Criminology - Faculty of Arts

Offered by the School of Political and Social Inquiry

Crime is an issue that all citizens and governments confront on a daily basis. The causes of crime, the crime problem and how it should be dealt with are the subject of intense debate. The criminology major, which is offered on the Caulfield and Clayton campuses, provides students with the skills to understand the complexities of crime, to learn about the various stages of the criminal justice system, to critically analyse its workings and tensions, and to explore alternative strategies. Criminology students can combine an interest in areas such as policing, courts, punishment and prisons, transnational crime and international justice, criminological theory , crime and the media, crime and politics, crime prevention and victims of crime in order to broaden their career options in criminal justice and allied areas.

Students learn to critically analyse issues of crime at the local, state, national, and global level. The two first-year units `Understanding crime' and `Criminal justice in action' introduce students to various facets of crime and how it is dealt with by the criminal justice system. Second and third-year units build on the knowledge gained in first year and offer students the opportunity to critically analyse and evaluate crime-related issues in greater depth.

Graduates with a major or minor in criminology may find employment in a wide range of fields, including police, courts, corrections, human services, attorney-general departments, departments of justice, law reform commissions, ombudsman offices, anti-corruption commissions, local government and the private sector.

For information on the units required for a major or minor in criminology, refer to the `Areas of study' section on the Arts faculty website at http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/current/coursework/study-areas/.

Relevant courses

Diploma in Arts (Criminology)
Bachelor of Arts (and associated double degrees)
Bachelor of Arts (Global)
Bachelor of Letters

Contact details

Email psi@arts.monash.edu.au or visit http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/schools/psi/; inquiries (Clayton): room W1017, West Wing, Menzies building; +61 3 9905 2443; inquiries (Caulfield): room H5.31, building H; Telephone +61 3 9903 2378.