Undergraduate
Criminology
Contact us
Address
Student Central
The University of Western Australia (M355), 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009
Telephone
131 UWA (131 892)
International
(+61 8) 6488 1000
Hours
Frequently asked questions
Events you may be interested in
Show more eventsCareers and further study
This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career options.
Career Pathways
The transferable skills of critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity will hold you in good stead in any number of career paths. Criminology graduates can pursue a wide range of employment opportunities, from operational roles in the criminal justice system, to policy-making, research, analysis or education. They may enter into the professions of: criminologist, data scientist, police officer, public policy officer, government, law firms, not-for-profits, police force, army and corporate.
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Career Opportunities
Further Study
A major in Criminology can lead to further study at honours and/or postgraduate level. You could choose to apply for courses such as the Juris Doctor, Graduate Diploma in Law, Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology or Master of Social Work.
4 reasons to do Honours
- Boosts analytical, critical, problem solving skills and project management.
- Regarded highly by future employers in wide range of sectors: business, law, government, semi-government.
- Leads to higher earnings and better career advances.
- Increases admission chances of highly-sought graduate degrees domestically and internationally, including the Juris Doctor and the Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Graduate outcomes
- Attention to detail
- Creative thinking
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Clinical Psychology
Fees and scholarships
Undergraduate – Full Fee Paying (FFP) & Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)
The Annual Fee is an estimate only based on a standard annual study load of 48 points. (Courses may teach up to 72 points in a year)
FFP
For Full Fee Paying places, students are charged an annual course fee. Visit the Fee Calculator select 'Postgraduate Coursework Fee-Paying' and chose your course to see the annual and total course fees.
CSP
For Commonwealth Supported Places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit. For an accurate fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator select 'Postgraduate Coursework Commonwealth-Supported' and chose ‘I want to price my units’.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.
Cost of living
Undergraduate – onshore students
Annual course fees are calculated based on a standard annual study load of 48 credit points.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.
Cost of living
Admission requirements
The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you’re interested in studying this major, find out the admission details below.
Minimum entry requirements
- 8
- 525
- 12
- 3.3
- 27
- 8
- 66
- 60
- 270
- 75
- 75
- 320
Admission requirements
English competency
English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.
This course has higher ELC requirements. Applicants presenting with the IELTS Academic require an overall score of at least 6.5 and no band less than 6.0. For more information visit ELC requirements.
How to apply

Ready for the next step?
Find out how to apply through our simple online application process.
We'll guide you through our entry requirements, admission pathways available to you and application deadlines for your chosen course.
We can’t wait for you to join us!
Course details
About the course
Quick details
- Available
- Perth (Crawley campus)
- Albany (Regional campus)
- Full-time
- Part-time
- On-campus
- Semester 1, Semester 2
- Undergraduate
- MJD-CRIMN
- 3 years (BA);4 years (BPhil [Hons])
Crime and Society
“When I took the unit 'Crime and Society' with Dr Joe Clare, it was really interesting: my preconceptions that I had around what crime is, who the criminal is and how crime interacts with society, versus the facts - what it is in reality - and learning that I found really thrilling.”
--Tamara, current student
4 reasons to do Honours
- Boosts analytical, critical, problem solving skills and project management.
- Regarded highly by future employers in wide range of sectors: business, law, government, semi-government.
- Leads to higher earnings and better career advances.
- Increases admission chances of highly-sought graduate degrees domestically and internationally, including the Juris Doctor and the Master of Business Administration (MBA).
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Course Structure
Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.
Popular combinations
The UWA Law School is certified by the Australian Law School Standards.
4 reasons to study Criminology
1. It's interdisciplinary and varied: in the Criminology major you'll take units from a wide range of areas, including Law, Psychology, Finance, Anthropology and Sociology, Geography and History.
2. It's fascinating: learning about crime and criminal law is interesting. From understanding the criminal justice system to tracking the history of crime and punishment in Britain, you'll be constantly surprised and intrigued along the way.
3. It's practical: whether you're majoring in Criminology itself, or taking it as a second major, it works well in combination with Psychology, Law and Society and History in particular.
4. It's well regarded by employers: you'll develop the capacity to think critically, integrate theory and research to practice, and communicate effectively in written and oral forms, all of which are excellent skills to have upon graduation.
What you'll learn
- An understanding of the breadth of issues in contemporary criminology and the criminal justice system.
- How to critique crime and criminal law.
- Transferable creative thinking, teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Your degree options
This major is offered as a degree-specific, or first, major for these degrees. It is also offered as a second major in our other bachelor's degrees.
A day in the life of a criminology student - Ava
"When I tell people I majored in Criminology, the first thing they often say is, 'Like SVU?' Contrary to popular belief, the Criminology major doesn’t entail dusting a crime scene for fingerprints, nor sitting down to chat with the likes of Hannibal Lector. However, I will say that the degree has been extremely eye-opening and compelling in its own right."
Follow Ava through a day in her life as a criminology student.
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Associate Professor Joe Clare
"I’m committed to evidence-based decision-making for emergency first responders and focused on using administrative data to make prevention-focused policy and practice decisions."
Dr Joe Clare coordinates the Criminology major. A criminologist, award-winning lecturer and researcher at the UWA Law School, his research interests include body-worn cameras by WA police, crime prevention, and academic misconduct.
Take a second major
Employers seek graduates with a breadth of knowledge from multiple complementary areas. Have you considered taking a second major to increase your skills and experience?
Criminology pairs well with these other majors:
- Anthropology and Sociology: study culture, social behaviours and systems of meaning in human societies
- Law and Society: pair a knowledge of crime with a holistic understanding of legal systems.
Western Australia's premier Law School
The UWA Law School is ranked in the top 100 law schools in the world (QS 2021, THE WUR 2021). You will join and contribute to 90 years of excellence: we were the first law school established in WA and the fifth oldest in Australia.
Our graduates include a Prime Minister, a Governor of Western Australia, State Ministers, Justices of the Supreme Court of WA, a Young Australian of the Year, Rhodes Scholars, and more.
While we have a long and proud history, we're also a closely-knit, creative and progressive Law School, fostering critical thought, ethical scholarship and practice, a deep connection to our Indigenous past and present, and supportive student culture based upon wellbeing and inclusion.