Police, Society and Democracy
UndergraduateLTU-LST2POL2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 20 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Price from
- $2,124
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Police, Society and Democracy
About this subject
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Develop familiarity with the key theoretical underpinnings of police and policing, plus a survey of the current institutional framework in Victoria
- Discuss the contemporary challenges of policing in Australia and beyond
- Understand and analyse the importance of police culture in police-society relations
- Critique police reform efforts in Victoria, Australia and internationally
- Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the police, with an emphasis on Victoria and other law enforcement agencies in Australia
- History of Policing
- Police & Colonialism
- The Police in a Liberal-Democratic Context
- Police Culture
- Police Tactics
- Police Legitimacy
- Police Reform
This subject discusses the history, institutional configuration, role and performance of police in Australia's democratic political context, and offers points of comparisons to other countries (democratic or else) around the world. To these ends, we explore a variety of questions concerning the police and its role in our criminal justice system; the relevance of policing for a democratic society; police culture; the links between police and community; contemporary challenges of policing (including transnational policing),among other relevant aspects of police and policing. After completing this course, students should be able to understand fundamental facts about police and policing, and critically evaluate the police's role in Australia and beyond.
This is a level 2 subject. Please consider the subject pre-requisites before enrolling. This subject includes live sessions with the expectation of student attendance and participation.
- 1,600 word Midterm Assignment (35%)
- 1,600 word case-study project about current policing challenges (35%)
- Online quizzes/activities (1300 word equivalent) (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
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- QS Ranking 2024:
- 17
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 18
Entry requirements
Others
Prerequisites: Students must have completed 30 credit points of level 1 subjects
Past La Trobe University students who have previously completed LST3POL (Police, Law & Order) are ineligible to enrol in this subject.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Health Sciences
UndergraduateLAT-AHS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-HSC-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-BUS-DEG
Bachelor of Information Technology
UndergraduateLAT-TEC-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateLAT-PYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CYS-DEG
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