Family History
Many people study Family History to better understand their genealogy. You’ll build your skills and knowledge in finding and interpreting information about your ancestors and sharing family stories with others.
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.
You will learn how to research online while developing your communication and writing skills. You will be part of a supportive cohort of family history enthusiasts and experts as you explore content from the colonial to the multicultural.
The Diploma of Family History is fully online and consists of eight units that each run for eight weeks. You can study at your own pace – all you need is regular access to a computer and the internet.
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.
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.
As a fully online course, you can study at your own pace. All you need is regular access to a computer and the internet.
Suitable for any level of study experience, this course will give you the tools to discover your own unique family story.
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 Access historical documents, photos, local narratives, oral histories and other resources from the 1500s to 2000s.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
The Photo Essay: An Introduction
26 Apr - 20 Jun 2021
Learn the basics of creating a powerful photo essay for personal, professional, or creative expression. You will work with media professionals and learn how to create, select, and edit photographic images and combine them with well-crafted text for maximum impact.
Convict Ancestors
26 Apr - 20 Jun 2021
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
26 Apr - 20 Jun 2021
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.
Introduction to Family History
19 Jul - 12 Sept 2021
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.
Writing Family History
19 Jul - 12 Sep 2021
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
19 Jul – 12 Sep 2021
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.
Writing the Family Saga
11 Oct – 21 Nov 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.
Place, Image, Object
11 Oct - 21 Nov 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.
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.
Course breakdown
To graduate with a Diploma of Family History, you need to complete eight units.
There are four terms to the year with two units taught per term - one Foundation unit and one Introductory unit. This means you have the choice to structure your studies around your lifestyle.
You can study these units in any order you choose, but we strongly recommend commencing your course with Introduction to Family History.
Visit the course and unit handbook to learn more about the individual units offered.
1
Foundation level
Choose four units to study
- Introduction to Family History
- Place, Image, Object
- Writing Family History
- Convict Ancestors
- The Photo Essay
2
Introductory level
Study these four units
- Families and War
- Migrant Families
- Writing the Family Saga
- Oral History
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
- adult education
- archives and library information systems
Further Study with a Bachelor of Arts
With our fully online History major, you’ll learn to better understand the world and the long-term changes that shaped it. Historians are like detectives, questioning, analysing and interpreting evidence from the past. You’ll gain a sophisticated sense of your location in time and place, and become skilled in historical research, critical analysis and the communication of ideas.
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.
