Tackling justice and inequity in Aotearoa
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Master of Arts in Criminology student Phoebe Myles completed an undergraduate degree in mathematics before landing a job as a data analyst.
“I was working as an analyst and using my degree, but I didn’t quite feel fulfilled,” she says. “It was all numbers, and what I really wanted was more research and more writing while still getting to use my analysis skills.”
Phoebe had been interested in criminal justice for a while, so when she went looking for a new direction, criminology seemed like a perfect choice.
“It felt like a relevant and timely topic, and a way for me to gain lots of new skills. I also liked that criminology connected with all sorts of areas, from history to economics to social policy.”
Because her undergraduate degree was in a different area and she didn’t have any professional experience, Phoebe started her studies with a Graduate Diploma of Arts in Criminology. Graduate diplomas allow students to gain the skills they need in a certain area to move on to postgraduate study while still taking advantage of the skills they already have from other university study.
“The researchers in Criminology at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington are super enthusiastic,” Phoebe says. “I was a bit worried about starting study in a new area, but they were really welcoming and keen for me to study here.”
“The culture in Criminology is awesome. It’s easy to build relationships with fellow students and staff, and all the lecturers are really eager to help and share their passions.”
After her Graduate Diploma, Phoebe went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts with Honours, and she is now studying a Master of Arts in Criminology.
“My Master’s research is looking at the impact of incarceration on employment rates and income, and how that shapes social inequalities,” Phoebe says. “I’m using data available from Statistics New Zealand to look at outcomes for people over time.”
Phoebe hasn’t decided if she will go on to further study or if she’ll look for a job in the field once she finishes her Master’s.
“If I find a topic that inspires me, I’ll probably choose a PhD,” she says. “There is a lot of potential follow-on research from my Master’s topic. But being based in Wellington means there are lots of opportunities for employment in Criminology and in lots of other areas where I can use the skills I’ve picked up during my studies.”
“Criminology touches on so many areas that you’ll learn a lot from it even if you don’t want to make it your career.”
Wellington is also a great place to live, Phoebe says.
“Wellington is such a nice size with a great feeling of community. There are so many great events and beautiful outdoor areas, and it’s pretty easy to get around.”
Phoebe values her studies in Criminology because of how they help her think in a different way.
“Criminology helps you think about the world in a different way,” Phoebe says. “You’ll learn things like critical media analysis, which changes the way you think about how crime is reported in the media and make it clear how sensationalised a lot of the coverage is.
“If you have any interest in social inequality or social justice, the environment, women’s rights, or any angle of justice or inequity you can find space in criminology.”