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From: Kathleen McLaughlin <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Genealogical Education
Date: Fri, 8 May 2009 18:29:02 -0700 (PDT)


I graduated from a diploma school of nursing about 50 years ago. I raised a large family. When time became available, I "went back to school". Unfortunately, the nearest university was a 90 minute drive from home. I had already started "learning to do genealogy" therefore, I was an independent learner. The thought of driving 3 hours for an hour long lecture made no sense to me. I was fortunate enough to discover and locate an External Degree program that was designed for nurses. I earned a Bachelors degree in nursing. And I was able to avoid the drive, study at home, and be there for my children when they were sick.

Most serious genealogist have already gained the independent learning skills, and have the discipline necessary to succeed in an external degree program.

There are also a number of highly qualified professional genealogists that have the skills to produce course outlines, text books,(e.g., Evidence; Professional Genealogy, etc.) and the standardized tests that make up the "stuff" that it takes to guide an individual or a small group of individuals succeed in an external degree progam. While the "courses" taken would have to include other, non-genealogical subject matter, many of those course outlines and standardized tests are already available. Such "elective" courses could naturally include history, ethnic studies, languages, socialogy, writing for publications, etc.

We don't have to wait for colleges and universities to sense the need for a new department of Genealogy. Our top notch leaders can work with the existing external degree progams and the people that produce the tests used to assess the level of knowledge that is appropriate for college level course work.

It has been a while since I took any of those standardized tests, and I can not remember the names of the producers of the tests, other than ACT-PEP. The other testing agencies will probably haunt me in my sleep tonight.

I think this is do-able.

Thanks for listening.

Kathleen McLaughlin



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