Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Postgraduate | GRF-MCJ-MAS | 2024
Contemporary criminological theory in practice
Deepen your knowledge of the justice system and gain insight into key policy debates and contemporary research methods. Graduates find roles in criminal justice related fields such as crime prevention, community health and local government.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Applications close
- 30 June 2024
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- Approx. 1.5 years full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 11
- Price from
- $38,250
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice
About this degree
The Masters Degree (Coursework) qualifies individuals who apply an advanced body of knowledge in a range of contexts for professional practice or scholarship and as a pathway for further learning.
KNOWLEDGE
Graduates of the Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Coursework) will have:
- an advanced body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in criminology and criminal justice and related policy environments
- knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to criminology and criminal justice.
SKILLS
Graduates of the Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Coursework) will have:
- cognitive skills to demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and to reflect critically on criminological theory and professional practice
- cognitive and technical skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex crime-related problems, concepts and theories and to apply established criminological theories to different bodies of knowledge or operational practice in criminal justice agencies
- cognitive and technical skills to generate and evaluate complex contemporary crime and criminal justice ideas and concepts at an abstract level
- communication and technical research skills to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions to key stakeholder groups in the criminal justice system
- technical and communication skills to theorise, design, analyse and evaluate about evidence based policies that contribute to criminal justice system practice or scholarship.
APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
Graduates of the Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Coursework) will demonstrate the application of knowledge & skills:
- (with initiative) to new situations in professional criminal justice system practice and/or for further learning
- with high level personal autonomy and accountability
- to plan and execute a substantial research-based project and/or piece of scholarship.
Postgraduate studies in criminology and criminal justice provide a pathway to professional advancement for those working in these fields. The degrees are designed to provide an overview of criminological theory and research, the workings of the criminal justice system and allied organisations, insight into key policy debates and an understanding of research methods.
The degrees introduce social and psychological explanations of crime, as well as contemporary debates in criminological theory. Beyond the core elements of the degree in policing, community development, crime prevention, law and behaviour and social science research methods you will have the opportunity to study electives from criminal justice, research practice, policing, corrections and crime prevention.
Recommended study pattern
Students must complete 11 subjects (10 single subjects and one double subject) to complete this degree.
Award requirements
To be eligible for the award of Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice (MCCJ), a student must acquire 120 credit points as prescribed below:
- gain 70 credit points (6 core subjects including double subject CCJ747 Independent Project) and
- gain 50 credit points (5 elective subjects).
- from 2016 the maximum period for completing this program is 4 years
Students who have completed the Graduate Certificate in Criminology must complete the following subjects in the Masters program and one of the listed electives.
- CCJ744 Advanced Criminological Theories         Â
- CCJ736 Quantitative Skills for Criminologists     Â
- CCJ737 Qualitative Skills for Criminologists        Â
- CCJ722 Research and Evaluation Methods        Â
- CCJ740 Justice and Crime          Â
- CCJ747 Individual Project
Choose your subjects
Electives
Students are now required to complete 5 electives.Â
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
When you have completed your final session of study, OUA students should notify Griffith University of their intention to graduate with the award of Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Please contact Griffith (OUA) Services on oua.programsupport@griffith.edu.au
Transition arrangements are changes that occur when courses are updated or phased out. This happens regularly as part of continuous improvement. It may affect you if you are currently enrolled in this course, or if you plan to use credit from previous study towards it.
Changes in 2019
Core Subjects
CCJ746 has been retired, reducing the total number of core subjects to 6.Electives
Students are now required to complete 5 electives to meet the award requirements.Students who have completed CCJ746 do not need to complete any additional electives.
With a network of campuses spanning three cities in South East Queensland, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia. Already attracting students from over one hundred countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA.
Learn more about Griffith University.
Explore Griffith courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 18
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 20
Entry requirements
This is a restricted degree. Subject enrolment is only available to students admitted into this degree.
- Hold a three-year bachelor degree in a related discipline from a recognised tertiary institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0 (on a 7-point scale)
- OR hold a Graduate Certificate of Criminology and Criminal Justice with a minimum GPA of 4.0 (on a 7-point scale).
- A degree equivalent to the discipline of criminology and criminal justice would be one that focused on criminal justice issues, had research methods training and has theory subjects applicable to criminological studies.
English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to these programs are as follows:
- A minimum overall band score of 7.0 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 6.5
- OR a minimum score of 580 on TOEFL
- OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 92 (no score less than 22)
- OR no score less than 4 in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by GELI or ISLPR Language Services only)
- OR a minimum grade of C on the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
- OR a minimum score of 68 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic).
English test results must be no more than two years old.
RPL/Credit may be awarded according to Griffith University policies and applicants are encouraged to contact the degree coordinator for further information.
Career opportunities
Graduates from this degree typically pursue careers in criminal justice-related fields, including crime prevention, community development, security, policing, corrections, family services, law, justice administration and policy, customs, mental and community health, local government, military services and criminal justice research organisations.
Career outlook
- Customs Officers:
- $75K to $93K
- Detectives:
- $93K to $120K
- Intelligence and Policy Analysts:
- $93K to $120K
- Police:
- $93K to $120K
- Policy and Planning Managers:
- Over $120K
- Prison Officers:
- $93K to $120K
Degree FAQs
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
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