A career in law, criminal justice or policing

Ready to take a stand for those who need it? To help empower, represent and protect the vulnerable as you work with people from all backgrounds? Then you’ve come to the right place. Make a difference with a career in law, policing or criminal justice – at the university with the highest undergraduate employment rate in Australia.

Law / criminal justice degrees

Kickstart your career in the legal profession with our Bachelor of Laws

Create change for communities with a Bachelor of Criminal Justice¹

The Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Criminal Justice is a double degree for maximum impact

Policing and public safety degrees

The first step to your NSW Police career is the University Certificate in Workforce Essentials.

To become a police recruit, do the Associate Degree in Policing Practice

Study the Bachelor of Policing and Public Safety² to become a police officer.

And they are all backed up by Australia’s highest graduate employment rate. That’s right, Charles Sturt grads get jobs faster after completing their course than students from any other uni.

What can I do with an undergraduate law degree?

With our Bachelor of Laws you can make an impact in government, not-for-profit or private enterprise roles. As a skilled law professional you’ll be able to work at the heart of regional communities, drive advocacy and improve access to legal representation. You could work for government or a not-for-profit addressing human rights, environmental law, or native title and Indigenous affairs. Work in commercial law or legal aid. And with further study, you can take your career to the next level as a solicitor or barrister.

The even better news is that when you start your career with an undergraduate law degree from Charles Sturt, you’re going to be in demand. When 99% of our undergrads find jobs in their field, you know you’re setting yourself up for career success.

Why pursue a career in law?

Amber Jennings, who is undertaking a career in law

For Charles Sturt Bachelor of Laws graduate Amber Jennings, making a difference in regional communities has always been her goal.

“I want a career in law where I can make a difference to my community. I’ve have always dreamt of becoming a rural lawyer and this course is making it a reality. I grew up in a rural and regional area. As a result, I was drawn to the Bachelor of Laws as it’s the only law course with a special focus on rural and regional issues.”

Charles Sturt online law student Matthew Allen will use his law degree to take a stand for justice.

Matthew Allen, who is pursuing a career in law

“Why study law? Well, it means I’ll be able to stand up for people and fight for justice in ways others can’t. As a lawyer you’re very privileged to be able to dispute legal issues on behalf of those who are stuck in tough situations or find the legal system confusing or intimidating. We can fight for them and for fair outcomes. After all, justice shouldn’t be based on how much money you have or whether you’re able to understand the legal system. It should only be based upon what is right and what is wrong.

Join the NSW Police Force

Here’s what you need to do to become a police officer:

1: Firstly, review the pre-application requirements by visiting NSW Police Force Recruitment.

2: Secondly, complete the application qualifications.

3: Then submit your application. If successful, you’ll be invited to enrol in the University Certificate in Workforce Essentials (UCWE), which is completed online in four weeks, at a cost of only $700, in 2024.

4: During the recruitment process with the NSW Police Force you’ll be required to:

firstly, undertake and pass a series of fitness tests
secondly, complete psychometric testing
thirdly, undertake a medical assessment.

5: Some applicants may be interviewed by the NSW Police Force.

6: Applicants who successfully complete the UCWE course will progress to a final check of their application and approval to proceed into the Associate Degree in Policing Practice (ADPP) at the NSW Police Force Academy.

7: Upon successful completion of the recruitment process you’ll be offered enrolment into the ADPP. Session 1 takes place online in 16 weeks, so you can maintain that study-life balance.

8: Session 2 of the ADPP is also 16 weeks and takes place at the NSW Police Force Academy in Goulburn. You’ll get hands-on training to kick start your career as a police officer. Best of all, you get paid while you study!

From March 2024, during the session you’ll earn $1360 per week plus superannuation and allowances – that’s approximately $30,894!
With the added benefit of free meals and accommodation at the NSW Police Force Academy.

9: Now it’s time for Attestation, where you’ll be sworn in as a Probationary Constable and work in the field.

10: Complete one year of on-the-job training (Sessions 3, 4 and 5) and then become confirmed as a Constable of the NSW Police Force.

Criminal justice careers

Help to address some of society’s most complex social problems and work closely with communities.

At Charles Sturt you’ll have the opportunity to study a range of areas of the criminal justice system. So you can find the ideal start for your career in policing, juvenile justice, corrections, youth advocacy, and working with refugees. You could also choose to work with offenders, victims or families, welfare organisations, corrections, or state or federal policing.

Advocate in criminal justice

Charles Sturt Bachelor of Criminal Justice graduate Dillion Van de Wint found her calling while on work placement.

“Criminal justice is a bit of an umbrella course. There’s a bit of sociology, psychology and criminology. It was really broad and helped me to navigate what I found interesting and what I could choose as electives. I also did work placement with a Bathurst organisation called Young Mob. Doing work placement there really shaped what I wanted to do – above all, it strengthened that I wanted to work with kids.”

“Now I mostly work in the youth refuge. We work as advocates for children or young people who find themselves homeless or soon-to-be homeless and we try to work with their families and the community to find them somewhere stable to stay. A typical day is working in the refuge and a lot of the time we do living skills with the children. We also do case plans with them, help them cook and clean, take them to school and help with their homework. Moreover, we try to provide a homely environment and create a safe place for them.”