Family History
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.
The Diploma of Family History is fully online and taught over four terms. Students complete 8 units, each of which is completed over 8 weeks.
Term 4 starts 11 October 2021, Apply Now.
Learn about university terminology and definitions in our glossary
Course Options
Diploma of Family History
1 year min, 3 years max
Online and part-time only
The Diploma of Family History units are available to all Australian citizens; and for NZ citizens, Permanent Residents and Humanitarian Visa Holders provided all studies are undertaken on-shore in Australia.
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are available for all units in the Diploma of Family History. This means the student contribution cost of the units in this Diploma can be deferred under the HECS-HELP loan scheme for eligible students.
See Entry Requirements for more information.
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 Access historical documents, photos, local narratives, oral histories and other resources from the 1500s to 2000s.
Pathways
At the University of Tasmania, we’ll help you get the skills you need to pursue a degree. We offer a wide range of preparatory and pathway programs, as well as short foundation programs, to assist in the transition to university.
Study options
Place, Image, Object
Term 4: 11 Oct – 5 Dec 2021
Find stories in your family treasure through homes, heirlooms, albums and art. Find immediate ways to relate to your family's past with remembering, researching and communicating family history and memories.
Writing the Family Saga
Term 4: 11 Oct – 5 Dec 2021
Adventure or romance, tragedy or triumph, legends of extraordinary feats or quiet tales of everyday struggles. Develop key skills for the writing of fiction and/or non-fiction based on genealogical records with an emphasis on crafting and polishing your family history narratives.
Introduction to Family History
2022 dates to be confirmed
A key unit for those new to family history and genealogy. You will learn how to plan, record and research family history as well as critically evaluate historical resources and communicate your findings.
Oral History
2022 dates to be confirmed
Learn about the important role of oral history in documenting family history and how to incorporate oral history into your research. You will also learn valuable practical skills on how to record, transcribe and share oral histories in written form.
Writing Family History
2022 dates to be confirmed
Develop key skills for the writing of fiction and/or non-fiction based on genealogical records. Learn to craft and polish engaging and readable multigenerational family history narratives.
Families and War
2022 dates to be confirmed
Discover more about your family's unique military past. This unit introduces you to researching online military records, and to contextualising diverse experiences of war with a focus on Australia and Britain during the First World War.
The Family Photo Essay
2022 dates to be confirmed
Learn the basics of creating a family photo essay, as you work with media professionals, bringing words and images together to communicate family stories. You will hone your writing skills and learn how to create, select, and edit photographic images.
Convict Ancestors
2022 dates to be confirmed
Learn how to get 'forensic' about the lives of past ancestors and interpret rich, sometimes disturbing evidence from historical convict, prison and court records.
Migrant Families
2022 dates to be confirmed
Australia is a migrant nation, with a rich and diverse mix of peoples, languages and cultures. Develop your archival and digital research skills and learn how to find Australia and New Zealand migration records and use them to tell your family’s migration story.
Course breakdown
To graduate with a Diploma of Family History, you need to complete eight units – four at Foundation level and four at Introductory level.
There are four terms to the year, with two or three units offered each term. This means you have the choice to structure your studies around your lifestyle. Many students study one unit per term to complete the Diploma in two years.
There are no exams in the Diploma. Assessment activities could include online quizzes, transcription exercises, document analysis exercises, oral history interview transcription, short writing activities and essays.
You can study these units in any order you choose, but we strongly recommend commencing your course with Introduction to Family History. Introductory level units build on skills and knowledge developed in the Foundation level units.
Visit the course and unit handbook to learn more about the individual units offered.
1
Foundation level
Study these four units
- Introduction to Family History
- Place, Image, Object
- Writing Family History
- Convict Ancestors
2
Introductory level
Choose four units to study
- Families and War
- Migrant Families
- Writing the Family Saga
- Oral History
- The Family Photo Essay
Career outcomes
Lessons from the life of Sarah Wentworth
“I’ve been interested in family history for many years. One thing I loved about the Diploma was the diversity of the units. There was a unit on writing skills, one on photography, one specifically on convicts – I enjoyed every unit that I did and learning different approaches to the same topic.”
Ros Escott, Diploma of Family History student
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
Further Study with a Bachelor of Arts or Diploma of Arts
The Diploma of Family History opens the door to further study at the University of Tasmania. Many of our students go on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts or Diploma of Arts. Students in these degrees are curious about the big questions of life, embrace the joy of open enquiry, and are on a life-long quest for knowledge and inspiration. At the University of Tasmania, you will be part of a distinctive academic community that cares deeply about the topics that we teach and study.
Career opportunities
Careers relating to Family History are growing across many industries. Here are some of the top careers projected to grow in the next five years*.
*National Skills Commission - Skills Priority List (June 2021)
Historian: Future Demand
Librarian: Future Demand
Gallery or Museum Guide: Future Demand
Study Experiences
Delving deeper into your ancestry
“The greatest benefit for me from completing the diploma was a greater understanding of the immense resources available to family historians and how to access them.”
Caroline Haigh, Diploma of Family History student
Entry information
Entry requirements
The Diploma of Family History units are available to Australian citizens; and to New Zealand citizens, Permanent Residents and Humanitarian Visa Holders provided all studies are on-shore in Australia. You will need to have access to a computer and a reliable internet connection.
Tuition Fees
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are available for all units in the Diploma of Family History. This means the student contribution costs of the units can be deferred under the HECS-HELP loan schemes for eligible students.
For more information, refer to Domestic Student Fees.
The average student contribution for units in this Diploma is $1,812 in 2021. Please see the course and unit handbook for links to each unit page.
Credit for prior learning
The University of Tasmania aims to provide you with credit for approved prior study or equivalent professional experience which exceeds standard entrance requirements for courses. For more information please visit Recognition for Prior Learning.
