Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice majoring in Aboriginal Studies

Undergraduate | 2026

Mode

On Campus

Start date

February, July

Campus

Adelaide City, Magill

Duration

3 year(s) full-time

Program code

BCRIM

Study as

Full time or part time

Indicative annual fees

Commonwealth Supported

Non-tuition fees

SATAC code

ABP147

Prerequisite

None

Assumed knowledge

None

Entry scores

2025 CUT-OFFS Guaranteed entry score (Grades-based):B,B,B Guaranteed entry score (ATAR-based):70

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

To be eligible, an applicant must have achieved at least one of the following minimum entry requirements and demonstrate they fulfil any prerequisite and essential criteria for admission. In cases where there are more eligible applicants than available places, admission will be competitive with ranks based on the entry criteria.

Secondary education (Year 12)

Completion of a secondary education qualification equivalent to the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE).

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Completion of an award from a registered training organisation (RTO) at Certificate IV (AQF level 4) or higher.

Higher education study

Successful completion of at least 6 months full-time study (or equivalent part-time) in a higher education award program.

Work and life experience

Completion of an Adelaide University approved enabling, pathway or bridging program; OR
A competitive result in the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT); OR
Qualify for special entry.

Note:

Applications for Australian students to study at Adelaide University will open in August 2025, to commence study in 2026.

Please note that entry requirements for this degree are provisional and subject to change.

Why Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice?

Our Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice equips you to think critically about crime and the criminal justice sector. You’ll be empowered to actively contribute to key discussions on criminal behaviour and societal response. You’ll develop an understanding of the complex causes and nature of crime, it’s impact on society and strategies for intervention.

Listening to Aboriginal voices and understanding Aboriginal ways of thinking and being are critical elements of working with and supporting Aboriginal communities. In your Aboriginal Studies major, build your understanding of justice approaches that respect Aboriginal rights, knowledges and experiences.

Graduate with the skills and knowledge to make a positive difference within the community and criminal justice system.

Overview

The Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice majoring in Aboriginal Studies emphasises the importance of Aboriginal knowledges and experiences, and provides the knowledge necessary to affect meaningful change.

You’ll explore contemporary criminal justice issues, crime control and corrections and build a solid understanding of Australian criminal law. The major offers a unique opportunity to learn to listen to Aboriginal voices and to gain valuable insights into Aboriginal ways of thinking and being. You’ll gain a broad understanding of Aboriginal social, economic and political systems and the relationship of these systems to Country, belonging and wellbeing.

Learning first-hand from Aboriginal academic staff, and non-Aboriginal tutors with extensive experience working closely with Aboriginal communities, you’ll develop an understanding of criminal justice approaches that respect Aboriginal rights, knowledges and experiences.

What you'll learn

In the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice majoring in Aboriginal Studies at Adelaide University you’ll unpack the socio-cultural and political contexts of the criminal justice system, and how the system operates more broadly within Australia and the relations of power that influence crime control systems.

Your first year will provide core foundational knowledge of criminology and contemporary crime issues within Australia. You’ll consider how inequities such as race, gender and socio-economic status impacts crime and justice. You’ll also begin to explore Australian Aboriginal cultures, systems and philosophies.

Your second year will take a deeper look at Aboriginal culture and develop your knowledge within areas such as cultural heritage protection. Through land-based learning you’ll explore connections to space, place and belonging and gain insights into the practical, conceptual and spiritual role of Country within Aboriginal communities. You’ll also learn how crime corrections and control systems operate in Australia.

Your final year will provide you with an in-depth understanding of contemporary criminology issues, criminal law, court procedures and justice administration. You’ll consider concepts of Aboriginal wellbeing, the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and mainstream health services, economic development of Aboriginal nations and explore Aboriginal stories and representation within the media. You’ll also have the opportunity complete a research or practical internship in an area of your interest.

The Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice is also available with majors in the following:

What courses you'll study

Complete 144 units comprising:

66 units for Core courses, and
48 units for one Major from Majors, and
12 units for all Work integrated learning, and
18 units for Electives

Complete 66 units comprising:

18 units for all Common core, and
48 units for all Program core

	Course code	Units
Course name UG Common Core 1	Course code AUXX1000	Units 6
Course name UG Common Core 2	Course code AUXX2000	Units 6
Course name UG Common Core 3	Course code AUXX3000	Units 6

	Course code	Units
Course name Introduction to Criminal Justice	Course code CRIM1001	Units 6
Course name Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology	Course code CRIM1002	Units 6
Course name Explaining Crime and Deviance	Course code CRIM1003	Units 6
Course name Crime Problems in Australia	Course code LAWS1016	Units 6
Course name Policing and Crime Control	Course code CRIM2000	Units 6
Course name Penology and Corrections	Course code CRIM2001	Units 6
Course name Contemporary Issues in Criminology	Course code CRIM3000	Units 6
Course name Criminal Law and Criminal Process	Course code LAWS3004	Units 6

Course name		Course code	Units
Year 1
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Introduction to Criminal Justice	Course code CRIM1001	Units 6
	Course name Crime Problems in Australia	Course code LAWS1016	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology	Course code CRIM1002	Units 6
	Course name Explaining Crime and Deviance	Course code CRIM1003	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Cultures	Course code INDG1000	Units 6
	Course name Indigenous Philosophies	Course code INDG1001	Units 6
Year 2
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Policing and Crime Control	Course code CRIM2000	Units 6
	Course name Space, Place and Belonging	Course code INDG2000	Units 6
	Course name Professional Pathways and Destinations 2	Course code SOCI2019	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Penology and Corrections	Course code CRIM2001	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Peoples Law and Land	Course code INDG2001	Units 6
	Course name Relatedness and Indigenous Peoples	Course code INDG2002	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6
Year 3
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Contemporary Issues in Criminology	Course code CRIM3000	Units 6
	Course name Criminology and Criminal Justice Internship	Course code CRIM3003	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Wellness and Wellbeing	Course code INDG3000	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Indigenous Nation Building and Governance	Course code INDG3001	Units 6
	Course name Sovereign Stories and Subjectivity in Media	Course code INDG3002	Units 6
	Course name Criminal Law and Criminal Process	Course code LAWS3004	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6

Complete 48 units for ALL of the following:

	Course code	Units
Course name Aboriginal Cultures	Course code INDG1000	Units 6
Course name Indigenous Philosophies	Course code INDG1001	Units 6
Course name Space, Place and Belonging	Course code INDG2000	Units 6
Course name Lore and Law	Course code INDG2001	Units 6
Course name Relatedness and Indigenous Peoples	Course code INDG2002	Units 6
Course name Aboriginal Wellness and Wellbeing	Course code INDG3000	Units 6
Course name Indigenous Nation Building and Governance	Course code INDG3001	Units 6
Course name Sovereign Stories and Subjectivity in Media	Course code INDG3002	Units 6

Course name		Course code	Units
Year 1
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Introduction to Criminal Justice	Course code CRIM1001	Units 6
	Course name Crime Problems in Australia	Course code LAWS1016	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology	Course code CRIM1002	Units 6
	Course name Explaining Crime and Deviance	Course code CRIM1003	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Cultures	Course code INDG1000	Units 6
	Course name Indigenous Philosophies	Course code INDG1001	Units 6
Year 2
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Policing and Crime Control	Course code CRIM2000	Units 6
	Course name Space, Place and Belonging	Course code INDG2000	Units 6
	Course name Professional Pathways and Destinations 2	Course code SOCI2019	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Penology and Corrections	Course code CRIM2001	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Peoples Law and Land	Course code INDG2001	Units 6
	Course name Relatedness and Indigenous Peoples	Course code INDG2002	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6
Year 3
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Contemporary Issues in Criminology	Course code CRIM3000	Units 6
	Course name Criminology and Criminal Justice Internship	Course code CRIM3003	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Wellness and Wellbeing	Course code INDG3000	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Indigenous Nation Building and Governance	Course code INDG3001	Units 6
	Course name Sovereign Stories and Subjectivity in Media	Course code INDG3002	Units 6
	Course name Criminal Law and Criminal Process	Course code LAWS3004	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6

Complete 12 units for ALL of the following:

Course name		Course code	Units
	Course name Professional Pathways and Destinations 2	Course code SOCI2019	Units 6
	Course name Criminology and Criminal Justice Internship	Course code CRIM3003	Units 6

Course name		Course code	Units
Year 1
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Introduction to Criminal Justice	Course code CRIM1001	Units 6
	Course name Crime Problems in Australia	Course code LAWS1016	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology	Course code CRIM1002	Units 6
	Course name Explaining Crime and Deviance	Course code CRIM1003	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Cultures	Course code INDG1000	Units 6
	Course name Indigenous Philosophies	Course code INDG1001	Units 6
Year 2
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Policing and Crime Control	Course code CRIM2000	Units 6
	Course name Space, Place and Belonging	Course code INDG2000	Units 6
	Course name Professional Pathways and Destinations 2	Course code SOCI2019	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Penology and Corrections	Course code CRIM2001	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Peoples Law and Land	Course code INDG2001	Units 6
	Course name Relatedness and Indigenous Peoples	Course code INDG2002	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6
Year 3
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Contemporary Issues in Criminology	Course code CRIM3000	Units 6
	Course name Criminology and Criminal Justice Internship	Course code CRIM3003	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Wellness and Wellbeing	Course code INDG3000	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Indigenous Nation Building and Governance	Course code INDG3001	Units 6
	Course name Sovereign Stories and Subjectivity in Media	Course code INDG3002	Units 6
	Course name Criminal Law and Criminal Process	Course code LAWS3004	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6

Complete 18 units comprising:

18 units from University-wide electives

Course name		Course code	Units
Year 1
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Introduction to Criminal Justice	Course code CRIM1001	Units 6
	Course name Crime Problems in Australia	Course code LAWS1016	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology	Course code CRIM1002	Units 6
	Course name Explaining Crime and Deviance	Course code CRIM1003	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Cultures	Course code INDG1000	Units 6
	Course name Indigenous Philosophies	Course code INDG1001	Units 6
Year 2
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Policing and Crime Control	Course code CRIM2000	Units 6
	Course name Space, Place and Belonging	Course code INDG2000	Units 6
	Course name Professional Pathways and Destinations 2	Course code SOCI2019	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Penology and Corrections	Course code CRIM2001	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Peoples Law and Land	Course code INDG2001	Units 6
	Course name Relatedness and Indigenous Peoples	Course code INDG2002	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6
Year 3
Semester 1
	Course name Core course	Course code -	Units 6
	Course name Contemporary Issues in Criminology	Course code CRIM3000	Units 6
	Course name Criminology and Criminal Justice Internship	Course code CRIM3003	Units 6
	Course name Aboriginal Wellness and Wellbeing	Course code INDG3000	Units 6
Semester 2
	Course name Indigenous Nation Building and Governance	Course code INDG3001	Units 6
	Course name Sovereign Stories and Subjectivity in Media	Course code INDG3002	Units 6
	Course name Criminal Law and Criminal Process	Course code LAWS3004	Units 6
	Course name Elective	Course code -	Units 6

Career outcomes

A degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a major in Aboriginal Studies will prepare you to work respectfully and meaningfully with Aboriginal peoples, communities and organisations. Your specialised knowledge will be particularly sought after in the government sector and advocacy organisations. Your broad skills in research, communication and critical thinking will be valuable to a range of employers. Be empowered to influence change within the criminal justice system and contribute to shaping culturally safe approaches to crime prevention and rehabilitation.

You will be well positioned to pursue a range of roles that will support Aboriginal Australians within the criminal justice system. Maybe you will find work as a not-for-profit program manager, developing programs that focus on issues of Aboriginal criminal justice. You might become a policy analyst, evaluating key policies that impact Aboriginal communities with a focus on social issues and justice.

You might also find work in the following sectors:

Advocacy
Community outreach
Policing
Security and intelligence
Correctional services
Court administration
Parliamentary advising
Crime analysis
Policy development/analysis
Research.

Industry trends

Approaches to criminal justice within Australia are evolving to focus on the development of policies and practices that are evidence-based, community centred and culturally appropriate. Addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal Australians within the justice system and action to ‘close the gap’ between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians across other interconnected areas such as health, education, housing and employment will drive demand for skilled, knowledgeable and culturally responsive practitioners.

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How to apply

Applications for Australian students to study at Adelaide University will open in August 2025, to commence study in 2026.

Please note that entry requirements for this degree are provisional and subject to change.

If you want to start your studies earlier, consider applying to the University of Adelaide or UniSA now, and continue onto Adelaide University in 2026. Register your interest to stay informed.

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Your study experience and support

Adelaide University sets you up for success in your studies – and your social life. You’ll have access to work placement and internship opportunities, overseas study tours and exchanges, networking events with guest speakers and more. Our campuses are equipped with purpose-built facilities including lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and spaces that simulate real work environments. These are all supported by the latest technologies and a 24/7 online learning platform with personalised study information and resources.

You’ll have everything you need to live well and thrive during your studies, with health services on campus, gymnasiums, technology zones and modern student lounges. Get involved in campus sport or join our student clubs that will connect you to your passions – and the people who share them.

Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit your individual requirements and budget, with options ranging from dedicated student accommodation to private rentals. One of the world’s most liveable cities, Adelaide has lots of leafy parks, gardens and social hubs – and some of the highest living standards globally. No matter where you are in Adelaide, you’re only a short distance from beaches, vineyards, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars and parklands. Visit the accommodation web page to find out more.

Student services

We’re here to support you on your student journey. Adelaide University offers a range of support services and facilities, including:

Career advice and mentoring services
Personal counselling
LGBTQIA+ support
Academic support
Fees and finance help
Security services
Accommodation services
Common rooms
Prayer rooms.

You’ll also have unlimited access to our dedicated student support hub. Visit in-person or online, or contact our friendly team by phone. We can assist you with anything study-related including enrolment, identification cards, timetables, fees and more.

Your campus

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Study hours

Your courses will require a combination of different learning formats, including lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Aside from your classes, you’ll also need to allocate additional time for independent study. This may include assignments, readings, projects and contributing to online discussion forums. As a rough guide, full-time studies may require 12-26 hours of class time and 14-18 hours of independent study per week.

Assessment

During your studies at Adelaide University, you’ll complete a mixture of practical, professional and research-based learning. Your assessment types will vary depending on the degree you’re studying, but may include:

Case studies
Essays and assignments
Examinations
Group projects
Internships and placements
Practicals
Presentations
Reports and project documentations
Research projects
Workplace and classroom contributions.

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Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice majoring in Aboriginal Studies