Program Overview

Course Overview

The Psychology of Criminal Conduct 1: Basic Concepts in Criminal Justice and Crime (PSYC 412) is a course that covers basic concepts in criminal justice and the study of crime. It examines the nature of offending from sociological, psychiatric, and psychological perspectives.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 February 2026 to 21 June 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,376.40 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,679.00 for international students
• Lecture Start Times: Wednesday, 9:00 am
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 15
• Availability: Limited entry

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: None
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught By

The course is taught by the School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Education, Health, and Psychological Sciences.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be announced once the course has begun.

About This Course

Lecture topics are listed in the course description. Please note that the content may be subject to change.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course will be able to:

1. Demonstrate good oral communication skills by making comments, contributing to discussions, and asking questions in a clear and relevant manner.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts, theories, and research in criminal justice psychology.
3. Evaluate critically the theoretical and empirical status of knowledge.
4. Communicate clearly in written format on a specific topic.

How This Course Is Taught

This course requires in-person attendance for the majority of its activities, including weekly lectures. Most class sessions will be a mix of formal and informal lectures and class discussions. Students are expected to undertake preparatory work for each class and contribute to discussions.

Assessment

• Final Test: 30%
• Essay: 35%
• Presentation: 30%
• Participation: 5%

Mandatory Requirements

To pass this course, students must:

1. Attend at least 10 of the 12 scheduled class sessions (unless a medical certificate or other suitable documentation is provided).
2. Obtain at least 40% of the marks available for each of the evidence brief, presentation, and final test.

Lecture Times and Rooms

• 23 February 2026 to 5 April 2026
• 20 April 2026 to 31 May 2026

What You'll Need to Get

Required Texts

• Title: The Psychology of Criminal Conduct (7th Edition)
• Authors: James Bonta, Donald Arthur Andrews
• Publisher: Routledge

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.