Search Swinburne Online

Expand Menu Close Menu 

About
- Swinburne University
- Our History
FAQs
Blog
Current Students
Contact Us
- Request Information
- For Business
On Campus Courses
|
Call us1300 069 765

All Online Courses

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Design with a Major in Communication Design

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Psychological Sciences

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology

TAFE

Diploma of Nursing

Apply Today Download Brochure

100% Online Course

Bachelor of Social Science With a Major in Criminology

Apply Today Download Brochure

Home



Courses



Social Science



Bachelor of Social Science with a Major in Criminology

Apply Now Brochure

EXIT

Bachelor of Social Science With a Major in Criminology

Download Course guide

Fill in your details to download a detailed interactive brochure containing:

course information
career pathways
how online study works
course fees and how to apply.

Qualification

Undergraduate
Duration

3 years full time or equivalent part time
Units

24
Start Date

Mar, Jul, Nov

Overview of the course

If crime, the criminal mind and corrections fascinates you, consider a Bachelor of Social Science with a Major in Criminology.

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.

What are the entry criteria?

Non-Year 12 entry

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.

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.

Read our Applying and Enrolling FAQs.

The University may determine selection criteria and restrictions in respect of courses to apply in addition to these entry requirements.

Year 12 entry

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

If you are applying as an international student, please view the English Language Requirements.

The main benefits of online study are balance, time management and convenience. If I’m working late or if I’m interstate I just have to power up the computer and start studying.

Cassandra, Swinburne Online graduate

Course Units

Learning and Communicating Online (COM10003)

Learning and Communicating Online

COM10003

Unit code: COM10003
Duration: 1 Teaching Period
Contact hours: Recommended 10 hours of study per week

About this unit

This unit will introduce fundamentals of communication and learning in an online environment. Students will gain increased capability in a range of skills such as online written communication, collaboration in individual and group work, and critiquing and analysing a variety of information sources. Students will be encouraged to draw on their own understanding and experience while contributing and sharing ideas with peers.

Content

Social media and communication technologies
Models of online communication
Current and evolving learning theories
Identifying and evaluating sources of knowledge
Critical analysis skills
Referencing and attributing sources
Creating and publishing in the online environment
Strategies for reflecting on your own and others work

This unit is found in:

Bachelor of Media and Communication with a Major in Media Studies.
Bachelor of Media and Communication with a Major in Public Relations.
Bachelor of Media and Communication with a Major in Advertising.
Bachelor of Social Science with a Major in Criminology.
Bachelor of Social Science with a Major in Behavioural Studies.
Bachelor of Social Science with a Major in Security and International Relations.
Bachelor of Social Science with a Major in Security and Counter Terrorism.
Bachelor of Psychological Sciences.
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).
Bachelor of Education (Primary).

View further information on this unit.

Sociological Foundations (SOC10004)

Australian Politics (POL10001)

Australian Politics

POL10001

Unit code: POL10001
Duration: 1 Teaching Period
Contact hours: Recommended 10 hours of study per week

About this unit

This unit of study aims to provide a critical and analytical introduction to the Australian political system in an international context and the challenges it faces from globalisation, oppositional social movements and growing discontent among voters.

Content

Students will acquire a body of knowledge about the system of government in Australia in an international context. This will include the basic organising principles of the system, the institutions that express those principles and the processes by which voters elect representatives to transfer the people’s will into responsible government.

As students move through the unit, it will be apparent that the organising principles of the system do not always deliver their intended outcomes. By examining some contemporary political issues such as citizenship and republicanism, industrial relations, the role of political parties in expressing voters’ aspirations and the electoral system’s ability to deliver workable parliamentary repesentation, the unit will test the effectiveness of those principles and assess in general terms how the system is working. It also explores the reasons many citizens have turned away from institutional politics and engaged in political activism through social movements and other organisations in civil society.

The unit will offer a broad, long-term perspective against which students can analyse and interpret not just current policy issues, but the effectiveness of the whole system.

This unit is found in:

View further information on this unit.

Introduction to Research Methods (PSY10005)

Introduction to Research Methods

PSY10005

Unit code: PSY10005
Duration: 1 Teaching Period
Contact hours: Recommended 10 hours of study per week

About this unit

This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of different research designs and research methods for psychology and health sciences. Students will gain familiarity with the scientific method, ethical issues in research, measurement, research design, and research methods. Students will be given the opportunity to develop professionally relevant knowledge in the selection and evaluation of research designs and methods and how to collect data that will address specific research questions.

Content

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

Describe the scientific method and scientific thinking principles
Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical issues in research
Describe the main concepts of measurement and various sampling methods
Explain the general concept of an experiment and a quasi-experiment and outline uses of these designs in research
Describe a range of research methods and be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each method
Select appropriate research designs and research methods to address hypothetical and real world problems.

This unit is found in:

View further information on this unit.

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)

Deviance, Difference & Conformity

SOC20020

Unit code: SOC20020
Duration: 1 Teaching Period
Contact hours: Recommended 10 hours of study per week

About this unit

This unit aims to:

Acquaint students with a range of sociological approaches to ‘deviance’
Equip students in how to use these approaches and to familiarise them with a number of contemporary social problems and controversies over social control
Develop students’ understanding of the ways in which individuals and their actions are defined as socially unacceptable
Analyse major forms of social control – in particular the legal system and social responses to crime and punishment – in addition to analysing the forces that construct notions of social conformity
Familiarise and respond to differential power structures and the relativity of crime and criminal behaviour
Demonstrate the ways in which sociological insights can inform policy formulation and social
engagement in these area.

Content

Traditional sociological explanations of deviance
Sociological evolution of deviance
Rules and the normative dimension: ‘kinds of people’; ‘kinds of rules’, notions of difference
The modern context: the death of deviance
Surveillance: Foucault and the postmodern world of post-deviance
Feminism and deviance
Law and deviance
Crime, punishment and deviance
Bodies and deviance
Sex, sexuality, gender and deviance
Minds and deviance
Institutions: the church and the state and deviance

This unit is found in:

View further information on this unit.

Corrections: Systems and Practice (CRI30002)

Capstone Unit: Advanced Topics in Criminology (CRI30001)

Juvenile Justice and Crime (CRI30010)

Download Brochure

Career opportunities

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.

Learning outcomes

Forensic Psychology

Get an introduction to the criminal justice system and the methodologies involved in forensic work.
Criminology

Explore the detection, understanding and prevention of crime.
Corrections

Explore key issues in corrections systems including treatments, ethics and prison experiences and populations.
Policing

Gain an understanding of policing issues within criminology including training, selection and offender profiling.

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of this Course students will be able to:

Systematically review and critically evaluate research from a variety of sources to inform their knowledge and conceptual understandings in the social sciences
Formulate arguments that are fit for purpose and demonstrate an understanding of the relevant theories and evidence in their areas of disciplinary expertise
Critically analyse information to generate creative solutions to solve complex problems in the social sciences
Define and integrate theoretical principles and apply these in their disciplinary areas of expertise
Apply knowledge and skills with responsibility and accountability for their own learning and practice, individually and in collaboration with others
Interpret and communicate ideas, problems and arguments in modes suitable to a range of audiences using a range of media
Coherently articulate a line of reasoning demonstrating cultural sensitivity and apply a framework to analyse and offer solutions to ethical dilemmas in local and international contexts

Course rules

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.

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).

Volume of Learning
The Bachelor of Social Science consists of a total of 24 units (300 credit points). Units normally carry 12.5 credit points (cps). A standard annual full-time load comprises 100 credit points and a part-time load comprises 50 credit points. The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Social Science is typically 3 years. For students who complete a Professional Placement the Bachelor of Social Science consists of 337.5 – 375 credit points. Units normally carry 12.5 credit points. A standard annual full-time student load comprises 100 credit points and a part-time load comprises 50 credit points. The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Social Science with a 6 month placement is typically 3.5 years. The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Social Science with a 12 month placement is typically 4 years.

Maximum Academic Credit
The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Social Science is 150 credit points (normally 12 units)

Research Statement
N/A

The full Course Information Set and Whole of Institution Set are available for reference.

Apply Today for a Bachelor of Social Science With a Major in Criminology Course

Start your application online or speak to a Course Consultant on 1300 069 765.

Apply Today

Other courses you may be interested in

View all courses Download Brochure

View all courses

Support for your studies

Experience better education

When you study with Swinburne Online, you'll benefit from high-quality learning materials that are designed for online.

Read more
How online study works

At Swinburne Online, we're here for you every step of the way. Explore the online higher education student journey from enrolment to graduation.

Explore your study journey
Support services

Not only do we have the right tools and support teams to help you – we have people who care about your success.

Find out more

Frequently asked questions

View all FAQs

Do I have to purchase learning materials?

For students undertaking a degree, most of your learning materials are included with a free license provided to you by Swinburne Online. However, in some cases, you will be notified via your student email that you will need to buy specific software or eTexts. For TAFE Business students, all of your learning materials will be available online and are covered by your course fees. You won’t need to purchase any further materials.
Which units should I start with?

When you enrol to study a degree with us, you will nominate how many units you would like to select per teaching period, based on a recommendation from one of our Course Consultants. From here, our enrolments team will allocate you automatically to the units they feel will be best suited to your needs, so you don’t need to worry about choosing units. If you want to choose something different than what you are allocated to, that is no problem, just get in touch with our Student Liaison Team and they will take care of it for you.
Do I need to be logged on to study at specific times?

You won’t normally have to be online at a specific time. Your course material is available for you from the beginning of each teaching period and you can work through it in the hours that suit you.

There are some live webinar sessions that run approximately once a month. These are a special opportunity for students to sign in at the same time as their tutors, normally before an assessment deadline. It gives you the chance to ask any questions relating to the assignment in real time and hear other student’s questions and thoughts. We understand that students won’t always be able to make these sessions, so they can be replayed the next day.

View all FAQs

Bachelor of Social Science With a Major in Criminology

Bachelor of Social Science With a Major in Criminology

Download Course guide

Apply for the Bachelor of Social Science With a Major in Criminology

Qualification

Duration

Units

Start Date

Overview of the course

Overview of the course

What are the entry criteria?

Non-Year 12 entry

Year 12 entry

VCE Pre-requisites

The main benefits of online study are balance, time management and convenience. If I’m working late or if I’m interstate I just have to power up the computer and start studying.

Cassandra, Swinburne Online graduate

The main benefits of online study are balance, time management and convenience. If I’m working late or if I’m interstate I just have to power up the computer and start studying.

Cassandra, Swinburne Online graduate

Course Units

Learning and Communicating Online

COM10003

About this unit

Content

Sociological Foundations

SOC10004

About this unit

This unit is found in the following courses:

Australian Politics

POL10001

About this unit

Content

This unit is found in:

Introduction to Research Methods

PSY10005

About this unit

Content

This unit is found in:

Connecting with Culture: Indigenous Australian Experiences

INS10001

About this course

Content

Introduction to Forensic Psychology

FOR10001

About this unit

Content

Fundamentals of Criminology

CRI10002

About this unit

Content

Policing: Systems and Practice

CRI20001

About this unit

Content

Cyber Crime and Security

POL30018

About this unit

Content

Deviance, Difference & Conformity

SOC20020

About this unit

Content

This unit is found in:

Corrections: Systems and Practice

CRI30002

About this unit

Content

Capstone Unit: Advanced Topics in Criminology

CRI30001

About this unit

Content

Juvenile Justice and Crime

CRI30010

About this unit

Content

Career opportunities

Career opportunities

Community Development Officer

Policy and Project Officer

Corrections Officer

Immigration Officer