Program Description

From its leadership to its mentors, GenProof Study Groups is run by professional genealogists who volunteer their time and expertise. Our goal is to offer quality genealogical education in an intimate and supportive setting, and at an affordable cost. We operate under the umbrella of ProGen Study Groups; our programs share similarities but are not identical. You can view a comparison of the two by selecting the link in the box at the right side of this page.

GenProof participants study a chapter of Mastering Genealogical Proof each week—except for the last, where Chapters 8 and 9 are combined. Each week also includes a written assignment, which contains selected questions from the chapter’s exercises, a small list of topics to prepare for the week’s live group discussion, and a practical exercise that asks students to apply what they’ve learned. We provide cases for the practical exercises, so students who are in the process of (or planning to apply for) BCG certification won’t compromise their own research.

Assignments are due 24 hours before the group meeting. The Program Coordinator will examine each student’s submission for completeness, which is one of the certificate requirements. Each mentor will review how the members of the group handled the practical exercises, so that s/he can prioritize the weekly discussion topics to address the group’s greatest needs. Our emphasis is on learning rather than performance, so assignments are not graded.

Mentors and students meet weekly, using the Zoom platform. We don’t record our sessions because we want our GenProof students to feel comfortable sharing their struggles as well as their successes.

Additional information about the program:

• Maximum 10 students per group
• Combination of independent work and group discussions
• 8 weeks of study
• Estimated time commitment of 5–10 hours per week for independent work
• Weekly Zoom meetings of 60–90 minutes
• Certificate of completion awarded to students who meet requirements

Certificate Requirements

• Timely completion of assignments
• Attendance at weekly meetings
• Active engagement in live discussions