Master of Criminology overview
Master level courses in criminology are for students desiring a broad array of knowledge in the field. The University of Melbourne and other institutions offer these programs to those with an interest in counter terrorism, advanced criminal justice, organised crime and international justice. It caters to a wide variety of interest with many elective options and variations. These courses take two years if studied full time, but can go up to four if part time.
Employment options
Graduates from this degree find themselves well placed for the professions mentioned here, including private investigator or probation officer. The latter case provides ample opportunity to exercise the deductive and interpersonal skills refined throughout the degree, allowing probation officers to better determine if those under their watch will commit more crimes. These professionals are employed by the Department of Parliamentary Services, utilising their education in the public service.
Another valid career path is private investigator, working for companies like Lyonswood Investigations and Forensics to route out suspicious or criminal behaviour on behalf of private entities. These can range from individuals to multinational corporations.
Scholarships and funding
General scholarships like the Vice-Chancellor International Scholarship or ECIG Scholarship Programare available to those who meet their unique requirements. Each have their own unique requirements, making them potentially inaccessible even to the most accomplished of students, so checking the requirements carefully is recommended. Opportunities like the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund, for instance, simply aren’t available to those without an ancestor who fought in WWI.
Prerequisites and selection process
The Master of Criminology generally requires a credit GPA (65%) in any undergraduate discipline to enter, but a background in psychology or related discipline is advantageous. This is due to the many behavioural components the degree is composed of. Selection criteria tend to fall upon relevance of prior study, making it another consideration for prospective students of criminology at master level.