Bachelor of Forensic Science/Bachelor of Criminology
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Forensic Science / Bachelor of Criminology |
| Deakin course code | D329 |
| Course version | 1 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2012 onwards |
| Campus | Offered at Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Online | No |
| Duration | 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025: These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2025: Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS code | 075455D Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Alternative exits
- Articulated courses
- Course learning outcomes
- Course rules
- Majors
- Course structure
- Details of major sequences
- Fees and charges
Course overview
The Bachelor of Forensic Science/Bachelor of Criminology trains you to examine the many facets of crime. Understanding the nature of crime and the motivations behind criminal behaviour is a sought-after skill and is particularly powerful when combined with expertise in modern forensic science. By developing skills in these complementary disciplines, you will graduate with more career options and a broader perspective of crime and the justice system.
This industry-led combined degree is designed in partnership with the Australian Crime Commission, ensuring your study experience reflects the everyday challenges of your future career. Practical learning is a key focus within this degree. You will develop your skills in our purpose-built crime scene training facility, gain industry experience through work-integrated learning opportunities and learn from international leaders in criminology.
Want to pursue a career in forensic science or the justice system?
Led by a team of highly experienced criminology and forensic science experts, the Bachelor of Forensic Science/Bachelor of Criminology gives you a glimpse into the minds of criminals, while training you to confidently examine, interpret and present forensic evidence.
This combined course draws from both the arts and science disciplines. You will develop a broad appreciation of the professional, social, economic and cultural contexts of why crimes are committed and learn how to examine evidence using modern forensic analysis techniques.
In the forensic science stream, choose to specialise in either forensic biology or forensic chemistry. Depending on your major, you'll cover a range of disciplines including:
- toxicology
- analysis of illicit drugs
- DNA analysis
- blood spatter pattern analysis
- analysis of physical evidence
- entomology.
Our purpose-built crime scene facility lets you apply the theory you learn in the classroom in a simulated crime scene environment. Search for evidence, conduct forensic analysis and get hands-on training taking an investigation from the crime scene to the courtroom.
In the criminology stream, you will explore topics that are crucial to the prevention of crime, including cyber security, surveillance, anti-terrorism and policing. Learn about the historical repercussions, technological developments and media representations of crime and the desirable outcomes of criminal justice processes. Get hands-on experience through optional internships, allowing you to bridge theory with practice and gain insight into how the study of criminology applies across different industries and sectors. You can even take your learning overseas and gain a global perspective on how other countries approach criminology.
Our course is designed with input from professional bodies including Victoria Police and the Australian Crime Commission. This means you will develop the skills in demand by employers and graduate ready to tackle criminal justice issues in fields including:
- anti-corruption agencies
- correctional services
- community services
- crime prevention agencies
- intelligence agencies
- law enforcement
- local, state and federal government
- private security industries
- state and federal police.
Indicative student workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Professional recognition
The Bachelor of Forensic Science has been professionally accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Students of this course are encouraged to apply for membership of the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS) and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology (ANZSOC).
The Bachelor of Forensic Science/Bachelor of Criminology (chemistry major) has been professionally accredited by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). Graduates of this course are encouraged to apply for membership of the respective local branch of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.
Career opportunities
This combined course gives you a competitive edge in the fields of criminology, forensic science and forensic criminology. Your strong understanding of both the criminal justice system and forensic science prepares you to thrive in a variety of roles including:
- forensic scientist
- research scientist
- insurance investigator
- crime prevention officer
- cyber security specialist
- intelligence analyst
- risk assessment officer
- state and federal policing.
Participation requirements
You may be required to complete units in Trimester 3 depending on your chosen major. Please refer to the Handbook for unit offering patterns.
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
| Bachelor of Criminology (A329) | |
| Bachelor of Forensic Science (S324) |
Articulated courses
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (A400) | |
| Bachelor of Forensic Science (Honours) (S401) |
Course learning outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Forensic Science (S324) | Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Criminology (A329) |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of forensic disciplines including forensic chemistry, forensic biology and the science in the crime scene to the courtroom. Apply analysis and interpretation techniques in order to deduce and test hypothesis in a variety of professional contexts. Explain and present the strengths of scientific results and associated limitations in professional environments. | Review and analyse major social science theories and key criminological concepts, theories and technical knowledge relating to crime and criminal justice issues, including the causes and consequences of crime, ways of responding to crime, media representations of crime, core debates in policing, security and surveillance, as well as broader issues of policy and politics, inclusion and exclusion, governing and governance, security, social justice, citizenship and human rights. |
| Communication | Use appropriate terminology and standard operating procedures to note take, document and present a variety of accumulated information. Judge how well to present essential details of scientific procedures, key observations, results and conclusions in a professional manner using appropriate style, language and references including local, national, international contributions and contexts. Converse with scientific and non-scientific audiences using appropriate language and methods of communication to clearly articulate scientific procedures and outcomes. | Effectively communicate the findings and analyses of criminological concepts, theories and technical knowledge, in a selection of written, digital and oral formats, to a range of audiences. |
| Digital literacy | Apply well-developed technical skills, judgement and responsibility to independently locate, analyse, evaluate the merits of, synthesise and disseminate scientific literature, information, data and results. | Employ a range of generic and specialist criminal justice-specific digital communication technologies to apply criminological knowledge and conduct social and criminological research and deliver reports and presentations to a diverse range of audiences within and outside the field. |
| Critical thinking | Interpret and evaluate information from a number of areas including a body of knowledge from the scholarly literature, laboratory data and other individuals to place the information in a scientific context. Use critical and analytical thinking and judgement to analyse, synthesise and generate an integrated knowledge, and to formulate hypotheses and test them against evidence-based scientific concepts and principles. | Analyse and critically evaluate theoretical approaches to crime problems and current policies and practices of governments and criminal justice practitioners and professions in the context of broad social change, new crimes, new responses and an increasing responsibility for preventing and controlling individual and complex crimes at local, state, national and international levels. |
| Problem solving | Take into account relevant contextual factors to approach problems and make informed decisions that will assist in finding appropriate solutions to problems in forensic science. Advocate scientific methodologies, hypotheses, laws, facts and principles to create solutions to real world problems and forensic scenarios. | Employ initiative and creativity in conjunction with accepted evidence-based criminological methods to generate innovative and pragmatic approaches and solutions to complex problems in the areas of individual crime, complex and organised crime, the criminal justice process, questions of justice and injustice, local, national and international policing, surveillance, privacy and technology, and domestic and international crime and security issues. |
| Self-management | Take personal, professional and social responsibility within changing professional science contexts to develop autonomy as learners and evaluate own performance. Work autonomously, responsibly and safely to solve unstructured problems and actively apply knowledge of regulatory frameworks and scientific methodologies to make informed choices. | Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a continued commitment to learning and skill development, as a reflective practitioner, while working in the criminological field. |
| Teamwork | Work independently and collaboratively in diverse roles as members of multidisciplinary teams to contribute towards achieving team goals and thereby demonstrate interpersonal skills including the ability to brainstorm, negotiate, resolve conflicts, managing difficult and awkward conversations, provide constructive feedback and work in professional, social and cultural contexts. | Work and learn collaboratively with others in the criminology field and from different disciplines and backgrounds while still maintaining responsibility for their own learning. |
| Global citizenship | Adopt and value multidisciplinary knowledge and perspectives for evaluating, integrating and incorporating strategies and solutions in scoping, planning and managing alternative solutions from local to global forensic problems. | Analyse and address criminological issues in the domestic and global context as a reflective scholar and practitioner, taking into consideration cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and the application of the highest ethical standards. |
Approved at Faculty Board 2014
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Forensic Science/Bachelor of Criminology students must pass 32 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Forensic Science
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
- STP010 Career Tools for Employability (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
- 10 credit points of core forensic science units (plus 1 other core unit shared with Criminology – ACR102)
- 1 major (6 credit points)
- 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Criminology
- 6 credit points of core units
- 6 credit points of criminology course electives
- 4 credit points of course elective units available from within the Bachelor of Arts major sequences. Please refer to A310 Bachelor of Arts for a list of Faculty of Arts and Education units
- a minimum of 6 credit points at level 3
- a maximum of 12 credit points at level 1
- course requirements for both the Bachelor of Forensic Science (S324) and Bachelor of Criminology (A329) must be satisfied
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Majors
Bachelor of Forensic Science major sequences
Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.
*Enrolment in a Trimester 3 study period is compulsory
Course structure
Forensic Science Core Units
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| SLE010 | Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program (0 credit points) |
| STP010 | Career Tools for Employability (0 credit points) |
| SLE111 | Cells and Genes |
| SLE133 | Chemistry in Our World |
| SLE112 | Fundamentals of Forensic Science |
| SLE132 | Biology: Form and Function |
| SLE155 | Chemistry for the Professional Sciences |
| SIT191 | Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis |
| SLE208 | Forensic Biology |
| SLE251 | Research Methods and Data Analysis # |
| SLE213 | The Analytical Chemist's Toolbox |
| SLE313 | Forensic Analysis and Interpretation |
Students must complete a major sequence in either Forensic Biology or Forensic Chemistry on top of the core unit requirements.
# Must have successfully completed STP010 Career Tools for Employability (0 credit point unit)
Criminology Core Units
| ACR101 | Introducing Crime and Criminology |
| ACR102 | Introducing Crime and Criminal Justice |
| ACR201 | Issues in Criminal Justice |
| ACR202 | Explaining Crime |
| ACR301 | International and Comparative Criminal Justice |
| ACR302 | Criminology Research |
Criminology Course elective units
Plus at least six credit points from the list below:
| ACR203 | Crime, Victims and Justice |
| ACR204 | Crime, Media and Justice |
| ACR206 | Criminology in Action |
| ACR214 | Inequality, Power and Justice |
| ACR211 | Crime Prevention and Security |
| ACR304 | Surveillance and Social Justice |
| ACR305 | Crime, Terrorism and Security |
| ACR306 | Careers in Criminal Justice |
| MAE266 | Black Market Economics: Exploring the Underworld of Illicit Trade |
Details of major sequences
Forensic Biology^
Campuses
Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Unit set code
MJ-S000049
Overview
The forensic biology major aims to provide you with the specific biological skills that are very important in the forensic science workplace. These biological-based skills complement the generic forensic science attributes developed in the core units of the course. Study in this area may lead to a career in forensic laboratories, entomology, research science, policing and biological and food industries.
Units
| SLE212 | Biochemistry |
| SLE228 | Forensic Genomics |
| SLE254 | Genetics and Genomics |
| SLE356 | Advanced Topics in Forensic Biology |
| SLE357 | Advanced Cell Biology |
| SLE340 | Genomes and Bioinformatics |
^Enrolment in a Trimester 3 study period is compulsory
Forensic Chemistry
Campuses
Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Unit set code
MJ-SU00015
Overview
The forensic chemistry major aims to provide you with the specific chemistry skills that are very important in the forensic science workplace. These chemically-based skills complement the generic forensic science attributes developed in the core units of the course. Study in this area may lead to a career in forensic laboratories, toxicology, drug detection, chemical detection, research science, policing, and chemical, food and pharmaceutical industries.
Units
| SLE210 | Chemistry the Enabling Science |
| SLE214 | Organic Chemistry |
| SLE312 | Toxicology |
| SLE316 | Analytical Chemistry and the Environment |
| SLE318 | Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry |
| SLE361 | Inorganic Chemistry |
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.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
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 or 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.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.