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Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Laws
Course information for - 2025 entry
Offered at 4 locations
- Duration
- 5 years full-time or equivalent part-time
- CRICOS Code
- 108636M
- Fees (first year)*
- $32000
- Start dates
- February 2026, July 2026, February 2027, July 2027
Overview
Super-charge your criminology and criminal justice degree with law and you will be ready to launch a meaningful legal career in the justice sector.
This double degree is the perfect combination if you want to be a criminal lawyer specialising in criminal defence and/or prosecution or work in regulatory or policy work in criminal justice areas covering issues such as interpersonal violence, policing, forensic psychology, corrections, and cybercrime.
Wider employment opportunities include working in the areas of anti-corruption, child protection, crime prevention, drugs counselling, forensic science, forensic psychology, human rights, military law enforcement, intelligence and counter-intelligence, regulatory enforcement, youth and juvenile justice, or victim support and advocacy.
Professional experience
You will undertake a 40-hour community engagement associated with the criminal justice sector. You’ll receive intensive training in workplace approaches, practices and more before starting your placement, followed by a debriefing with a clinical education specialist.
You will complete 80 hours pro bono experience (after your first year) as part of your law degree.
Work placement
Pro bono placements are undertaken from the second year of the Bachelor of Law studies. You’ll engage in practical, law related activities, especially on behalf of those who are the most marginalised and disadvantaged in our community. These placements will provide valuable experience in the practical operation of the law. Through community engagement you’ll have the opportunity to reflect upon the capacity of the law to respond to social justice issues involving those who are marginalised and disadvantaged as well as in law reform. You’ll benefit from, develop and reflect upon the values of collaboration, equality, mutual respect and commitment to justice in an ethically-based profession.
Community engagement
The Bachelor of Laws pro bono program provides practical, work-place based experience in a community context.
Accreditation
This double degree is accredited for admission to legal practice in NSW, Qld and Vic, and recognised in other Australian states and territories.
Careers
Career opportunities include:
- advocacy
- criminal law
- defence and/or prosecutions
- general policing
- investigations
- management and/or supervision
- mediation
- strategic planning & policy development
- research
Course details
Course structure
To complete the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Laws, a student must complete 400 credit points (cp).
Course map
Graduate statement
AQF framework
Entry requirements
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy that includes meeting minimum ATAR requirement.
International applicants must meet the English Language Requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites at year 12 level, or equivalent:
| State | Prerequisites |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | English (Standard) (Band 3) or English as an Additional Language (EAL) (Band 4) |
| Queensland | English (4, SA) at year 12 level |
| Victoria | Units 3 and 4 – a study score of at least 30 in English as an Additional Language (EAL) or 25 in any other English. |
Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2025 Admission.
Adjustment factors
If you’re currently completing Year 12 you may be eligible for adjustment factors that can boost your rank and help you get into your desired course.
Adjustment factors may be applied to your TAC application if you study particular subjects, attend schools geographically close to our campuses or in certain regional areas, apply as an elite athlete or performer or meet certain other criteria.
Inherent requirement
There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.
Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you
Pathways
Further study
A student who has completed at least 120 cp of LAWS units of the degree with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.75 may be eligible for Admission to the Bachelor (Honours degree).
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
A student who achieves an Honours at a minimum level of Second Class Division A (Distinction average) may be eligible for Admission to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Meeting the eligibility requirements for admission is not in itself a guarantee of admission. The candidate’s potential to undertake research, the quality and feasibility of the research proposal, the availability of appropriate supervision and the referee’s reports will all be taken into consideration.
A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must comply with the Higher Degree Research Regulations.
Fees
Course costs
- Unit fee: $4000
- Average first year fee: $32000
- Estimate total cost: $160000
The Tuition fees quoted above are for commencing students in the current year who undertake a normal full-time load. The Unit Fee is based on a 10cp unit. Fees are reviewed annually.
Tuition fees for continuing students may increase by up to 3 percent each year for the minimum duration of the course as provided on your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE). Students who continue to study beyond the minimum duration will have the relevant annual commencing rate applied to their fees for subsequent study periods.
Payment options
You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support.
Scholarships
You could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities. Some of our scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, but these aren’t just for the academically gifted; ACU also recognises excellence in community engagement and leadership. We also offer a range of scholarships for those who may be struggling financially or who have faced other barriers to accessing education.
How to apply
International applicants
Staff Profile
Dr M Ehteshamul Bari
Senior Lecturer, Thomas More Law School
Dr M Ehteshamul Bari is a Senior Lecturer in Law & the Higher Degree Research Coordinator in the Thomas More Law School at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). He served as the Acting Deputy Dean of the Thomas More Law School at ACU from November 2020 to January 2021. Prior to joining ACU, Dr Bari held full time academic positions at Macquarie University, at Deakin University where he was also the Director of Deakin JD Program, and at the University of New England. He did his PhD in Law from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia in 2015 on an International Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship.
Dr Bari's primary research expertise lies in the areas of constitutional law, human rights law, Asian law and public international law and he has published extensively in these areas in highly regarded scholarly outlets.
Dr Shannon Dodd
Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Thomas More Law School
Shannon Dodd is a Lecturer in Criminology in the Thomas More Law School, at Australian Catholic University. Her research background includes examining issues in Australia’s correctional system, including the use of body-worn cameras by custodial officers, people with disability in prisons, public support for the release of offenders on parole, and the increasingly punitive trajectory being taken in Australia with respect to offenders on bail and parole. Her research has also focused on the affective dimensions of public views, exploring how different emotions and mechanisms of emotion management may impact public views of criminal justice issues.
Shannon’s recent research has focused on the impact of enhanced compassion in judicial sentencing remarks on public punitiveness and criminal justice spending preferences, and the imprisonment of people with disability. In 2022, Shannon was also awarded funding from the Queensland Government to design and deliver an intervention aimed at young people in Townsville who steal cars to joyride.
Shannon’s research has been published both in Australia and internationally, in journals including Criminology and Criminal Justice, British Journal of Criminology, and International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology.
Before her academic career, Shannon was a solicitor in private practice.