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, to a total of 120 points (with another 15 points of 100-level compulsory courses usually taken in the second year).

Second year

In the second year you will take either 75 or 90 compulsory 200-level points. The difference in points depends on whether you take CRJU202 Criminal Law and Procedure (15 points) or LAWS202 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 different subject areas and options to select topics of interest, including criminal behaviour, rehabilitation, human ethics, and many more.

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

Compulsory courses

Year 1

• CRJU101 Introduction to Criminal Justice
• CRJU150 Legal Method in the Criminal Justice Context
• CRJU160 Legal Issues in the New Zealand Criminal Justice System
• HSRV103 Violence in Society
• HSRV104 Youth Realities
• PSYC105 Introductory Psychology – Brain, Behaviour and Cognition
• PSYC106 Introductory Psychology – Social, Personality and Developmental
• MAOR108 Te Patu a Maui: The Treaty of Waitangi - Facing and Overcoming Colonisation OR MAOR165 Tuakiri: Culture and Identity

If enrolled in the double degree BCJ and Bachelor of Laws, LAWS101 Legal System: Legal Method and Institutions is taken instead of CRJU150 and CRJU160.

Year 2

• HSRV210 Gender, Crime and Social Theory
• MAOR219 Te Tiriti: The Treaty of Waitangi
• SOCI293 The History of Gangs in New Zealand
• PHIL139 Ethics, Politics and Justice
• CRJU201 Crime and Justice OR SOCI218 Crime and Justice
• CRJU202 Criminal Law and Procedure OR if enrolled in the double degree BCJ and Bachelor of Laws and admitted to second year Law, LAW202 Criminal Law

Year 3

• CRJU301 Sentencing Theory and Practice OR LAWS366 Sentencing Theory and Practice
• CRJU302 Prisons and Corrections OR SOCI358 Prisons and Corrections

Optional courses

Complete at least 90 points from this list of course options. 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.