Bachelor of Criminal Justice

Admission to UC with University Entrance (or equivalent) is required to enrol.

If English is your additional language, you are also required to meet UC's English language requirements.

For information on the enrolment process, please see how to apply for undergraduate qualifications.

Recommended preparation

The BCJ does not require a background in any specific subject at secondary school and is open to all students with entry to the University.

The Bachelor of Criminal Justice requires 360 points:

• 255 or 270 points of compulsory courses (depending on courses chosen at second year)
• at least 90 points from a prescribed list of courses
• 15 points from the Bachelor of Criminal Justice or from other degrees.

A minimum of 135 points must be from courses above 100-level, with at least 90 points at 300-level.

The degree takes 3 years of full-time study, or can be studied part-time for up to 10 years.

First year

In the first year all courses are compulsory. Students will take 120 points (with another 15 points of 100-level compulsory courses usually taken in the second year).

Second year

In the second year students must take either 75 or 90 compulsory 200-level points. The difference in points depends on whether students take CRJU 202 Criminal Law and Procedure (15 points) or LAWS 202 Criminal Law (30 points). The remaining 15 or 30 points at 200-level will be selected from the prescribed list of courses.

Third year

At third year there are 45 points of compulsory courses, with a choice of 60 points at 200 and 300-level from the prescribed list. A final 15-point course at 200 or 300-level can also be completed from the list, or from courses in any other degree at UC.

Double degrees

It is possible to combine a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree with other degrees, such as the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws, or Bachelor of Science.

Find out more information about Double degrees.

The BCJ is a multidisciplinary degree that includes study across subject areas, such as Criminal Justice, History, Human Services, Law, Māori and Indigenous Studies, Philosophy, Psychology, and Sociology.

See ‘How do I plan my degree?’ above for an example degree structure diagram.

Compulsory courses

All BCJ students complete the following courses throughout the three years of the degree:

Year 1

• CRJU 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice
• CRJU 150 Legal Method in the Criminal Justice Context
• CRJU 160 Legal Issues in the New Zealand Criminal Justice System
• HSRV 103 Violence in Society
• HSRV 104 Youth Realities
• PSYC 105 Introductory Psychology – Brain, Behaviour and Cognition
• PSYC 106 Introductory Psychology – Social, Personality and Developmental
• MAOR 108 Aotearoa: Introduction to New Zealand Treaty Society or MAOR 165 He Tīmatanga: Engaging with Māori

If enrolled in the double degree BCJ and Bachelor of Laws, LAWS 101 Legal System: Legal Method and Institutions is taken instead of CRJU 150 and CRJU 160.

Year 2

• HSRV 210 Gender, Crime and Social Theory
• MAOR 219 Te Tiriti: The Treaty of Waitangi
• SOCI 293 The History of Gangs in New Zealand
• PHIL 139 Ethics, Politics and Justice
• CRJU 201 Crime and Justice or SOCI 218 Crime and Justice
• CRJU 202 Criminal Law and Procedure (15 points) or if enrolled in the double degree BCJ and Bachelor of Laws and admitted to second year Law, LAW 202 Criminal Law (30 points)

Year 3

• CRJU 301 Sentencing Theory and Practice or LAWS 366 Sentencing Theory and Practice
• CRJU 302 Prisons and Corrections or SOCI 358 Prisons and Corrections

Optional courses

Students complete at least 90 points from the prescribed list of course options below. At least 45 points must be at 300-level.

One other 15-point course at 200-level or 300-level can also be chosen from the list, or can be chosen from courses from any other UC degree.

These courses are completed during the second and third years of study.

UC offers a Master of Criminal Justice, as well as other qualifications in similar subjects, such as Law and Psychology.