Foundations 103: Framing in the Family is the third section in the Foundations course. It covers more advanced records and teaches techniques necessary to solve genealogical mysteries and make a more complete family tree. You will learn methods of family history investigation by broadening your use of a wide variety of genealogical sources. As you work through these modules, you will dive into important record sets such as probate and religious records, research repositories, DNA basics, and ways to share your research.
Foundations 103: Framing in the Family will teach you how to determine the value of information when examining a broad range of records. You will learn the meaning and importance of various probate and religious records. Diverse types of records and materials that support family history research in and out of research repositories will be covered. A basic introduction to DNA will be given, as well as various ways to share your research with others. The final module will introduce you to other records sets that can help to fill out your ancestor’s story.
The course is divided into modules with multiple sections, which include reading and reference lists, web links, self-correcting quizzes, and a glossary. The course modules are as follows.
Enrollment in the Foundations in Family History course requires students to start with Foundations 101, which is a prerequisite to enrollment in Foundations 102, which is a prerequisite to Foundations 103.
The Foundations in Family History course has been developed in three sections so students can progress through more challenging topics in succession to help them build knowledge and skills one step at a time. The Foundations 101, 102, and 103 format also allows students the convenience of paying for one section at a time. NGS offers members a discount when they register for each course section, and an even greater discount is available for all students if they utilize the package pricing for the full course. See pricing details on the following course pages for Foundations 101, 102, and 103 or in the NGS Store.
Access your course anytime, anywhere using a computer or tablet with an internet connection. All course content-including lessons, examples, exercises, and quizzes-is cloud-based, requiring no software downloads or installations.
The course runs on Canvas, which requires an up-to-date web browser. Check your browser compatibility at https://guides.instructure.com/m/67952/1/720329-which-browsers-does-canvas-support.
Foundations in Family History is a course divided into three sections—Foundations 101, 102, and 103–intended to be taken in succession. The course was developed by a team of experienced educators, certified genealogists, and professional genealogists, along with a senior editor and e-learning systems specialist. These specialized genealogical educators have created an exciting new course that teaches all the essential concepts to develop excellent genealogical research skills. Students will gain confidence along with knowledge allowing them to optimize the growth of their family history. Students must begin with Foundations 101, followed by Foundations 102, and then Foundations 103. Each section may be purchased separately or as a discounted bundle.
The Foundations in Family History course offers flexible, self-paced online learning designed to fit your schedule. Whether you’re balancing work, volunteer commitments, or personal obligations, you can complete the coursework when it’s most convenient for you. You control your learning journey and set the pace that works best for your needs.
Your access to Foundations 103 begins on the date of enrollment and continues for six months. If you purchase the full Foundations in Family History course bundle, you have eighteen months from enrollment to complete all three sections.
Need more time? Paid extension options are available by contacting the NGS Course Administrator.
You’ll receive an automatic email with course details confirming your registration. Within three business days, the NGS Course Administrator will send your login credentials for the Canvas online learning platform.
All purchases of courses are final. No refunds or credits are available.