University of Strathclyde's Ken Your Kin conference to return in 2027

The University of Strathclyde is to bring back its Ken Your Kin conference in 2027. From the news announcement:

Following the success of Ken Your Kin 2025, the event is coming back in June 2027 with a fresh and exciting new range of topics to explore!
Date - 23rd to 30th of June 2027
Location - Glasgow, Scotland

Immerse yourself in Scottish family history and heritage with a unique summer school experience; the programme for 2027 (to be announced) will introduce exciting new topics. 

•     Join us for engaging talks from Scottish family history experts.
•     Take your genealogy journey further with help from qualified genealogists.
•     Savour Scottish food, drink, and time-honoured traditions.
•     Explore a wonderful mix of museums, cultural, and literary venues.
•     Enjoy a sociable programme with plenty of chances to connect.
•     Perfect for groups and solo travellers alike.

For further details please visit https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/kenyourkin2027/.

Chris  

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

How to identify past dissertations from the University of Strathclyde's genealogical studies programme students

From 1996-1998 I studied the University of Strathclyde's Postgraduate Diploma programme in Genealogical Studies, as part of its very first cohort, and back in the days when it was an attendance based course! At the time there was no Masters year to go onto, as this did not start until two or three years after, and I had moved onto full time working as a genealogist by then.

As a part of the diploma course, we had to submit a final year dissertation, and the topic for mine was The Role of King James VI Hospital in Perth as a 19th Century Feudal Superior - you can read this freely via https://scotlandsgreateststory.wordpress.com/free-items/, albeit minus the important appendices!

Last week, whilst at the university to speak at the 2-day Irish course there, I caught up with Tahitia McCabe and Calista Williams, the heid yins of the course and institute programme, and asked a simple question - with the diploma course having been running for twenty years now, and with the development of the subsequent masters programme, there must be an extraordinary amount of knowledge there in similar dissertations from over the years, but how can such information be identified?

Well, a seriously huge thank you to Calista for getting back to me today with a LibraryThing link that lists all such dissertations! You can search for past topics at https://www.librarything.com/catalog/gsholton/yourlibrary. Calista has indicated that these dissertations may be shared if those who have written them give permission to do so, and dependant on how busy the university staff are to make such enquiries of past students. 

But perhaps more importantly, if you are thinking of doing the courses, this catalogue will give a great idea of the kinds of topics that past students have pursued for their studies!

I'm off now to have a good search to see what my fellow genealogical professionals have been working on over the last twenty years! For further details on Strathclyde's genealogical courses, visit https://www.strath.ac.uk/courses/postgraduatetaught/genealogicalpalaeographicheraldicstudies/.

Update: Interestingly, in addition to my own dissertation on King James VI Hospital, I see there;s another piece of course work that I submitted, on Castle Menzies. I've completely forgotten what that was, so am now digging it out!!

(With thanks to Calista, and also to Graham Holton for starting the catalogue!)

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

University of Strathclyde to host two-day Scottish Family History Course in May

From the Strathclyde Institute of Genealogical Studies, news of a forthcoming two-day in-person Scottish genealogy course event at the University of Strathclyde:

Intermediate Scottish Family History Research course

Join us on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th May 2026 at the University of Strathclyde for an engaging two‑day Intermediate Scottish Family History Research course. 

Participants are welcome to arrive from 8:30–9:00 am each day, with teas, coffees and biscuits available to help you settle in before the sessions begin.

The course will run until 5:00 pm on day one and conclude at the earlier time of 4:15 pm on day two.

Designed for intermediate level researchers, this hands‑on course features talks from prominent Scottish genealogists and educators, covering research techniques and using a variety of Scottish records. In-course exercises will provide hands-on learning to embed the skills and knowledge covered. This course is also suitable for anyone who attended the 2-day Introduction to Scottish Family History Course (summer 2025). 

The two‑day course fee is £165.00 (participants are asked to bring their own lunch. tea/coffee and biscuits will be available throughout the day).

The two-day event will see talks by myself (Chris Paton), Catriona Haine, Judith Russell, and Alison Spring. You can find details of the full programme at https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/scottishfamilyresearch/. I'll be giving the following talks on Tuesday 5th: Scottish Burgh and Trade Incorporation Records, An Introduction to DNA Testing, and Scottish Research Resources Before 1800.

I hope that you can join us!

(Don't forget also that I will also be participating in Strathclyde's two-day Irish family history course from April 21st-22nd 2026 - further details on this can be found at https://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2026/02/university-of-strathclyde-to-host-two.html)

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

University of Strathclyde to host two-day Irish Family History Course in April

Something I've been sitting on for a while, and now delighted to announce, is that I will be one of the speakers at a forthcoming two-day conference in April at the University of Strathclyde, dealing with Irish family history research. I'll be giving four separate presentations at the event, where I will be joined by fellow speakers Judith Russell, Dr. Martin Mitchell, and Ciara Chivers.

The following is an overview of the event:

Irish Family History Course 

Join us on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 April 2026 at the University of Strathclyde for an engaging two‑day introduction to Irish family history research.

Participants are welcome to arrive from 8:30–9:00 am each day, with teas, coffees and biscuits available to help you settle in before the sessions begin.

The course will run until 5:00 pm on day one and conclude at the earlier time of 4:15 pm on day two.

Designed for beginners and intermediate level researchers, this hands‑on course features talks from experienced genealogists and educators, covering the fundamentals of genealogy and how to work effectively with key Irish records.

Through practical exercises using vital, land and poor relief sources, attendees will gain confidence and practical skills to apply in their own research.

The two‑day course fee is £165.00 (participants are asked to bring their own lunch).

Full details of the programme and speaker biographies are provided below. Book online today! 

The talks I will be giving are Tracing the Irish in Scotland, Discover Ireland's Vital Records, Irish Censuses and Census Substitutes, and Tracing Irish Land Records. The event will be at the university, not online, and should be a lot of fun!

For a full overview of the talks programme, speaker biographies, and to register for the event, please visit https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/irishfamilyresearch/.

We'll look forward to seeing you there! 

* Just a quick word also to say that I will be participating at the Association of Professional Genealogists' Professional Genealogy Symposium at the university on 24 June 2026 - further details on this can be found at https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/apgprofessionalgenealogysymposium/.

Chris

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Registration now open for Strathclyde's postgraduate genealogy courses

From the University of Strathclyde: 

Registration is now open for the April 2026 start Postgraduate Certificate in Genealogical Studies.

The online modular route offers greater flexibility, perfect for students who prefer to learn at their own pace over a longer period of time. There are no formal exams on any of our courses. Instead, you’ll complete modules through engaging assignments and coursework.  

What you will gain from the programme:

• develop a grounding in the theory and practice of genealogical research, records, archives and heraldry;
• focus on the sources available to genealogists and family historians;
• gain a deeper, more critical understanding of the field, its literature, professional and academic practice;
• professional recognition (ASGRA, AGRA, RQG) from PGDip level. 

Application deadline

Please submit your application no later than the 31st of March 2026.

Normally, a degree or similar evidence of study skills is required however non-standard educational or professional qualifications will also be considered Download our FAQ document for further guidance.

Information including fees and course content can be found on the MSc Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies course page.

** This year marks 20 years since the Postgraduate Certificate in Genealogical Studies course first commenced, as designed by Bruce Durie. I was in the first cohort of students for this, and the subsequent year's Postgraduate Diploma, although did not continue to the masters, as this took a bit longer to set up and I was already onto other things (I may go back some day to complete the Masters, who knows?!). I can thoroughly recommend the course for those wishing to take a serious approach to becoming a professional genealogist. 

It's not an easy course - there is a LOT of work involved - but the rewards are worth it!

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies - Conference Call for Presentations, Workshops, Panel Discussions and Posters

From the University of Strathclyde' Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies: 

Conference Call for Presentations, Workshops, Panel Discussions & Posters

Conference Title: 2-day Academic Conference - Beyond the Family Tree: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on AI, DNA, Education, and Community in Genealogy
Conference Dates: 25–26 June 2026
Location: University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland (Hybrid Format)

The Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies (SIGS) will hold an international academic genealogy conference in Scotland at the University of Strathclyde, June 25-26, 2026. The conference will be hybrid. While most sessions will be accessible online, some activities, including evening receptions, will be available in person only.

In addition, on June 24, a separate symposium on professional genealogy practice hosted by the Association for Professional Genealogists (APG) will be held on campus and via hybrid access. (Please note, speakers for the APG Professional Genealogy Symposium are by invitation only).

Call for Presentations

All proposals must be submitted via email by December 08, 2025. Acceptance decisions will be sent out by end of December 2025.

Speakers & poster presenters will receive free registration for the conference.

Full details, including themes and submission guidelines are available on the event website page > https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/beyondfamilytreeconference2026/

We look forward to your participation and contributions to this exciting event! 

(With thanks to Clare Hennessey at Strathclyde) 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Association of Professional Genealogists heads to Scotland in 2026

For members of the Association of Professional Genealogists (https://www.apgen.org) based in Scotland, or for members who can get to Scotland (!), the following may be of interest: 

Save the Date! APG is heading to Scotland! 

Join us in Glasgow, 24 June 2026, for the APG Professional Genealogy Symposium, presented in partnership with the University of Strathclyde’s Institute for Genealogical Studies (SIGS). 

What to expect:

• Sessions led by industry experts
• Topics on business growth, client deliverables, financials, productivity, cross-border marketing, ethics & more
• Two ways to attend: in person in vibrant Glasgow or online from anywhere in the world

Extend your experience by staying for SIGS’ two-day conference, Beyond the Family Tree: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on AI, DNA, Education and Community in Genealogy (25–26 June 2026).

Members can register interest for further updates on pricing, sessions, and speakers here. 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies Ken Your Kin event in June

From the Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies (https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/):

Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies (SIGS) is thrilled to launch Ken Your Ken, an exciting new event being held in Glasgow, Scotland from the 4th to the 11th of June 2025.

Whether you're a seasoned genealogist or taking your first steps into the world of Scottish family history, the Ken Your Kin Summer School promises an unforgettable journey into the heart of Scottish ancestry and heritage.

Our 7-day programme includes -

• Talks from Scottish historians, museum curators and family history experts
• Further your genealogy journey with one-to-one input from qualified genealogists
• Experience Scottish food, drink and traditions
• Visit a range of museums, cultural and literary venues
• Enjoy a vibrant social programme
• Ideal for groups or the solo traveller
• Join an optional 2-day ‘Introduction to Scottish Family History’ course.*

Spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to ensure group access to venues and to enable the SIGS team to deliver a high-quality experience.

Register before the 31st of January 2025 to take advantage of our Early Bird discount (deposit option also available!).

Explore our planned itinerary and secure your place today! > https://bit.ly/kyk2025 

* Comment: I'll be involved in thre two-day Introduction to Scottish Family History course on June 2nd and 3rd - you can find out more about this at https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/on-campusbeginnertointermediatelevelgenealogy8-weekclasses/

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Strathclyde Institute of Genealogical Studies talk on Punjab Registers

From the Strathclyde Institute of Genealogy Studies (Strathclyde University):

Join us on Wednesday the 23rd of October (18.00 - 19.00 BST) for the fourth Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies’ Spotlight Talk featuring Dr Tejpal Ralmill and Professor Gavin Rand.

In this talk, Tej and Gavin will introduce the ‘Punjab Registers’ – a unique collection of archival records which reveal the scale of India’s ‘contribution’ to the First World War. Housed in the Lahore Museum, the Punjab Registers detail the names, biographies and service histories of some 320,000 recruits from colonial Punjab.

As part of a project undertaken by the UK Punjab Heritage Association (UKPHA) and the University of Greenwich, the Registers have recently been digitised and transcribed. The digitised Registers – all of which will be available online in due course – provide a unique resource for academic historians, as well as for genealogists and family historians, particularly those from the global Punjabi diaspora.

Tej and Gavin will discuss their work on the Registers to date and the next steps for their project, as well as reflecting on what the Registers tell us about the complex, and sometimes controversial, legacies of empire in the twenty-first century.

Reserve your FREE place using the 'Book Online' via https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/news/sigsspotlighttalks/.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Call for proposals for Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies 2024 conference on Advancing Genetic Genealogy

News of a call for proposals for a forthcoming conference from the University of Strathclyde's Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies (SIGS):

Advancing Genetic Genealogy: How the past is informing the present through revolutions in genetic research, an international academic conference
Deadline for submissions: January 8, 2024
Contact email: claire.mcconnell@strath.ac.uk
https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/advancinggeneticgenealogy/

Date and Place of Conference

June 07-08, 2024, University of Strathclyde, Scotland and hybrid access


Conference Call for Presentations

The Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies (SIGS) will hold an international academic genetic genealogy conference in Scotland at the University of Strathclyde, June 7-8, 2024. The conference will be hybrid with some events in person only, including DNA testing lab demonstrations and an evening reception. On June 6, a separate symposium on investigative forensic genetic genealogy will be held by the University’s Forensic Science department.

The conference will be interdisciplinary in nature, with a particular focus on the themes of autosomal DNA and Y-DNA, as well as on bioarchaeology, genetics and investigative genetic genealogy, emphasising their importance and value to the field of genetic genealogy. Presentations should be aimed at an audience with an intermediate to advanced level of knowledge and understanding.

This call for presentations seeks proposals which will tend to cover the more practical application of genetic genealogy, to supplement the more academic based keynote presentations, although more academic proposals will be considered.

Speakers from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds are invited to share their experiences and thoughts around the following themes:

• Autosomal DNA
• Y-DNA
• Bioarchaeology
• Genetics
• Investigative genetic genealogy

Proposals outwith these themes will also be considered.

Recordings of the presentations will be made available for two months to conference participants.


Submission guidelines

The conference committee invites proposals for individual or co-presented presentations. Presentations can be 10 or 20 minutes in length and time will be set aside for questions and answers. Proposals must be submitted via email by January 08, 2024. Acceptance decisions will be sent out by end of January 2024.

Please submit an abstract (200-300 words), the time length desired (10 or 20 minutes) and a biographical note (100 words) for each presenter. Provide information on previous experience with presenting at conferences or other events.


Hybrid Option

We are planning for a limited number of slots for remote presentations in a hybrid setup at the conference. When submitting your abstract to claire.mcconnell@strath.ac.uk, please indicate that a ‘remote presentation will be required’. If you have any questions regarding this hybrid option, please email claire.mcconnell@strath.ac.uk .


About the Advancing Genetic Genealogy conference and SIGS

The Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies was established in 2022 to bring together a growing network of individuals and organisations to share knowledge and build a thriving academic genealogy community for all. Learn more about our genetic genealogy research projects, courses and events at https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/ .

Speakers at the conference are required to register and pay for attendance. (Attendance awards for students tbc) 

(With thanks to Ali MacDonald)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

University of Strathclyde reveals two major Campbell lines are unrelated

This is an interesting story concerning two genealogist chums, Ali MacDonald and Graham Holton, of the University of Strathclyde's Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies, who have managed to prove that two separate lines of the Campbell clan in Scotland are not closely related, or indeed potentially not related at all.

The two lines in question are the Campbells of Glenorchy, descended from Sir Duncan Campbell, 2nd Lord of Glenorchy, who died at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, and the Campbells of Argyll, whose descent is from the first Lord Campbell, also Sir Duncan Campbell, who died in 1453, and with a family seat at Inveraray Castle (below). 

You can read more about their findings, established through genetic genealogy, at https://www.thenational.scot/news/23853978.leading-branches-famous-scottish-clan-actually-unrelated/.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Fifteen years since graduating from Strathclyde's first genealogy course

On Friday I had a notification on my Facebook page to say that it had been fifteen years to the day that I had graduated in 2007 from the University of Strathclyde's postgraduate certificate course in Genealogical Studies, as part of the very first intake. The course was established by Bruce Durie, aided by tutors such as Graham Holton and David Webster, and was the first university postgraduate level genealogy course in the UK. When I did the course it was attendance based at the Centre for Lifelong Learning on George Street, with a packed programme of lectures every Saturday, with a wee soiree shortly after each week in the local hostelries with fellow students to discuss how we were getting on! 

At the time I had started working already as a genealogist, having taken voluntary redundancy from the BBC to give it a go as a career. I had research skills from 12 years of working in television production, and some knowledge of the basic records from seven years of personal research, but felt that I needed to 'turn the dial up to eleven'. Much of the first year's study covered areas I was both familiar with and unfamiliar with (most notably with understanding Scotland's fedual past and the records that tied in), but I felt that it provided a huge step in trying to become more 'professional'. The first year's study was followed by another to complete the postgraduate diploma, after which there was no immediate further progression, but at this stage I felt I had achieved enough both on the academic and vocational fronts, and threw myself fully into the job as a full-time vocation. It's been a fair auld craic since then!

Since that first year, there have been many changes. Led today by Tahitia McCabe, the course now progresses to Masters level, and is taught entirely online, although students do gather annually for a students event in November. I'm looking forward to visiting this year's event tomorrow in Glasgow where I will be giving a talk on Irish land records, and another on how I try to get by as a working genealogist! (And it will be the first event that I will have spoken at in public since Feb 2020!)

If you are looking to professionalise your interest in genealogy, I would thoroughly recommend the University of Strathclyde's programme. There are various entry level courses, including a free MOOC course, as well as the postgraduate programme itself, all of which you can find out more about at https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/.

Congratulations to all who have made it through the various levels of the course over the last 15 years, to this year's graduates, and to the tutorial team still fighting the good fight - here's to the next 15 years!

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Strathclyde genealogy student seeks help with resilience survey

A student from the University of Strathclyde's Masters genealogy students is seeking assistance with a survey looking at whether the act of doing genealogy and/or finding out about ancestors who coped with challenges has helped build greater levels of resiliency particularly over the last 8 months. 

The following is the request:

My name is Kathleen Norris. I am a Master’s student in the Genealogy, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies program at the University of Strathclyde and I am seeking individuals 18 years and older from the genealogy community to take a survey for me.  The anonymous survey is about 15-20 minutes in length depending on your answers. My purpose is to learn how much genealogy as a practice and the discovery of family stories each impact resilience.

I am grateful to you for your willingness to participate.

Sincerely,

Kathleen Norris

And the link for the survey itself is:

https://hass.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKoFlK4wkfHtnrD

If readers can help, I am sure it will be much appreciated!

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.