Specialist Certificate in Criminology (Sexual Offender Management)

The course has been developed in response to a request by Corrections Victoria for a professional development program for correctional staff with responsibility for the case management of sexual offenders. The proposed course is modelled on the Specialist Certificate in Criminology (Forensic Disability) that has been provided by the University of Melbourne since 2009, and comprises two subjects (Introduction to Sexual Offender Management and Advanced Practice in Sexual Offender Management). The subject will be delivered by Dr. Mayumi Purvis, who holds a PhD in Criminology from the University of Melbourne, and Ms. Simone Shaw, who holds a Masters in Forensic Psychology. Both Dr. Purvis and Ms. Shaw are experienced practitioners in this field. No accredited training of this type is currently available in Victoria or elsewhere in Australia.

• This is an intensive post-graduate program taught over ten days, which provides professional training in the case management of sexual offenders.

• The course is designed for professionals who work with sexual offenders, but who may lack clinical qualifications to support their practices.

The course gives participants the requisite knowledge about sexual offenders and case management practice approaches, together with practical skills in the assessment and effective management of this complex and difficult offender population. This knowledge will assist practitioners to meet their professional responsibilities successfully and with the utmost confidence in their intervention practices.

Students who complete the course should be able to:

• develop an advanced understanding of the psychology of sexual offending behaviour and the criminal justice system;
• develop their knowledge of the appropriate professional skills to be utilised with different types of offenders and in diverse contexts;
• develop self-care strategies to better protect themselves against vicarious trauma;
• emerge with an advanced understanding of relevant cultural, legal, policy and political issues;

Students must complete 2 core subjects listed below. Students must attend all sessions of the course unless a specific exemption is granted by the program coordinator.

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• either
– an undergraduate degree with a major area of study related to psychology, criminology or a cognate social science discipline, or
– an undergraduate degree in any discipline, and at least one year of documented relevant professional work experience, or
– at least three years of documented relevant professional work experience which demonstrates the capacity to successfully undertake the course.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking and/or assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic qualification and performance; and/or
• the professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Applicants who meet the entry requirements for the following MCRIM programs, who have successfully completed the Specialist Certificate in Criminology (Forensic Disability) or the Specialist Certificate in Criminology (Sexual Offender Management), will be eligible for:

- Advanced Standing of 25 points upon entry into the 200 point program
- Advanced Standing of 25 points upon entry into the 150 point program
- Advanced Standing of 25 points upon entry into the 100 point program

n/a

Though participation in the course and completion of assessment students should acquire skills in:
• Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning;
• An ability to derive, interpret and analyse social and technical information from primary and other sources;
• Awareness of and ability to utilise appropriate inter-personal communication methods;
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills to allow informed dialogue about case management issues with individuals and groups;
• Ability to investigate, analyse and solve problems in applied situations;
• Highly developed skills in time and organisational management through participation in all subjects.