Take control of your learning journey with our flexible online delivery through the Canvas learning management system. You can study when and where it works best for you, accessing course materials from any desktop or laptop computer with a reliable internet connection. No software downloads needed—everything is cloud-based for your convenience.
Please note: While Canvas offers some tablet accessibility and a mobile app, full course functionality requires a computer. View Canvas’s browser compatibility requirements here: https://guides.instructure.com/m/67952/l/720329-which-browsers-does-canvas-support.
Your progress through the course includes regular knowledge checks and skill application. In eighteen of the nineteen modules, you’ll complete graded quizzes or written assignments, demonstrating your understanding and growing expertise. Our experienced volunteer mentors personally review your written work using transparent grading rubrics, while quizzes are automatically graded for immediate feedback. To earn your certificate, you’ll need to achieve a minimum score of 75% on all assignments. If your score falls below 75% on any assessment, you’ll have the opportunity to try again—whether that’s retaking a quiz or revising a written assignment.
Required Textbooks:
We recommend print versions of the required textbooks; electronic editions often do not include page numbers, which you’ll need to find reading assignments. We are unable to provide e-book ‘locations’ because they vary by device and settings.
To balance flexibility with educational quality, we offer the following enrollment options.
When you purchase the full course:
- You have eighteen (18) months to complete both parts
- You’ll receive immediate access to Part 1
- Part 2 becomes available after completing Part 1
When purchasing parts separately:
- Parts must be completed in sequence (Part 1, then Part 2)
- You have nine (9) months to complete each part
- Part 2 can only be purchased after completing Part 1
After purchase, you’ll receive a confirmation and welcome email. Please check your spam/junk folder if you don’t see it. Access to the course in Canvas may take up to a few days. Look for additional details in the welcome email.
Need More Time? Paid extensions are available if you find you need additional time to complete your course.
To accommodate changes in plans prior to beginning your studies, we offer these refund options, upon request:
Before Accepting Canvas Invitation
- Full refund available minus a $75 administrative fee
- Applies to both full course and individual part purchases
After Accepting Canvas Invitation
Course materials are © National Genealogical Society. All rights reserved.
NGS grants you a personal, nontransferable license to access course materials for your own educational use. You may not:
- Share course materials with others
- Transfer your access to another person
- Copy or distribute course content