Improve justice and reduce crime by understanding the social causes and consequences of crime.
This double degree provides graduates with a comprehensive knowledge of the social causes and consequences of crime and disadvantage; including dimensions of disability, mental health, gender, ethnicity, race, poverty, employment and locality.
Commences Semester 1, 2016
- Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
- * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2024 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
- Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
This double degree provides graduates with a comprehensive knowledge of the social causes and consequences of crime and disadvantage; including dimensions of disability, mental health, gender, ethnicity, race, poverty, employment and locality.
You will gain enhanced skills in a range of specific social and criminology knowledge areas, as well as high levels of literacy and information and communication technology skills, equipping you for work in the human service and/or criminal justice industries.
Within the social work component you will benefit from teaching staff that include practising social workers. You'll also gain valuable practical experience in field education opportunities. The social work component of the program is fully accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers, and prepares professionals to work with individuals, families, groups and communities.
Career opportunities
Graduates are eligible to work in a broad range of industries and roles including mental health, social research, policy development and analysis, organisational management, community development and education, in government, community agencies and private practice. Enhanced employment prospects created by the criminology components of the degree include crime and justice research and policy, youth advocacy and at-risk youth support, crime victim support services, and offender transition-from-prison programs.
Program structure
Social Work courses
Introductory courses (3)
COR109 Physiological Psychology
SCS130 Introduction to Human Development
SCS172 Advanced Methods in Psychology
Advanced courses (15)
SCS230 Intercultural and Indigenous Psychologies
SCS235 Personality and Assessment
SCS251 Psychology of Health and Wellbeing
SCS266 Indigenous Australia and the State
SCS277 Working with Children, Youth and Families
SCS278 Ethical Practice in the Helping Professions
SCS285 Sustainability Project
SCS290 Critical Social Policy Analysis
SWK301 Immunology
SWK302 Biochemical Pharmacology
SWK303 Physical Chemistry
SWK401 Becoming a Teacher
SWK402 Human Development and Learning
SWK404 Language and Literacies in Education
SWK407 Human Development and Early Learning
Criminology courses
Introductory courses (7)
CRM101 Teaching Mathematics
CRM102 Inclusive Practices and Intervention in Early Education
CRM103 Engineering Statics
CRM105 Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics
JST101 Mechanics of Materials
PSY100 Reservoir and Stormwater Engineering
SCS110 Design of Water Supply Systems
Advanced courses (6)
CRM202 Plant Diversity and Ecology
CRM204 Molecular Ecology
CRM301 Restoration Ecology
CRM304 Integrated Environmental Management
LGL201 Systemic Physiology I
SCS225 Biochemistry
Elective courses (3)
Select 3 elective courses from either faculty (Arts and Business or Science, Health, Education and Engineering).
Suggested electives include:
CRM201 Microbiology
JST202 Pathophysiology
LGL202 Pharmaceutical and Food Microbiology
CRM203 Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
CRM302 Food Studies
CRM303 Principles of Nutrition
CRM305 Optics and Modern Physics
CRM306 Epidemiology and Biostatistics
SCS211 Functional Anatomy
SCS286 Introduction to Sports Medicine
SCS295 Motor Control and Learning
Note: Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Total units: 480
Recommended study sequences
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
In order to graduate you must:
- Complete 3 introductory level (100 coded) required social work courses including COR109
- Complete 15 advanced level (200/300/400 coded) required social work courses
- Complete 2 field education placements (SWK301 Social Work Field Education 1 and SWK404 Social Work Field Education 2).
- Complete 7 required introductory level (100 coded) criminology courses
- Complete 6 required advanced level (200/300 coded) criminology courses
- Complete 3 elective courses
- Complete no more than 15 introductory level (100 coded) courses in total, including the core course
In order to commence field education placement you must:
- Hold a valid Blue Card, throughout the duration of your program, which is issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian (CCYPCG). You should allow 12 weeks for CCYPCG to issue the card. Note: students who do not possess a valid Blue Card will be unable to complete the field education component of their program and will be unable to meet graduation requirements.
- Have a National Criminal History check (by Queensland Police Service or other state/territory authority).
- Travel to attend field education placements.
- Please note, while all endeavours will be made to place students in a given semester, this is not guaranteed and students may need to enrol at a later time should a position in an agency be unavailable in the preferred semester.
Program notes
- Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses).
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods.
- As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider. It is advisable to contact your Program Advisor to discuss timing and course issues.
- When enrolling, refer to the Study Plan.