Industry placement provides students with practical experience of professional work, in collaboration with industry and community sector supervisors, whereby students begin to understand and enhance their knowledge of work practice. These practical experiences are also the basis of critical reflection and theorising.

All students enrolled in Criminal Justice degrees at Victoria University undertake units of study which include Work Integrated Learning (WIL) commonly referred to as industry placement.

Criminal Justice industry placement

Students in the following criminal justice courses from the College of Arts, Business, Law, Education and IT complete a 200-hour industry placement:

The Criminal Justice industry placement is undertaken concurrently with university academic studies, so that students can reflect on their practice and continue to consider how theory and practice interconnect. This model provides students with ongoing contact and support from the university for the duration of their placement.

Placement hours

Students undertake 200 hours of placement completed in the final year of the 3-year degree.

Placements can occur at any time throughout the academic year dependent on host organisation needs and student availability. Students negotiate their placement schedule with the workplace supervisor.

Combining psychology, justice & community welfare

VU offered me plenty of opportunities to gather real-life experience through placements, seminars and interaction with lecturers who were actively working in the industry.

Anna-Lena Reiber — Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Psychological Studies
Anna-Lena's story

Industry placement opportunities

When undertaking the industry placement unit, students in the criminal justice courses will have an opportunity to gain practical experience by working with:

  • Government departments i.e. Department of Justice & Community Safety (DOJCS)
  • community corrections
  • justice facilities i.e. prisons/youth justice centres
  • courts/public office
  • private practice
  • community justice organisations.
How learning in the real world gave James the career edge

My placement, along with the opportunity to sit in court hearings and other practical experiences helped me become a confident practitioner of the criminal justice system.

James Dib — Bachelor of Criminal Justice
James' story

Industry placement process

Student selection

The Criminal Justice Partnerships Officer will work to preselect and match students with organisations based on the student’s interests, unit learning outcomes and partner organisation requirements. Once a match has been identified, the student is informed and will be expected to contact the host organisation and arrange a placement interview.

Placement interview

The placement interview is a chance for the host organisation’s supervisor to meet with student candidates and discuss details about the organisation and the placement opportunity. The interview might include:

  • discussion of the organisation’s services, programs and service users
  • project ideas or research topics
  • placement expectations
  • commencement dates and suitable days and times for the placement.

Students are expected to view this as a professional job interview and present their current resume and Working with Children Check or National Police Check (where applicable).

Related

Contact us

For more information about professional practice and industry placements within the criminal justice courses in the College of Arts, Business, Law, Education and IT, please contact:

Mel Vella
Senior Partnerships Officer | Youth and Community Programs
Email: mel.vella@vu.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 9919 5562