Master of Criminology
2024 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2024 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Criminology |
| Deakin course code | A704 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Education |
| Online | Yes |
| 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 2024: These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2024: 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
- Fees and charges
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
Course overview
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.
Want the skills to deliver justice in a way that makes a difference to both perpetrators and victims?
Deakin's postgraduate criminology courses are designed with input from a variety of industry partners and relevant stakeholders including police, policy and regulatory agencies, so you can be confident that the skills you develop studying Deakin's Master of Criminology will be relevant to your future or existing career.
You'll 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 and the environment. Get ready to engage and debate pressing issues of local, national and global concern.
To understand the balance of state and private control, you'll dissect how corporations have become embedded in the development and delivery of security, prevention and other traditionally state-run criminal justice roles.
The cyber world and the rise of robotics, artificial intelligence and new technologies within online and virtual platforms have created immense opportunities for criminal enterprises and challenges for regulatory authorities. You'll critically examine the ways in which digital technologies are shaping offender and victim relationships, while posing challenges for authorities in the fields of detection, prevention and prosecution.
You will explore the importance of security and sustainable development of the natural environment in the context of local, national and global governance and how damage and threats to the natural environment create complex challenges.
You can choose electives to create a degree built for your unique career goals. Some of your elective unit options include:
- Environmental Offenders and Victims
- Human Rights in World Politics
- Governance and Fraud
- Computer Networks and Security
- The Carceral Society and Prison Futures
While the course is conveniently offered on our premium online learning platform, there are also opportunities to engage in practical learning. During the course, you can utilise Deakin's cutting-edge immersive learning environments to experience lively and engaging content.
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.
The graduate diploma and graduate certificate components of the Master of Criminology also give you a chance to exit the course early, with a glowing industry-recognised qualification.
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:
- anti-corruption agencies
- correctional facilities and prisons
- community services
- criminology research
- government agencies
- intelligence and security services
- sociology and youth work
- 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) |
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
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 by Faculty Board March 2020 | |
Course rules
To qualify for the Master of Criminology, a student must successfully complete 12 or 8 credit points (depending upon entry point) of study comprising:
- 3 credit points of core units
- DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
- 5 or 9 credit points of study (depending upon entry point) from one of the Minor Thesis, Research Paper, or Professional Experience Pathways.
Course structure
Core Units
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity Module (0 credit point unit) |
| ACR705 | Cyber Crime and Digital Surveillance |
| ACR706 | Environmental Crime and Regulation |
| ACR707 | Populism and Policing Futures |
Pathways
Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway
| AIX706 | Research Design |
Plus 2 credit points of research units:
| AIX704 | Minor Thesis A |
| AIX705 | Minor Thesis B |
Plus 2 or 6 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
Research Paper – non PhD Pathway^
| AIX701 | Research Paper |
Plus 4 or 8 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
Professional Experience – non PhD Pathway^
| APE701 | Internship Capstone (2 credit points) |
Plus 3 or 7 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
^ The Research Paper and Professional Experience options are not PhD Pathways.
Course Electives*
| ACR703 | Critical Criminology Theory |
| ACR704 | Public Criminology and Criminological Knowledge |
| ACR709 | Global Crime, Prevention and Responses |
| AIP746 | Challenges to Democracy |
| AIR748 | Security and Strategy |
| AIR732 | Terrorism in International Politics |
| AIR726 | Human Rights in World Politics |
| AIX706 | Research Design |
| MAA763 | Governance and Fraud |
| SIT716 | Computer Networks and Security |
| APE700 | Internship A |
*Students who have previously completed any of these units within the Graduate Certificate of Criminology are required to substitute with an alternate unit from the course elective list
Other course information
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central