possibility of distance learning, the Criminology and Change Curriculum is chosen by many students seeking flexibility. The Niccolò Cusano University offers an e-learning platform available 24 hours a day every day with teaching material always available.

The Criminology and Change Curriculum becomes accessible to all types of students: whether they are time students or worker-students, the reconciliation of study rhythms with their lives is guaranteed. Students will be able to tackle their studies at their own pace and according to their own needs, from the comfort of their own homes, and then take their exams in one of the many locations throughout Italy.

The ‘Criminology and Social Change’ curriculum is an in-depth study of the areas of criminology, particularly the analysis of criminological political phenomena and social change also related to punitive social models, examined from a historical and theoretical perspective.

Professional profile and expected occupational and professional outlets for Sociology graduates

Sociologist analyst of change – Social researcher

function in a work context:

The graduate in Sociology and Social Research (Criminology and Change curriculum) will acquire the skills to hold the position of sociologist analyst of change and social researcher, he/she is in charge of designing and carrying out research activities, applying advanced theoretical and methodological knowledge, conducting original investigations also in novel fields of research; he/she analyses research results and develops interpretative models of the observed phenomena; he/she carries out empirical investigations adopting the social research method; he/she designs interventions in the field of social policies.

Competences associated with the function:

The graduate in Sociology and Social Research (Criminology and Change curriculum) will have skills in the application of social research methods and techniques, and can enter the world of work as a social researcher and sociologist analyst of change in private companies, local and national public bodies; non-profit associations and social cooperation organisations; public relations and communication offices; research offices; planning and programming of social services and public policies; personnel management and market research offices; opinion polling agencies; social research institutes with executive duties and with responsibilities in data collection and processing. The knowledge acquired enables the LM-88 graduate to deal with planning using the tools of empirical investigation. The graduate also possesses the skills necessary to carry out sampling and data analysis procedures, and to prepare reports and other material useful for the dissemination of the results obtained.

Occupational outlets

• social researcher in universities, research centres and study centres, whether in the public or private sector.
• centres/institutes/agencies (public and private) for social research, study and documentation; third sector associations and organisations
• public administrations (central and local)
• private and cooperative enterprises and bodies;
• consultancy, coordination and management functions in the field of social research and public administration

The master’s degree course in Sociology prepares for the profession of (ISTAT codes)

• Management specialists in public administration – (2.5.1.1)
• Control specialists in public administration – (2.5.1.2)
• Human resources specialists – (2.5.1.3.1)
• Experts in the study, management and control of social phenomena – (2.5.3.2.1)
• Researchers and graduate technicians in political and social sciences – (2.6.2.7.2)

Knowledge required for admission

Students intending to enrol in the Master’s Degree Course in Sociology and Social Research (Criminology and Change curriculum) must hold a three-year degree in class L- 40 ex D.M. 270/04 or class 36 ex D.M. 509/99. Admission to the Master’s Degree Course in Sociology and Social Research may also apply to those who hold a three-year degree in other classes, or another qualification obtained abroad that is recognised as suitable, or a degree from the previous four-year system, provided that they meet the curricular requirements specified in the Study Course Regulations. The procedures for verifying possession of the requirements for admission are defined in Article 2 (Admission) of the Study Course Regulations.

Specific educational objectives of the Master’s Degree Course in Sociology and Social Research and description of the educational pathway.

The Master’s Degree Course in Sociology and Social Research (Criminology and Change curriculum) trains a master’s graduate capable of contributing specifically sociological categories of analysis to the examination of problems relating to social events and processes, on the basis of a training founded on the classical studies of the social sciences: sociology both in general terms and in its disciplinary sub-articulations, but also international political doctrines, psychology, political science and law. The training pathway enables the master’s degree student to design and execute empirical sociological research designs, in view of the training objectives envisaged in the individual courses and suitable for providing expertise in specific fields of study and application.

The proposed training course is structured as follows during the first year there is specialised training in some areas of sociology, including Political Sociology, the Sociology of Deviance, the Sociology of Religions and the Sociology of Territorial Development (in the SPS/08; SPS/09; SPS11; SPS/12) to which are added the specific sectors of Demography and Social Statistics (SECS-S/04 and SECS-S/05) necessary for the empirical analysis of data, without neglecting the ethical aspects of research, with the inclusion of the teaching of Ethics and Social Research in the sector M-FIL/01, and the study of international society (SPS/02).

The second year, in addition to a foreign language, includes teachings that open up to multidisciplinarity and to a master’s preparation enriched by psychological profiles (particularly Social Psychology) and ultimately legal ones in the area of European Union Law (IUS/14), which are necessary to constitute the knowledge and contextual skills of social research in the national and extra-national territory.

Students are urged to constantly interact with the lecturer through the interactive tools of telematics teaching, so that they learn to personally elaborate in both oral and written form, through short reports and term papers, interpretative schemes that demonstrate an interdisciplinary view of the problems.

Expected learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

Master’s degree graduates in Sociology and social research (Criminology and change curriculum) will acquire in-depth knowledge of the areas of sociological specialisation, as well as more detailed knowledge relating to the principles and logical and epistemological foundations of sociological methodology; to the theories, principles and basic foundations of the other social and human sciences; to qualitative and quantitative technical-operational procedures for the collection of social data; to statistical and demographic procedures and techniques for the organisation and quantitative analysis of social data.

The verification of learning will be carried out mainly through examinations, oral and/or written, both in itinere and at the conclusion of the teaching courses.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding

Master’s graduates in Sociology and Social Research (Criminology and Change curriculum) will be able to apply their knowledge and understanding by carrying out empirical investigations using quantitative and qualitative approaches; by interpreting and analysing the processes of social phenomena and the contemporary environment; by integrating the theoretical and methodological (logical-procedural) knowledge acquired, using specifically sociological categories; by enhancing interdisciplinarity in approaches to problem-solving and in the performance of study and work activities.

The ability to apply knowledge and understanding within the teaching activity is verified through activities aimed at stimulating a critical and personal reworking of specific theoretical or research topics, in which comparisons and evaluations by the student are required (forums) and reports and/or projects (e-activities and wikis), as well as participation in seminars in virtual classrooms and practical experiences in small groups. The relative assessment is carried out through the various forms, written and/or oral, of verification of preparation for each individual teaching, and with the final examination.

Making judgement

Master’s degree graduates in Sociology and Social Research (Criminology and Change curriculum) will be able to develop theoretical contributions in an autonomous manner and with a critical spirit; to plan research paths in an autonomous manner, collecting, analysing and critically interpreting empirical data from different sources and of different natures concerning social phenomena; to adopt assumptions to analyse empirical data and statistical sources in an original manner; to conduct bibliographical research on literature. The students’ autonomy of judgement is checked by the lecturers during video lectures, examinations and the final examination. In any case, the methods of verification are better defined in the Regulations of the Study Course.

Communication skills

Master’s degree graduates in Sociology and Social Research (Criminology and Change curriculum) acquire the communication skills required to report on the study or work activity carried out, both verbally and in writing, knowing how to argue criteria, procedures, aims and results to the sociological community; also demonstrating that they are able to work in teams to solve problems and to communicate solutions to interlocutors in the field. These skills will be acquired through the numerous activities envisaged in the training course; the methods of verification are specified in the Study Course Regulations.

Learning skills

Master’s degree graduates in Sociology and Social Research (Criminology and Change curriculum) develop the ability to elaborate autonomous learning processes in relation to bibliographic, documentary and statistical sources specific to sociological disciplines. This allows them to autonomously tackle new fields of study both within academic advanced training courses and in extra-academic courses. These skills will be acquired in all types of activities for which a critical approach to knowledge is required and will be verified in the forms appropriate to each type of activity, as defined in the Regulations of the Study Course.

Final Examination

The final examination consists of the drafting and discussion of a thesis written in an original manner by the student under the guidance of a supervisor, and possibly a co-rapporteur, at the request of the supervisor. The thesis may relate to any discipline included in the student’s study plan. The final thesis is assessed by a committee composed of at least 3 members selected from among the Unicusano Professors, Extraordinary Professors, Researchers or Researchers on fixed-term contracts ex art. 24 law 240/2010, Contractors ex art. 23 law 240/2010, Structured Professors at foreign Universities chaired by the Dean or the Course Coordinator or by his/her delegate appointed by the Dean or the Course Coordinator among the only Professors or Extraordinary Professors of the same Course who, after the evaluation of the paper, will proceed to the proclamation of the candidate, according to the procedures provided by the Study Course Regulations.