Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science

2022 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2022 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2022 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science
Course Map	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2022. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2022. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 3 2022. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Campus	Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online (For students who commenced prior to 2023 only)
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.
The final intake to this course was 2022. Students should contact a Student Adviser in Student Central for course and enrolment information. Further course structure information can be found in the Handbook archive.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Develop a new understanding of crime in Deakin’s Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science, as you explore the social justice and rehabilitation themes that intertwine with why crime occurs.

Not only will you be able to study two of your interests, you will 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 graduate and enter the workforce with excellent job opportunities, or continue your studies with further training to gain general registration as a psychologist.

Everything you learn, from forensic psychology techniques to a deep understanding of criminal justice, is enhanced by practical learning. You will 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.

Do you want to understand the true reasons why crime occurs – and how to address it with empathy?

If you are interested in the many areas where psychology and criminology overlap, this is the degree for you. Whether it is crime prevention or the subsequent justice and rehabilitation of offenders, you will develop knowledge and an understanding of the ‘why’ behind psychological science. This 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 combined course 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 combined course, you will have the opportunity to complete two careers-focused units, which bring 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 gain provisional registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA).

If you are ready to take your psychology career further, the option to gain general registration as a psychologist is available by undertaking a masters 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, the units you choose 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.

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 photocopying or travel.

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.