Degrees of difference? A preliminary study of criminology degrees at Australian universities

While the discipline of criminology' has existed within Australian universities for more than half a century, the introduction of discrete criminology' and justice programmes is much more recent. Little is known, however, about the current state of play when it comes to what a degree in criminology' actually entails. With growing student enrolments in such programmes, reflecting on the status of these programmes is important in the context of student and employer requirements and expectations. Drawing on the findings of a preliminary study, this paper will explore what it means to study for an undergraduate degree in criminology' in Australia. Specifically, we will focus on the content, availability and range of criminology' and justice degrees available in Australia, in order to gain a better understanding of the convergences and divergences across degree programmes, and make some recommendations for future research.