Master in Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law

Masters
Programs
Master in Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law

Graduate School of Law

Direction

Prof. Javier Álvarez García, Prof. Víctor Moreno Catena, Prof. Helena Soleto Muñoz, Prof. Ana Garrocho Salcedo

Deputy Direction

Prof. Anna Fiodorova, Prof. Juan Manuel Alcoceba Gil, Ptof. Belén Hernández Moura

Language

Spanish

Attendance

Online, On-campus

Credits

Campus

Madrid - Puerta de Toledo

Applications

Attendance On-campus (40 places): Open

Attendance Online (40 places): Open

Departments

Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law Department, Alonso Martínez Institute for Justice and Litigation

CONTACT

Click here and make your query

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

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Master Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law (formerly Master in Criminal Justice) is a LLM that provides with profound knowledge of Criminal Substantive Law and Criminal Procedure Law, paying special attention to recent criminal phenomenon, such as corruption, organised crime, high-tech crimes, white-collar crimes or restorative justice, as well as to expansion of abilities concerned the accusation instruments in these types of criminality, taking as starting point the principles of Rule of Law of social and democratic state.

The Master is divided into two semesters with the possibility to define the area of specialization in the second one by choosing up to four subject from a variety of proposed optional ones. The studies also include elaboration of master’s thesis (12 ECTS) and its defence at the end of the course in front of tribunal of experts.

The faculty consists of professors and researchers of the UC3M, majority PhD, as well as of associate professors (mainly judges and lawyers) and professors of recognised standing from other universities.

The Master will promote the possibility of doing extracurricular internships in judicial bodies or law firms (the latter, especially indicated for those who have taken or are currently taking the Master's degree in access to the legal profession).

Completion of the Master's Degree in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure allows access to doctoral studies at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid provided that the complementary research credits indicated by the Doctoral School and the rest of the requirements established in the program are completed.

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📥 │ Informative Triptych
│MASTER IN NUMBERS
- ☛ More than 80% of PhD professors
- ☛ 10 different nationalities in our classes
- ☛ Group of 40 students maximum per edition
- ☛ Múltiple electives subjectes for further specialization

CURRICULUM

The syllabus for the Master's degree in Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law comprises 2 modules and the final master's dissertation.

The Basic Module (compulsory) 36 ECTS
Specialisation Module (optional): 12 ECTS (choose 4 subjects)
Master's Final Dissertation (TFM) 12 ECTS

Year 1 - Semester 1

BASIC MODULE
Procedural area
Subjects	ECTS	TYPE	Language
Rule of Law and Criminal Justice	3	C
Practical Aspects of Criminal Justice *	9	C

BASIC MODULE
Criminal area
Subjects	ECTS	TYPE
Advanced Studies of the Crimes Legal Theory	3	C
Organised Crime	3	C
Fundamental Rights and Criminal Law	3	C
Advanced Studies in Penology and Prison Law	3	C
International Criminal Law	3	C

BASIC MODULE
Mixed area
Subjects	ECTS	TYPE	Language
Criminal Justice and Legal Persons	3	C

SPECIALIZATION MODULE
Mixed area
Subjects	ECTS	TYPE	Language
Juvenile Justice System	3	E

Year 1 - Semester 2

BASIC MODULE
Procedural area
Subjects	ECTS	TYPE	Language
Advanced Studies of Evidential Matters	3	C
International Jurisdiction and Co-operation	3	C

SPECIALIZATION MODULE
Procedural area
Subjects	ECTS	TYPE
Forensic Science	3	E
Civil Responsibility and Civil Consequences of the Crime	3	E
Restorative Justice (1)	3	E

SPECIALIZATION MODULE
Criminal area
Subjects	ECTS	TYPE
White-collar Crime	3	E
Cybercrime	3	E
Criminal Law's Response to the Corruption	3	E
Women's Protection in Criminal and Procedural Law	3	E

MASTER'S FINAL DISSERTATION
Subjects	ECTS	TYPE	Language
Master's Thesis	12	TFM	vacio

¹The prestigious website European Forum for Restorative Justice, dedicated to Restorative Justice, recognizes the experience, training and projects in restorative matters of the Alonso Martinez Institute and the Carlos III University of Madrid.

(*) Annual subject

C= Compulsory: 36 ECTS

E= Elective Course: 12 ECTS

Master's Thesis: 12 ECTS

course Programs

◤ Access to previous course programs

QUALITY
GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION

☛ First year offered: 2013
QUALITY INDICATORS

☛ Master's Degree indicators

☛ Labour insertion indicators
PROGRAMME’S QUALITY ASSURANCE

The Academic Committee of the Master’s programme complies with the SGIC-UC3M and it is responsible for the follow-up, analysis, review, assessment and quality of the program, it contributes with proposals to improve the program and produces the “Memoria Académica de Titulación” (Programme Report).
- Academic Committee
FACULTY AND COURSE PLAN

☛ Curriculum subjects and their faculty
Graduate Profile and Competences
- Graduate profile and competences

FACULTY
UC3M FACULTY
ABELLA LÓPEZ, JAVIER
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Assistant Professor / Substitute judge
PhD
CONSEJO GENERAL DEL PODER JUDICIAL
Brief CV

ALCOCEBA GIL, JUAN
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
PhD Assistant Professor
PhD
Brief CV

ARNÁIZ SERRANO, AMAYA
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Associate Professor
PhD
Brief CV

CARRETERO SANJUAN, MAITE
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Hired Predoctoral
PhD
Brief CV

CASTRO MORENO, ABRAHAM
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Full Professor
PhD
Brief CV

CUBERO FLORES, DAVID
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Assistant Professor / Magistrate
AUDENCIA PROVINCIAL DE MADRID
Brief CV

DOPICO GÓMEZ ALLER, JACOBO
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Full Professor
PhD
Brief CV

FIODOROVA, ANNA
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
PhD Assistant Professor
PhD
Brief CV

GARCÍA PEÑA, EDUARDO
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Assistant Professor / Lawyer
GARCIA PEÑA & ANDUJAR ABOGADOS
Brief CV

GARROCHO SALCEDO, ANA
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Visiting Professor
PhD
Brief CV

HERNÁNDEZ MOURA, BELÉN
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Assistant Professor
PhD
Brief CV

LÓPEZ ORTEGA, JUAN JOSÉ
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Member of the UN Committee Against Enforced Disappearances
Assistant Professor
Magistrate
Brief CV

MORENO CATENA, VÍCTOR
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Emeritus Professor
PhD
Brief CV

MUÑOZ LORENTE, JOSÉ AVELINO
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Associate Professor
PhD
Brief CV

SARDINERO GARCÍA, CARLOS
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Assistant Professor / Lawyer
PhD
Brief CV

SOLETO MUÑOZ, HELENA
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Full Professor
PhD
Brief CV

VILLALBA LÓPEZ, NOEL
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Hired Predoctoral
Brief CV

ZAFRA ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS, ROCÍO
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Associate Professor
PhD
Brief CV

ZARCO GONZÁLEZ, BEATRIZ
Department of Criminal Law, Procedural Law and History Law
Assistant Professor / Criminal Lawyer
AFZ ABOGADOS
Brief CV
EXTERNAL FACULTY
CANCIO MELIÁ, MANUEL
Full Professor
PhD
UAM

CASTILLO DE LA FUENTE, ELENA
Senior lawyer
BC ABOGADOS

ETXEBARRIA ZARRABEITIA, XABIER KARLOS
Professor of Criminal Law
PhD
UCM

GALDEANO, ANA Mª
Dean of Violence against Women in Madrid

GASCÓN ALARMA, ABRIL
Senior Associate, Criminal Area
BROSETTA

MACHO CARRO, ALBERTO
PhD Assistant of Constitutional Law
PhD
UNIVERSIDAD DE EXTREMADURA

MACULAN, ELENA
Professor of Criminal Law
Scholar Ramón y Cajal
PhD
UNED

MARAVER GÓMEZ, MARIO
Professor of Criminal Law
Hired PhD
UAM

MARTÍN MARTÍN DE LA ESCALERA, ANA
Prosecutor assigned to the Computer Crime Room

MIRÓ LLINARES, FERNANDO
Full Professor of Criminal Law
UNIVERSIDAD MIGUEL HÉRNANDEZ (ELCHE)

MÍNGUEZ ROSIQUE, MARINA
PhD Assistant Professor of Criminal Law
PhD
UAM

MOLINA FERNÁNDEZ, FERNANDO
Full Professor of Criminal Law
PhD
UAM

MONTANER FERNÁNDEZ, RAQUEL
Expert Compliance Lawyer
Assistant Professor of Criminal Law
UNIVERSIDAD POMPEU FABRA

PILLADO GONZÁLEZ, ESTHER
Full Professor
PhD
UNIVERSIDAD DE VIGO

POZUELO PÉREZ, LAURA
Associate Professor
PhD
UAM

REVILLA GONZÁLEZ, JOSE ALBERTO
Associate Professor of Procedural Law
PhD
UAM

RODRÍGUEZ HORCAJO, DANIEL
Hired PhD Professor of Criminal Law
PhD
UAM

RODRÍGUEZ YAGÜE, CRISTINA
Associate Professor of Criminal Law
PhD
UCLM

TEJADA DE LA FUENTE, ELVIRA
Prosecutor in the Computer Crimes Unit

ADMISSION

Application

The request must be submitted electronically through our application system. Before beginning the admission process, please read the following information:

Requirements

According to the Royal Decree 822/2021 of 28 September 2021, in order to be admitted to the University Master's degree in Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law, it will be necessary to possess an official Spanish university qualification or another issued by a higher education institution in the European Higher Education Area which entitles the holder to access a master's degree course in the country issuing the qualification. Preferably students with a law degree will be eligible for the course although students with qualifications and studies in criminology, journalism, social work and other subjects relating to Criminal Justice may also be accepted.

Graduates of educational systems outside the European Area of Higher Education may also access the course without the need to validate their qualifications, provided that the University is able to attest that their level of education is equivalent to the official Spanish university qualifications and that they are qualified to access postgraduate studies in their own country. Access to the course for candidates with qualifications from countries other than member states of the EHEA in no way implies official validation of the prospective student's qualification nor its recognition for any purpose other than that of the master's degree course.

Admission criteria

When the admission term for applications is complete, the following criteria will be evaluated on a scale of 10 points:

ADMISSION CRITERIA	WEIGHTING
Applicant's curriculum vitae	3 points
Applicant's academic record	3 points
Letter of intention and recommendations and references	3 points
Knowledge of foreign languages	1 point

A committee appointed by the Board of Management will carry out the selection process, selecting the best qualified students. Applicants will be informed within a term of 7 days from expiry of the term for submitting application, or if appropriate, extraordinary terms of 5 days that may be granted in order to urgently correct any formal defects in applications.

Language requirements

Check the general language requirements required to study a Master’s at UC3M, depending on whether it is in Spanish, English or bilingual.

students with foreign university degrees

Once admitted to the Master’s program, students holding a university degree from a higher education institution outside the EHEA must provide the diploma, legalized through diplomatic procedures or by The Hague Apostille, for enrollment. They must also submit their transcript of records, including the grade point average, duly legalized.

More information about Legalization of Foreign Documents.

If needed, documents must be accompanied by an official sworn translation into Spanish.

ENROLLMENT
TUITION FEES*

Reservation fee: €600
- it will be paid once the student receives notification of admission to the master’s, and deducted from the first tuition payment
- the reservation fee will only be refunded if the master program is cancelled
60 ECTS in the first academic year:
- EU students: €5,700 (€95/ECTS credit)
- Non EU students: €9,000 (€150/ECTS credit)
✎│Tuition fees

NOTE: the indicated public prices do not include in any case, neither the ECTS corresponding to the Formative Complements that the student must take (only master's degrees with previous Formative Complements), nor the cost of issuing the master’s degree certificate.

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* Current fees for the 24/25 academic year, pending approval by the Community of Madrid for the 25/26 academic year.
Additional information
- You may enrol on the master’s degree after completing the admission process and receiving formal confirmation of your acceptance.
- When performing the enrolment you can choose between Full-time enrolment or Part-time enrolment.
- The email address provided upon enrolment will be used for formal communications; students are therefore kindly requested to check their mail regularly.
- Pursuant to the regulations of the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, a student failing to pay any part of the fees will not be admitted and the enrolment process will be terminated. In cases of cancellation of enrolment due to non-payment, the University may demand the payment of the pending amounts for enrolment in previous academic courses as a prior condition of enrolment.
  No diploma or certificate will be issued if a student has any outstanding payments.
✎│Enrolment master’s programmes

✎│ECTS credits recognition
Best Practices and Regulations
[+] information

SCHOLARSHIPS
UC3M SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/2026

CALL AM01-25/26* │ OPEN

For the academic year 2025-2026 a call has been published for a maximum of 4 scholarships for payment of the net enrolment fees for students accepted into the Master’s, with the following provision:
- 2 scholarships of €1,500
- 1 scholarship of €3,000
- 1 scholarship of €4,500
To apply, you must have completed the application for admission to the Master’s.

Application deadline: May 31, 2025

Partial resolutions:
- first partial resolution: from February 21, 2025
- second partial resolution: from April 27, 2025
- third and final resolution: from June 20, 2025
* The number of grants and amounts specified in the call, may vary depending on the conditions of the candidates who apply to them, can be even deserted as assessed by the Selection Committee for each program.

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📚 │ Scholarships

💻 │ UC3M e-bulletin (BOEL) in Spanish
General information on scholarships

For more information on specific scholarships of interest, awarded by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid as well as other agencies or organizations, please refer here:

🎓 │ Scholarships to study a University Master
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Academic Calendar

Academic Calendar 2024-2025

Academic Calendar 2025-2026

MASTER’S COURSE SCHEDULE

Check the Master’s schedule
COURSE 0
- friday, september 8 and monday, september 11, 2023
- 16:00 to 21:00 h. | Madrid - Puerta de Toledo Campus
VIRTUAL SECRETARIAT

Access to Virtual Secretariat
Material Resources of the program

Madrid - Puerta de Toledo Campus

complaints and suggestions

General Registry Office

Contact mailbox

Employability

Access to Employment and internships

🆕 New UC3M employment platform

VIRTUAL

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IntroducTION

Master in Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law (formerly blended-learning Master in Criminal Justice) aims to offer online specialization training on the main categories and institutions of substantive Criminal Law and Criminal Procedural Law, paying special attention to the criminal phenomena of our time, such as organized crime, corporate crime, and the tools of international legal cooperation or restorative justice. It also tries to deepen in the structures of imputation suitable to address this type of criminality from the principles that inspire the criminal law of the social and democratic rule of law.

The virtual master's degree combines:
- Virtual teaching (online)
- Master's thesis, the defense of which may be done in person or online.
As in the face-to-face mode of the Master in Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law, the virtual mode consists of:
- Obligatory subjects (36 ECTS)
- Optional subjects (12 ECTS)
- Master’s Thesis (12 ECTS)
The virtual or online modality allows students who for various reasons cannot attend classes in person to take our postgraduate course, providing flexibility and assisted learning to students in interaction with the faculty. Distance learning consists of studying the materials, following synchronous classes and mandatory participation in online tasks (such as forums led by the professor of each subject, practical tasks, tutorials, etc.). From the second four-month period onwards, the area of specialization may be defined by choosing up to four electives from all the proposed courses.

The first term and at the beginning of the second one, the subjects are taught consecutively. Every Tuesday a synchronous master class is given (two classes per subject) and on the last Friday of each subject (every two weeks), a continuous evaluation activity is carried out synchronously, which is handed in at the end of the class. In the second term, due to the fact that the elective subjects are not taught consecutively, but simultaneously, the master classes of some subjects are taught on Tuesdays and others on Wednesdays, maintaining the system of practical classes as in the first term.

The evaluation of each subject will be carried out entirely online, and will consist of a continuous evaluation and a final exam after each term (January and June, respectively).

The defense of the Master's thesis will take place in June/July or September, either in person on campus or virtually, at the students' choice. During the week of the defense of the TFM, seminars on current events in criminal justice (with the possibility of following them on-line) and visits to courts and other institutions related to the functioning of the justice system may be organized.

📥 │ Informative Triptych