Overview 2021
Location
Commonwealth Supported places available
This course may not be available to international students. Please see the International Online Course Guide (PDF 809KB) for courses that are offered to international students
View archived years for this course
For years prior to 2015, please view the Course and Unit Handbook Archive
View the current year's course page
Diploma of Family History graduate Ros Escott chose to explore the turbulent history of an iconic Australian family, the Wentworths.
The Diploma of Family History is fully online and consists of eight units that each runs for eight weeks. You can study at your own pace – all you need is regular access to a computer and the internet.
Specialisations include how to research, write, and creatively collate and communicate family history. You will develop skills to identify, analyse and interpret historical information from a range of family history sources.
Our students receive free access to Ancestry.com Library Edition and the British Newspaper Archive. You can access billions of historical documents, millions of historical photos, and other resources that span from the 1500s to the 2000s.
You will share your research and learning journey with a supportive online community of family history enthusiasts and our expert staff.
Learning Outcomes
- Locate, identify and analyse relevant historical information from sources available online, in archives and libraries, and in family collections.
- Organise family history data and research materials in physical and digital form.
- Evaluate, interpret and use historical information to create family histories in a variety of forms.
- Communicate historical knowledge, ideas and skills accurately, ethically and creatively in a range of contexts.
- Use relevant digital tools and technologies, such as computers, software and the internet, for researching, recording and creating family histories.
Career outcomes
While many of our students have (or had) careers in a wide range of fields, completing a Diploma of Family History helps develop skills and knowledge in the following areas that are applicable to a range of occupations, hobbies and interests:
- 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
- adult education
- archives and library information systems
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, with the intent that you study one Foundation unit and one Introductory unit per term. 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 plan efficiently and record accurately your family history using family history research principles and practices. The unit…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Term 1 | ||||
| Hobart | 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | Term 4 | ||||
Convict, prison and court records can provide rich, if sometimes disturbing evidence, of the lives led by past ancestors. This unit will draw upon the expertise of leading historians of crime, the law and convict transportation to guide students through…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Term 2 | ||||
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, breathtaking, and even powerful agents of change. In this unit, you…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Term 2 | ||||
View all details for HEJ001 The Photo Essay: An Introduction
Introductory level units
Adventure or romance, tragedy or triumph, legends of extraordinary feats or quiet tales of everyday struggles. What kinds of stories are there in your family tree? This unit builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in HAA004 Writing Family History.…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Term 1 | ||||
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Term 2 | ||||
Need help choosing your first year units? Try the Unit Selection Guide.
Entry requirements
Eligibility
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 UTAS 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 at UTAS.
Students will need regular access to a desktop computer and the internet.
Domestic applicants
Applicants 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 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.
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, 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 UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.
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
Domestic students enrolled in a full fee paying place are charged the Student Services and Amenities Fee but this fee is incorporated in the fees you pay for each unit you enrol in. Full fee paying domestic students do not have to make any additional SSAF payments.
Detailed tuition fee information for domestic students is available at the Domestic Student Fees website, including additional information in relation to a 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