How to study criminology online in Australia

Thinking about studying criminology online?

There’s more than one way to get started. Depending on your goals and study background, you might begin with a single subject, a shorter qualification or a full undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

The sections below explain how those options differ, how online criminology study works and what to think about before choosing a course.

Is online criminology study right for you?

You may want to consider online study if you:

• need to fit study around work or caring responsibilities

• live too far from a suitable campus to attend regularly

• prefer completing independent learning from home

• want some control over how many subjects you take at once

• are comfortable keeping track of coursework and deadlines online

If a regular campus routine and face-to-face contact help keep you on track, online study might not suit you as well.

What does studying criminology online actually look like?

Online criminology study is structured much like other university study, but delivered remotely. You’ll complete your coursework across a set teaching period that runs for about 12-16 weeks, depending on your uni, and work towards assessment deadlines, without needing to attend campus for regular classes.

Learning through an online university platform

You’ll complete your subjects through your university’s learning management system (LMS). This login only space is where you’ll access all your readings and learning materials, watch lectures or other recorded content, join discussions, submit assessments and keep track of due dates.

While you’ll complete much of your study in your own time, online study isn’t entirely self-paced. Your subjects will still have assessment deadlines, and some may include scheduled online classes, group work or other activities at set times.

Exploring crime and justice systems

Your coursework itself will examine offending, victimisation, policing, courts, corrections and crime prevention, along with the social factors that shape these issues.

If you’re weighing up closely related fields, compare criminology and criminal justice before choosing a qualification.

Working with research and evidence

Criminology is an evidence-based field, so expect your study to involve reading and evaluating research, interpreting crime data, comparing criminological theories and assessing responses to crime.

At a postgraduate level, you may go even further into research, statistics, qualitative methods and policy evaluation.

Completing assessments online

Your assessments will be submitted online, but the format will depend on the subject. Written assignments like essays, case studies and policy briefs are generally uploaded through your university’s LMS.

Some criminology subjects also have online exams. These take place at a set time and are usually supervised by your university remotely, which means you sit the exam at home while using a webcam and screensharing.

Presentations can also be completed online, either live through a tool like Microsoft Teams or by submitting a recording. If your subject includes group work, you’ll work with other students remotely to complete the task.

The exact mix varies between subjects, but the most common assessments for criminology are essays, reports, case studies, quizzes, exams, presentations and research-based projects.

In a postgraduate course, the assessment types will be similar, though you tend to focus on more in-depth research and applying what you’ve learned to real-world problems.

What criminology qualifications can you study online?

You can study criminology online at most levels. Here's what’s currently available through Open Universities Australia:

• Short courses. A short criminology course can help you explore a focused topic without committing to a full degree. Options include courses on cybercrime, the media’s relationship with crime, or neurocriminology.
• Single subjects. A single criminology subject can also be studied on its own, but if you study certain ones, you may also be able to use them to satisfy the entry requirements for a qualification.
• Shorter undergraduate qualifications. Current options include undergraduate certificates and associate degrees, which can be a great choice for easing into uni before deciding on further undergraduate study.
• Bachelor degrees. A bachelor degree is the standard qualification you need to start a criminology career. You can read more about what a Bachelor of Criminology involves, or browse online criminology bachelor degrees.
• Postgraduate qualifications. A graduate certificate, graduate diploma or masters degree will allow you to upskill at a more advanced level, for more senior or research-based roles (if you have an eye on academia, for example, you’ll need a masters degree). You can explore what a Master of Criminology involves and compare current postgraduate criminology courses.

Entry requirements and alternative pathways

Entry requirements for criminology can change depending on the course, qualification level and university. Start with our criminology entry requirements guide to see what you may need for the course level you’re considering.

And if you don’t meet the usual entry requirements, you may still have another way in. Our guide to alternative pathways into criminology explains the different routes you can explore.

Before choosing a pathway, check that it can actually lead into the criminology course you want to study.

How long does it take to study criminology online?

The time it takes depends on the course that you choose, as well as your study load (how many subjects you take per term). Treat the examples below as a starting point.

You don’t have to follow the standard full-time timeline. You can study fewer subjects at once and study at a part-time pace. Taking a break between study periods or receiving credit for previous study can also change how long your course takes to complete.

How flexible is online criminology study?

One of the biggest benefits of studying criminology online is the flexibility to fit it around your life.

You can choose your study load

You have the power to decide how many subjects you take at once, and you can change your study load from one term to the next. This can make university feel more achievable, especially if you want to ease in at first or scale back during a busy period.

You can choose when to start

You can also choose from multiple start dates throughout the year, rather than waiting for the traditional February/March or July university start dates.

You’re not obligated to attend campus

While online university study isn’t as self-paced as, say, an on-demand course, you also have much more freedom over your schedule. Instead of being obligated to attend campus for regular classes, you can watch lectures and complete class activities when it suits you, whether that’s during the day, after work, or on weekends.

There are still some fixed parts of online study. Assessment deadlines, scheduled online classes, group activities and the order of some subjects may be set. Some criminology degrees also include optional placements or industry-based projects. I recommend looking at the individual subjects within a degree before choosing those subjects to decide whether that’s likely to fit your schedule.

If study load is your main concern, learn more about full-time and part-time study before choosing how many subjects to take.

You can also book a (free!) consultation with an Open Universities Australia student advisor to get an opinion on what would work for you.

Costs and funding options

Criminology course fees vary by university, qualification, study load and the kind of place you’re offered. But you generally won’t need to pay your tuition fees upfront. If you’re considering an undergraduate-level course, you will normally be offered a Commonwealth supported place. This means the government will cover part of your course fees, and you can use a loan called HECS-HELP to defer the rest.

If you’re considering a single subject or postgraduate-level course, you’ll generally be offered a full-fee paying place instead and be able to use a FEE-HELP loan to defer your tuition costs.

Most Australian citizens are eligible for HELP loans, while different rules apply to some permanent residents and New Zealand citizens.

You can check the eligibility requirements to see which loan options are available to you by reading student loan options and how to pay for university. You can also get an idea of the other things to budget for in how much university costs.

My fellow student advisors and I are on hand to answer your questions about funding your study, too.

Online vs on-campus criminology study

To get an overall grasp on how online and on-campus criminology differs, check out this comparison table. While your course will cover the same topics no matter how it’s offered, the weekly experience can look different.

Both online and on campus have their pros and cons. Your individual decision will come down to which study mode works best with your location, schedule and preferred way of learning.

How to get started studying criminology online

Start by browsing online criminology courses and decide whether you are looking for a subject, short course, undergraduate qualification or postgraduate course.

If you want help, you can read our guide on how to choose the best online criminology course for you to understand how the course content and commitment differs between options.

You can also check criminology entry requirements and identify an alternative pathway if direct entry does not fit your study history.

Want to chat to an expert about choosing an online criminology course? Book a Choose a Course consultation. A student advisor can give you no-cost, unbiased guidance on the options available through Open Universities Australia.

FAQs about studying criminology online