Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Criminology and Justice

This double degree pairs psychology with criminology and justice, giving you two ways of looking at why people break rules and what happens next. You'll study core psychology units, learning, memory, personality, development, social psychology, research methods and statistics, alongside criminology subjects covering policing, courts, corrections, youth justice and the causes of crime. The result is a degree that lets you work with offenders, victims, at-risk young people and the systems that deal with them.

How the degree is structured

It runs four years full time, usually over eight semesters with a winter or summer break between. You take units of study worth credit points each, building toward the total required for both awards. Expect lectures, tutorials, lab classes for psychology research methods, and a research project or capstone in your final year where you design and run your own study under supervision. Criminology units often include case studies, policy analysis and field-based assessment. Some students add an honours year after the double degree if they want to pursue research or registration as a psychologist.

What you actually learn

You'll learn to read a research paper critically, run statistical tests in software like SPSS or R, interview people in a way that gets honest answers, and write reports that stand up in court or in a policy briefing. On the criminology side you'll get across the criminal justice system from the police station to the prison gate, and the debates about what works, restorative justice, diversion programs, early intervention. The combination means you can assess a young offender's mental health, understand the legal process they're in, and suggest something useful to a magistrate.

Who it suits

This degree fits people who want to work with people in trouble, not just study them. You might be heading for psychology practice, corrections, police, youth work, policy or research. It's also a strong base if you're thinking about further study in clinical psychology, forensic psychology or criminology. The University of the Sunshine Coast runs this from its Sippy Downs campus, with strong links to Queensland health, justice and community organisations. International students should check the current English requirement, IELTS 6.0–6.5 overall is the common undergraduate standard, though some pathways ask more. Confirm tuition, intake dates and exact unit lists on the official CRICOS entry and the university's page before you apply.

• Youth justice worker or case manager in state departments and community organisations
• Police officer or police analyst (state and federal police)
• Corrective services officer or parole officer
• Policy officer in justice, health or social services
• Research assistant in criminology, psychology or social policy
• Case worker in family violence, homelessness or drug and alcohol services
• Victim support or court liaison officer
• Further study pathway to provisional psychologist registration or honours in psychology

Australian employers in these fields include state and territory justice departments, the Australian Federal Police, corrective services, Legal Aid, youth justice centres, community legal centres, and NGOs like Mission Australia, Anglicare and headspace. Professional registration as a psychologist requires an accredited sequence of study plus supervised practice; check the Psychology Board of Australia for the full pathway. International graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, and student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying.