Course overview
Analyse and address real-world problems where criminology and business intersect by studying Deakin’s Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Business. Your knowledge of business fundamentals, the Australian criminal justice system and a deep understanding of the causes and impacts of crime will offer you a range of unique career opportunities.
Deakin’s criminology course is the most established in Australia. Our curriculum has been developed in conjunction with professional bodies including Victoria Police, the Department of Justice and Community Safety Victoria and the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers. With complementary business expertise, you will graduate with sought after skills tailored to your career goals.
Do you want to understand the legal and ethical implications of business practices?
Through your criminology degree you will study a range of individual and organised criminal activities, from homicide and domestic assault, to environmental crime and illicit digital surveillance. You will learn how to develop effective responses to crimes committed in Australia by low-level offenders through to sophisticated international crime syndicates. Discover how crime and justice are defined and by whom, how our courts and correctional processes operate, and the desirable outcomes of criminal justice processes.
Your business degree gives you the skills and experience needed to succeed in the business world. You’ll solve practical business challenges, explore innovative and emerging business trends, and prepare for the nuances of international business relationships.
By combining criminology core units with a choice of electives and business majors, this course allows you the flexibility and opportunity to personalise your degree to your interests. You'll develop strong analytical skills to interpret trends relating to crime and business, learning how to examine policies that will impact institutions.
The business majors have been determined by looking at emerging growth areas in industry. Areas on offer include business and digital communication, people management to retail and supply chain management and more.
Through Deakin Business School’s work-integrated learning opportunities you will work on real-world projects that count as credit towards your degree. Our curriculum is supported by a range of experiential learning opportunities including:
- mentoring
- volunteering
- consulting
- internships
Criminology is an unusual discipline in that career internships are not practical given the dangerous work environments or security clearances associated with many criminal justice professions (e.g., police officers, intelligence analysts). You will however, get hands-on experience through our work-integrated learning units, which allow you to bridge theory with practice and gain insight into how the study of criminology applies across different industries and sectors.
International experiences across Asia, Europe or North America help improve your global employability, developing skills in teamwork and intercultural communication. You can apply for:
- overseas internships
- study tours
- exchange programs
You will develop an entrepreneurial mindset and career enhancing critical thinking skills, integral for decision making for organisations from government to private business.
Read MoreCurrent Deakin Students
To access your official course details for the year you started your degree, please visit the handbook
Course information
- Award granted
Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Business
- Year
2025 course information
- VTAC code
- 1400312141 - Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS)
1400512141 - Burwood (Melbourne), Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS)
1400612141 - Online, Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS) - Deakin code
- D332
- CRICOS code?
- 113877G Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7
Course structure
Students will undertake 16 credit points from A329 Bachelor of Criminology and 16 credit points from M325 Bachelor of Business. Course requirements for both A329 Bachelor of Criminology and M325 Bachelor of Business must be satisfied as below:
Compulsory 0-credit point unit, to be completed in the first trimester of study:
DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin
The 16 credit points of Criminology units include:
- At least 12-credit points of Criminology units, including the compulsory core units of ACR101, ACR102, ACR201, ACR202, ACR301 and ACR302;
- At least 4 credit points at level 3 including ACR301 and ACR302;
- 4 elective units available from criminology electives or from within the Bachelor of Arts major sequences. Please refer to A310 Bachelor of Arts for a list of Faculty of Arts and Education units.
The 16 credit points of Business units include:
- 8 credit points of Bachelor of Business core (foundation) units: MAA104, MAE120, MIS203, MMK101, MMM132, MMM267, plus 2 Personal Skills units - MMM111 and MMM311
- A prescribed Bachelor of Business 8 credit point major
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Bachelor of Criminology
Core Units
Plus at least six credit points from the list below:
Electives
Select from a range of elective units offered across many courses. In some cases, you may even be able to choose elective units from a completely different discipline area (subject to meeting unit requirements).
It is important to note that some elective units may include compulsory placement, study tours, work-based training or collaborative research training arrangements.
Bachelor of Business
Core Units
Six credit points of Foundation units:
Plus two credit points of Personal Skills units:
Major sequences
Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.
All students in the Bachelor of Business are required to complete one major sequence chosen from the following:
- Business and Digital Communications
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Event Management
- Organisational Psychology
- People Management
- Project Management
- Recruitment and Talent Acquisition
- Retail and Supply Chain Management
- Sustainability and Development
Intakes by location
The availability of a course varies across locations and intakes. This means that a course offered in Trimester 1 may not be offered in the same location for Trimester 2 or 3. Check each intake for up-to-date information on when and where you can commence your studies.
Trimester 1 - March
- Start date: March
- Available at:
- Burwood (Melbourne)
- Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
- Online
Trimester 2 - July
- Start date: July
- Available at:
- Burwood (Melbourne)
- Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
- Online
Trimester 3 - November
- Start date: November
- Available at:
- Burwood (Melbourne)
- Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
- Online
Students and Applicants to Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus
Travel between campuses will be required to complete this combined degree. The Bachelor of Criminology degree will be taught at the Waurn Ponds campus and the Bachelor of Business degree will be taught at Waterfront campus.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Mandatory student checks
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.
Workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Participation requirements
Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.
Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Work experience
Both elements of the Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Business course have units that address aspects of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and the dynamic nature of work relevant to the course.
Criminology is an unusual discipline in that career internships are not practical given the dangerous work environments or security clearances associated with many criminal justice professions (e.g., police officers, intelligence analysts). Further, there are no accreditation requirements for graduates to work in these professions. Consequently, WIL units are structured to inform students with practical insights and advice regarding securing work within the many agencies comprising the criminal justice system and related professions. In addition, for the business component of this degree, MMM111 and MMM311 provide similar opportunities to provide practical guidance for preparation for work. Furthermore, each of the business majors includes a required WIL unit, including the choice of undertaking the internship unit: MWL318 Internship.
Consequently, these diverse units provide practical insights and experiences drawn from industry that contribute to employability by identifying opportunities related to the contemporary nature of work within these fields and offering internship possibilities.
Entry requirements
Selection is based on a holistic consideration of your academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation requirements, regulatory requirements, and individual circumstances. You will need to meet the minimum academic and English language proficiency requirements to be considered for selection, but this does not guarantee admission.
A combination of qualifications and experience may be deemed equivalent to minimum academic requirements.
If you don't meet the academic entry requirements as outlined in the tabs below, or haven't completed Year 12, or don't hold any relevant qualifications, the STAT (Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test) Multiple Choice (MC) may be an option for you to meet course entry requirements.
Academic requirements
Current or recent secondary education
If you’re currently studying Year 12, or completed Year 12 in the last two years, you will need to meet all the following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:
Year 12 prerequisite subjects
- Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English EAL (English as an Additional Language) or at least 20 in English other than EAL
ATAR
- Senior Secondary Certificate of Education with an unadjusted ATAR of at least 50 or equivalent.
Higher education
If you have undertaken higher education studies after secondary schooling, you will need to meet the following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:
- successful completion of at least two bachelor level or above units (AQF Level 7 or equivalent)
Vocational education
If you have undertaken any Vocational Education and Training (VET) study after secondary school, you will need to meet at least one of following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:
- completion of a certificate IV or higher in a related discipline
- completion of a diploma or higher in any discipline
- at least 50% completion of a diploma or higher in a related discipline
Work and life experience
If you finished Year 12 more than three years ago, or did not finish Year 12, and haven’t undertaken any further study, you may be considered for admission to this degree based on your work, volunteer and/or life experience.
Submit a personal statement outlining your motivation to study, previous education and employment history, and how this course can assist your career aspirations or progression. Think of it as a job application cover letter – it should be relevant and demonstrate your commitment and interest in this course or study area.
English language proficiency requirements
To meet the English language proficiency requirements of this course, you will need to demonstrate at least one of the following:
- Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) English Units 3 and 4: Study score of 25 in English as an Additional Language (EAL) or 20 in any other English
- IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with no band score less than 6.0) or equivalent
- other evidence of English Language Proficiency (learn more about other ways to satisfy the requirements)
Selection adjustments
Subject adjustment
A study score of 30 in Maths: Mathematical Methods or Maths: Specialist Mathematics equals 3 aggregate points per study. A study score of 30 in any Business, English other than EAL, any Information Technology or Maths: Further Mathematics, any History, Legal Studies, Philosophy, Australian Politics, Global Politics, Psychology or Sociology equals 2 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 12 points.
Access and equity
Special entry access schemes (SEAS) enable Deakin to consider disadvantaged circumstances you may have experienced and the impact upon your studies. SEAS also allows us to identify if you’re from under-represented groups when making selection decisions for some courses. SEAS does not exempt you from meeting any of the course entry requirements. Learn more about Deakin’s special entry access schemes.
Admissions information
Learn more about Deakin courses and how we compare to other universities when it comes to the quality of our teaching and learning. We're also committed to admissions transparency. Read about our first intake of 2024 students (PDF, 793KB) – their average ATARs, whether they had any previous higher education experience and more.
Not sure if you can get into Deakin? Discover the different entry pathways we offer and study options available to you, no matter your ATAR or education history.
Fees and scholarships
Fee information
Learn more about fees.
The tuition fees you pay will depend on the units you choose, as each unit has its own cost. The 'Estimated tuition fee' is provided as a guide only and represents the typical first-year tuition fees for students enrolled in this course. The cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the time it takes to complete your course and any approved Recognition of prior learning you have.
Each unit you enrol in has a credit point value. The 'Estimated tuition fee' is calculated by adding together 8 credit points of a typical combination of units for this course. Eight credit points is used as it represents a typical full-time enrolment load for a year. You can find the credit point value of each unit under the Unit Description by searching for the unit in the handbook.
Learn more about fees and available payment options on our Current students fees website.
Scholarship options
A Deakin scholarship could help you pay for your course fees, living costs and study materials. If you've got something special to offer Deakin - or maybe you just need a bit of extra support - we've got a scholarship opportunity for you. Search or browse through our scholarships
Apply now
Applications for Trimester 1, 2025 are open. We've helped over 300,000 Deakin graduates across Australia and throughout the world apply with confidence. In Year 12? Follow these how to apply steps. Completed secondary education in or prior to 2021? Follow these how to apply steps.
To apply, create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal details and education experience, upload supporting documents and submit. Need help? Play this video, or contact one of our friendly future student advisers on 1800 693 888 or submit an online enquiry.
Pathways
Alternative exits
- Bachelor of Business (M325)
- Bachelor of Criminology (A329)
- Diploma of Arabic (A221)
- Diploma of Arts (A215)
- Diploma of Business Studies (M201)
- Diploma of Chinese (A222)
- Diploma of Indonesian (A223)
- Diploma of Spanish (A224)
Articulated courses
Contact information
Our friendly advisers are available to speak to you one-on-one about your study options, support services and how we can help you further your career.
- Call us: 1800 693 888 Monday – Friday, 9am–5pm
- Live Chat: Monday - Friday
- Submit an online enquiry
- Help hub find common and trending questions and answers
Careers
Career outcomes
Graduates from this course can look forward to a diverse and challenging career, in roles such as:
- business analyst
- business development manager
- crime researcher and analyst
- crime prevention adviser
- corporate regulator
- crime trends analyst
- criminologist
- digital communications manager
- federal and state police officer (requires further training)
- project manager
For more information go to DeakinTALENT.
Professional recognition
Deakin Business School holds both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing course improvement and innovation, ensuring our graduates are employable worldwide.
Course learning outcomes
Deakin's graduate learning outcomes describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates can demonstrate at the completion of their course. These outcomes mean that regardless of the Deakin course you undertake, you can rest assured your degree will teach you the skills and professional attributes that employers value. They'll set you up to learn and work effectively in the future.
Please refer to the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) of each of the single degrees.
Footnotes
++Some courses have limited places, apply early to avoid missing out