Educational Activities
Studies conducted of those who receive the credential of Certified Genealogist show that most have a variety of educational experiences prior to submitting their portfolio. BCG does not endorse any particular educational offering, but we have correlated educational options and successful applications, as shown in the table below.
Effect of Genealogical Education on Certification
| Effect of Genealogical Education on Certification | ||
| Education Program (number of applicants participating in the program) | Percent Successful | Percent Unsuccessful |
| Local conferences only (23) | 0% | 100% |
| Webinars only (25) | 0% | 100% |
| No formal education (33) | 16% | 84% |
| Boston University Certificate (76) | 62% | 38% |
| Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (39) | 66% | 34% |
| At least one institute (155) | 69% | 31% |
| Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (86) | 69% | 31% |
| Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (101) | 71% | 29% |
| Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (82) | 71% | 29% |
| Three or more institutes (92) | 72% | 28% |
| ProGen Study Group (94) | 73% | 27% |
| GenProof Study Group (43) | 74% | 26% |
| At least one institute and extended genealogical education (107) | 75% | 25% |
| NGS Home Study Course - Now Advanced Skills in Genealogy (43) | 77% | 23% |
The numbers are based on 143 successful applicants from December 2013 through 17 April 2024, and 185 unsuccessful applicants from February 2014 through 17 April 2024. This data reflects a total of 292 applicants.
To be included in the list of educational activities, a program must meet the following criteria:
- Standards: The program helps students meeting standards 89 and 90.
- Pass rate: The program must evidence a new-applicant portfolio pass rate greater than 60%.
- Sample size: There are 15 or more applicants who listed the program in their development activities.
- Longevity: The program has been around for at least three years.
The following are educational opportunities which some individuals have found helpful.
These are not all-inclusive and it is up to each individual to determine which educational options are appropriate and of value.
Academic Programs
Boston University (BU)
BU’s Center for Professional Education offers a seven-week online Genealogy Essentials course and a non-credit online Certificate in Genealogical Research. The certificate course is an online 15-week program that requires significant amounts of time spent searching for multiple generations of a family through record repositories and online sources and documenting the results.
Institutes
The enrollment at all institutes is limited.
Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed)
Gen-Fed has been held in July since 1950 at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, DC and is co-sponsored by BCG. Its five-day program offers in-depth study of material held by NARA in Washington, DC and College Park, Maryland.
Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP)
GRIP holds multiple sessions each summer on the LaRoche College campus in suburban Pittsburgh and other locations. Courses vary annually.
Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR)
IGHR, begun in 1962 at Howard College, later Samford University, is now held in Athens, Georgia, hosted by the Georgia Genealogical Society. The five-day summer program offers several courses.
Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)
SLIG holds a five-day program each January in Salt Lake City, managed by the Utah Genealogical Association, with several courses on topics that vary annually.
Other ongoing focused institutes include the Midwest African American Genealogical Institute at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, IN, each summer; and the British Institute of the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History in Salt Lake City, UT, each fall. Institutes focusing on other ethnic, regional, or state-level research may also offer in-depth educational opportunities.
Scholarships
Currently, three scholarships are offered by BCG:
- A scholarship for an applicant under the age of 40 (must be under age 40 on 15 March).
- A scholarship for an individual who is currently “on the clock” having submitted the preliminary application to become a Certified Genealogist.
- The Paul Edward Sluby Sr. African American Scholarship.
Scholarships for 'Under-40' and 'Preliminary Applicant'
Applications for scholarships to participate in national genealogical institutes are due annually on 15 March. In addition to the Sluby African American Scholarship (See below.), one scholarship will be awarded to an under-40 applicant and one to an individual who has submitted a preliminary application.
Scholarships will award up to $1,700 of the tuition, travel, and lodging expense of attending one of four premier national institutes. BCG will also waive its final application fee of $300 for scholarship recipients who submit portfolios of work to be considered for certification within three years of the announcement of an award.
Applicants are required to submit an essay and a sample of their genealogical research. Scholarship recipients will be awarded in May, so that recipients can take part in institutes scheduled for the following year. Those wishing to apply should fill out the required application form and submit with supporting materials as required to .
Four institutes are eligible for all three scholarships for tuition, travel, and lodging expenses (where applicable). The Sluby Scholarship is also eligible for the Midwest African American Institute.
- Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), held annually at the National Archives and other locations in Washington, DC, and College Park, Maryland. The 2023 session is scheduled for the week of August 7th.
- Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, provides two separate week-long sessions in June and July.
- Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR), held in Athens, Georgia, in July, under the auspices of the Georgia Genealogical Society.
- Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City held in January each year.
Applicants should exhibit intermediate or higher skills that have prepared them for an in-depth learning experience. With the exception of the under-40 scholarship, there is no age limit or income requirement.
Download application form here (Under 40 and Preliminary Applicant) and submit with the supporting materials to .
- 2023 scholarship recipients: Jamie Poorman (Marshall, Illinois) and Evan Wilson (Oakland, California)
- 2024 scholarship recipients: Eli Kirshner (Washington, District of Columbia) and Jason Ross (Jefferson City, Missouri)
Paul Edward Sluby Sr. African American Scholarship
Paul Edward Sluby Sr. African American Scholarship
Mr. Sluby was the first board-certified African American genealogist, having been approved by the Board for Certification of Genealogists in 1973.
In 1977 he joined with others to found the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. (AAHGS) and was its first vice president for genealogical programs, a role he filled until 1981. He also served as AAHGS Newsletter editor (1977–1981), treasurer (1981–1983), and executive secretary (1981–1983). AAHGS named one of its two meritorious achievement awards in his honor. He also served as a director of the National Genealogical Society from 1978–1980.
Mr. Sluby was a District of Columbia police officer from 1961 until his retirement in 1980 from the helicopter branch. An Army veteran, he served from 1954–1957, receiving his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and military police training at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He served with the 385th Military Police Battalion at Stuttgart, Germany. In addition to his interest in genealogy, he was an avid racquetball player. A resident of Maryland at the time of his death, he is survived by his wife Patricia Carter Sluby, PhD (also a genealogist) and three children from an earlier marriage: Paul Jr., Thomas, and René Sluby.
Applications for scholarships for African Americans to participate in national genealogical institutes are due annually on 15 March. Scholarships will be awarded to up to three African American students, to cover up to $1,700 of the tuition, travel, and lodging expense of attending one of five premier national institutes. BCG will also waive its final application fee of $300 for scholarship recipients who submit portfolios of work to be considered for certification within three years of the announcement of an award.
Applicants are required to submit an essay and a sample of their genealogical research. Scholarship recipients will be awarded in May, so that recipients can take part in institutes scheduled for the following year. Those wishing to apply should fill out the required application form and submit with supporting materials as required to .
The five institutes eligible for scholarships for tuition, travel, and lodging expenses (where applicable) are:
- Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), held annually at the National Archives and other locations in Washington, DC, and College Park, Maryland. The 2023 session is scheduled for the week of August 7th.
- Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, provides two separate week-long sessions in June and July.
- Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR), held in Athens, Georgia, in July, under the auspices of the Georgia Genealogical Society.
- Midwest African American Genealogical Institute (MAAGI), based at the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, currently offered for three days in early July.
- Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City held in January each year.
Applicants can be of any age, but should exhibit intermediate or higher skills that have prepared them for an in-depth learning experience. There is no age limit or income requirement.
Download application form here and submit with the supporting materials to .
- 2021 scholarship recipients: James R. Morgan III (Hyattsville, Maryland), LaJoy Y. Mosby (Columbia, Maryland), and Nikki Williams Sebastian (Tucker, Georgia)
- 2022 scholarship recipients: Janice Cross Gilyard (Summit, New Jersey), Michelle Susberry Hill (Houston, Texas), Tameka S. Miller (Richardson, Texas), and Christopher Smothers (Marietta, Georgia)
- 2023 scholarship recipients: Viola Osborne Baskerville (Richmond, Virginia), Adam Paul (Decatur, Georgia), Guy Weston (Washington, District of Columbia)
- 2024 scholarship recipients: Christopher K.P. Brown (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Yvette LaGonterie (Washington, District of Columbia, and Monique Slaughter (Verbank, New York).
Collaborative Studies Online
ProGen Study Groups
Since 2008, participants in this 18-month program study one or two chapters of Professional Genealogy (edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills) each month, complete a practical assignment relating to the material, and meet online in small groups to discuss the topic. They review each other’s assignments and offer constructive feedback. Like the book, the program covers both research procedures and business practices. Each group has a board-certified genealogist acting as group mentor; certificates are awarded to those who complete the requirements satisfactorily.
NGSQ Study Groups
These groups meet monthly online to discuss a preselected article from the NGS Quarterly. The study is based on William M. Litchman’s model. Each participant reads the selected article several times, noting the research techniques, evidence, documentation, and logic used in solving the genealogy problem (http://www.unm.edu/~litchman/Analysis%20article.htm).
Gen Proof Study Groups
Gen Proof Study Group participants study the chapters in Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones. Participants read each chapter, complete the exercises in the book, and meet online to discuss the concepts. Volunteer mentors host the group discussions and answer questions.
Regional, National, and International Conferences
Conferences are comparatively brief and cover a wider range of topics in less depth than other educational opportunities. Major genealogical conferences include but are not limited to the following.
Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
APG holds an annual Professional Management Conference focusing on the practical facets of professional genealogical endeavors.
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS)
IAJGS holds an annual five-day conference rotating between the United States and an international location, with multiple tracks of widely varied instruction.
National Genealogical Society (NGS)
NGS holds an annual conference in late spring at a different site each year, offering about 150–200 hours of widely varied instruction. BCG cosponsors a skillbuilding track of lectures during NGS with presentations about genealogical standards, specific types of work products, research planning, citations, evidence evaluation, and the Genealogical Proof Standard, as well as a two-hour certification seminar.
The BCG Education Fund, an independent trust founded to promote BCG’s educational aims, sponsors “Putting Skills to Work,” a pair of half-day workshops focusing on development of genealogical skills, held the day before the NGS conference starts.
RootsTech
FamilySearch holds RootsTech annually in Salt Lake City in the late winter. It is a family history and technology conference and trade show offering something for participants at all skill and age levels, including 200 breakout sessions and an “innovators summit.”
Regional Conferences Include
Many regional and local conferences offer similar educational opportunities. Among the more well-known regional conferences are:
New England Regional Genealogical Consortium (NERGC)—Held every other year in the odd-numbered years in New England.
Ohio Genealogical Society—Held annually in Ohio.
The Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree—Held annually in southern California.