Faculty of Arts
Criminology

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Faculty of Arts

1. Time commitment to study
2. Prerequisites
3. Diploma in Arts (Criminology)
4. Requirements for a major
5. Honours entry
    5.1. Prerequisites
    5.2. Application procedures
6. Honours requirements
    6.1. Pure honours
    6.2. Combined honours
7. Further study
8. Career opportunities
9. For more information
Subject Lists
    First-year subjects
    Second/third-year subjects
    Third-year subjects
    Third/fourth-year subjects
    Fourth-year subjects
    Fourth-year/postgraduate subjects

The criminology program at the University of Melbourne was established in 1951 as the first criminology program in Australia. The program is a leader in the field, and attracts extensive research grants and contracts. Recent projects include an Australia-wide assessment of drug law enforcement strategies: a national review of closed circuit television systems; research into ways judges respond to the challenge of sentencing; management programs on graffiti art; comparative research into crime and violence; a study into progressions from juvenile to adult custody; research into indigenous Australians and the criminal justice system; and a study of the ways sensitive locations such as airports, sea ports and petro-chemical refineries deal with the risk of terrorist attack and other disasters.

High level research provides students with access to leading academics whose work forms the basis of many of the subjects. Students are thus provided with the most contemporary and original materials that will equip them with the means of dealing with the challenging issues of crime and justice. At honours level the optional fieldwork component provides students with hands-on experience, exposing them to the operations of various government and community-based agencies in dealing with issues involving crime and policy development.

Criminology is the study of processes of criminalisation and social control developed by the state. Criminology is an inherently multidisciplinary area of study, involving contributions from disciplines such as law, the social and behavioural sciences, psychiatry, history and philosophy. Criminology offers a broad range of theoretical and policy-related analyses. The practical focus of the discipline lies in an integrated study of the components of the criminal justice system. In particular, criminology addresses topics concerning law enforcement agencies, the courts and correctional systems and includes issues relating to public policy and political decisions regarding crime and crime control.

1. Time commitment to study

As well as scheduled contact hours for lectures, tutorial and seminars a considerable additional time commitment is needed to complete the academic requirements of each subject.

A subject-specific time commitment to study will be provided by your lecturer or tutor at the beginning of semester to help you schedule your workload and successfully manage your time during the semester. In addition, general estimates of the total time commitment required to study a 12.5-point single semester subjects in the Faculty of Arts can be found on Time commitment to study.

2. Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for first-year subjects in criminology.

The prerequisite for second-year criminology subjects is the completion of 25 points of criminology at first year.

The prerequisite for entry to third-year criminology subjects is the completion of at least two second-year criminology subjects (25 points).

The prerequisite for a third/fourth-year criminology subject is three second/third-year subjects in criminology (37.5 points).

In exceptional circumstances, exemption from these prerequisites may be granted by the Head of School. Exemptions may also be granted where criminology subjects are taken as part of an approved interdisciplinary program with its own entry requirements. In such cases, applications for prerequisites to be waived must be made to the subject coordinator.

3. Diploma in Arts (Criminology)

The Diploma in Arts (Criminology) is only available to students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree course at the University of Melbourne. It consists of a three-year sequence of study, and adds one year to the duration of your degree.

Students must complete 25 points of first-year criminology subjects and 75 points of second/third-year criminology subjects. Alternatively, students who have completed appropriate background studies at first year may complete 100 points of second/third-year criminology subjects.

4. Requirements for a major

A major in criminology usually consists of eight 12.5-point subjects, totalling 100 points. It comprises:

two first-year subjects in criminology (25 points); and
three second-year subjects in criminology (37.5 points); and
three third-year subjects (37.5 points).

Subjects for the major

First year subjects		Semester
	191-101 From Graffiti to Terrorism	1
	191-102 Social Control: Global & Local Approach	2

Second/third year subjects
	191-003 Crime Policy: A Sociological Approach	1
	191-004 Introduction to Research Methods	1
	191-005 Critical Criminal Law	2
	191-006 Policing	2
	191-007 Correctional Theory and Practice	2
	191-008 Sociology of Crime and Deviance	Not Offered
	191-012 Sentencing: Law, Judges, Community	1

Third/fourth year subjects
	191-408 A Clinical Introduction to Criminology	Not Offered
	191-409 Introduction to Forensic Disability	Not Offered
	191-410 Forensic Disability: Specialised Topics	Not Offered
	191-414 Psychology and Criminal Justice	2
	191-415 Youth, Crime and Society	2
	191-417 Corporate and White Collar Crime	1
	191-419 Violence in Australia	Not Offered
	191-420 Qualitative Research Methods	1
	191-421 Contemporary Crime Prevention	2
	191-422 Women, Gender and Crime	1
	191-427 Crime, Ethnicity and Race	2
	191-428 Crime and Culture	2
	191-434 Victims	1
	191-435 Drugs and Justice	Not Offered
	191-436 What Works in Criminal Justice	1
	191-438 Criminal Fictions	2

5. Honours entry

Honours coordinator: Dr Julie Evans

5.1. Prerequisites

The prerequisites for entry to fourth-year honours in criminology are:

completion of all the requirements for the BA;
completion of a major in criminology;
an average grade of H2A or higher over the second/third-year subjects within the major.
Students who do not meet that average may be granted admission to honours with the special approval of the Head of School (or nominee) and the Faculty of Arts honours course adviser.

It is strongly recommended that students undertake 191-004 Introduction to Research Methods or one other research methods subject within the major.

5.2. Application procedures

For information on how to apply see Applying for Honours. Acceptance into the program is dependent upon completion of an adequate proposal as judged by the School of Political Science, Criminology and Sociology.

6. Honours requirements

Honours students undertaking a thesis in criminology are encouraged to attend the program's research support seminar series program held in semester two.

6.1. Pure honours

Students undertaking pure honours in criminology must complete:

191-519 Criminology Thesis (37.5 points); and
191-530 Criminology Thesis Seminar (12.5 points); and
two fourth-year subjects in criminology (25 points); and
either 191-424 Criminology Internship (25 points) or a further two fourth-year subjects in criminology (25 points).

Students are strongly encouraged to undertake a fourth-year methods subject as one of their electives.

Students undertaking pure honours part time would usually take their elective subjects and 191-424 Criminology Internship in the first year, and 191-519 Criminology Thesis, and 191-530 Criminology Thesis Seminar in the second.

6.2. Combined honours

Students undertaking combined honours in criminology and another program must complete:

191-519 Criminology Thesis (37.5 points); and
191-530 Criminology Thesis Seminar (12.5 points); and
one fourth-year subject in criminology (12.5 points); and
three fourth-year subjects in the combining discipline (totalling 37.5 points).

honours thesis in the combining discipline (37.5 points); and
two fourth-year subjects in the combining discipline (totalling 25 points); and
a fourth-year subject in criminology (12.5 points); and
either 191-424 Criminology Internship (25 points) or two further fourth-year subjects in criminology (25 points).

Students undertaking their thesis in criminology are strongly advised to choose a fourth-year methods subject as their elective.

Up to 25 points of 500-level criminology subjects can be made available to honours students. Applications are approved on a case-by-case basis by the honours coordinator.

500-level criminology subjects

	191-502 Crime and Justice in South East Asia	1
	191-520 Compliance, Regulation & Crime	2
	191-531 Penal Policy and Practice	2
	191-534 Contemporary Issues in Criminology	2
	191-535 Current Research in Criminology	Not Offered
	191-537 Genocide, State Crime and the Law	1
	191-538 Law, Race and Indigenous Peoples	2

7. Further study

The School offers the following courses for graduates:

Graduate Certificate in Criminology
Graduate Certificate in Criminology (Forensic Disability)
Graduate Diploma in Arts (Criminology)
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Criminology)
Master of Criminology
Master of Arts (Criminology)
Master of Criminology (Forensic Psychology)
Doctor of Philosophy

8. Career opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts who have majored in criminology have found employment in the following areas:

research institutions dealing with the criminal justice system such as the Australian Institute of Criminology and the Australian Bureau of Statistics;
government agencies in the areas of criminal justice and welfare such as the Departments of Justice, Departments of Health and Welfare, police organisations, the criminal courts, the correctional system and community welfare services;
non-government and private sector organisations which provide welfare and security services; and
teaching services at secondary and tertiary levels in fields of law, crime and criminology.

9. For more information

School of Political Science, Criminology and Sociology
Level 4, 234 Queensberry Street
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Tel: +61 3 8344 9440
Fax: +61 3 9349 4259
Email: crim-info@unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.criminology.unimelb.edu.au

First-year subjects

191-101 From Graffiti to Terrorism
191-102 Social Control: Global & Local Approach

Second/third-year subjects

191-003 Crime Policy: A Sociological Approach
191-004 Introduction to Research Methods
191-005 Critical Criminal Law
191-006 Policing
191-007 Correctional Theory and Practice
191-008 Sociology of Crime and Deviance
191-012 Sentencing: Law, Judges, Community

Third-year subjects

191-408 A Clinical Introduction to Criminology
191-409 Introduction to Forensic Disability
191-410 Forensic Disability: Specialised Topics

Third/fourth-year subjects

191-414 Psychology and Criminal Justice
191-415 Youth, Crime and Society
191-417 Corporate and White Collar Crime
191-419 Violence in Australia
191-420 Qualitative Research Methods
191-421 Contemporary Crime Prevention
191-422 Women, Gender and Crime
191-427 Crime, Ethnicity and Race
191-428 Crime and Culture
191-434 Victims
191-435 Drugs and Justice
191-436 What Works in Criminal Justice
191-438 Criminal Fictions

Fourth-year subjects

191-519 Criminology Thesis
191-530 Criminology Thesis Seminar
191-424 Criminology Internship

Fourth-year/postgraduate subjects

191-502 Crime and Justice in South East Asia
191-520 Compliance, Regulation & Crime
191-531 Penal Policy and Practice
191-534 Contemporary Issues in Criminology
191-537 Genocide, State Crime and the Law
191-535 Current Research in Criminology
191-538 Law, Race and Indigenous Peoples
191-540 Advanced Forensic Disability Practice