Diploma of Family History
Undergraduate | TAS-FAM-DIP | 2024
Discover the secrets of your family’s past
What does your family history entail? In today’s age, it’s possible to find out a lot about our ancestors. You just need to know where to look, and what to do with information. Build skills in finding, interpreting, storing and sharing information.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Applications close
- 7 July 2024,
- 29 Sept 2024
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 1 year full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 8
- Price from
- $14,480
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Diploma of Family History
About this degree
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Locate, identify and analyse relevant historical information from sources available online, in archives, libraries, and family collections, to provide the evidence for family histories.
- Organise family history data and research materials in physical and digital form to facilitate the creation of family histories.
- 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.
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 program 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.
Recommended study pattern
The program is only available for part-time study.
For students taking part-time study, the following study pattern is recommended:
Completion of 4 foundation level subjects from the schedule below:
- TAS-HAA003 Introduction to Family History
- TAS-HAA004 Writing Family History
- TAS-HAA006 Place, Image, Object
- TAS-HAA007 Convict Ancestors
Completion of 4 introductory level subjects from the schedule below:
- TAS-FXA102 The Family Photo Essay
- TAS-HAA104 Writing the Family Saga
- TAS-HAA106 Oral History
- TAS-HAA107 Families at War
- TAS-HAA108 Migrant Families
While you may complete the subjects in any order, we strongly recommend commencing your course with TAS-HAA003 Introduction to Family History.
Award requirements
Satisfactory completion of 8 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 1-3 years from commencement.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
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- QS Ranking 2024:
- 20
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 19
Entry requirements
Successful completion of any 2 OUA open access subjects of study at the equivalent AQF level, unless otherwise specified.
Completed the TCE (or equivalent)
Certificate III or equivalent in any discipline
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 program.
The University of Tasmania grants credit and recognition of prior learning that may include formal and/or informal prior learning. More information is available here.
Career opportunities
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
Career outlook
- Archivists, Curators and Records Managers:
- $93K to $120K
- Secondary School Teachers:
- $93K to $120K
- Social Professionals:
- $75K to $93K
Degree FAQs
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
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