School of Justice Studies careers support

Possible career prospects

The suite of criminal justice programmes aim to support students to develop a critical mindset that links theory, policy and practice together. All our programmes give students a platform that will enable them to develop employability, entrepreneurship and enterprise skills enabling them to not only secure graduate employment on completion of their degree but to be successful within these and any future career paths. It is important to the staff that students not only develop these skills but they enter their chosen professions wanting to and being able to make a difference and so our programmes align to the real world and maintain their currency by engaging regularly with practitioners in criminal justice. We, as a group of staff, are committed to ensuring that every student makes a transformative shift in the skills that they have and that they are able to recognise and articulate these.

LJMU graduates from these programmes have successfully secured career opportunities in a variety of sectors and the choice of careers open to our graduates is ever increasing. We have had graduates enter into the police, the prison service, the probation service, drug agencies, the Home Office and youth justice services. Our graduates work with a variety of people in different settings and the above is only a small example of these. It is testament to the experience that our students have at undergraduate level that a significant number continue their studies at postgraduate level, remaining at LJMU to study with us. Some also progress to doctoral level research and take up lecturing positions in universities and colleges. We are proud as a staff group that we have LJMU alumni who have followed this path who are working now as part of the staff team. Whatever your career choice the transferable skills that you will gain on the course are sought after by a range of employers.

At an institutional, school and programme level a wide range of opportunities and support is available to every student. In addition, every undergraduate curriculum offers an opportunity for students to engage with an e-learning and workshop resource that helps to develop insights into talents, passion and purpose enabling students to become much more proactive, adaptable and resilient in their awareness of the career possibilities available to them.

There are then many ways that we will help you succeed and gain the skills and experience necessary. These are just some of them:

  • Work-based learning opportunities are embedded
  • Employability skills are integrated into our courses and assessments
  • Professionals with specialist industry knowledge are regularly invited to deliver workshops and seminars – providing fantastic insights into the subject area and its relationship to the world of work
  • Student site visits for example to prisons and the courts
  • A dedicated professional development module