Bachelor of Criminology

Discover why crime occurs, how it is perceived and how we can address it - and graduate with the skills to make a real difference in the criminal justice system.

Gain a deep understanding of the causes and impacts of a range of individual and organised criminal activities, from environmental crime to illicit digital surveillance. Learn how to use this knowledge to develop effective responses to harmful behaviours.

Deakin's criminology course is the most established in Australia. Our curriculum has been developed and designed in conjunction with professional bodies including Victoria Police, the Department of Justice and Community Safety Victoria and the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers, ensuring your study experience closely reflects the needs of the industry. If you like to learn by doing, work-integrated learning opportunities challenge you to apply your skills in real-world contexts and provide the perfect preview to your future role.

Do you want to help ensure fairer outcomes and a better criminal justice system?

Our criminology experts will take you behind the thinking and research surrounding a breadth of criminology topics, while you build a portfolio that showcases your critical thinking and ability to meet complex questions of criminal justice with empathy and confidence.

Discover how justice and criminality is defined and by whom, how our courts and correctional processes operate, and the desirable outcomes of criminal justice processes. You will also get hands-on experience through our work-integrated learning opportunities, which allow you to bridge theory with practice and gain insight into how the study of criminology applies across different industries and sectors. You may even take your learning overseas and gain a global perspective on how other countries approach criminology*.

Need more flexibility in your studies? You can choose to study part-time or full-time, on campus or 100% online. You can also take advantage of Deakin's trimester system to fast-track your degree and complete your Bachelor of Criminology in just two years.

Complement your studies by pairing the Bachelor of Criminology with another degree. From arts to cyber security, you will graduate with a unique course combination valued by employers that will further expand your career opportunities.

*Overseas study programs to be confirmed in 2022 and beyond, subject to government travel restrictions.

Graduates from this course can look forward to a diverse and challenging career, in roles such as:

• corrections officers
• crime prevention advisers
• crime researchers and analysts
• crime trends analysts
• criminologists
• federal and state police officers (requires further training)
• forensic psychologists (requires further study)
• intelligence analysts
• parole officers
• policy advisors.

For more information go to DeakinTALENT

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Criminology, students must complete 24-credit points as follows:

• At least 12-credit points of Criminology units, including the compulsory core units of ACR101, ACR102, ACR201, ACR202, ACR301 and ACR302;
• Up to 12-credit points can be non-ACR coded units;
• No more than 10-credit points at level 1 including ACR101 and ACR102;
• At least 14-credit points at level 2 or above including ACR201 and ACR202;
• At least 6-credit points at level 3 including ACR301 and ACR302;
• No more than 8-credit points taken outside the Faculty of Arts and Education.
• Academic Integrity Module DAI001
Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

Students must ensure they select appropriate Level 2 and Level 3 units to fulfil course requirements.

Students are encouraged to consider completing a second major sequence and therefore may wish to select elective units in accordance with that major sequence. Please refer to A310 Bachelor of Arts for a list of Faculty of Arts and Education major sequences.

The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University, or four credit points, whichever is the greater. In the case of certificates, including graduate certificates, a minimum of two credit points within the course must be completed at Deakin.

You can also refer to the Recognition of prior learning system which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree and how to apply for credit.