As a science, psychology researchers are concerned with the study of behaviour and its underlying mental and neural processes. Criminological scholars investigate a broad range of topics including justice, conflict, risk, security, policing, state crime, alternative justice systems, criminalisation and regulation. Taken together, students completing the B Psychology (Honours) / B Criminology and Criminal Justice dual will be equipped with an interdisciplinary knowledge base and skill set that will open a myriad of career pathways and opportunities.
Psychology is a discipline of both scientific research and applied practice. Topics of study include learning, memory, cognition, perception, motivation, life-span development, personality, social interactions, and abnormal psychology. The program also develops research methods and data analysis skills. Psychology has many areas of cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and application and students have an option to pursue individual interests, choosing electives from a range of specialist areas, including psychology and law; psychology and work; developmental disorders; psychopathology; health psychology, language, cognitive science, neuroscience and others.
Psychology also has many areas of application, especially in clinical, correctional, counselling, educational, and organisational settings. In addition, people with training in psychology pursue careers in academic research, health research, developmental disabilities and rehabilitation, ergonomics, occupational health and safety, personnel selection, training and management, vocational guidance, and marketing.
Across the first three years of the program, students to complete an APAC-accredited undergraduate sequence in psychology. In the fourth year of the program, students conduct a year-long, 30 UOC major independent research project (completed under the guidance of an academic supervisor), and write a thesis based on the project. The research project may be undertaken in most areas of psychology including: psychopathology; behavioural neuroscience; cognitive science; cognition and perception; forensic psychology; and social, personality and developmental psychology. The project culminates in a written thesis, which is assessed independently by two academics (neither of which is the student's supervisor). In addition, students complete 18 UOC of advanced-level core and elective coursework in both Term 1 and Term 2.
The Bachelor of Criminology & Criminal Justice (BCCJ) is an innovative and interdisciplinary field of study with a real-world focus designed to give students opportunities to explore interests in crime, deviance, social control and the legal system. Criminology is shaped by scholars in law, philosophy, psychology and sociology, and other interdisciplinary fields including history, politics, economics, architecture, and cultural studies. Key concerns include the nature of crime, how crime is defined and measured, why people commit crime and how societies might respond. In the BCCJ program, students have the opportunity to tackle present day social problems including victimisation, juvenile justice, drug-related harm, community safety, Indigenous justice, environmental harm and state crime. In addition, students have a number of opportunities to explore career pathways through our work-integrated learning placement course and final year core offerings, which focus on the application of criminological knowledge to pressing criminological concerns. The UNSW BCCJ also provides students with in-depth training in the applied social research and policy skills required to translate this knowledge into practice.
The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) / Bachelor of Criminology & Criminal Justice dual is a 5-year program (full-time).
