Best Criminology Degrees Online in Australia

You can study criminology online with Australian universities. Criminology can be taken as a major within social science programs. Universities also offer specialist degree courses.

Criminology is a large study field which is connected to social science, psychology, law and science.
Graduates of online courses pursue careers in crime prevention, detection and justice.

Criminology can be combined with the study of other subjects. As a bachelor degree student, you can choose units from social science and other fields to support your career goals.

Criminology is the study of crime and criminal justice. Students examine crime in a social science context.

As a criminology student, you examine how individual and group behaviours give rise to criminal acts. You consider ways to identify crime and prevent or predict future occurrences. And you study societal impacts, including how offenders are dealt with and potentially reformed.

Subjects you may study as part of a criminology degree include:

criminal and delinquent behavior, white-collar crime
crime detection and investigation, law enforcement, victimology
the courts, theories and methods of offender treatment, public policy.

A criminology degree is useful as a general qualification – similar to other degrees in the arts and social sciences. Graduates gain skills in research methods, social and statistical analysis, written communication and critical thinking.

But the degree also provides a platform for a career in law and justice. Across the law and justice system, jobs are available for degree holders with criminology knowledge. Potential work areas include:

Law Enforcement and Investigation (corporate security, computer fraud, private investigation, public law enforcement)
Courts and Law (court administrators, victim and witness assistance workers)
Corrections (probation and parole officers, detainee supervisors, education and rehabilitation program managers)
Community Services (domestic violence crisis centres, delinquency prevention and diversion programs, child abuse prevention, and drug and alcohol-abuse programs)
Research, Planning, and Teaching (in universities, government planning agencies, and private research institutes).

Criminology careers tend to be more academic in focus than those in criminal justice, though there is some overlap between the two... A degree is far more conducive to future advancement and will often mean the difference in getting hired or promoted.

~ The Balance

Online Bachelor Degree Courses

Australian online universities offer high-quality courses in the social sciences, including criminology.

You may be able to start a degree with criminology as one of multiple possible majors. You may not have to settle on a single major until the 2nd or 3rd year of a bachelor program.
By choosing complementary elective units from other disciplines, you can construct the ideal program to further your career goals.

Here are the best bachelor degrees. We've chosen the top courses based on program depth, job relevance and grad survey ratings (where available).

Deakin University - Bachelor of Criminology

Deakin University's Bachelor of Criminology explores criminal behavior, justice systems, and societal impacts of crime. Developed with industry bodies like Victoria Police, the program emphasises practical experiences through work-integrated learning. Offering a blend of compulsory and elective units, it prepares students for diverse careers in criminology. Available at Burwood, Waurn Ponds, or online, the course requires an ATAR starting at 60 and can be completed in three years full-time.

University of New England - Bachelor of Criminology

The University of New England offers a specialist Bachelor of Criminology. The degree covers aspects of forensic science, criminal law, the criminal justice system, and the sociology of deviance. It also provides practical experience via its WorkReady program, which partners with industry leaders such as the NSW Police Force. Graduates work in border control, corrective services, government agencies, intelligence and security, juvenile justice, policing, and social welfare.

Masters Programs Online

An online Master of Criminology degree is useful for professional development or changing careers.

If you majored in criminology

Criminology graduates (with a Bachelor of Criminology or criminology major) who want to become criminologists can benefit from extra training and qualifications.

Criminologists should have advanced research skills. Gaining a masters shows you have knowledge and ability.
A masters degree is also useful for developing expertise in a specific field.

If you studied something else

You can start a career in criminology by doing a masters course.

Masters courses are potentially available for graduates of any discipline, though it helps to have studied social sciences.
To be eligible for entry, you may need to start with a shorter postgraduate course (graduate certificate or diploma).

Griffith University - Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice

The Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University is a 1.5-year full-time or 3-year part-time program. It covers advanced criminological theories, research methods, and justice systems, preparing students for roles in law enforcement, policy development, and academia. The course offers flexible online delivery and the option to focus on areas like cybercrime or forensic psychology. Graduates are ready to lead and innovate in the criminal justice sector.

Best Criminology Degrees Online in Australia

Criminology Studies

Career foundations

Criminology Careers

Online Bachelor Degree Courses

Deakin University - Bachelor of Criminology

University of New England - Bachelor of Criminology

Masters Programs Online

Griffith University - Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice

† Online courses are available in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Gold Coast, Newcastle. Australia-wide.