The Postgraduate Certificate addresses the need for an intensive, practitioner-led, University-level qualification in Genealogical Studies. It is intended for those with an existing interest in Genealogy and related subjects, or those who wish to study the area in detail and possibly use it in their careers. It deals mainly, but not exclusively, with British subject matter.

The Postgraduate Diploma takes these subjects further and addresses overseas records in more detail. Entry to the Postgraduate Diploma is by successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate, and by invitation. The course is aimed at existing or intending professional genealogists and those who wish to be recognised as such.

You can apply now for entry to their October 2011 intake.

For more details visit their website:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/genealogy/

The course, which is suitable both for beginners and for reasonably experienced genealogists, is also designed to prepare students for professional genealogical practice. As such it covers the full range of genealogically useful sources to considerable depth. This also makes it the best available course for those simply tracing their own families as a hobby, ensuring that they have the best knowledge base so that their research is as good as it can be. The Correspondence Course is both challenging and demanding, but the principal qualifications for embarking on it are enthusiasm and dedication.

Visit their website for more details and to sign up online

Beginning Genealogy

Genealogy on the Internet

Jumpstart Your Genealogy

For more information see:
http://www.east-tennessee-history.org/

First, how to decipher individual characters, because alphabets evolve constantly. Second, how to interpret the many abbreviations that scribes often used, partly to save space and also to speed up the writing process.

Deciphering ancient documents is a useful skill for a genealogist because knowledge about individual letter-forms, ligatures, punctuation, and abbreviations, enables the palaeographer to read the text as the scribe intended it to be read.

Many old documents can look illegible to the modern reader but if you work through this tutorial you should quickly get the hang of it.

For more information see:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/

As well as a number of free online tutorials there’s also a coaching manual which you can use for free. There are plenty of resources on offer so it’s well worth a visit.

For more information see:
http://www.scottishhandwriting.com/

Once you get away from the home page it starts to look very good indeed. Have a look!

For more information see:
http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/

The course consists of a Saturday morning lecture and a practical element where everyone is given a copy of a will to decipher.

For more information see:
Hertford Regional College website: Practical Palaeography for Family Historians

It attracts some 60 to 70 students each year from all parts of the UK, and also from North America and elsewhere.

For more information see:
http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/hi/adults/latin.htm

Many people shy away from research prior to 1750 due to an inability to read and interpret the documentation. This day seminar is designed to introduce the student to the documents and handwriting encountered in local and family history research. Practical examples will illustrate the methodology of “learning to read” old documents.

For more information see:
http://www.ihgs.ac.uk/courses/day_and_residential_08_reading_old_documents.php