A grandmother and grandson have graduated together from Charles Sturt University after supporting each other through a course in Wiradjuri language, culture and heritage.

Karen Coe and Isaiah Church completed the Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Language, Culture and Heritage after studying part-time across 2023 and 2024.

The pair graduated on April 14 after taking on the course together despite being from different generations.

Ms Coe, a proud Wiradjuri and Bundjalung woman, took on the course to strengthen her fluency in language after growing up in a time when she was prevented from speaking it.

She explained what the experience meant to her.

"I've grown up in an era where I was stopped from speaking my language," Ms Coe said.

"But I can honestly say that I was so very proud that Isaiah chose to do it with me.

"I went to university to do this course after I supported him to complete year 12."

Mr Church also enrolled to learn language, saying his grandmother played a central role in his decision to keep studying.

He said learning alongside her carried personal meaning.

"Learning new things with the person who inspired me to love learning in the first place... it meant a lot," Mr Church said.

"Nan was intent on doing the course to learn the many things that she sadly missed out on from her Elders.

"I can't speak for her, but I know that I 100 per cent would not have been able to get through it if she wasn't studying alongside me."

Raised on her mother Winnie Marlowe's Country at Brungle Mission, between Tumut and Gundagai, until she was 12. She also has strong ties to her father Eric Marlowe's Bundjalung Country at Cabbage Tree Island.

Ms Coe completed her HSC at Tumut High School in 1978 and later worked across education, health and employment before retiring in 2022.

Mr Church was born in 2004 and raised in Canberra by his Wiradjuri family on his mother's side and Barkindji family on his father's side.

The course was completed during a period of grief after the death of Karen's daughter and Isaiah's mother, Bianca Coe, last year.

Both said they relied on each other to finish the qualification.

Ms said their strengths balanced each other.

"[We] worked extremely well with each other," Ms Coe said.

"We've shared an unbreakable bond from the day Isaiah was born.

"He could use the technology which I found hard to understand and I can talk underwater with a mouthful of marbles!"

Mr Church said studying together changed the way he approached the work.

"I remember feeling very unmotivated when I had to work on tasks by myself," he said.

"But when we worked together, our different skill sets and knowledge complimented each other perfectly."

Ms Coe said it was an honour to watch Mr Church and the other students grow in confidence during the course and noted passing on knowledge is important.

"It's extremely important that we continue to empower our younger generations," Ms Coe said.

"I was so proud to pass on stories from my Elders to the other students.

"The cultural connections we shared were invaluable."

Mr Church is now pursuing a future in music and hopes to bring culture into that work.

"My dream is to become a professional composer... making scores for things like movies and games," he said.

"I would love to incorporate my culture into my music.

"I've been learning how to play keyboard and guitar instrumentals that I'm looking to incorporate into full songs."

Ms Coe said she plans to use her studies to continue supporting her communities through cultural knowledge and truth-telling.

"At this stage in my life, I will continue to support my Wiradjuri and Bundjalung mobs through my cultural knowledge," she said.

"There are many people who are 'lost' in their cultural identity and who are misrepresenting our mob in society today. I hope to help address that with this degree.

"A big part too is constant truth telling. Just being honest and having honest conversations with people."

Ms Coe is also working on a 'Journal of a Lifetime' to record her story for Isaiah and future generations.

"It will help my grandchildren and others understand my story as a very proud Aboriginal woman," Ms Coe said.