Criminal Justice

Overview

The Criminal Justice program from Charles Sturt University equips you with the knowledge and skills to be a leader in your community and chosen criminal justice profession. Throughout this degree, you'll learn theory and gain practical knowledge about prisons, people and crime, from historical and contemporary perspectives. You'll understand how different communities approach the same issue from vastly different viewpoints and learn how to work within conflict. This bachelor's degree ensures you have the skills to be a changemaker and work with diverse communities – police/law enforcement, corrections, juvenile justice, victims of crime and their families, people in prison, probation and parole.  

You'll graduate with a diverse set of skills as you study a range of subjects including, public safety and security, criminology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, communication, policing/law enforcement and Indigenous studies. You can choose elective subjects that suit your career plans or current workplace.

This course has been designed with extensive consultation with the justice sector and academics, to ensure it is vocationally relevant, practical and up-to-date with the latest criminal justice issues. You'll gain a strong theoretical background and highly developed critical and analytical skills in diverse disciplines to take into the workplace.

A work placement forms part of your final year of study and results in many of our students transitioning to graduate employment in organisations that offer rewarding and satisfying job opportunities that relate directly to their studies.

Our degree incorporates Indigenous cultural competence, so that you learn about Indigenous histories, cultures and contemporary social realities from Indigenous scholars, Elders and community organisations.

Career opportunities

Charles Sturt's Bachelor of Criminal Justice prepares you to work in diverse criminal, social justice and law enforcement fields.

• Put your skills to work in policing or criminal and social justice research and policy. Explore opportunities in probation and parole or juvenile justice.
• Embark on a rewarding career in policing in either state or federal jurisdictions
• Take up a role in work associated with refugees, offenders, victims or families; community and welfare organisations; and other criminal justice and social justice entities.