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
SCS130 Introduction to Indigenous Australia
SCS172
Advanced courses (15)
SCS230 Understanding Society: An Introduction to Social Theory
SCS235 Social Justice, Welfare and the State
SCS251
SCS266
SCS277
SCS278
SCS285
SCS290 Understanding Cultural Diversity
SWK301
SWK302 Community Development and Social Action
SWK303
SWK401 Critical Social Policy Analysis
SWK402
SWK404
SWK407 Context Responsive Social Work Practice
Criminology courses
Introductory courses (7)
CRM101 Introduction to Criminology
CRM102 Understanding Crime
CRM103 Punishment and Corrections
CRM105 Policing
JST101 Justice and the Australian Legal System
PSY100 Introduction to Psychology A
SCS110 Australian Society: How does(n't) it work? - An Introduction to Sociology
Advanced courses (6)
CRM202
CRM204 Applied Crime Prevention
CRM301
CRM304 Professional Ethics and Integrity Management
LGL201
SCS225 Social Research
Elective courses (3)
Select 3 elective courses from either faculty (Arts and Business or Science, Health, Education and Engineering).
Suggested electives include:
CRM201 Criminal Profiling & Intelligence
JST202 International Justice and Human Rights
LGL202
CRM203 Homicide, Investigations & Forensic Science
CRM302 Youth Justice & Restorative Justice
CRM303
CRM305 Professional Placement
CRM306
SCS211
SCS286
SCS295
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.