The University of Tasmania (UTAS) have found a need for short, free, online genealogy related courses. Their beginners course, writing course and convicts course have all proved popular.

Now they are introducing two new courses, a new one on writing, with the other being about finding the stories in your family’s treasures.

As with all of their family history courses, they are open to Australian and NZ citizens, and Permanent Residents and Humanitarian Visa Holders (provided all studies are on-shore in Australia). Also there’s no prerequisites except that you will need to have access to a computer and a reliable internet connection throughout the course.

UTAS Writing the Family Saga 200Writing the Family Saga
Course starts: 27 June 2016
Runs: 6 weeks
More information: http://www.utas.edu.au/arts/familysaga
Adventure or romance, tragedy or triumph, legends of extraordinary feats or quiet tales of everyday struggles. What kinds of stories are there in your family tree? Develop key skills for writing fiction and/or non-fiction based on genealogical records.

 

Place, Image, Object
UTAS Place Image Object 200
Course starts: 27 June 2016
Runs: 6 weeks
More information: http://www.utas.edu.au/arts/place-image-object
Homes, heirlooms, albums and art; find stories in your family treasure. The material world surrounds us. The objects and images we have collected, and places our families have inhabited, help us in researching our family history and memories. Homes, human-shaped environments like gardens, and inherited items (some valuable, others mundane) can carry stories down through generations. Places, images, and objects are imbued with the potential to provide immediate ways of relating to your family’s past, and sharing it with others.

Applications for both courses are open now.
You’ll find all the details on their website.

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And in case you were wondering when they are going rerun the earlier ones, the dates are below, but applications for these courses are not yet open. So mark it on the calendar to recheck later.

Introduction to Family History
Course starts: 8 August 2016
Runs: 7 weeks
More information: http://www.utas.edu.au/arts/introduction-to-family-history
Ever wanted to know more about your past? Introduction to Family History is designed for people interested in their own family histories or genealogy in general. You will learn how to research family history accurately and efficiently using the growing range of online family history resources. You may be surprised at what you discover and what you can share with family and friends.

Writing Family History
Course starts: 21 November 2016
Runs: 6 weeks
More information: http://www.utas.edu.au/arts/writing-family-history
Secrets, twists, triumphs and tragedies; bring the stories of ancestors to life! Writing Family History is a fully online unit from the University of Tasmania. Join students around Australia for an introduction to writing non-fictional and fictional narratives based on real genealogical records.

The courses above are four of the eight units that make up UTASs Diploma of Family History. If you’d like more information on that you can find that on their website here.

UTAS family history diploma