Englisch 
Deutsch Who this Master suits – and what you need to get in
This programme fits experienced practitioners who want to deepen their expertise across criminology, criminalistics and police science. Typical profiles include: sworn police officers or criminal investigators aiming to add a research-based Master’s to operational experience; professionals from security, compliance, corrections or intelligence moving into analysis and policy; law or social science graduates already working in justice, NGOs or administration who need an interdisciplinary upgrade. Because the degree is delivered in German and includes on-site blocks, you should be able to study in German and plan for short study trips to Germany during the first three semesters.
Admission requirements
Entry is selective and follows a two-stage process (document check, then an online selection test) for a January start each year. You apply online between 15 April and 30 June. Formal criteria:
- A completed university or university of applied sciences degree with a clear link to criminology, criminalistics and/or police science, totalling at least 240 ECTS credits.
- At least 1 year of relevant professional experience (e.g., policing, criminal investigation, security services, justice administration, probation/corrections, forensic or crime analysis).
- Language of instruction: German. You must be able to follow lectures, participate in seminars and produce academic writing in German; formal proof of proficiency may be requested.
- Applicants with foreign qualifications: admission is possible if your first degree is equivalent in level, field and scope (i.e., comparable to 240 ECTS). Provide transcripts and degree documentation; additional evaluation may be required.
- No Abitur needed (Master’s level) – the decisive requirement is the relevant first degree plus professional experience.
Study format and attendance: blended learning with online teaching and mandatory in-person blocks. After an introductory week in January, there are six further block sessions in semesters 1–3, usually Friday–Saturday (occasionally Thursday–Saturday). Plan for travel to Germany for these sessions.
Personal requirements
Expect around 15 hours per week for reading, assignments and exam prep. Success in this programme hinges on solid self-organisation, steady weekly routines and realistic time planning around job and family. You should be comfortable with academic reading and writing in German, managing sources, and working independently on essays, reports and case analyses. Reliable internet access for Moodle, the discipline to keep up with asynchronous materials, and the flexibility to attend several short on-site blocks per semester are essential. Perseverance matters: the course is designed for working professionals, but deadlines are firm and seminar participation—online and in person—requires proactive scheduling and communication.
What will you study in the Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science (M.A.) at Ruhr University Bochum?
The programme is taught entirely in German. If you apply from abroad, you will need advanced German proficiency; universities typically expect proof such as TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat C1. Over four semesters, you combine criminological theory, investigative methods and police science with applied research and a master’s thesis.
You will build a strong foundation in criminology and the social sciences. Typical content includes crime theory and victimology, the sociology of deviance, and evaluation of crime prevention. You examine how crime is measured, how risks are distributed, and how institutions respond.
Criminalistics and investigative thinking form the applied core. Topics often cover case analysis and investigative strategy, evidence assessment, documentation and reporting, as well as operational decision-making. You learn to connect analytical methods with real-world investigative constraints.
Police science and public security link research to practice. Expect modules on policing strategies and organisation, accountability and human rights, ethics, and inter-agency cooperation. You critically assess reforms, technologies and the governance of security.
Methodological training underpins the programme. You work with research design and empirical methods (qualitative and quantitative), policy analysis and academic writing for professional contexts. These skills prepare you for evidence-based practice and further research.
The final semester focuses on your master’s thesis, with an optional thesis colloquium to discuss your project. The overall study design is a blended model: a university-based distance learning format (in German: Fernstudium = distance learning) supplemented by scheduled on-site blocks. Ruhr University Bochum is a public research university; unlike private correspondence courses, degree programmes at public universities are not generally subject to ZFU approval (ZFU is the German state authority that approves non-university distance-learning courses).
How does the Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science distance programme work?
This is a blended, part-time master’s over four semesters: three teaching semesters plus one examination/thesis semester. It starts each year on 1 January and combines online learning with compulsory on-site blocks in Bochum. Plan for around 15 hours per week alongside your job.
Teaching language and language certificates
The teaching language is German. If your prior education was not in German, you should be prepared to present recognised proof of advanced proficiency (commonly accepted certificates include TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat C1). Course materials, live sessions and assessments are conducted in German.
Learning format and study materials
The programme follows a blended-learning design. You study via the Moodle e-learning platform with readings, lecture inputs and assignments that you complete flexibly. On-site blocks are classroom-based seminars where you work intensively on cases, debates and methods with lecturers and peers.
Exams and whether you can take them from outside Germany
Assessments use a mix of formats: on-site or online written exams, academic essays, research reports, case or judgment analyses and similar coursework. Some assessments can be completed remotely; however, not all exams are guaranteed online every time. You should be able to travel to Germany for any required in-person examinations.
Mandatory on-site sessions in Germany
Attendance in Bochum is a core element. The programme opens with a full introductory week in January. Across the first three semesters there are six additional block seminars, usually Friday–Saturday (occasionally Thursday–Saturday). An optional thesis colloquium is offered during the master’s thesis phase. Because of these mandatory on-site sessions, this is not a purely remote programme and you must plan travel and, where applicable, short-stay visas for Germany.
Weekly workload, time models and time zones
Plan about 15 hours per week for readings, assignments and exam preparation. Live sessions during blocks run on Central European Time (CET/CEST). The structure is designed for employed professionals: you study mainly in the evenings and at weekends between the scheduled blocks.
What does the Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science (M.A.) cost?
The fee totals €5,800 for the full programme (from 2025): €1,600 per teaching semester across three semesters plus €1,000 for the examination/thesis semester. Fees are charged per semester and are due upon acceptance of your place and then before re-enrolment for the next semester.
Spread over the standard duration of two years, the total equates to roughly about €242 per month on average. There is no public information on additional tuition if you extend beyond four semesters; if you take longer, expect at least continued enrolment costs and plan accordingly.
Budget for travel and accommodation to Bochum for the introductory week and six block seminars, plus study materials. Payments are in euro; international bank transfers may incur charges from your bank or payment provider.
What careers and recognition does the Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science (M.A.) offer?
You earn a university Master of Arts from Ruhr University Bochum, a state-recognised public research university in Germany. As a Bologna master’s, the degree follows European Higher Education Area standards, uses the ECTS system and is internationally comparable for further study and employment. Graduates can generally apply for doctoral programmes, subject to each faculty’s regulations.
Career paths span public and private security fields. Typical roles include:
- Strategic and operational roles in policing and law enforcement (e.g. analysis, prevention, leadership support)
- Crime and intelligence analysis in security agencies or multinational organisations
- Risk, compliance and corporate investigations in banking, insurance or tech
- Policy analysis and programme evaluation for ministries, NGOs and think tanks
- Academic or applied research in criminology, criminal justice and policing
Salaries vary widely by country and sector. In many systems, public-sector pay follows fixed scales; private-sector compliance and investigations typically pay more with experience. The value of the degree lies in combining evidence-based methods with applied criminalistics and police science.
Who is the Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science (M.A.) right for – and who not?
This programme targets working professionals who want a rigorous, research-informed master’s while remaining employed. The blended format and block seminars suit people who can plan a few intensive on-site periods each semester.
- You work in policing, justice, corrections, security, compliance or related fields and want to deepen your expertise
- You prefer a part-time, blended format with clear structure and in-person academic exchange
- You want a public university master’s that is internationally comparable and can open a path to a PhD
- You value applied learning that connects criminological theory with investigative and policing practice
- You are comfortable studying and writing entirely in German
There are also situations where this programme is not a good match. The language and attendance requirements are non-negotiable and affect applicants from abroad in particular.
- You need an English-taught programme (all teaching and assessments here are in German)
- You cannot travel to Bochum for the introductory week and six block seminars in the first three semesters
- You are seeking a fully online master with no on-site commitments or visa-relevant travel
- You cannot demonstrate advanced German proficiency (reading academic texts and producing essays in German)
- You aim for a regulated legal profession (e.g. attorney) that requires specific national qualifications beyond a criminology M.A.
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