The Bachelor of Criminology requires four years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time). The course is offered by the College of Business, Government and Law.
Admission requirements
The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Criminology may transfer to the Bachelor of Criminology (Honours) if they have achieved a GPA of at least 5.25 after completion of 36 or 72 units of the degree. Under exceptional circumstances and subject to specific conditions, the Dean (Education) may invite other students to transfer.
Course aims
The course aims to provide students with:
- a broad understanding of criminological theory and its application in criminal justice contexts;
- the skill of applying criminological knowledge in educational and professional settings;
- the ability to communicate effectively in justice-related contexts;
- the skills of working independently and collaboratively in projects of criminological significance;
- an appreciation of the ways that ethical behaviour improves justice outcomes;
- an understanding of concepts central to the structure and functioning of a just society, such as rights, laws, freedom, power and rules;
- an overview of how modern society works, as well as different conceptions of justice;
- the skills to research and analyse social issues and assess proposals for social change;
- a specific understanding of social policy, including how public policy is developed, implemented, reviewed and reformed within society.
In addition, the Honours program aims to:
- extend students' knowledge and understanding of criminology and the role of research within areas of academic specialisation
- provide students with advanced skills in academic writing, including thesis preparation and standards required for publication
- provide students with the skills to present their research orally and in writing
- encourage students to become independent thinkers and researchers.
Learning outcomes
Upon graduating, students will be able to demonstrate:
- a comprehensive understanding of both classic and contemporary criminological theories;
- a nuanced understanding of the ways that criminal justice systems function to deliver justice both in Australia and abroad;
- the ability to apply criminological knowledge in educational and professional settings;
- the ability to communicate effectively in justice-related contexts;
- the skills of working independently and collaboratively in projects of criminological significance;
- an appreciation of the ways that ethical behaviour improves justice outcomes;
- the ability to connect across boundaries, having been exposed to international perspectives, case studies and examples in the curriculum;
- an understanding of the function of justice representatives in contemporary society;
- an ability to reason and argue clearly;
- an understanding of complex positions and their implications;
- an ability to recognise and resolve issues involving values;
- the skills required to understand and constructively criticise contemporary life.
In addition, upon completion of the Honours program students will be able to demonstrate:
- an extensive knowledge and understanding of criminology
- a broad understanding of the existing academic knowledge in the area of their specialisation
- a capacity to develop and support the extended argument needed for an Honours research thesis
- the ability to evaluate, analyse and deploy evidence in support of a research thesis
- the ability to communicate their findings clearly, in both oral and written form.
Program of study
To qualify for the Bachelor of Criminology (Honours), a student must complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study detailed below.
Students must normally have achieved a GPA of 5.25 or higher to enter the final year of the course. Those who do not meet this requirement will exit with the Bachelor of Criminology on completion of 108 units.
Students who have completed 108 units according to the first 3 years of the program may choose to exit with the Bachelor of Criminology.
No more than 45 units of First Year level topics may be included in the 144 units for the degree.
Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.
Core - Year 1 topics
22.5 units comprising
COMS1001 Academic and Professional Communication (4.5 units)*
CRIM1101 Crime and Criminology (4.5 units)
CRIM1102 Criminal Justice System (4.5 units)
LEGL1201 Law in Australian Society (4.5 units)
SOCI1001 Issues in Sociology (4.5 units)
Option - Year 1 topics#
Choose 13.5 units from:
HIST1704 History's Killing Fields (4.5 units)
POLI1003 Introduction to Democracy and Government (4.5 units)
POLI1012 Introduction to Political Ideas and Public Policy (4.5 units)
PSYC1101 Psychology 1A (4.5 units)
PSYC1102 Psychology 1B (4.5 units)
#Students who want to study Psychology (PSYC) option topics in year 2 must enrol in both PSYC1101 and PSYC1102 in year 1.
Core - Year 2 topics
18 units comprising
CRIM2201 Punishment and Society (4.5 units)
CRIM2202 Policing and Society (4.5 units)
CRIM2301 Criminal Law in Context (4.5 units)
CRIM2205 Basics of Research Design and Methods (4.5 units)
Option - Year 2 topics
Select 18 units from:
AUST2612 Reconciliation and Indigenous Knowledges (4.5 units)
CRIM2304 Violent Crime (4.5 units)
FACH1701 Introduction to Forensic Science (4.5 units)
HIST2043 Terrorism and Society in Modern Europe (4.5 units)
LEGL2117 Crimes Against Populations (4.5 units)
POLI2011 Australian Public Policy: Applications, Issues and Dilemmas (4.5 units)
PSYC2019 Personality and Social Psychology (4.5 units)
PSYC2021 Human Development (4.5 units)
WMST2015 Sex, Gender and the Law (4.5 units)
Core - Year 3 topics
9 units comprising:
CRIM3401 Criminology in Practice (4.5 units)
CRIM3402 Advanced Research Methods and Analysis (4.5 units)
Option - Year 3 topics
Select 27 units from:
CRIM3011 Current Issues in Criminal Justice (4.5 units)
CRIM3203 Corporate Crime (4.5 units)
CRIM3301 Crime, Law and Trauma (4.5 units)
CRIM3302 International Criminal Justice (4.5 units)
CRIM3303 Psychology, Crime and the Law (4.5 units)
CRIM3304 Criminal Networks (4.5 units)
CRIM3306 Encountering Crime (4.5 units)
ITAL3215 The Italian Mafia: Origin and Representations (4.5 units)
LLAW3256 Socio-Legal Theory (4.5 units)
LLAW3271 Miscarriages of Justice - Australia, Canada, Britain (4.5 units)
POLI3010 Advanced Perspectives on Public Policy (4.5 units)
POLI3103 Politics and the internet (4.5 units)
Year 4 - Honours Criminology - Thesis topics
22.5 units comprising:
CRIM7300A Honours Thesis in Law and Criminology (9/22.5 units)
CRIM7300B Honours Thesis in Law and Criminology (9/22.5 units)
CRIM7300C Honours Thesis in Law and Criminology (4.5/22.5 units)
Year 4 - Honours Criminology - Core topics
13.5 units comprising:
CRIM7301 Advanced Theory and Research Applications (4.5 units)
CRIM7303 Field Practice (4.5 units)
CRIM7304 Research Design, Methods and Analysis (4.5 units)
Combined degrees
The Bachelor of Criminology (Honours) may also be studied in a combined degrees program with:
