Nicholas Alexander Kochedov
Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice with Honours (First Class)
Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice
Learning more about the police and crime prevention invigorated his studies, says Nicholas Alexander Kochedov who studied bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminology and criminal justice and is now preparing to join the police.
“What really inspired me and my interest in criminology, particularly in pursuing a postgraduate degree, was the course The Police and Crime Prevention in the final year of my Bachelor of Arts, led by Dr Kirsten Hanna.
“This course was dedicated to exploring evidence-based policing approaches and theories in relation to crime prevention, including examining the explanations for the rise of crime rates in the western world after WW2 and the decrease in crime rates in the mid-90s. This was an incredibly fascinating course that fuelled my interest in joining the police. We were examining material that I could see tangible and direct application of in the real world.”
Nicholas says he jumped at the chance to continue into a master’s degree when the opportunity presented itself, and he is proud of receiving a Dean’s Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Study.
“I was interested in expanding my understanding of crime, including crime prevention strategies, theories and approaches, especially with my interest in employment with police. As difficult as it was, my highlight was my master’s degree thesis where I was investigating the hopes and concerns of Auckland’s community leaders in regard to the use of drones by the New Zealand police. It was really exciting to be able to conduct an original piece of social inquiry and research, as research on public perceptions of drone use was really limited here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“It would also be a crime if I didn’t mention the tremendous assistance of my research supervisor, Dr Kirsten Hanna, who guided me and offered a lot of insight throughout the entire thesis experience and with whom I was able to develop a good working relationship.”
Choosing AUT
He was intrigued when he first learned about criminology. Nicholas says.
“Back when I was choosing different universities and programmes to study after high school, I intended to study law. I hadn’t heard of criminology until I was given a prospectus featuring the social sciences and public policy programmes.
“I was intrigued by this major, particularly as I was hoping to ultimately take my qualification to the police, and criminology seemed like a more interesting and appropriate subject. I was accepted into the psychology, law and criminology programmes, and decided to give criminology a go.”
When it came to deciding where to study, he says it was between two different universities, but ultimately AUT felt like the right choice for him.
“I picked AUT as it had more colourful advertising material, and seemed like a more sleek and modern institution from what I had read. Plus, it was rapidly growing in the international rankings and overall appeared to be more forward thinking.”
Advice for other students
Never give up, Nicholas advises other students.
“Keep chugging along, no matter what obstacles or difficulties you may face. It’s only a matter of time before you overcome them and succeed. Also pick courses that you want to do – they will be more fulfilling and enjoyable in the end, plus you may be able to use that newly gained experience and knowledge in the future.”
Never discredit any potential emotional and mental support from your classmates and family, he adds.
“Without a good support network it will be very difficult to reach the end of your university studies, no matter how long they are.”
