Bachelor of Social Science with a Major in Criminology

Community Development Officer

Foster social change and improve the quality of life within communities.

Policy and Project Officer

Lead specialist project activities and manage the development of policies.

Corrections Officer

Monitor and supervise offenders, and help integrate them back into the community.

Immigration Officer

Work to maintain effective immigration control based on the country’s immigration laws.

Higher education

Completion or partial completion of an approved tertiary qualification (including diplomas, advanced diplomas, associate degrees and degrees). Additional performance criteria and prerequisite requirements may also apply.

Students admitted to the course with prior tertiary studies that satisfy part of the academic requirements of this course may be eligible for academic credit of up to 16 units.

Secondary education

Successful completion of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or its equivalent, such as an interstate or international Year 12 qualification.

VCE Pre-requisites

• Applicants must meet the associated minimum ATAR score
• Units 3 and 4 – a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or at least 25 in English other than EAL

Work and Life

Applicants without a formal qualification but with significant and relevant work experience and appropriate English language skills, or a suitable Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) result, will be considered if they can demonstrate that they can undertake the course with a reasonable prospect of success.

English Proficiency Requirements

International students are required to demonstrate their English proficiency before enrolling into a Swinburne Online degree by undertaking one of the following English language tests; The International English Language Test Score (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score.

Students admitted to the course with prior tertiary studies that satisfy part of the academic requirements of this course may be eligible for academic credit of up to 16 units.

Credit transfer

Credit is granted in recognition of previous study and/or experience and allows students to gain advanced standing towards their course. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Speak to a Course Consultant about applying for credit.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows students to gain credit (advanced standing) towards their course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Speak to a Course Consultant about applying for RPL.

With a strong focus on psychology, law and society, this industry-recognised criminology degree gives you an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those affected by crime.

You will understand why crimes are committed and how crime impacts society. Topics include the detection and prevention of crime, including policing issues and offender profiling. You will investigate how the corrections system works, including ethics and prison experiences and populations.

By examining the motivations behind criminal activity, you gain the skills to analyse trends, formulate policies and create systems for crime prevention.

Our graduates work in all areas of the justice system, from victim support to corrections programs.

Recommended Study Pattern

Course Units

Learning and Communicating Online (COM10003)

Sociological Foundations (SOC10004)

Australian Politics (POL10001)

Introduction to Research Methods (PSY10005)

Connecting with Culture: Indigenous Australian Experiences (INS10001)

Introduction to Forensic Psychology (FOR10001)

Fundamentals of Criminology (CRI10002)

Policing: Systems and Practice (CRI20001)

Cyber Crime and Security (POL30018)

Deviance, Difference & Conformity (SOC20020)

Corrections: Systems and Practice (CRI30002)

Capstone Unit: Advanced Topics in Criminology (CRI30001)

Juvenile Justice and Crime (CRI30010)

Professional Placements

Professional Placements are subject to a competitive selection process. International students may be eligible for a Professional Placement where a relevant Professional degree exists. International students who successful gain a placement through the selection process will be required to change courses to the relevant Professional degree, in order to complete a placement and should consider any visa and extended study duration implications prior to applying.

Students who undertake a 12 month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 375 credit points comprising:

• Two (2) Core units of study and two (2) Core units of study based on selected major discipline area (50cps)
• Eight (8) units of study from a Social Science discipline major in one of the following areas: Behavioural Studies, Criminology, Security and International Relations, and Security and Counter Terrorism (100 credit points)
• Four (4) units of study of the Professional Placement Co-Major (100 credit points); and
• Ten (10) units of study comprising an Advanced Minor, Minor or electives (125 credit points)

Students who elect to undertake a 6 month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 337.5 credit points comprising:

• Two (2) Core units of study and two (2) Core units of study based on selected major discipline area (50cps)
• Eight (8) units of study from a Social Science discipline major in one of the following areas: Behavioural Studies, Criminology, Security and International Relations, and Security and Counter Terrorism (100 credit points)
• Two (2) units of study of the Professional Placement Minor (50 credit points); and
• Eleven (11) units of study comprising an Advanced Minor, Minor or electives (137.5 credit points).

Award Requirements

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Social Science, students must complete 300 credit points comprising of:

• Two (2) Core units of study and two (2) Core units of study based on selected major discipline area (50cps)
• Eight (8) units of study from a Social Science discipline major in one of the following areas: Behavioural Studies, Criminology, Security and International Relations, or Security and Counter Terrorism (100 credit points)
• Twelve (12) units of study (150 credit points) comprising a co-major, advanced minor, minor and/or electives

Students may not complete more than 150 credit points (normally 12 units) at Introductory Level. A unit of study can only be counted once, where units are shared between majors and/or minors, students must choose an approved alternate.

Students studying Security and International Relations Major cannot also study Security and Counter Terrorism Major due to the similarity of units.

Students also have an opportunity to undertake a WIL Professional Placement.