15 Websites for Genealogy Education

Would you like to sharpen your genealogy research skills? Learn more about a particular topic? Take your research and writing skills to a whole new level? With back-to-school season at hand, now is the perfect time to think about your goals and opportunities for genealogy education.

We're fortunate to live in an age of plentiful choices, with more options for learning than ever before. Some are short and oriented to a particular topic. Others are designed as longer, more structured programs. Some are free or available at nominal cost, while others require a considerable investment. Institutes and conferences usually involve travel. Skill-building sites, on the other hand, allow you to learn at home any hour of the day. They all fill a niche in the growing demand for quality learning opportunities.

Here are 15 of the top websites for genealogy education today, grouped by type:

Study at Home Programs

Boston University Programs in Genealogical Research

      http://onlinecourselearning.com/bu/genealogyonline/#

Family Tree University

      http://www.familytreeuniversity.com/

National Genealogical Society educational courses

      http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/educational_courses

National Institute for Genealogical Studies

      http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/

ProGen Study Group

      http://www.progenstudy.org/

Genealogy Institutes

British Institute
      http://www.isbgfh.org/
Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh

      http://www.gripitt.org/

Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research

      http://www4.samford.edu/schools/ighr/

National Institute on Genealogical Research

      http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~natgenin/

Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy

      http://www.infouga.org/aem.php?eid=4

Websites for Skill Development

Board for Certification of Genealogists skillbuilding articles

      http://www.bcgcertification.org/skillbuilders/index.html

Evidence Explained: Elizabeth Shown Mills

      https://www.evidenceexplained.com/

FamilySearch Learning Center

      https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/home.html

National Conferences

Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference

      http://www.fgs.org/conferences/

National Genealogical Society Conference

      http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info

RootsTech

      http://rootstech.org/

(Update 10/6/12) And here’s a bonus list of sites for webinars:

Genealogy Webinars

Ancestry.com webinars

       http://www.ancestry.com/cs/us/videos

Association of Professional Genealogists webinars

       Blog: http://apgen.org/blog/

       Members’ archives: log in, click “Professional Development”

Dear Myrtle webinars

       Blog: http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/

       Webinar archives: http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/p/webinar-archive.html

GeneaWebinars (calendar and announcements)

       http://blog.geneawebinars.com/

FamilyTree Magazine webinars

       http://www.shopfamilytree.com/expert-webinars

Illinois State Genealogical Society webinars

       http://www.ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=227

Legacy Family Tree webinars

       http://legacyfamilytree.com/Webinars.asp

Michael John Neill webinars

       http://www.casefileclues.com/webinars.htm

RootsMagic webinars 

       http://www.rootsmagic.com/webinars/

Southern California Genealogical Society webinars

http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/JamboreeExtensionSeries2011.htm

Utah Genealogical Association webinars

       http://www.infouga.org/cpage.php?pt=11 

While this is by no means a comprehensive list, I truly believe there’s something on here for everyone, from beginners to advanced learners. Your time will be well spent no matter which options you choose.

So sit down and browse awhile. Think about what you’d like to learn, and how. If the time isn’t right to make a long commitment right now, try a short course, and consider the longer one for the future. The important thing is to keep learning. Genealogy is a field of continuous education. Even highly esteemed professionals will admit they’re still learning. I know I certainly am!

And once you’ve decided on something and signed up, treat yourself to a visit to an office supply store to buy some new supplies. After all, there’s nothing like an empty binder, a package of tab dividers, and fresh highlighters to get you in the mood to go back to school.

(Note: I write a column called Gen Ed for The In-Depth Genealogist digital newsletter, where I discuss many of these genealogy education options in more detail. Check out the archives for more information.)