Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2025 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Criminology / Bachelor of Psychological Science
Deakin course code	D390
Course version	2
Faculty	Faculty of Arts and Education
Course Information	For students who commenced from 2023 onwards
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online
Duration	4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025. This course map is 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	079572M Burwood (Melbourne), 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

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 among, 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 (PsyBA) translating into excellent job and career opportunities for our graduates. Upon graduation from this degree, you will 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 PsyBA, enabling you to undertake additional study in pursuit of provisional registration.

If you are seeking to become a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) as a graduate from this course you must next apply for a fourth year of study in psychology, such as Deakin's Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) or Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced) to gain provisional registration, then go to a postgraduate study in psychology if you would like to pursue general registration as a psychologist.

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. More information available at Disability support services.

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)

Articulated courses

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (A400)

Course learning outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Criminology	Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Psychological Science
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	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.	Integrate theoretical knowledge of the discipline of psychology in relation to: health, social, cognitive, methodology, neuroscience, development, and personality. Demonstrate appropriate communication, counselling, and research methods skills.
Communication	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.	Communicate psychological knowledge and arguments effectively using the most appropriate means utilising clear, discipline appropriate, coherent and well-developed communication skills. Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal communication and interview skills in situations appropriate to psychological practice. This includes active listening, clarifying and reflecting, effective questioning, summarising and paraphrasing, developing rapport, appropriate cultural responsiveness and empathic responding.
Digital literacy	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.	Utilise online technologies to interact with others, access research and evaluate empirical evidence; and create and disseminate psychology-relevant content.
Critical thinking	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.	Identify and critique the factors that contribute to the development of unhealthy mental processes and behaviours, develop arguments, reports, or commentaries based on empirical research and apply the results to affect healthy behaviour change in oneself or others, and; apply the skills required to affect healthy behaviour change in oneself and in others in diverse contexts.
Problem solving	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.	Apply knowledge of the scientific method when addressing problems related to behaviour and mental processes; design, plan, and conduct research that addresses these problems; and apply analytic and statistical skills to interpret the results and validity of research.
Self-management	Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a continued commitment to learning and skill development, as a reflective practitioner, while working in the criminological field.	Engage in independent learning as a reflective practitioner to sustain personal and professional development in the changing world of the science and practice of psychology; and manage resources, timelines and other constraints to achieve quality and timely outcomes.
Teamwork	Work and learn collaboratively with others in the criminology field and from different disciplines and backgrounds while still maintaining responsibility for their own learning.	Collaborate and communicate psychological principles and practices effectively in interdisciplinary teams to work and learn in a range of environments including communities of practice, research and professional practice.
Global citizenship	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	Embody the values and attitudes of the scientist-practitioner; apply ethical and professional responsibilities to local and global communities, apply knowledge and skills in culturally appropriate and inclusive ways.

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Psychological Science students must pass 32 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
16 credit points from the Bachelor of Criminology
- 6 credit points of criminology core units
- 6 credit points of criminology course electives
- 4 credit points of course electives from arts courses
- a minimum of 6 credit points of arts coded units at level 3
16 credit points from the Bachelor of Psychological Science
- 16 credit points of core units consisting of:
  - 4 credit points of Foundations of Psychology
  - 8 credit points of Psychology Essentials
  - 4 credit points of Psychology in Practice
A maximum of 12 credit points at level 1
A minimum of 10 credit points at level 3
course requirements for both Bachelor of Criminology (A329) and Bachelor of Psychological Science (H344) 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.

Course structure

Core units

Note: Many of the HPS coded units are also offered in Trimester 3, offering students the opportunity to accelerate their studies.

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

Psychological Science core units

HPS104

Foundations of Psychological Science

HPS105

Foundations of Psychological Practice

HBS110

Health Psychology (Behaviour Change)

HPS111

Introduction to Psychology: Human Behaviour

HPS121

Introduction to Psychology: Individual and Social Development

HPS201

Psychology Research Methods (Introductory)

HPS202

Developmental Psychology (Child and Adolescent)

HPS203

Cognitive Psychology

HPS204

Social Psychology

HPS206

Forensic Psychology (this is a core only for the D390 course in the list)

HPS301

Psychology Research Methods (Intermediate)

HPS307

Personality Psychology

HPS308

Psychopathology

HPS310

Biological Psychology (Brain and Behaviour)

HPY210

Applied Counselling Skills (Introductory)

HPY306

Applied Counselling Skills (Intermediate)

Course Electives

Criminology

ACR203

Crime, Victims and Justice

ACR204

Crime, Media and Justice

ACR206

Criminology in Action

ACR211

Crime Prevention and Security

ACR214

Inequality, Power and Justice

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

The remaining Arts course grouped electives can be found within the Bachelor of Arts.

Work experience

Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.

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

Research and research-related study

Independent research components are embedded across a number of units.

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.

Estimate your fees

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.