Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science

2021 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2021 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2021 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science
Course Map	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2021. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2021. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 3 2021. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Cloud Campus	Yes
Duration	4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS course code	079572M Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Deakin course code	D390
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
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

Deakin’s Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science will make you rethink your perception of ‘crime’, while exploring the social justice and rehabilitation themes that intertwine with crime.

Not only will you be able to study two of your passions, you’ll graduate with two sought-after degrees and a wealth of study and career options. The psychological science stream of the course is professionally accredited, meaning you can enter the workforce with excellent job opportunities, or continue your studies into further training that leads to registration as a psychologist.

Everything you learn, from forensic psychology techniques to a deep understanding of criminal justice, is enhanced by practical learning. You’ll even get the chance to undertake a psychology placement in your final year. Apply your skills in a real-world setting and get a taste for your future role under the guidance of industry professionals.

Are you ready to explore the link between crime and human behaviour?

If you are interested in the many areas where psychology and criminology overlap, this is the degree for you. Whether it’s crime prevention or the subsequent justice and rehabilitation of offenders, the knowledge you’ll develop, paired with an understanding of the ‘why’ behind psychological science, will put you in high demand when starting your career.

By studying the two disciplines simultaneously, you will gain broad, theoretical, applied knowledge and skills concerning:

the meaning of crime
the forms, causes and consequences of crime
the different institutions and processes involved in preventing and controlling crime
policy development
policing and security.

The psychological science component of this double degree recognises the importance of, and interrelationships between, a range of human factors you will encounter in your future career. You will explore diverse areas of psychology, including behavioural neuroscience, cognitive psychology, forensic psychology and psychopathology, and be able to use this knowledge when analysing the causes and consequences of crime.

In this double degree, you will have the opportunity to complete a criminology practicum in your final year of study. This unit brings your new profession to the classroom (including online) with practitioner-driven seminars, activities bridging theory and practice, and the development of an e-portfolio that can be used for employment or career development.

Additionally, you will get the chance to build real-world experience by electing to undertake the Psychology at Work (Internship) unit in your final year of study, giving you 140 hours of practical psychology industry placement, strengthening your employment prospects.

Professional recognition

All of the psychology courses offered at Deakin meet the requirements of the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) and the Australian Psychological Society (APS), translating into excellent job and career opportunities for our graduates. Upon graduation of this degree, you’ll have gained a three-year undergraduate psychology sequence that is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and recognised for registration purposes by the PBA, enabling you to undertake additional study in pursuit of provisional registration.

Career opportunities

Promising career opportunities await in the areas of criminology and psychology. You may find employment in areas such as:

government agencies
state and federal police
security and intelligence agencies
research and policy development
correctional services
community services
private security and consultative industries.

Students wanting to take the next step towards becoming a psychologist must apply for an honours year (e.g. Deakin’s Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) or Graduate Diploma of Psychology). Once completed, you will be able to register as a provisional psychologist with the PBA.

If you are ready to take your psychology career further, the option to become a fully registered psychologist is available by undertaking a master’s or doctorate qualification in psychology.

For more information go to DeakinTALENT

Participation requirements

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.

Alternative exits

Bachelor of Criminology (A329)
Bachelor of Psychological Science (H344)

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

Course Learning Outcomes

See course entry for Bachelor of Criminology (A329) or Bachelor of Psychological Science (H344)

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science students must complete 32 credit points. Course requirements for both the Bachelor of Psychological Science (H344) and Bachelor of Criminology (A329) must be satisfied.^

16 credit points of Arts course grouped units and 16 credit points of Health course grouped units
^No more than 10 credit points at level 1

Psychological Science

3 core foundation Health units (HPS105, HPS104, HBS110)
11 credit points of Psychology core units (HPS111, HPS121, HPS201, HPS202, HPS203, HPS204, HPS206, HPS301, HPS307, HPS308, HPS310)
2 credit points of level 3 HPS electives or 1 level 3 HPS and 1 level 3 HXX units.

Criminology

6 credit points of Criminology core units (ACR101, ACR102, ACR201, ACR202, ACR301 and ACR302)
At least 6 credit points of Criminology course electives (ACR coded units) taken at level 2 or above
At least 4 credit points at level 3 including ACR301 and ACR302
Up to 4 credit points of electives chosen from Arts course grouped units.
AAI018Academic Integrity (0 credit point compulsory unit)

Students are also encouraged to consider taking electives from the Professional Experience and Practice Minor sequence APE101, APE201, APE202 and APE301.