Overview 2023
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For years prior to 2015, please view the Course and Unit Handbook Archive
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Diploma of Family History graduate Ros Escott chose to explore the turbulent history of an iconic Australian family, the Wentworths.
Learn more about studying at our upcoming webinar
Information session on studying Family History - 6pm, 13 June.
Family history is for everybody. We all have stories in our family tree waiting to be told. The Diploma of Family History will give you essential knowledge and tools to bring the past to life through tracing your family experiences and understanding the historical forces that shaped them.
Taught by leading scholars in family history, and specialists in Australian, European and Asian histories, this practical course will assist you in exploring your family’s past and enable you to become more proficient and comfortable in a digital environment.
The Diploma teaches core skills in contemporary family history to research your ancestors and others, including planning and conducting online research, locating and managing historical data, and writing compelling family histories.
You'll learn how to use oral history, family heirlooms and photographs, as well as physical and digital archives to illuminate your family’s past. The Diploma of Family History focuses on understanding individual lives in their wider historical contexts, through investigating the impacts of events such as war, convict transportation, and migration.
Course objectives
- Taught by leading academics in history, genealogy and writing, our students are part of a thriving online community of passionate family historians.
- Whatever your level of experience, this course will take your family history to the next level and develop your ability to trace the history of any family and tell their stories.
- Free access to Ancestry.com Library Edition and the British Newspaper Archive. Access historical documents, photos, local narratives, oral histories and other resources from the 1500s to 2000s.
Learning Outcomes
Career outcomes
Completing a Diploma of Family History develops skills and knowledge relevant to the following fields:
- family history and genealogical research
- creative writing
- non-fiction writing
- cultural and/or heritage tourism
- local and regional museums
- history and heritage consultancies
- local and community history organisations
- education
- volunteering and community activities
- archives and library information systems
- further studies in history, heritage and related fields
Course structure
To complete the Diploma of Family History you will need to complete eight units worth 12.5 credit points each, for a total of 100 credit points.
- 4 units, or 50 credit points, of Foundation level units, and
- 4 units, or 50 credit points, of Introductory level units.
The Diploma is designed around four terms per year, allowing you to study one unit per term if you intend to complete in two years. Each term we offer at least one Foundation and one Introductory unit. This provides you with the choice to structure your studies around your lifestyle.
While you may complete the units in any order, we strongly recommend commencing your course with HAA003 Introduction to Family History.
Foundation level units
Introduction to Family History is designed for people interested in their own family histories or genealogy in general. You will learn how to efficiently plan and accurately record your family history using family history research principles and practices. The unit…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 1 | ||||
| Online | Term 3 | ||||
Who are the most interesting characters on your family tree? Would you like to write their stories to share with other family members, or with a wider audience? Perhaps you have an ancestor who is intriguing because of what you…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 3 | ||||
This unit uses the material world, in the form of objects, images and places, to engage with remembering, researching and communicating family history and memories. By looking at homes, human-shaped environments such as gardens, and inherited items both mundane and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 4 | ||||
Convict, prison and court records can provide rich, if sometimes disturbing, evidence of the lives led by our ancestors. This unit draws upon the expertise of leading historians of crime, the law, and convict transportation to guide you through the…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 2 | ||||
Introductory level units
In this unit, you will work with media professionals to learn the basics of creating a family photo essay, bringing words and images together to communicate family stories. You will hone your writing skills and learn how to create, select,…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 4 | ||||
Adventure or romance, tragedy or triumph, legends of extraordinary feats or quiet tales of everyday struggles: what kinds of stories have been told about families in the past and in the present? What literary forms are suitable for writing multi-generational…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 4 | ||||
Stories are central to the human experience. Shared family stories contribute to a more complete picture of where we have come from and where we are going. In this unit, you will learn about the role of oral history in…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 2 | ||||
Do you have a family ancestor who served as a soldier or nurse in the First World War? Do you have an old family war diary or set of letters in the proverbial attic? Building upon the skills in the…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 3 | ||||
Australia is a migrant nation, with a rich and diverse mix of peoples, languages and cultures. In Migrant Families, we trace the journeys of ancestors who migrated to and from Australia and New Zealand, and place their lives in the…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Term 1 | ||||
Entry requirements
For Domestic students
We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you’re not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, the admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option.
Enquire online for advice on the application process and the available pathways to study.
Students will need regular access to a desktop computer and the internet.
Domestic applicantsApplicants must meet one of the General Entry Requirements of the University of Tasmania such as completion of Secondary School (or equivalent), previous Higher Education study or previous VET/TAFE Study.
Domestic applicants with work and life experienceIf 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.
Special considerationIf 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, including economic hardship, 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.
Articulation
Students completing the Undergraduate Certificate in Family History will receive advance standing for four 12.5 credit point units of the Diploma of Family History.
Detailed Admissions Information
Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
Cost shouldn’t get in the way of you studying.
If you’re a domestic student, you may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place in this course. 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.
You may also 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 is available at Scholarships, fees and costs.
Student contributionStudent contribution amounts are charged for each unit of study. This means that how much you’ll pay will depend on which units you choose. Find out more about student contribution amounts.
Further informationDetailed fee information for domestic students is available at Scholarships, fees and costs, including additional information in relation to the compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
International students
International students should refer to the International Students course fees page to get an indicative course cost.
Scholarships
For information on general scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please visit the scholarships website.
How can we help?
Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.
- Domestic
- 1300 363 864
- International
- +61 3 6226 6200
- Course.Info@utas.edu.au
- Online
- Online enquiries