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Archiver > APG > 2007-11 > 1195436864


From: "Gladys Friedman Paulin" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] BA in Genealogical Studies at Akamai University
Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2007 20:47:44 -0500
In-Reply-To: <668027.13866.qm@web35502.mail.mud.yahoo.com>


Jeannette et al,
I earned my B>S. degree many years ago from an Ivy League College and had a
long, successful business career. Then I decided to r4esearch my family, an
interest that began when I was about 12 and which I had not pursued beyond
oral history and family interviews. I was obviously much protected from the
world and did not know the term genealogy until I had already been working
for a number of years.

However, once I discovered the discipline, I also quickly learned that few
colleges or universities had courses in the field and certainly not degrees,
at least not anywhere near where I was located. I did, however, find an
extremely large group of professional, intelligent people who were doing
serious work in the field. I first took the NGS home study course, have
attended various national conferences for the past 16 years, am a graduate
of NIGR, have taken courses at IGHR and early this year I renewed my CG
certification. At my age, I was not interested in going back for a second
bachelor's degree and therefore I do not believe your question about which
comes first is pertinent to me or others in similar stages of their life.
But certification and submitting my work for peer review was and is of great
importance to me.

I believe that learning is a life long occupation and degrees, while
important for academic occupations, are not the most important thing in the
outside world. Intelligence, interest in learning, enthusiasm for the
subject, and a questioning mind, will trump the pedant in an overwhelming
number of occupations.

With all due respect,
Gladys



Gladys Friedman Paulin, CG
Winter Springs, FL
Editor _OnBoard, the Newsletter of the Board for Certification of
Genealogists_ (BCG)
Member , Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
________________________________________________
CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification
of Genealogists and is used under license by Board-certified persons who
meet program standards and periodic rigorous evaluations.


-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:] On Behalf
Of Jeanette Daniels
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2007 7:26 PM
To: Dee Dee King;
Subject: Re: [APG] BA in Genealogical Studies at Akamai University

Dee Dee:

Here is a question for you and the others who have GC's but no college
degree in genealogy. Does going for a degree lessen the value of what the
CG is? Doesn't this make the CG not important if you think that you have to
get a degree along with it? I've had people contact me letting me know that
they thought that their CG was the equivilent of a degree in genealogy. I
think that it does demonstate abilities that are important to genealogy but
not the same as a full degree. I personally think that board certification
should come after a degree and not before. This is what professionals
normally do. What about all the CG's? Do they think that they must get a
degree now because the CG is no longer an important demonstration of their
genealogical abilities?

Thanks,

Jeanette


----- Original Message ----
From: Dee Dee King <>
To:
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2007 5:04:40 PM
Subject: [APG] BA in Genealogical Studies at Akamai University


I'd like to relate my experience investigating advanced educational
opportunities for genealogists. I believe many of us are sitting in
different sections of the same boat. We came to this field well after the
college years, maybe after two or three career changes.

It's been acknowledged many times on both the APG and the BCG list that the
advanced educational opportunities in genealogical studies is pretty much a
black hole. Several months ago I spent one solid week and parts of others
looking into anything that remotely looked like it might offer certificate
or degree opportunities in genealogy. Several top people on these lists
assisted privately with discussions and recommendations.

As a full-time practicing genealogist, extended periods away from my home
and business are not feasible. BYU's degree program would not work for me,
and probably not many others, or we'd all be flocking to it.

Some programs were literally here today and gone tomorrow. Website links
that worked one day took me to dead end pages the next. Calls to several
registrars generated, "Oh, we don't offer that anymore. There was not
enough student interest."

Not naming any names, but the programs that did surface all had problems for
me. And somewhat over embellished public relations pieces, IMHO.

Accreditation was a big issue. Instructors I'd never heard of, not CGs,
CGLs or AGs. Instructors who had never done client work. Internship in the
private businesses of the course instructors and a required internship with
title companies. (I'm not giving up billable hours of my income to work for
free for a competing entity and I'd NEVER consider working in a title
company.) Religious requirements. Examples of classes that were just plain
bad.

All that research helped narrow down ideal program for me. Beyond, of
course, quality - Obviously distance learning. Self-paced. Although my
goal would be to graduate early, professional work assignments seem to come
in two flavors - lull and overload. Affordable, with payment options. And
very importantly, a program that acknowledged and gave me credit for classes
taken and time served.

Given the dearth of degree opportunities, it seems somewhat hypocritical to
me that certification and accreditation, IGHR, NIGR, RIGSA, NGS, etc. can be
touted as the tops in our profession, yet cannot count towards educational
credit for a degree in our profession.

I've been visiting with LaWanna Blount, PhD, for a couple of months about
the Akamai opportunity. This is not a defense of the program, but my
observation. Every suggestion offered that would meet the needs of the
working professional genealogist has been listened to. Most were already
incorporated or swiftly added. The courses offered now are very similar to
those offered by junior or community colleges. Ms. Blount stated she is
contacting recognized professionals to develop and teach the genealogical
courses. Shoot, I'll enroll in the Carolyn Earle Billingsley, PhD, Kinship
Theory course even if I never take another Akamai offering. And this is the
only program I have found that will recognize and provide credit for my NGS,
IGHR Course 4, and certification, plus the other IGHR, NIGR, RIGSA courses
in my near future.

The Akamai program isn't in its infancy, but still in the gestation period.
Virtually all of the concerns expressed appear to be in various stages of
resolve. Accreditation is being sought. The non-genealogical components are
available now while Ms. Blount, PhD, recruis among qualified degreed
professionals in our field.

After all the list discussions about what we need, it would be nice to see
folks give this program a chance to develop. Ms. Blount, in my experience,
has been quite receptive to positive suggestions and to healthy debate.

Best regards,
Dee Dee King, Certified Genealogist
President, Lone Star Chapter APG





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