This double degree integrates two highly sought-after areas. You will learn how to understand human behaviours and apply your skills in challenging situations. You can combine justice, criminology, policing, policy, governance and psychology in one package, and explore topics including crimes of violence, cyber crime, official corruption, youth justice, crime prevention, intelligence and security, drugs and crime, domestic violence, sex and crime, transnational crime, terrorism and death investigation.  In the justice component, you can choose a major in either policy and governance or criminology and policing. In the psychology degree, you can take the first step towards a career as a registered psychologist. The two degrees have many related study areas such as addictive behaviours, forensic psychology and traffic psychology.

In the justice degree, choose from two majors—policy and governance or criminology and policing. The policy and governance major offers you the opportunity to learn policy analysis and the intricacies of how government officers research, analyse, recommend and develop policies in the justice sphere. Particularly, it gives you an insight into how policy is implemented and critiqued, and evolves through government and its departments.

The criminology and policing major details punishment and penal policy as well as crime research methods with your choice of units in eco crime, sex crime, death investigation, crime in pop culture, drugs and intelligence, among others.

You will have the unique ability to apply psychological principles to the field of justice. With an understanding of the most recent theory and practice of social justice, and skills in social, developmental, cognitive and abnormal psychology, you will have a pathway to careers in public policy development, criminal justice institutions such as police, security and intelligence agencies, corrections, rehabilitation services, and family services.

Justice offers extensive career paths in areas that make a real difference in our community. Career pathways include policing, customs, community outreach, forensic investigation, mediation, outreach programs, social work, intelligence, defence, insurance and banking investigation, youth justice, Indigenous justice, community legal services, and policy and adviser roles within a range of state and federal government departments.

Past graduates have developed successful careers in state and federal law enforcement, correctional services, private security, defence services, foreign aid programs, customs, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and Scotland Yard, and have worked on social and justice policies for government and non-government organisations. Others have become criminologists, contributed to women’s, youth and children’s advocacy, or worked in the areas of human rights and antidiscrimination.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). To pursue a career in a professional area of psychology, you will need to undertake further study to gain registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Possible careers

• Case Manager
• Change Manager
• Child Protection Officer
• Child and Family Counsellor
• Clinical Psychologist
• Community Corrections Officer
• Community Worker
• Corrective Services Officer
• Counsellor
• Criminologist
• Customs Officer
• Developmental Psychologist
• Face to Face Counsellor
• Family Services Officer
• Forensic Psychologist
• Guidance Officer
• Health Psychologist
• Police Officer (Australian Federal)
• Police Officer (State)
• Policy Officer
• Policy analyst
• Psychologist
• Public Health Officer
• School Counsellor
• School Psychologist
• Youth Worker