COURSE INFORMATION

Criminology is the study of crime and our responses to crime. UNE's Bachelor of Criminology investigates factors that cause criminal behaviour and how crime can be prevented within wider society. The course offers a variety of key topics and issues including policing and punishment, rural crime, victimology and how crimes may be prevented in practice and solved through criminal profiling and forensic science. You will get to hone your skills in critical thinking, problem solving and analysis to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Why study the Bachelor of Criminology with UNE?

The Bachelor of Criminology enables you to specialise in a major and choose a number of core and additional elective units. These units examine criminal law and procedures, policing, punishment, prisons, forensic science, psychology, theories of crime, rural crime and juvenile delinquency, among others.

You will have the opportunity to undertake training in research methods, apply theory to practice and investigate geographical differences and inequities within crime and criminal justice in systems in Australia and around the world.

UNE is Australia’s oldest regional university and a pioneer in the delivery of distance education. Students consistently award UNE the maximum 5-star ratings for Overall Experience and Student Support in The Good Universities Guide, so no matter whether you choose to study online or on campus, you are in very good hands.

What makes our course different?

We focus on you being able to integrate your academic knowledge into your real world of work. UNE is a pioneer in the field of rural crime, and is home to the Centre for Rural Criminology, a world-first hub of collaborative international research, which seeks to understand all aspects of rural crime in order to help build safe and resilient communities. You will have opportunities to:

• Learn from leading researchers with expertise in rural crime, policing, crime prevention, drug policy, historical criminology, cultural criminology, forensics and more.

• Get hands-on experience within the criminal justice system through our WorkReady program. Additionally, through CRIM312: Professional Practice in Criminology you will have the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge learned throughout your degree by working directly with an industry partner such as the New South Wales Police Force to solve criminological problems.

• Learn to understand and critically evaluate the various agencies of the criminal justice system and explore possible alternative strategies.

• Study flexibly — on campus, or completely online at home in your own time.

• Choose from a range of specialised unit choices, with options to tailor your study path to your interests or complete multiple minors.*

• Apply your academic knowledge in a relevant professional setting, and have it count towards your degree, developing your professional skills and improving your employability through our Work Integrated Learning Program.

• Travel overseas and get credit towards your degree by studying at one of our partner universities.

Course structure

To qualify for the award a candidate must pass units to the value of 144 credit points with not more than 60 credit points at 100-level and at least 36 credit points at 300-level.

• Understanding Crime (CRIM100) – 6 credit points

• The Criminal Justice System (CRIM101) – 6 credit points

• Deviance (CRIM104) – 6 credit points

• Victimology (CRIM107) – 6 credit points

• Crime in Rural Communities (CRIM190) – 6 credit points

• Researching Crime (CRIM201) – 6 credit points

• Criminological Perspectives (CRIM244) – 6 credit points

• Professional Practice in Criminology (CRIM312) – 6 credit points

Career outcomes

You’ll graduate with professional knowledge and analytical skills, ready to adapt to any rapidly changing workplace. Pursue or advance your career in criminology or the criminal justice system, with opportunities including:

• policing and corrections

• crime intelligence services

• crime prevention agencies

• government and policy agencies

• juvenile justice and child welfare

• drug and law support services.

Course outcomes

The Bachelor of Criminology is concerned with understanding social constructions of crime and criminality. It provides graduates with a unique opportunity to develop both theoretical and practical skills and an understanding of criminology within a local and international context.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• ?demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of crime, including the role that the media, legal system, geographical distances and social inequalities play in shaping our understanding of crimes;

• demonstrate an understanding of the major criminological theoretical perspectives that explain both crime and deviance. Critically analyse, consolidate and apply this theoretical understanding to practical criminological scenarios with a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and a wider knowledge base;

• demonstrate an understanding of key research skills and methodologies and be able to apply this knowledge in practice to the study of crime and the practical use of criminological research and study within the criminal justice system to apply research methods and practical skills to their theoretical knowledge of the criminal justice system;

• demonstrate a critical understanding of the Australian Criminal Justice System and the key institutions within this system, the key local and international political and social changes that have shaped the progression of the Australian Criminal Justice System, in particular, the degree explores how justice is impacted by social inequalities that affect vulnerable and over-represented populations.

• demonstrate an ability to understand and critically evaluate criminological literature, including policy and government documents and media articles and to locate, evaluate and apply information from a variety of academic and non-academic sources in an appropriate manner;

• examine criminological research drawing on knowledge of disciplines related to criminology, from either sociology, social work, law, psychology or forensic science; and

• apply academic writing skills and communicate oral and written findings in an appropriate form and at an appropriate level.