Criminology

Criminology draws knowledge and perspectives from a range of disciplines such as law, sociology, psychology, psychiatry and history. Initially, criminology had a strong practical focus: its role was to advise governments on issues such as policing, the management of prisons, sentencing and offender treatment. Concern with policy and practice remains, but criminologists now work in a much wider range of fields including crime prevention, corporate and white-collar crime, business regulation, drug policy and consumer and environmental protection. Criminology doesn’t take crime and criminal law for granted. As an academic discipline it continually questions why different societies define and respond to crime in different ways, and why approaches to punishment and other forms of social control have varied so much from era to era. Increasingly criminologists also study the ways cultures depict crime: whether in newspapers, television and other mass media or in films, novels and art.

On successful completion of this major, students will be able to:

• understand the socio-economic, political, cultural and historical conditions influencing crime, justice and deviance, the criminal justice system, and crime control mechanisms from an Australian and international perspective; and
• critically discuss criminological and socio-legal theories and concepts; and
• understand the relationship between the institutions and practices of criminal justice and wider social control; and
• evaluate social, cultural, historical and legal responses to criminalisation, criminality and crime control from an interdisciplinary perspective; and
• demonstrate an understanding of research processes in the social sciences including design, methodology and methods, analysis, interpretation, and the diversity of approaches to research; and
• recognise the importance of ethical standards of conduct in the research and analysis of social and political phenomena; and
• work productively in groups; and
• communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

Criminology is available as both a 100 point major and a 75 point minor area of study.

Major
Level 1 (25 points)

• CRIM10001 From Graffiti to Terrorism or SOLS10001 Law In Society

and

• One Arts Foundation Subject (MULT10018 Power highly recommended)

Level 2 (37.5 points)

• 37.5 points from the level 2 subjects listed below, including the compulsory subject MULT20003 Critical Analytical Skills.

Level 3 (37.5 points)

• 37.5 points from the level 3 subjects listed below, including the capstone subject MULT30018 Applied Research Methods.

Total 100 points

Minor
Level 1 (25 points)

• CRIM10001 From Graffiti to Terrorism or SOLS10001 Law In Society

and

• One Arts Foundation Subject (MULT10018 Power highly recommended)

Level 2/3

• 50 points of Criminology subjects (4 subjects) including MULT20003 Critical Analytical Skills (compulsory at level 2).

The capstone subject is not available in the minor or as breadth studies outside the BA.

Total 75 points

Level 1 Subjects

Level 2 Compulsory Subject

Level 2 Elective Subjects

Level 3 Compulsory Capstone Subject

The capstone subject is compulsory for student completing a Criminology major. The capstone is not compulsory for students completing a minor.

Level 3 Elective Subjects