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Apply for this course by 23 February to study in this intake.
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Bachelor of Ageing and Dementia Studies
UndergraduateTAS-AGE-DEG2020
Course information for 2020 intake
Gain specialised aged care knowledge
Add depth to your knowledge of how to care for the elderly with an understanding of the social and health challenges associated with ageing. Cover care navigation, policy, research, governance, safety, quality, leadership and innovation.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Total subjects
- 24
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Bachelor of Ageing and Dementia Studies
About this degree
Upon successful completion of this degree, students should be able to:
- Recognise and describe social constructs, and indigenous, national and global perspectives and experiences, of ageing
- Describe and discuss major diseases and conditions of ageing, including dementia, and identify risk factors and patterns of chronicity, multimorbidity and complexity
- Demonstrate and apply knowledge of contemporary approaches to supportive and person-centred care for older adults in the context of healthy ageing, aged care and dementia
- Develop and apply knowledge of dementia, ageing and aged care settings, policies, regulations and governance to successfully assist older adults in navigating and accessing health care systems, services and processes
- Analyse and evaluate approaches to leadership in aged care, including identification of individual, team and systems-based approaches to continuous improvement in the quality of care of older adults
- Generate strategies to support independent and productive living, as well as social innovation and inclusion, for older adults
- Source, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information in dementia and ageing studies from the international, peer reviewed literature
The Bachelor of Ageing and Dementia Studies is a specialised degree that will develop your knowledge about ageing, and aged care in a variety of capacities and sectors. Moving away from the sole provision of dementia care, the intention of the degree is to scaffold learning from an understanding of the many social and health challenges that are associated with ageing and the provision of care, through to capacity to translate this knowledge in areas of care navigation, policy, research, governance, safety, quality and leadership, as well as innovation. The degree will be designed to keep pace with a fast growing and evolving sector of social and health care, producing graduates who will be equipped to tackle the myriad of issues confronting this field. The degree will recognise the interdisciplinary nature of ageing and aged care, and the complexity that rising impact of dementia brings to these fields. Students will develop skills to work collaboratively, and have the capacity to promulgate understanding of the many dimensions of ageing and aged care, particularly person-centred care, into teams and work environments. They will also be able to assist older adults and their family members in navigating the complexity of the aged care system.
The majority of this degree is online and will likely be undertaken by individuals working in the aged care or related sectors. From the second year, units in the Ageing and Aged Care Major stream will make use of intensives to lead groups of students through exercises and tasks to develop skills related to team work and navigation of aged care systems. The world-leading research and educational expertise of the Wicking Dementia Centre will drive this offering. Highly qualified Centre staff will ensure that the degree has a comprehensive and contemporary evidence base, and will assist students in developing their analytical and translational skills. There is significant scope to include important complementary learning material from other academic units of the university through breadth and elective units.
Recommended study pattern
Students must complete 24 subjects as outlined in the recommended study pattern below:
- First year
- 2 foundation subjects
- 2 dementia care subjects
- 2 ageing and aged care subjects
- 1 subject from the specified electives (100 level)
- 1 subject from the specified breadth subjects (100 level)
- Second year
- 2 core subjects
- 2 dementia care subjects
- 2 ageing and aged care subjects
- 1 subject from the specified electives (200 level)
- 1 subject from the specified breadth subjects (200 level)
- Third year
- 4 dementia care subjects
- 4 ageing and aged care subjects
Award requirements
Successful completion of 24 subjects as outlined in the schedule of subject offerings, finishing within 7 years
- First year
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 total fee $20,040
The amount shown here is 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
Successful completion of 4 subjects through OUA including at least 3 of the following:
- FXA100, CAD101 and/or CAD118
Students may apply based on previous higher education study:
- Tertiary applicants with completed prior university study undertaken at the Associate Degree level or above at any Australian University, or the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent
- Applicants with partial University study at the Associate Degree level or higher with a passing GPA (ie 4.0/7.0) based on a minimum of 2 x 12.5 credit points of undergraduate–degree level units.
- Completed UTAS University Preparation Program or an Australian University equivalent. A completed UTAS UPP consists of 8 x 12.5 credit point units or the equivalent of 100 credit points including the core units
ATAR of 65 or higher
AQF Cert IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma
Students who have enrolled in the Dementia Care Degree program may seek to transfer from the Bachelor of Dementia Care to Bachelor of Ageing and Dementia Studies, and will receive credit for the Dementia Care major and core degree units, as appropriate and up to a maximum of two thirds of the coursework requirements of the Bachelor of Ageing and Dementia Studies. Students who have completed the Diploma or Associate Degree of Dementia Care may also apply for credit for the Dementia Care major.
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
Allows you to provide guidance and leadership within your work environment and when advising. Ability to assist older adults and their families in navigating the complexity of the Australian aged care system.
With an ageing population and more focus on healthy ageing within communities – this degree will give you the skills to develop age-friendly initiative in a range of contexts in the community and health settings.
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^ |
Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
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.
How can I pay for my studies?
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.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
How do I know if I‘m eligible to apply for a course?
Before starting an enrolment, it's important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you're eligible to apply. If you don't quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Contact us to find out more.
When is my cut-off date for enrolment?
Our close of enrolment times vary. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting Key dates.
Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don't meet the entry requirements for a degree, we'll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to a student advisor and we'll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.