Overview

This unit provides students with an overview of the discipline of criminology through a presentation of both the major theoretical models as well as the application of these models to a variety of criminal justice settings. Students will learn the breadth of the field of criminology as well as the importance of theoretical models when developing research and programming within the criminal justice system.

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-February-2024
26-May-2024
Last self-enrolment date
10-March-2024
Census date
31-March-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024
Winter
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
17-June-2024
28-July-2024
Last self-enrolment date
17-June-2024
Census date
28-June-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-July-2024
Results released date
13-August-2024

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Discriminate between various sociological and psychological theories of crime and criminal behaviour
  • Determine how criminological theories inform and influence policy responses to crime
  • Analyse and critique major criminological theories with regard to particular types of criminal offence
  • Employ foundational learning and academic skills, including research competencies and critical thinking
  • Consider Indigenous knowledges and standpoints in relation to crime and its explanations

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Lecture
2.00 8 weeks 16
On-campus
Lecture
2.00 4 weeks 8
On-campus
Class
1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Activities
Various
7.50 12 weeks 90
Specified Activities
Various
2.00 12 weeks 24
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Class
3.00 12 weeks 36
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
9.50 12 weeks 114
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Essay Plan and BibliographyIndividual 40% 1,2,3,4,5 
QuizzesIndividual 20% 1,2 
Research EssayIndividual 40% 1,2,3,4,5 

Content

  • What is crime? What is criminology?
  • Australian criminal justice system & Measuring and reporting crime
  • Classic theories of crime (classicism; biological positivism; the Chicago School)
  • Crime and Society: Anomie and Strain
  • Social and self control
  • Victimology
  • Work Integrated Learning Case Study
  • Young people and Crime
  • Feminist Criminology
  • Crimes of the powerful & White Collar Crime
  • Green Criminology
  • Critical Criminology  

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.