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 2023 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 Introduction to Financial Planning
SCS130 Retirement and Superannuation
SCS172 Insurance and Risk Management
Advanced courses (15)
SCS230 Personal Investment Management
SCS235 Tax and Estate Planning
SCS251 Financial Plan Construction
SCS266 Introduction to Criminology
SCS277 Understanding Crime
SCS278 Punishment and Corrections
SCS285 Policing
SCS290 Justice and the Australian Legal System
SWK301 Foundations of Human Behaviour
SWK302 Australian Society: How does(n't) it work? - An Introduction to Sociology
SWK303 Applied Crime Prevention
SWK401 Criminal Law
SWK402 Professional Development
SWK404 Professional Ethics and Integrity Management
SWK407 Diversity, Crime and Justice
Criminology courses
Introductory courses (7)
CRM101 Social Research
CRM102 Criminal Profiling & Intelligence
CRM103 Homicide, Investigations & Forensic Science
CRM105 Youth Justice & Restorative Justice
JST101 Professional Placement
PSY100 Crime Research Methods
SCS110 Working with Victims and Offenders
Advanced courses (6)
CRM202 Introduction to Cyber Crime
CRM204 International Justice and Human Rights
CRM301 Introduction to Sport and Exercise Science
CRM304 Outdoor Living and Travel Skills
LGL201 Foundations of Sustainability
SCS225 Functional Anatomy
Elective courses (3)
Select 3 elective courses from either faculty (Arts and Business or Science, Health, Education and Engineering).
Suggested electives include:
CRM201 Introduction to Sports Medicine
JST202 Food in Society
LGL202 Introduction to Coaching Science
CRM203 Anatomy and Physiology for Exercise
CRM302 Exercise Prescription and Programming I
CRM303 Biomechanics I
CRM305 Exercise Physiology I
CRM306 Sport and Exercise Psychology
SCS211 Motor Control and Learning
SCS286 Active Lifestyle Nutrition
SCS295 Foundations of Outdoor Environmental Studies
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.