Bachelor of Criminology

The new Bachelor of Criminology prepares you to respond to the changing nature of crime in the 21st century by addressing the realities of crime in a digital and transnational age.

A criminology course ideal for those starting their careers or extending their learning to respond to industry needs. Specialise in either Data Analytics, Forensics, or Justice and Legal Studies, or with the extended major options, in Data Analytics and Research or Digital Forensics. The Criminology program is also offered as a combined degree with Forensic Science, Cybersecurity or International Studies.

Created with extensive input from industry and based on dynamic research, this newly designed Bachelor of Criminology develops your core competencies through applied studies in these focus areas with practical social science knowledge and skills needed for professions focused on crime prevention, detection, enforcement or the broader social implications and challenges of crime.

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Criminology is the study of crime and disorder and threats to public safety.

And criminology can be studied through a number of different lenses

and here at UTS, we study criminology really through three lenses.

And I think when you start to talk to students about what criminology is

or isn't, I think the reality starts to strike students

that actually what they've seen on TV doesn't necessarily always correspond.

Well, I haven't watched CSI much, but I can see there are a lot of like

parallels between what we're doing and what is sort of popular in the media.

Criminology especially is a lot different to what I expected it to be.

UTS just had something that was a bit different.

Being so practically focused and industry based,

which is something that I'm really seeing show up in my studies.

I'm more natural science based rather than social sciences.

But then seeing this new double degree come up,

I just thought it'd be something interesting

just to sort of add into my studies and sort of broaden my horizons.

The degree is applied in industry focused, industry relevant.

And I think that's the key.

It's a degree program, a criminology degree program

that is contemporary and forward facing.

And we are able to take the theory and integrate it to practice

and get students to engage in real world case studies and examples.

And I think that really illustrates to students the reality

of not only the discipline, but the work,

the roles that they'll be going into when they complete the degree.

The Bachelor of Criminology is offered alongside a specialism of some sort.

Whether that's a major, an extended major, or a double degree.

And really what's embedded in UTS

criminology is the application of science and technology.

And I think that really gives it that kind of contemporary lens

and applicability to both industry and the professions.

Even from year one, we are engaged in work integrated learning,

exploring the various career options that are available to students.

And then obviously with the combination of degrees with forensic science,

cybersecurity, it could be taking students off into those industries.

But what they're bringing and the uniqueness of it is they're bringing

that criminological knowledge, skill and the ability to apply that

to forensic science, to cybersecurity, and alike.

There's a lot of empathy and compassion that needs to go in because

our main purpose here is to benefit the community

and to help these people who have committed crimes. Being able

to go into other people's shoes and sort of understand their situations

and why they might have undergone certain behaviour. In order to,

you know, develop ways in which that we can help these people

Courses

Download a course guide

Why Criminology at UTS

headshot image of man with beard and moustach
  • Run by highly respected crime science academic Associate Professor Philip Birch. Prior to being with UTS, Philip held Lecturer and Senior Lecturer positions at the University of Huddersfield (UK), UNSW, and Western Sydney University. Most recently, he was Associate Professor of Criminology and Policing at Charles Sturt University.

"Phil’s great combination of field experience and scholarly achievement are what make him such a good fit for FASS as we pursue our Criminology strategy. It’s my great pleasure to welcome him and I look forward to seeing our Criminology programs continue to evolve under his leadership."

Professor Alan Davison

Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

  • The mix of theory and practice in core subjects, in the curated majors and via possible combined degrees with Forensic Science and International Studies address industry needs for an applied approach to criminology and specifically addresses the increasingly digital and transnational dimensions of crime.
  • Choice of three majors within the standard Bachelor of Criminology – Forensics, Data Analytics or Justice and Legal Studies.
  • The Bachelor of Criminology (Data Analytics and Research) offers you an opportunity to study an extended major focused on crime statistics and data analytics to inform policy and evaluate interventions.
  • The Bachelor of Criminology (Digital Forensics) extended major focuses your studies on Cybersecurity. It is delivered with our UTS Information Technology and Science academics.
  • The Bachelor of Criminology / Bachelor of Cybersecurity equips you with an understanding of the major factors associated with criminal behaviour, along with the industry-relevant skills to tackle what is a critical threat within contemporary society. Students will gain expertise in securing data and data communications, as well as investigating and providing solutions to cybercrime.
  • Curriculum and applied learning from the real world: students work with data sets, tools, problems and cases used in industry and contributed by UTS partners to be work-ready.
  • The course is offered primarily on campus, but individual subjects include aspects of asynchronous self-paced learning, synchronous online activities, collaborative learning and activities on campus, and industry engagement via site visits and/or guest speakers.
  • Pathways: The service of commissioned officers and those who have completed agency training courses is recognised as part of the basis for admission and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for fast-tracking of degree completion.
The blue and red lights of a police car flashing

Careers

This course addresses areas of current demand for graduate employment and balances these with the critical skills needed to constructively contribute to and transform the sector into the future. 

Course-long industry engagement prepares graduates to develop practical and adaptive skills within disruptive and ambiguous environments to pursue careers at all levels of government, in law enforcement, criminal justice, corrections, border protection, the financial or insurance sectors, or within community organisations concerned with crime prevention and rehabilitation. 

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Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.