Master of Criminology
2026 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Criminology |
| Course Credit Points | 12 |
| Deakin course code | A704 |
| Course version | 2 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Education |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2024 onwards |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online |
| Duration | The time and cost could be reduced based on your previous qualifications and professional experience. This means you can fast track the masters degree from 1.5 years down to 1 year duration. See entry requirements below for more information. |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2026: These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2026: Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Alternative exits
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Details of specialisations
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Crime today is borderless, data-driven and constantly evolving. Deakin’s Master of Criminology gives you advanced knowledge and critical thinking skills to meet these challenges and shape fair, effective justice responses.
Studying the Master of Criminology will challenge you to think laterally about emerging discourses in power, harm and justice. You'll develop a deeper understanding of how we can approach criminal behaviour, crime policy and prevention as a society.
Two specialisations, Digital Criminology and Global Criminology, reflect the future of crime from ransomware to environmental injustice and human trafficking.
Want the skills to deliver justice in a way that makes a difference to both perpetrators and victims?
We’ll ask you to push the boundaries of the way we currently look at justice and creatively examine three key areas of ongoing and emerging criminological concern: the state, the digital world and the environment. Get ready to engage and debate pressing issues of local, national and global concern.
Flexible pathways let you tailor your degree with an internship, a supervised research paper (5,000 words) or a thesis across two trimesters. Electives such as Environmental Crime and Regulation, Global Crime, Prevention and Responses and Cybercrime: Victims and Offenders allow you to build expertise around your career goals.
Use your course electives to help form your specialisation, you could choose from:
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Digital Criminology: investigate technology-enabled crime, from AI scams and ransomware to the impact of the internet on offenders, victims and regulators.
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Global Criminology: examine cross-border crime, terrorism and international justice, and analyse how state and corporate actors shape security and prevention.
Throughout your studies you’ll analyse how corporations have become embedded in security and crime-prevention roles once managed by the state, revealing new balances of power and accountability. You’ll study how policy meets constraints and what actually works in institutions.
You’ll examine how digital technologies reshape offender–victim relationships and create fresh challenges for detection, prevention and prosecution. You'll also explore how threats to the natural environment generate complex security and governance issues at local, national and global levels.
We ensure what you learn is relevant to the job market. All course content is reviewed by a panel spanning law enforcement, private security and justice agencies.
This course is delivered through Deakin’s premium online platform, with opportunities for practical engagement. You’ll also have access to world-leading research communities Deakin Cyber Research and Innovation Centre and the Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation.
You’ll graduate prepared to handle organisational risks and justice challenges where technical solutions alone are not enough. You will be equipped to bring human, policy and contextual intelligence to roles across government, law enforcement, policy, intelligence and private security.
Career opportunities
As a graduate, your complex understanding of niche criminological situations will be in high demand by agencies focused on specific areas of the community. If you're already in the workforce, you'll be prepared for senior roles that require advanced knowledge, ensuring you're capable of making well-rounded decisions that will positively impact lives.
If you're passionate about committing to further study, organisations such as the Australian Institute of Criminology seek to promote justice and reduce crime by finding motivated individuals to undertake and communicate evidence-based research to inform policy and practice.
As a graduate of the masters, you'll have the in-demand knowledge and real-world experience in crime science and management that industry needs. You can confidently enter the role of a corrections officer, case manager/worker, specialist adviser or criminologist, and explore a variety of areas including:
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anti-corruption agencies
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banking fraud
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correctional facilities and prisons
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community services
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cybercrime
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cybersecurity
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criminology research
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digital safety
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environmental compliance
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government agencies
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intelligence analyst
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law enforcement
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sociology and youth work
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surveillance
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state and federal police.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT.
Participation requirements
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Diploma of Criminology (A604) |
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Engage in independent and self-directed research that leads to the application of advanced and integrated knowledge of criminological studies to review and critically analyse key issues in the definitions, history, causes, harms and prevention of different types of crime and criminal behaviour within Australia and internationally |
| Communication | Communicate research findings and analyses of criminological theories, concepts and their application to real-world contexts, in a broad range of written, oral and digital formats, to different audiences, including the public and individuals and groups associated with or engaged in criminological activities whilst meeting academic and professional standards |
| Digital literacy | Employ a broad range of digital technologies to communicate types and forms of crime and appropriate responses to a diverse range of audiences, including the public and individuals and groups associated with or engaged in criminal justice policy and practice |
| Critical thinking | Exercise independent research skills and critical judgement to organise, synthesise and evaluate complex theoretical approaches to defining and understanding crime and criminal behaviours in a variety of forms and contexts, and critically analyse and make creative recommendations to improve current policies and practices of governments and criminal justice agencies in Australia and overseas intended to prevent and/or respond to crime and criminal behaviour |
| Problem solving | Critically analyse differing perspectives and approaches to preventing and responding to crime and criminal behaviour in a variety of contexts, nationally and internationally, and employ initiative, creativity and sound judgement to investigate complex problems in a systematic manner as well as generate creative solutions to crime and criminal behaviour that are sensitive to a diversity of contextual factors and the ethical, logical political or cultural dimensions of the problem |
| Self-management | Critically engage in reflective practice that evidences initiative, autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a continued commitment to self-directed learning, research and skill development personally, academically and professionally in the field of criminological studies |
| Teamwork | Collaborate productively in teams to research and evaluate explanations for and responses to complex issues in crime and criminal behaviour in a variety of national and international contexts |
| Global citizenship | Critically analyse and respond to issues in criminological studies, in domestic, regional and international contexts, as a reflective scholar and practitioner, taking into account cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and adherence to professional and ethical standards in a variety of contexts |
Approved at Faculty Board March 2020
Course rules
To complete the Master of Criminology you must pass 8 or 12 credit points. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.
A 12-credit point Master of Criminology includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 2 credit points of core units
- 6 or 10 credit points of study (depending upon entry point), from the following:
- one pathway option:
- Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway
- Research Paper - non PhD Pathway
- Professional Experience - non PhD Pathway
- any remaining credit points can be chosen from the course electives list
- course electives may be used to form a specialisation
in either Digital Criminology or Global Criminology of 4
credit points.
- course electives may be used to form a specialisation
- one pathway option:
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Core units
Compulsory 0-credit point module
To be completed in the first trimester of study:
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin |
Units
| ACR702 | Criminological Policy and Policymaking |
| ACR712 | The Practice of Justice |
Pathways
Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway
| AIX706 | Research Design |
Plus 2 credit points of research units:
| AIX704 | Minor Thesis A |
| AIX705 | Minor Thesis B |
Plus 3 or 7 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
Research Paper – non PhD Pathway^
| AIX701 | Research Paper |
Plus 5 or 9 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
Professional Experience – non PhD Pathway^
| APE701 | Internship Capstone (2 credit points) |
Plus 4 or 8 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
^ The Research Paper and Professional Experience options are not PhD Pathways.
Electives
| ACR701 | Crime and Innovative Justice |
| ACR703 | Critical Criminological Perspectives |
| ACR705 | Digital Surveillance, Law Enforcement and Civil Liberties |
| ACR706 | Environmental Crime and Regulation |
| ACR707 | Populism and Policing Futures |
| ACR709 | Global Crime, Prevention and Responses |
| ACR713 | Cybercrime: Victims and Offenders |
| AIP781 | Political Communication: Public Watchdog Or Propaganda Machine? |
| AIR726 | Human Rights in World Politics |
| AIR732 | Terrorism in International Politics |
| SIT763 | Cyber Security Management |
| APE700 | Internship A |
| APE701 | Internship Capstone |
| AIX706 | Research Design |
ACR704 Public Criminology and Criminology Knowledge [No longer available for enrolment]
Specialisations
Students who complete a specialisation will have the specialisation indicated on their academic transcript.
Specialisations are available in the following areas:
Details of specialisations
Digital Criminology
Unit set code
SP-704001
Campuses
Online
Overview
Digital criminology examines the implications of the rapidly changing digital society and economy for crime and justice. These include new and emerging forms of crime, whether and how technologies can harm, and the role of different actors in preventing and responding to such harms. Digital criminology encompasses a range of technology-enabled crimes and invites students to critically engage with a range of emerging criminological debates.
Career outcomes
This specialisation aims to equip students with knowledge and skills relevant to understanding, preventing, and responding to digital crime and harm. Digital criminology has diverse career outcomes given its relevance across the rapidly changing digital society.
Units
- To complete a Digital Criminology Specialisation students must pass eight (8) credit points from below:
| ACR705 | Digital Surveillance, Law Enforcement and Civil Liberties |
| ACR713 | Cybercrime: Victims and Offenders |
| SIT763 | Cyber Security Management |
Plus;
| AIX704 | Minor Thesis A |
| AIX705 | Minor Thesis B |
| AIX701 | Research Paper |
| APE701 | Internship Capstone (2 credit points) |
Global Criminology
Unit set code
SP-704002
Campuses
Online
Overview
Global criminology examines crime on a global scale. These include the implications of crime across national borders, organised crime, terrorism, and crimes committed by nation states. Global criminology invites students to think critically about transitional and global crime, how it is responded to, and associated questions of crime and justice.
Career outcomes
This specialisation aims to provide students with an advanced understanding of contemporary crime challenges in their wider social and political context. Global criminology enables students to pursue diverse career opportunities across a variety of contexts, domestically and internationally.
Units
- To complete a Global Criminology Specialisation students must pass eight (8) credit points from below:
| ACR709 | Global Crime, Prevention and Responses |
| ACR706 | Environmental Crime and Regulation |
| SIT763 | Cyber Security Management |
Plus;
| AIX704 | Minor Thesis A |
| AIX705 | Minor Thesis B |
| AIX701 | Research Paper |
| APE701 | Internship Capstone (2 credit points) |
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.