Bachelor of Human Services/Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Dual Degree)

at Griffith University - Mount Gravatt Campus Australia

When you choose law and criminology at Griffith, you'll be studying among the world’s best. Griffith ranked as the highest Australian university for law in the Academic Rankings of World Universities 2019, which includes both Griffith Law School and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.  

This double degree is built on practical experience and taught by award-winning teachers and researchers, who will help you work towards your ideal job. You'll be immersed in authentic experiences and graduate with the networks and support to launch your career in law or criminology.

This new double degree will combine the study of what makes criminals tick with an understanding of the justice system and policy making processes. With a better understanding of how policy is created and applied, plus an understanding of crime and criminal behavior, you will be equipped to influence the policy underpinning the justice system to ultimately deter crime rather than simply responding to criminal behavior.

This degree will give you a better understanding of the causes and consequences of complex crime and criminal justice issues and just how it is currently dealt with by government at local, national and global levels.

The Graduate Diploma of Criminological Research Studies is an 80 credit point program designed to provide graduates in the criminology and criminal justice discipline with the opportunity to undertake advanced study in research methodology and to undertake supervised research work in the discipline area appropriate to their research trajectory.

The program provides the necessary preparation for entry into a higher degree research program (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or equivalent program) for applicants who do not possess the required qualifications for direct admission into these programs. The program will also be available to students who wish to undertake advanced studies in the identified disciplinary fields but who may not wish to progress to MPhil or PhD study.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to apply for admission to MPhil or PhD candidature subject to fulfilment of the requirements for candidature as specified in the Higher Degree Research Policy and successful completion of the confirmation procedure. The grade achieved will determine eligibility for admission to either a PhD or MPhil candidature.

The Program Director will be responsible for the overall supervision of students in the program and for monitoring their progress throughout the program.

Students may choose to exit the Graduate Diploma program (after successfully completing the specified courses) with the Graduate Certificate in Criminological Research Studies

In this specialised double degree, students will learn about the causes of crime and society's response to it, whilst developing a core of IT technical knowledge related to Information Systems and Network Security.

Graduates of the program will have a broad and coherent body of knowledge in the fields of criminology and criminal justice, including an in-depth understanding of various theoretical frameworks underpinning the study of criminal behaviour, victimisation and criminal justice responses to crime, and crime prevention.

Additionally, students will have a broad and coherent body of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) knowledge, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in ICT problem solving (i.e., how to use modelling methods and processes to understand problems, handle abstraction and design solutions), ICT professional knowledge (i.e., ethics, professionalism, teamwork concepts and issues, interpersonal communication, societal issues/legal issues/privacy, history and status of discipline), technology building (i.e., programming and human-computer interaction), and/or technology resources (i.e., hardware and software fundamentals, data and information management, and networking).

This degree integrates supervised placement experiences and coursework focused on psychological practice. You will learn how to practice professionally and ethically and to communicate and collaborate effectively as you gain skills in evaluating client needs, designing and implementing evidence-based interventions and evaluating outcomes.

This program has been designed to meet the requirements for the fifth year of a 5+1 pathway to general registration as a Psychologist. Enrolment in this program may allow you to register as a provisional Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia as part of the requirements of a 5+1 pathway and prepares you for eligibility to complete a +1 internship as a provisional Psychologist.

Combining law with psychological science will give you a unique skill set that will prepare you for work either in the community sector or in commerce and industry. You will also develop analytical, research and communication skills.

Law Component
Griffith Law School offers a professional legal curriculum that focuses on core areas of legal practice and the legal skills that lawyers must have. You will have the opportunity to choose law electives based on your interests, including clinical courses that emphasise practical legal skills, insights and experience.

You will make connections between law and ethics, legal theory, Indigenous issues, and internationalisation. You will also develop interdisciplinary understandings of law and legal work.

You will take courses that cover areas such as Crime, Contracts, Property, Corporate Law, Torts and Theories of Law.

If you complete the five Canadian Law courses, you will eligible for entry into the legal profession in Canada's common law provinces, when accompanied by a Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

Psychological Science Component
You will learn how to apply psychological theories to topics such as thinking and perceiving, motivation, stress, health, criminal activity, and group behaviour. You will also learn how to evaluate and understand tests that measure intellectual, behavioural and emotional states. You will develop interpersonal and communication skills and learn about the principles of counselling and core areas of psychology. You will learn how to help people with personal, health, vocational and social difficulties.

This degree delivers advanced professional learning for teachers and those with a professional involvement in education including school bursars, school development officers and training personnel. It will help you develop greater expertise in educational practice or research and can contribute to current teachers' professional development requirements.

Depending on your career aspirations and interests, you can complete majors in the following areas:

• Autism Studies
• Early Childhood Studies (not accredited with ACECQA)
• Educational Leadership
• Educational Technology
• Learning and Professional Development
• Special Needs Education
• Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• Wellbeing in Education

Graduates will gain skills in providing professional counselling to assist others in resolving personal or professional problems. Working in the counselling profession involves guiding and empowering people to develop self-understanding and to make changes in their lives in order to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. They assist people by offering them a structured and focused way of addressing their problems, and work with clients on developing strategies to overcome obstacles and personal challenges that they are facing.

Understanding human behaviour and what makes people tick is a crucial skill in the world of criminology and justice. With this double degree, you'll be prepared for a range of crime-related career opportunities with a focus on the psychological side of criminology. You'll also learn about the trends in crime control, along with new tactics and techniques for solving crime.

Industry and expert connections:-
At Griffith, criminology has always had a strong industry connection and a high level of cooperation from police agencies and other crime-related bodies. This double degree continues the tradition with a multitude of opportunities to meet with and hear from industry experts. In your final year, you'll have the option to complete a professional practice placement one day a week in a justice-related workplace.

Graduate Outcomes:-
Combining criminology with psychological science will give you the skills and understanding needed to deal with the human behaviour of crime. You'll find work in probation and parole, community corrections, family services, counselling, child protection, program and policy development, research and administration. There are also opportunities for crime trend analysis and the role of psychology in crime prevention.

The Bachelor of Psychological Science will give you a thorough grounding in clinical, developmental, biological, cognitive, social and organisational psychology.

You will learn how to:

• Apply psychological theories to topics such as thinking and perceiving, motivation, stress, health, criminal activity, and group behaviour;
• Evaluate and understand tests that measure intellectual, behavioural and emotional states;
• Use interpersonal skills and the principles of counselling to help people with personal, health, vocational and social difficulties.

As an International student, you will receive dedicated support from your arrival in Australia through to your departure after graduation. You will be introduced to Griffith through an orientation program, and receive ongoing social, personal and academic support throughout your degree.