Diploma of Family History
UndergraduateTAS-FAM-DIP2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
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
- 19 Jan 2025,
- 13 Apr 2025,
- 6 July 2025,
- 28 Sept 2025
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 3 years part time
- Total subjects
- 8
- 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.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $15,080
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 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
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
Archivists, Curators and Records Managers | $93K to $120K | Up 12% |
Secondary School Teachers | $93K to $120K | Up 2.7% |
Social Professionals | $75K to $93K | Up 0.4% |
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.