• Home
  • Certification Practicum
  • Doc Work Workshop
  • Instruction
  • SLIG & GRIP Courses
  • Articles
  • Locality Guide
  • Lit Review
  • My Surnames
  • Videos
  • About
  • More
    • Home
    • Certification Practicum
    • Doc Work Workshop
    • Instruction
    • SLIG & GRIP Courses
    • Articles
    • Locality Guide
    • Lit Review
    • My Surnames
    • Videos
    • About
  • Sign In
  • Create Account

  • My Account
  • Signed in as:

  • filler@godaddy.com


  • My Account
  • Sign out

Signed in as:

filler@godaddy.com

  • Home
  • Certification Practicum
  • Doc Work Workshop
  • Instruction
  • SLIG & GRIP Courses
  • Articles
  • Locality Guide
  • Lit Review
  • My Surnames
  • Videos
  • About

Account


  • My Account
  • Sign out


  • Sign In
  • My Account

Certification Practicum

Certification Practicum Overview

Main Tenets

Writing & Peer Review

Portfolio Elements

The Certification Practicum aims to prepare participants for Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) certification by offering hands-on practice with key elements of the BCG portfolio. This peer- and mentor-supported program, founded by Jan Joyce in 2021, provides a collaborative environment to enhance participants' skills and readiness for certification.


The program utilizes a combination of techniques to foster significant improvement in each participant, including peer reviews and personalized mentor feedback.



"Certification Practicum is exactly what I needed—targeted instruction and detailed mentor and peer feedback. I can’t imagine going through the certification process without it." 

- Rhonda Hoffman, #04


Portfolio Elements

Writing & Peer Review

Portfolio Elements

The Certification Practicum program includes:

  • Deconstruction of a case study
  • Writing a common case study
  • Writing your own case study
  • Revising your own case study
  • Document work, including transcription, abstraction, document analysis, identifying a research question, and crafting a research plan
  • Writing a common kinship determination project (KDP)
  • Writing your own KDP
  • Student's Choice Assignment: Revising your KDP or a 2nd round of Doc Work

None of this practice will be actual work products for submission to BCG as those need to be completed independent of any outside input. See BCG's Application Guide, page 3.

Writing & Peer Review

Writing & Peer Review

Writing & Peer Review

Writing is the central focus of this program, with the majority of your time dedicated to it, as most research is expected to be completed prior to starting. 


Peer feedback plays a crucial role in maximizing learning. By both giving and receiving constructive critiques, participants gain deeper insights. Those 'aha' moments often arise when you observe how effectively a peer addresses a challenge, sparking new perspectives in your own work.


Little outside reading is required other than Genealogy Standards, the BCG Application Guide, and the BCG Rubrics.

Additional Information

Techniques & Mentor Review

Techniques & Mentor Review

Techniques & Mentor Review

Unique techniques are provided throughout the program that maximize learning. These include:

  

  • Utilization of a “common" research subject for the first case study and kinship determination project.
  • Peer review techniques to isolate concepts, case study, citations, sources, analysis, and more.
  • Application of BCG rubrics to each appropriate assignment.


You will receive individual feedback from the mentor on the assignments as noted in the calendar. This feedback will be posted in an open forum so that other students will be able to access it if desired. An example of the Common Case Study will also be provided for you to compare against your own.


Jan Joyce, DBA, CG, CGL, AG is the instructor for the Certification Practicum. Jan is the founder and mentor of the program. She manages the ProGen Study Groups, teaches at genealogy institutes, created the Doc Work Workshop and loves researching and writing for her own family.

Requirements

Techniques & Mentor Review

Techniques & Mentor Review

  • Time: A significant time commitment is required. Students spend between 15 and 65 hours for each assignment. Assignment cycles vary between 4 and 7 weeks. Thus, plan on up to eight hours a week on average.    
  • Commitment: Dedication to this educational opportunity is required. It is suggested that no other major commitments are on your calendar.
  • Recommendation:  A recommendation from a ProGen mentor, a ProGen coordinator, or other industry professional is required for program acceptance.
  • ProGen: Students who have completed ProGen and GenProof are preferred candidates. However, other educational experiences plus an acceptable writing sample will be considered in lieu of these prerequisites.
  • Attendance: Review the calendar. You must be able to attend all of the planned meetings.
  • Attitude: A great attitude and flexibility go a long way in this program. 
  • Work Level: Your work sample must meet educational and experiential requirements that will make you, and your peers, successful in this program. This will be assessed in advance of matriculation.
  • Certification: Your goal is to become certified.

Before the Program Begins

Techniques & Mentor Review

Before the Program Begins

If you are accepted into the program, these pre-program activities are required:


  • Identify your own research subject(s) for your Case Study and Kinship Determination Project. Use ProGen assignments if possible; there is not enough time to do new research. The assignments must meet the requirements of the BCG Application Guide, so confirm yours do. For example, the Case Study must be a question of significance usually regarding identity, relationship, or activity.
  • Begin reviewing documents for the common assignments.
  • Become familiar with the BCG Application Guide and Rubrics and Genealogy Standards.

Meetings & Calendar

Meetings & Calendar

Before the Program Begins

  • Assignments are due on Saturdays (see orange shading on calendar).
  • Peer feedback is due the following Saturday (see green shading on calendar).
  • Meetings are mandatory and will occur on Tuesdays as per the calendar (see yellow shading).
  • Tuesday meetings begin at 12 noon ET / 9 am PT and may take up to 2 hours.
  • See below for a downloadable program calendar.

Program Cost

Meetings & Calendar

Program Cost

  • The cost of the program is $625.
  • No refunds will be given after the student has committed to the program if the student drops out.
  • If the enrolled student does not perform to expectations for any reason and is asked to leave the program mid-term, a portion of the program enrollment costs will be refunded, calculated as follows: $200 non-refundable. Remaining balance prorated by the number of assignments completed.

Application Timeline

Next Cohort

If you are interested in applying for the Certification Practicum:

  • Submit Your Application here. 
  • Full Application. A full application is necessary to be considered. This includes:
    • Completion of the application linked to this webpage.
    • A recommendation (details on the application page)
    • Once you are offered admission to the Practicum, immediate payment via PayPal is required to confirm your spot.
  • Notification. You will be notified of program acceptance and when the next cohort will begin.


Please complete and submit the application form if you are ready to begin this process to apply for the Certification Practicum.

Typical Calendar & Study Schedule

Download PDF

Student Testimonials

Certification Practicum Alumni

2021 - #01

2021 - #01

2021 - #01

  Barbara Bombaci, Sara Butson, Susan Julien, 

Kim Richardson, Julie  Smith-Morrow, & Kerri Tannenbaum

2022 - #02

2021 - #01

2021 - #01

  Kristina Clever, Cynthia Heidorn, Kelley Conner Lear, 

Christine Murphy, Jeanette Sheliga, Amber Smits, Sam Williams

Build 2023 - #03

Build 2023 - #03

Build 2023 - #03

    Evan Berry, Linda Chambliss, Rebecca Christensen, Laura Hunt, Karen Izzo, Linda McCracken, Laura Sandidge, Sarah Swanson, & Kari Kjontvedt Weis


2024 - #04

Build 2023 - #03

Build 2023 - #03

Kristin Britanik, Dawn Carey Henry, 

Rhonda Hoffman, Lisa Just, & Melanie Nelson

Headstone reads "I told you I was sick" 😂

Meetups!

Copyright © 2025 Genealogy Logically - All Rights Reserved. 

Powered by

Cookie Policy

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.

DeclineAccept & Close