Advanced Skills in Genealogy, NGS’s premier certificate course, provides comprehensive professional genealogical education for intermediate and advanced researchers.

Today’s complex genealogical challenges demand mastery of both digital and traditional research environments. From navigating the latest digital archives to expertly utilizing manuscript collections in government repositories, this comprehensive course equips you with essential skills through:

• Over 700 pages of carefully curated course materials
• Real-world case studies
• Video lessons with closed-captioning
• Hands-on practical activities

You’ll develop expertise in planning focused research, analyzing and interpreting diverse sources, and building compelling evidence-based conclusions. The course enriches your learning experience with exclusive access to NGS’s renowned scholarly resources, including:

• Selected scholarly articles from NGS Quarterly
• Practical guidance from NGS Magazine,
• Expert presentations from national NGS conferences

To succeed in this rigorous program, you should be an intermediate to advanced genealogist with substantial practical experience researching and solving genealogical problems. While our Foundations in Family History course is recommended as preparation, you’ll need to draw on both extensive research experience and previous genealogical education.

Our students typically fall into three categories:

• Genealogists preparing for professional credentialing
• Those planning to launch a professional genealogy career
• Serious family historians committed to applying professional standards to their research

Students who thrive in this challenging course typically share many of the following
qualities:

Educational Foundation: Prior formal genealogy training at the intermediate level
or beyond, covering a range of sources and methodologies.

Applied Research Practice: Experience formulating research questions, creating and
following research plans, tracking work systematically, and correlating and
interpreting findings.

Analytical Mindset: Familiarity with techniques such as transcribing old handwriting,
constructing and analyzing timelines, and organizing evidence in tables.

Source Familiarity: Hands-on experience locating and interpreting a variety of
records, including home sources, published works, newspapers, census, vital, land,
probate, and DNA evidence.

Strategic Research Habits: Ability to evaluate the scope and limitations of databases,
and experience working with both unindexed online material and offline records in
repositories.

Essential Prerequisites:

• Working knowledge of the Genealogical Proof Standard
• Familiarity with Evidence Explained and Genealogy Standards

Technical Requirements:

• Proficiency in navigating online learning platforms and digital content
• Comfort with word processing software (including section breaks, footnotes, tables, and image manipulation)
• Strong writing and self-editing skills
• Ability to follow detailed instructions and accept and incorporate feedback

Setting You Up for Success: If you recognize yourself in most of these descriptions and you have completed formal coursework in genealogy, you are likely well-prepared for the pace and expectations of Advanced Skills in Genealogy. If several of these requirements feel unfamiliar, we recommend building your skills through our Foundations in Family History course and selected Continuing Genealogical Studies courses before undertaking this advanced program. This preparation will help ensure your investment of time, money, and effort leads to successful completion of the certificate.

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