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Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice Studies)

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Learn about law enforcement and correctional industries.

The Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice Studies) involves study in social science, criminal justice systems and law, including sociology and social philosophy.

The course will enable you to experience a range of educational processes to equip you for entry into a constantly changing workforce in which you will operate as a professional in the diverse and challenging settings of the modern criminal justice system.

Your Criminal Justice Studies degree will make you a professional and give you a solid foundation in the study of the Australian legal system, social science and law, including criminology, sociology and social philosophy.

Course Essentials

How to apply

We are currently accepting applications for this course. Applications close on 25 January 2013

Methods of applying:

  • You can apply direct to VU

Please note that part-time study may not be available at all campuses.

Already a VU student?

You can transfer into this course through our internal transfer process.

For more info contact the
College of Arts

Graduate Alex talks about his time at Victoria University.
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Careers

  • court administration
  • Department of Justice and public service administration
  • policing
  • corrections and probation
  • customs
  • case management and welfare

Learn more about your career options on the Australian government's Career Information and Resources website.

VU student talks about his experience at Victoia University

A mind for research

Alexander Singleton credits his supervisor and his experience at Victoria University with helping him excel at his studies and launching his career.

"...

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Study pathways

Transferring to VU

You can get credit in the Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice Studies) (ABSJ) for study you have done at other universities. We have formal credit transfer arrangements for this course with the following universities

Kangan Batman TAFE

  • If you studied the Advanced Diploma of Justice you may get up to a year of credit.

To find out more about the pathways available for this course, please contact the .

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Get credit for your work, study and life experience through our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.

Find out more about Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Graduate faster

If you've done previous study related to this course, you may be awarded credit. This means you can graduate in less time.

Completing this course also gives you a head-start on other at VU courses at a higher level of study.

We also award credit for relevant work and life experience. This is called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

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Course Objectives

Graduates of this course will be able to:

  1. Experience a range of educational processes and curricula to equip them for entry into a constantly changing workforce;

  2. Apply a range of effective intellectual, analytical and social skills to operate as professionals in the diverse and challenging settings of the modern criminal justice system;

  3. Develop critical awareness and understanding of relevant areas of law, the social sciences and research in specific areas of study;

  4. Generate, organise and undertake research into relevant aspects of community wellbeing;

  5. Apply academic skills in reading, note-taking and collection and organisation of resource materials including the presentation of oral and written material;

  6. Develop skill and confidence in group discussion and activity; and develop interpersonal skills consistent with professional practice.

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Units and electives

To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice Studies) students must successfully complete a total of 288 credit points. Students must complete 24 semester-length units of study.

Plus Arts elective 1

Plus Arts elective 2

Arts elective 3

Plus

Or

Plus

Or

Plus

Or

One Law elective

Plus Arts elective 4

Plus Arts elective 5

Plus

Or

Arts elective 6

What's a unit?

A unit or 'subject' is the actual class you'll attend in the process of completing a course.

Most courses have a mixture of compulsory 'core' units that you need to take, and optional 'elective' units that you can choose to take based on your area of interest, expertise or experience.

Credits

Each unit is worth a set amount of study credits based on the amount of time you study. Generally, 1 credit is equal to 1 hour of study per week.

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Admission Information

  • TAFE: Articulation with VET justice studies courses.
  • Year 12: VCE with minimum study score of 20 in English units 3 and 4 (any).
  • International: Completion of a secondary school qualification equivalent to Australia's year 12 or VCE qualification. IELTS minimum 6.0 (no band less than 6).
  • Mature: Applicants with relevant work, education and/or community experience may be considered on the basis of equivalence.
  • Other: All prospective students must attend an interview. Students will be selected on the understanding that the course, although not providing entry to an Australian police force, will improve their preparedness to work in a range of criminal justice professions. The University does not determine entry requirements to Australian police organisations.
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How to apply for this course

We are currently accepting applications for this course.

You can apply direct to VU. Applications close on 25 January 2013.

When you're ready to apply:

  1. Read the Advice to applicants (contains details about how to apply for your course, extra requirements, what happens when you submit your application and other important information).
  2. Complete the Higher education direct entry application form.
  3. As part of the application you may need to complete extra requirements such as:
    • submit supplementary forms
    • attend an interview, audition, information session or workshop
    • submit a folio
    • sit a test

Details about extra requirements are available from the College of Arts.

You need to complete all extra requirements by the given dates, otherwise your application may not be considered.

Transferring between VU courses

Want to transfer into this course from another VU course? Complete the Victoria University internal course application form and check whether you need to complete any extra requirements, listed above.

You can also contact us directly:

  • Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development Student Centre
    Phone: +61 3 9919 4409
    Email:  aehdcourses@vu.edu.au
  • Course Coordinator:
    Assoc Professor David McCallum
    Phone: +61 3 9919 4174
    Email: david.mccallum@vu.edu.au 
  • Ring us on +61 3 9919 6100
  • Find answers and ask questions at GOTOVU

Get in touch

Contact us to discuss your course options:

Ring us on +61 3 9919 6100

Find answers and ask questions at GOTOVU

At Victoria University, we make every reasonable effort to make sure the information displayed online about our courses is accurate and complete. We continually look to provide innovative courses. Those courses are shaped by a number of things including your feedback and changes in Government funding arrangements. As a result there may be changes to the courses we deliver and fees charged. We will update the website regularly to reflect any changes.

Information about course fees, articulation and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations, and services available to students can be accessed on the University’s website or by contacting the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100.

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