Program Overview

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Undergraduate

Criminology

Are you fascinated by crime and the human mind? Crime, psychology, ethics and law are just some of the areas you will explore as you seek to better understand people and the criminal justice system.

Careers and further study

This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career opportunities.

Career Pathways

Our Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and single Criminology major in the Bachelor of Arts or Philosophy (Honours) have been designed to maximise your employability by focussing on the specific, practical skills that employers in industry are looking for.

You'll be encouraged to question current practices and find ways for improvement while developing a broad range of policy and practice-relevant skills, including the capacity to think critically, integrate theory and research into practice, and communicate effectively in written and oral forms, which will maximise your employability in the criminal justice and government sector.

Career opportunities include:

• Criminologist
• Community development worker
• Police / correctional services officer (sworn or unsworn member)
• Policy adviser at the local, State, or Commonwealth level
• Health / justice researcher
• Criminal / social justice advocate
• Youth worker
• Working in loss-prevention and risk management in the private sector

4 reasons to do Honours

• Boosts analytical, critical, problem solving skills and project management.
• Regarded highly by future employers in wide range of sectors: business, law, government, semi-government.
• Leads to higher earnings and better career advances.
• Increases admission chances of highly-sought graduate degrees domestically and internationally, including the Juris Doctor and the Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Further Study

A major in Criminology can lead to further study at honours and/or postgraduate level. You could choose to apply for courses such as the Juris Doctor, Graduate Diploma in Law, Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology or Master of Social Work.

Fees and scholarships

Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course. For fee type definitions and further assistance, see the Fee Calculator Help page. You can also search our database for scholarships that are relevant to you or this course

domestic international

Domestic Student Fees

For Commonwealth-supported places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit, based on area of study. For a fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator and select “I want to price my units”. Fees are subject to annual indexation. Refer to the Handbook to identify the units required. More information on how fees are calculated.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

Cost of living

There are a few things to consider before applying to study at university. One could be your cost of living. This can depend on factors such as lifestyle, accommodation, tuition fees, medical insurance, textbooks and more. For an indication of expenses and average costs, see our Cost of living page.

International Student Fees

Annual course fee

2025

$48,300.00

Onshore international students are charged an annual course fee, charged per credit point at a rate dependent on the course in which the student is enrolled. Annual course fees are calculated based on an annual study load. Check the handbook to confirm the annual study load for your course.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

Cost of living

There are a few things to consider before applying to study at university. One could be your cost of living. This can depend on factors such as lifestyle, accommodation, tuition fees, medical insurance, textbooks and more. For an indication of expenses and average costs, see our Cost of living page.

Admission requirements

The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you’re interested in studying one of these majors, find out the admission details below.

Minimum entry requirements

Below you’ll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

All India Senior School Certificate (CBSE)

• 9

Canadian High School (except Quebec)

• 68

French Baccalaureate

• 10

Gao Kao (PR China NCEE)/750

• 507

GCE A-Levels

• 8

German Abitur

• 3.6

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education

• 14

Indian Senior School Certificate (CISCE)

• 45

Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65

• 75.5

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

• 24

Malaysian STPM

• 10

Monash University Foundation Year

• 254

NCUK Foundation Program

• 8

Norwegian Vitnemål

• 3.5

Singapore - Cambridge A Levels

• 6.5

South African National Senior Certificate

• 4

South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)

• 324

Sweden Slutbetyg

• 14.5

Trinity College Foundation

• 280

Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)

• 14

University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program

• 61

US College Board Advanced Placements

• 7

US College Board SAT

• 1130

Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP)

• 56

Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards

• 75

English competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.

Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.

How to apply

The application process to this course is different for the assured and graduate entry pathways, and for international and domestic applicants.

Refer to the below regarding application processes for each of the pathways . More information regarding admission requirements and prerequisites for each pathway can be found on the 'Admission Requirements' tab.

Domestic Pathways

• Domestic Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via TISC. Refer to TISC Online for current course codes and application deadlines.
• Domestic Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via GEMSAS, which open and close in accordance with the GEMSAS timeline. All domestic applicants must submit a valid GAMSAT score by the application closing date.

International Pathways

• International Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via UWA's online application system or via an authorised international education agent.
• International Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via UWA's online application system or via an authorised international education agent.

Course details

Our single Criminology major is offered in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours), or as a second major in most other bachelor's degrees. This major gives you the opportunity to learn about core aspects of the role that criminology plays in understanding and responding to crime, including developing a critical understanding of current criminal justice practices in Australia.

About the course

Relative to the bachelor’s degree, our Criminology major provides a more concentrated coverage of knowledge and perspectives relating to crime, focusing on criminology, psychology and history.

Quick details

Status

• Available

Locations

• Perth (Crawley campus)
• Albany (Regional campus)

Attendance

• Full-time
• Part-time

Delivery

• On-campus

Starting dates

• Semester 1, Semester 2

Level of study

• Undergraduate

Course Code

• MJD-CRIMN

Full time/part time duration

• 3 years (BA);4 years (BPhil [Hons])

Course Structure

Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.

Popular combinations

Business Law Law and Society Psychological and Behavioural Sciences

Course structure details

Level 1

 Students taking this major in conjunction with the Law and Society major [MJD-LWSOC] must select their units such that no more than 18 points, comprising 12 points at level one and 6 points at level two, of units are shared between the two majors. No level three units may be shared between the majors. Students encountering any difficulties reflecting this requirement in their study plan should seek guidance from their allocated advising office. 

Core

Take all units (6 points):

• LAWS1110 Crime and Society (6)

Option

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

• LAWS1111 Law in Context (6)
• PSYC1102 Psychology: Behaviour in Context (6)

Level 2

 Students taking this major in conjunction with the Law and Society major [MJD-LWSOC] must select their units such that no more than 18 points, comprising 12 points at level one and 6 points at level two, of units are shared between the two majors. No level three units may be shared between the majors. Students encountering any difficulties reflecting this requirement in their study plan should seek guidance from their allocated advising office. 

Core

Take all units (12 points):

• LAWS2223 Criminal Justice Systems (6)
• LAWS2230 Working with People in the Justice System I (6)

Option

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

• HIST2215 Australian Underbelly: A Criminal History (6)
• HIST2224 American Outlaws: Crime and Punishment in the United States (6)
• LAWS2220 Birth, Life and Death: Health and Medical Law (6)
• LAWS2225 Indigenous Peoples and the Law (6)
• LAWS2231 Transnational and Organised Crime (6)

Level 3

 Students taking this major in conjunction with the Law and Society major [MJD-LWSOC] must select their units such that no more than 18 points, comprising 12 points at level one and 6 points at level two, of units are shared between the two majors. No level three units may be shared between the majors. Students encountering any difficulties reflecting this requirement in their study plan should seek guidance from their allocated advising office. 

Core

Take all units (6 points):

• LAWS3374 Crime, Justice and Public Policy (6)

Option

Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:

• HIST3007 Crime and Punishment in Britain 1600–1900 (6)
• LAWS3212 Working with People in the Justice System 2 (6)
• LAWS3213 Preventing Contemporary Crime Problems (6)

4 reasons to study Criminology

1. It's interdisciplinary and varied : in the Criminology major you'll take units from a wide range of areas, including Law, Psychology, Finance, Anthropology and Sociology, Geography and History.

2. It's fascinating : learning about crime and criminal law is interesting. From understanding the criminal justice system to tracking the history of crime and punishment in Britain, you'll be constantly surprised and intrigued along the way.

3. It's practical : whether you're majoring in Criminology itself, or taking it as a second major, it works well in combination with Psychology, Law and Society and History in particular.

4. It's well regarded by employers : you'll develop the capacity to think critically, integrate theory and research to practice, and communicate effectively in written and oral forms, all of which are excellent skills to have upon graduation.

Your degree options

This major is offered as a degree-specific, or first, major for these degrees. It is also offered as a second major in our other bachelor's degrees.

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Philosophy

Take a second major

Employers seek graduates with a breadth of knowledge from multiple complementary areas. Have you considered taking a second major to increase your skills and experience?

Criminology pairs well with these other majors:

• Anthropology and Sociology: study culture, social behaviours and systems of meaning in human societies
• Law and Society: pair a knowledge of crime with a holistic understanding of legal systems.