Overview (2027)
Key Information
Duration
Minimum 0.5 years, up to a maximum of 2 years.
Location
This course may not be available to international students. Please see the list of distance courses (i.e. online and taken outside Australia) that are offered to international students
Linda Crispin
Diploma of Creative Arts and Health Student
Engaging with the creative arts can bring joy, restore self-confidence, and improve the quality of life for everyone.
An ageing population and rising levels of depression and anxiety in youth, the elderly, and people living in rural areas are significant challenges for Tasmania, Australia and internationally. Research is demonstrating ways in which music, visual arts, theatre and other creative arts can contribute to addressing these challenges.
The Undergraduate Certificate in Creative Arts and Health will develop your understanding of the effects of the arts on the brain and body in social and cultural contexts. This course will introduce you to ethical and effective implementation of arts programmes in both community and healthcare settings. If you are studying to learn about self-care and explore your own creativity, we offer a range of creative arts and health units for you to choose from. You'll also have the option to study a unit on self-care, mindfulness, and stress management.
After completing this course, you will have a greater understanding of how different creative expressions can influence your own health and the wellbeing of others.
- 1 Identify, analyse, synthesise and describe cultural and ethical impacts on health and wellbeing through participation in creative arts discipline activities.
- 2 Communicate and reflect on a range of creative arts and health initiatives using written and technology-supported modes.
- 3 Identify problems and propose ethical solutions with flexibility and creativity as a basis for planning and decision making.
- 4 Detail research methods necessary to design an experiment for investigating the impacts of creative arts and aspects of wellbeing on groups of people or individuals.
Learn beyond the classroom
Studying in Tasmania, our whole Island becomes your campus. Speak with your unit coordinator about how you can gain practical experience by volunteering in research initiatives, becoming an ambassador, or taking part in a work experience program.
Become a Student Ambassador
Improve your communication, teamwork and leadership skills, meet new people, inspire and help others, and developing lasting friendships and networks as a student ambassador. Our ambassadors proudly represent the University throughout Tasmania in schools, at University and community events, and support a range of recruitment and engagement activities. Though the Student Ambassador Program or STEM Outreach Team you will have many opportunities for training and professional development, experience in real-world community engagement and outreach, networking, and public speaking, plus end up with a key point of distinction on your CV.
Study overseas at one of our partner institutions
Our international exchange program offers opportunities to study at universities around the world, and it counts towards your degree. Exchange can allow you to have an affordable educational and cultural experience in a foreign country for a semester, or a full year. To facilitate this, we offer a range of scholarships and financial assistance. You may also be eligible for OS-HELP Loans or scholarship funding to assist with airfares, accommodation and other expenses. For more information, please visit Learning Abroad.
The University of Tasmania is integrated into all areas of industry locally, nationally and internationally be it through research or work placement programs. Talk to your course coordinator about finding an opportunity to take part in a work experience, placement, or extracurricular activities during your degree.
Career outcomes
The Undergraduate Certificate in Creative Arts and Health provides valuable skills and health insights for a range of professional and personal contexts. If you’re already working in the health or community sectors or caring for an individual it will introduce you to interventions employing arts-based activities, including music, theatre, dance and visual arts. It is also an ideal pathways if you're looking to expand your creative arts practice, or interested in the way the arts can support your own wellbeing and personal growth.
This is an excellent opportunity to further your career in welfare, recreation and community arts as employment projections are upwards trending and set to grow by 29.3% by 2034*.
In addition to developing job-ready skills, you'll also have the option to pursue to further study in the Diploma of Creative Arts and Health.
* ABS Labour Force Survey, National Skills Commission trend data May 2024 and projections to 2034
Course structure
The Undergraduate Certificate in Creative Arts and Health requires the completion of 50 credit points from the schedule of units comprising:
- 12.5 credit points of Core units
- 37.5 credit points of Elective units
Practical interventions employing arts-based activities, including music, theatre, dance and visual arts, are increasingly being employed nationally and internationally to improve mood and well-being, physical activity and cognitive processing for people with dementia. Arts-based programs have also been shown to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 |  |  |  | |
- Key:
On-campus- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
This unit will provide an introduction to existing evidence-based research on the benefits of engagement with the arts, through the lifespan and strategies employing creativity to support better ageing and mitigate risk factors for dementia. The unit offers opportunities for…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 2 | | | | |
| Trimester | | | | ||
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
In this online unit, you will develop your understanding of culture and the need for cultural responsiveness and cultural safety. You will begin to see culture in broad terms, and to explore the cultural and social influences that shape your…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | | | | |
| Semester 2 | | | | ||
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for CZZ104 Living and Working with Cultural Diversity
Practical interventions employing arts-based activities, including music, theatre, dance and visual arts, are increasingly being employed nationally and internationally to improve mood and well-being, physical activity and cognitive processing for people with dementia. Arts-based programs have also been shown to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
This unit will provide an introduction to existing evidence-based research on the benefits of engagement with the arts, through the lifespan and strategies employing creativity to support better ageing and mitigate risk factors for dementia. The unit offers opportunities for…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 2 | | | | |
| Trimester | | | | ||
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
We know the impact that photographic images can have on us, individually and collectively. When images and words come together to tell a story they can be entertaining, revelatory, breath-taking, and even powerful agents of change. In this unit, you…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for FXA202 The Photo Essay: Storytelling with image and text
Ever wonder why that tune gets stuck in your head, or when you listen to your favourite song your foot starts tapping, or why it's easier to remember the words of a song when you sing the tune? How do…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
Research is providing increasing evidence for the positive benefits of engagement with the arts for individual and community wellbeing at all stages of life and can provide a non-pharmaceutical adjunct to health interventions. This unit explores case studies of successful…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
This unit explores historical and current case studies of creative arts practitioners from a range of cultural contexts living with physical or mental illness and the ways this is reflected or subsumed in their work. This engagement with creative work…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for FXA302 Perspectives of the Arts on Health and Wellbeing
Participation in the creative arts has been shown to afford a wide range of benefits to mental health and wellbeing for young and old. This unit explores ways in which the creative arts and play can be used therapeutically to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for FXA303 Creative Arts, Play and Mental Wellbeing
Brain and Behaviour provides an introduction to key topics in psychology with an emphasis on their biological basis. Topics include biological psychology, sensation and perception, learning, motivation, emotion, human development, language, and states of consciousness. Key theories and related research…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cradle Coast | Semester 1 | | | | |
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
| Launceston | Semester 1 | | | | |
| Online | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
In this online unit you will learn about a range of approaches to managing stress and enhancing well-being which can be applied by individuals in a self-care context. As a foundation, you will learn about stress, coping, well-being and happiness.…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for PSY214 Stress, Self-Care and Mindfulness
Entry requirements
Domestic Applicants who have recently completed secondary education
- Completed the TCE (or equivalent)
Domestic Applicants with higher education study
- Completed at least one undergraduate unit (equivalent to 12.5 UTAS credit points).
Domestic Applicants with VET / TAFE study
- A completed VET Certificate III or higher,
Domestic Applicants with work and life experience:
If you have not successfully completed senior secondary, tertiary or TAFE/VET study, but have relevant work and life experience you can complete a personal competency statement. You may be eligible for an offer if you have work and life experiences that demonstrate a capacity to succeed in this course.
Prerequisites
Nil
Special Consideration
If your ability to access or participate in education has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for special consideration as part of your application. We will consider a range of factors for special consideration, including economic hardship, a serious medical condition or disability.
We can only approve applications for special consideration where we are confident that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your studies. If your application is not approved, the admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.
Students completing the Undergraduate Certificate of Creative Arts and Health may articulate into the Diploma of Creative Arts and Health or the Bachelor of Arts.
Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
Commonwealth supported places (CSP) are available for this course. For eligible domestic students, this means your fees will be subsidised by the Australian Government. You’ll only need to pay the student contribution amount for each unit you study within the course.
Commonwealth Supported Place indicative annual fee: $4,890
How is this calculated?
This is an estimate. The calculation is based on the average full-time enrolment for this course in 2026. All figures are indicative only for 2027. Actual tuition fees will depend on specific unit enrolment, and are subject to annual increases each year. You can find the complete fee details for each unit of study on the individual unit pages. The units for this course are found in the course structure section of this page.
These figures do not include other costs such as the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). For further information, please visit Scholarships, fees and costs.
HECS-HELP loans
You may be able to defer payment of the student contribution amount by accessing a HECS-HELP loan from the Government. If eligible, you’ll only have to pay your tuition fees once you start earning above a specific amount.
Further information on student loans and a CSP eligibility checker can be found at Australian Government Study Assist.
Domestic scholarships
Scholarships for domestic students
Each year, the University offers more than 900 awards to students from all walks of life, including: those who have achieved high academic results, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, students with sporting ability, students undertaking overseas study, and students with a disability.
For information on all scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please refer to scholarships.
Applications for most awards commencing in Semester 1 open at the beginning of August and close strictly on 31 October in the year prior to study.
Share this page
How can we help?
Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.