Big Issues: Policy and Social Change
UndergraduateLTU-LST3BIG2026
Course information for 2026 intake View information for 2025 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 22 Feb 2026
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Price from
- $2,174
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Big Issues: Policy and Social Change
About this subject
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Critically analyse and evaluate contemporary criminological research, focusing on its social and political relevance, methodological and ethical quality, theoretical grounding, and practical implications.
- Critically analyse existing policies and propose evidence-based recommendations based on an evaluation of criminological research.
- Demonstrate the capacity to synthesise diverse sources of information, form coherent arguments, conduct independent research and summarise research and arguments about relevant policy areas.
- Produce an original, well researched and theorised response to a problem concerning public policy. Recognise the benefit of lifelong learning to the production and delivery of policy.
- Work effectively with a group as a group member and/or a group leader to deliver a critique of policy development and delivery.
- Queer Criminology
- Indigenous and Anti-Colonial Criminology
- Green Criminology
- Cultural Criminology
- Criminology of Mobilities
This subject introduces you to the critical criminological and socio-legal concepts and challenges shaping public policy today . In particular, it asks you to consider how criminology and socio-legal research informs better government policy. You will examine various case studies throughout the semester concerning crime, health, welfare, sexuality, and migration to understand how law and policy making processes frame and respond to emerging social problems. Investigating tensions between policy aims and their political, legal and social effects, you will learn how to critically analyse public policy. Applying skills and knowledge developed within the subject and throughout your undergraduate degree you will have the opportunity to formulate a strong, evidence-based, ethically and culturally aware policy proposal concerning a critical issue of your choosing. By the end of the semester, you will have a critical appreciation of the contextual dynamics and outcomes of law and policy, and have acquired methodological proficiency in policy analysis and creation.
This is a level 3 subject. It is the capstone for the CJLS major. Please consider the subject pre-requisites before enrolling.
- Policy submission (1500 words) (30%)
- Research essay (1500 words) (30%)
- Group presentation (750 words equivalent) (20%)
- Group reading based exercises (750 words equivalent) (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
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- 17
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- 16
Entry requirements
Others
Pre-requisites: Students must have completed 30 credit points of level 2 Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, Law, or Criminology subjects.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateLAT-CRM-DEG
Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateLAT-CPS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-BUS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-HSC-DEG
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Health Sciences
UndergraduateLAT-AHS-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateLAT-PYS-DEG
Bachelor of Information Technology
UndergraduateLAT-TEC-DEG
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