Program Overview

Course Overview

CRIM 217 provides an introduction to psychological approaches to understanding, investigating, and preventing criminal behaviour. Topics covered include developmental patterns in offending, the psychology of wrongful convictions and criminal investigation, homicide (including mass and serial murder), and crimes against non-human animals and the environment.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 February 2026 to 21 June 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,156.00 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,893.60 for international students
• Lecture start times:
  • Wednesday 9.00am
  • Thursday 9.00am
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated workload: Approximately 200 hours or 11.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 20

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: CRIM 111
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught by

The School of Social and Cultural Studies — Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Key Dates

Find important dates—including mid-trimester teaching breaks—on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be provided once the course has begun.

About this Course

In 2026, this course is delivered in blended mode (a mix of in-person and online).

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Describe and critically evaluate different theoretical approaches to understanding developmental patterns in offending across the lifespan and how these approaches can help us develop programmes to reduce crime.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the nature and prevalence of wrongful convictions and their main causes and apply this knowledge to specific case studies.
3. Describe and critically evaluate psychological approaches to conceptualising and understanding crimes against non-human animals and the environment.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of gender, cross-cultural, and historical patterns in homicide (including mass and serial murder) and use relevant theories to explain these patterns.

How this Course is Taught

This course will be run with both face-to-face and online options. Students will have the option of attending lectures in person or listening to a recording of the live lecture. Zoom tutorials and a Zoom office hour will be available for students who are unable to attend in person.

Assessment

• Assignment 1: Individual, 35%
• Assignment 2: Individual, 35%
• Online multiple-choice test (1): Individual, 15%
• Online multiple-choice test (2): Individual, 15%

Mandatory Requirements

To pass this course, students must:

1. Achieve an overall pass mark of at least 50%.
2. Participate in 7 out of 9 tutorials.

Lecture Times and Rooms

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

What You'll Need to Get

You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.