Want to make a real difference to society? With the Master of Security and Crime Science, you will develop the skills required to become a leader in the security, intelligence and crime-prevention areas in the public and private sectors.
You will combine skills from different disciplines such as Statistics, Computer Science, Geographic Information Systems, Population Studies, Psychology and Management. You'll develop analytical and creative methods to tackle real-world crime, and improve security in an ever-changing society.
This degree will provide a pathway to a career in policy development, crime or accident detection and analysis in both the public and private sectors. The skills you gain from the degree will enable you to promote and enhance security and community safety.
Learn from the experts
The Master of Security and Crime Science is the first of its kind in New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region, led by the New Zealand Institute for Security and Crime Science (NZISCS). The Institute is the primary research partner for the New Zealand Police, and a partner at the Evidence Based Policing Centre in Wellington. Papers and research topics will be delivered by world-leading researchers in psychology, statistics, artificial intelligence including machine learning, cyber security, political science, economics, management, law, education, Māori and indigenous development, and demographic research.
Develop real-world solutions
This degree requires students to investigate and tackle real security and crime problems in collaboration with public and private partners. Previous collaborations with the New Zealand Police have included investigating drug abuse intervention, developing software to help police monitor offenders on bail, inventing new methods to research burglary offences, researching sex abuse attitudes amongst school age children, and optimising traffic patrolling.
Career opportunities
- Policy development for social agencies
- Intelligence analyst (eg for MPI, National or International Police forces)
- Traffic accident analyst
- Security enhancement engineer
- Senior law enforcement officer
- Social investment expert
- Senior policy adviser
- Crime data scientist
- Analyst specialising in emerging, organised or cyber crime
- Counter-terrorism analyst
Key information
| Study Locations | Hamilton |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Faculty of Computing and Mathematical Sciences |
| Years | 1.5 |
| Points | 180 |
| Start Dates | Semester A (February) and Semester B (July) |
| Domestic Fees |
$11,450 per year See if you're eligible for fees-free study in your first year |
| International Fees | $45,625 per year |
| Tuition fees shown above are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. | |
Scholarships and prizes
Visit our Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships
Admission and enrolment
For admission in the MSCS, students will need to have completed a relevant bachelor's degree or postgraduate diploma with at least a B+ or higher in their final year majoring papers.
International students will need to have an IELTS score of 6.5 with at least 6.0 in the writing band. International students can email international@wu.ac.nz for more information or help with the application process.
Paper details
The compulsory papers for the Master of Security and Crime Science degree are ISCS501, ISCS502, IRSST505, MAOR518, PSYC544 and the 60 point dissertation ISCS592.
Students enrolled in a 180 point Master of Security and Crime Science will take the compulsory papers and another 45 points of papers from those prescribed in the Security and Crime Science entry in the University of Waikato Catalogue of Papers (also listed below).
- COMP502- Cryptography
- COMP518 - Cyber Security
- COMP521 - Machine Learning Algorithms
- COMP532 - Information Visualisation
- COMP543 - Information Management
- COMP548 - Developing Mobile Applications
- GEOG558 - Applied Geographic Information Systems for Research and Planning
- IRSST505 - International Security, Strategy and Technology
- IRSST507 - Cyber Security and Cyber Warfare
- ISCS501 - Foundations of Security and Crime Science 1
- ISCS502 - Foundations of Security and Crime Science 2
- ISCS592 - Dissertation
- MAOR518 - Maori, Indigeneity and Criminal Justice
- POPS510 - Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis
- PSYC517 - The Social Psychology of Anti-Social Behaviour
- PSYC518 - Family Violence: Research and Interventions
- PSYC544 - Psychology of Security and Crime Science
- PSYC545 - Special Topic in Psychological and Crime Sciences
- PSYC580 - The Psychology of Criminal Conduct
- STAT501 - Quantitative Methods for Security and Crime Science
- STAT502 - Advanced Quantitative Methods for Security and Crime Science
Depending on your previous study, students who have an honours degree or a postgraduate diploma may be given a waiver on 15 points of the compulsory taught papers required for the Master of Security and Crime Science.
Contacts
Faculty of Computing & Mathematical Sciences
Phone: 0800 924 528 ext: 4322 or +64 7 838 4322
Email: cms@waikato.ac.nz
Website: cms.waikato.ac.nz
Facebook: facebook.com/WaikatoFCMS
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4080
Email: wfass@waikato.ac.nz
Degree Structure
The compulsory papers for the Master of Security and Crime Science degree are ISCS501, ISCS502, IRSST505, MAOR518, PSYC544 and the 60 point dissertation ISCS592.
Students enrolled in a 180 point Master of Security and Crime Science will take the compulsory papers and another 45 points of papers from those prescribed in the Security and Crime Science entry in the University of Waikato Catalogue of Papers.
Depending on your previous study, students who have an honours degree or a postgraduate diploma may be given a waiver on 15 points of the compulsory taught papers required for the Master of Security and Crime Science.