Bachelor of Dementia Care
UndergraduateTAS-DMT-DEG2025
Study Australia’s first degree in dementia care
Make a difference to the lives of people living with Australia’s second-leading cause of death. Understand changes in the brain that occur with dementia. Learn practical strategies to help care for people experiencing these symptoms.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 3 years full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 24
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Bachelor of Dementia Care
About this degree
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Apply knowledge of the biology of the nervous system to explain dementia pathology and symptoms across its trajectory
- Evaluate the multidisciplinary evidence for dementia risk reduction and approaches to optimise the health and social care of people living with dementia
- Evaluate and design collaborative, person centred approaches to inclusion, support and care of diverse people living with dementia and their families
- Propose evidence-based strategies to share knowledge and influence improvements to dementia care
- Evaluate how evidence is generated and translated into health and social care for older people including those living with dementia
What is the Dementia Care Program?
The Dementia Care Program offers Australia's first degree in dementia care. It is available to domestic and international students, from carers to health professionals and anyone with an interest in studying dementia. This program will develop your specialised knowledge in this field so that you can make a difference to the lives of people living with dementia.
This is a fully online program with no exams, face to face study, or workplace assessment component. Dedicated Student Advisers are on-hand throughout the program, providing support and guidance throughout your studies. Our program can be studied full-time or part-time, offering you a choice to graduate with a:
- Diploma (8 subjects, completed over a maximum of 3 years)
- Associate Degree (16 subjects, completed over a maximum of 5 years)
- Bachelor Degree (24 subjects, completed over a maximum of 7 years)
Students may study part-time (1-2 subjects) or full-time (3-4 subjects) per semester. Students are advised to approximately 10 hours of study per week per subject of study. There are no formal examinations, all assessments occur throughout the semester.
Assessments may include quizzes, assessed discussion boards, essays or reports, presentations.
Recommended study pattern
For students undertaking full-time study the following study pattern is recommended. If students are undertaking part-time study, we recommend that students complete all first-year compulsory subjects prior to completing elective subjects to maximise success.
Students studying first-year subjects are advised to complete TAS-CAD005 prior to attempting TAS-CAD101.
Year 1. 8 subjects in the first year including:
- 6 core subjects:
- TAS-CAD005 Neurospeak Online (NB: Students are advised to complete TAS-CAD005 prior to attempting TAS-CAD101)
- TAS-CAD101 Introduction to Ageing, the Brain and Dementia
- TAS-CAD104 Principles of Supportive Care for People With Dementia
- TAS-CAD115 Health Services for an Ageing Population
- TAS-CAD116 Introduction to Therapeutic Approaches for Dementia
- TAS-CAD117 Effective Communication for Dementia Care
- 2 UTAS Electives
Year 2. 8 subjects in the second year including:
- 6 core subjects:
- TAS-CAD201 The Neurobiology of Dementia
- TAS-CAD202 Therapeutic Approaches for Dementia
- TAS-CAD203 Principles of Palliative Care
- TAS-CAD205 Nutrition, Dysphagia and Dementia
- TAS-CAD207 Individual and Community Approaches to Dementia Prevention
- TAS-CAD208 Dementia Policy and Care Coordination
- 2 UTAS Electives
Year 3. 8 subjects in the third year including:
- 4 core subjects:
- TAS-CAD305 Qualitative Research in Aged and Dementia Care
- TAS-CAD306 Advanced Topics in Dementia Care
- TAS-CAD307 Translating Evidence into Dementia Care
- TAS-CAD308 Dementia Friendly Societies
- 4 UTAS Electives
Students may also choose to utilise their elective choices to complete the major of Ageing Studies and Services, to do so students should complete the following 8 subjects:
- TAS-CAD118 Social Constructs of Ageing
- TAS-CAD119 Chronicity and Multimorbidity
- TAS-CAD209 Navigating the Aged Care System
- TAS-CAD210 Mental Health and Wellbeing in Older Adults
- TAS-BAA342 Aged Care Leadership and Management: Effective Internal and External Integration
- TAS-BEA311 Economics of Health and Wellbeing
- TAS-CAD304 Negotiated Project in Ageing and Dementia
- TAS-CXA309 Health Services and Health Informatics
Award requirements
Satisfactory completion of 24 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 3-7 years from commencement.
- 6 core subjects:
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.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative first year fee
$10,690
Indicative total fee $31,700
The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
Wherever you are, the University of Tasmania brings its island campus to you through a growing range of online programs across art and design, business, education, health, science, sustainability, technology, and more. It’s never too late to switch things up. Kickstart that career you’ve been dreaming about, or upskill for the one you’re in. You’ll also become a part of the world's leading university on climate action.
Learn more about UTAS.
Explore UTAS courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 20
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 19
Entry requirements
- Partially completed an undergraduate course at Diploma level or higher (or equivalent). Applicants must have completed at least two subjects of study (equivalent to 25 UTAS credit points). If an applicant has failed any subjects the application may be subject to further review before an offer is made; OR
- Completed the UTAS University Preparation Program (or an equivalent qualification offered by an Australian University).
Successful completion of any two OUA open access subjects of study at the equivalent AQF level, unless otherwise specified.
This course uses ATAR and equivalent ranks as part of the admission process. In 2024, the minimum ATAR required is 50.
Applicants who have recently completed senior secondary studies but have not received an ATAR may still be eligible for admission. We will consider your individual subject results on a case-by-case basis when we assess your application.
Certificate III (or equivalent) or higher in any discipline.
Applicants without senior secondary, tertiary or VET / TAFE study can complete a personal competency statement. Applicants may be eligible for an offer if they have relevant work and/or life experiences which demonstrate a capacity to succeed in this course.
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.
Study method requirements
This program is delivered fully online, therefore you must be able to access a computer, have current software and a reliable connection to the internet.
Career opportunities
Over 400,000 Australians are currently living with dementia; this number increases every year. The impact on communities, families, governments and health professionals will be significant as these numbers increase.
Our workforce is currently ill equipped to help care for such large numbers of people living with dementia – by 2050, it is estimated that there will be over 900,000 people in Australia living with dementia. Graduates from this program may find work in a range of career paths such as in the aged care industry in both the public and private sectors, or as a pathway to undertaking further study in graduate health programs.
In March 2021, Australia’s Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety released its final report (Pagone & Briggs, 2021). “We are deeply concerned that so many aged care providers do not seem to have the skills and capacity required to care adequately for people living with dementia” (Pagone & Briggs, 2021, p. 69). Care, dignity, and respect: Executive Summary and Final report (Volumes 1-5). Australian Government Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Individuals with backgrounds in healthcare, community service and allied health professionals, may find study in this program advantageous – and opportunities for Recognition of Prior Learning (or credit) are available.
There are a growing number of leadership and case management positions in dementia care, which require qualifications higher than aged care certificates. Leadership roles, and specialist positions in the aged care sector are increasingly calling for tertiary level qualifications such as the Dementia Care Program.
The Diploma and Associate Degrees are particularly relevant to aged care workers and health professionals wishing to develop their skills and knowledge in dementia. The Bachelor Degree offers additional learning about research and the understanding of how evidence may be translated into clinical care practice.
To support the development of a career structure for aged care workers in the future we will continually evaluate the program and make representations to government and industry. We know that workers with greater knowledge and skills in dementia care will be critical in delivering enhanced capacity to a sector which is facing an enormous challenge both now and into the future.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Health and Welfare Services Managers | Over $120K | Up 56.6% |
| Medical Administrators | Over $120K | Up 0.01% |
| Nurse Managers | Over $120K | Up 19.9% |
| Policy and Planning Managers | Over $120K | Up 53.8% |
| Practice Managers | $75K to $93K | Up 18.7% |
| Primary Health Organisation Managers | N/A^ | N/A^ |
| Tribunal Members | N/A^ | N/A^ |
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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.
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