Advanced Programme Year One Assessment (421)

This part of the Advanced Certificate in genealogy programme is the last module in year one. It provides an opportunity to bring together all your methods and sources knowledge gained from the Intermediate Certificate and the first year of the Advanced Certificate programme.

You will revisit and further develop your transcription, document analysis and research planning skills using documents taken from the 17th and 18th centuries. The end product of this course is a set of in depth practical assignments, evaluating your abilities in:

1. Transcription
2. Document knowledge (sources)
3. Document analysis (methods)
4. Research planning

The mark for this module is counted as 50% of your overall year one mark and this course is, therefore, a little different to your other courses. There will be four weeks of guided lessons to refresh and develop your skills but you are also advised to revisit other courses for gaps in knowledge on sources and the following for transcription and methodology skills:

• Building on a Solid Foundation (Intermediate Certificate)
• Old Handwriting for Family Historians
• Advanced Methods and Reports

The price of the course includes four weeks teaching time, the end of year assessment and marking and a copy of our comprehensive Handwriting Workbook, which builds upon the knowledge gained in the Old Handwriting for Family Historians course. 

The structure is as follows:

Lesson ONE (Weeks 1-2) Transcription, working through the Handwriting Workbook with self-study and group exercises

Lesson TWO (Week 3) Getting the most from documents - document analysis

Lesson THREE (Week 4) Building a Research Plan

Set reading: There is a set book which accompanies this course. Students are asked to purchase Karen Cummings' Genealogy Methods and Techniques: A Practical Guide to Research before the course starts. 

Entrance requirements and enrolment

Visit the Advanced Certificate page to find out more about the programme and entrance requirements before enroling.

Year one of the Advanced Programme begins in early September each year and ends with this end of year assessment module. To be considered enroled on year one of the programme all you need to do is sign up (pay) for ALL components for year one before the start of this module in September to be considered enroled:

Year One Assessment (421) (this module, click on the book button below)
Old Handwriting for Family Historians (417)
Manorial Records for Family and Local Historians (401)
Researching Online for Advanced Genealogists (480)
Advanced Methods & Reports (482)
Church & Community; Selected Records 1540-1800 (485)

If you have already taken one of these courses and been assessed, those marks will carry forward.

If you have any questions please drop us an email. 

This course is now open for booking for students starting the Advanced Certificate programme in September 2026.