Hello, everyone!
I want to become a genealogist and could only find BYU-Provo offering a BA in Family History and BYU-Idaho offering an AAS online. The AAS online is my preferred option right now. Some other colleges, such as University of Toronto, offer certificates. I was wondering if it’s more important to get a degree in family history of get a certfication to become a genealogist and what the likelihood of making it as a genealogist is. I was also wondering if a degree in something related to family history is better in case becoming a genealogist wouldn’t work.
Just a hunch, but while there are certainly some professional genealogists who make a living at it, the vast majority of people do their own genealogy research as a hobby. I don’t think it’s a great career option. (Hence the low number of schools offering it as a major.) Maybe more a sideline you could build out if you get lucky?
Major in something else that interests you and builds your research, writing and analytical skills in a way that could set you up for other more likely careers but maybe also support this interest. History would be one obvious choice.
Meanwhile, there are a number of online options available through the National Genealogical Society (http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/).
You could get a Masters in Library & Information Science later, which would also support your interest. Genealogy hobbyists spend a lot of time in libraries.
Not knowing anything about it, that seems far to specialized for an undergraduate degree. It also seems to limit you severely for choice of college.I think a more traditional undergrad degree in history or anthropology would be better. While you are doing that you can explore your interest in genealogy, then get a certificate later. The Library Science is a good suggestion.
I agree with the others. I think you could pursue any research-intensive major, and apply it toward genealogy. You could also take the scientific approach, and major in life sciences, with a heavy focus on genetics. Finally, you could consider colleges like Hampshire, Pitzer, and New College of Florida, which allow you to construct your own curriculum and design a concentration if none formally exist. They all require independent study projects, and might be perfect for you.
If you’re not Mormon, you might want to think twice about ambling out to BYU-Provo for a BA in Family History. Study social anthropology. Travel. Dabble in history and logic and genetics. Minoring in statistics never hurts when you major in a social science and have strong research interests. Work or volunteer in a large library over a summer or two. Genealogists will use any type of record to establish lineage, so you have to be a master of library science (informally, if not officially) and a pretty good sleuth. Read Sherlock Holmes. Learn to communicate too, both written and verbal, because you’re going to be writing a ton of email/letters and conversing with people who like to go on and on about their Aunt Bea, just so you can fill in one tiny little blank. For practice, crash a family reunion and see if you can piece together their family tree, without taking notes. But don’t do it in Utah.
Why don’t you study something more broad, in subjects such as sociology, psychology, English, biology, etc.? Family history/genetics is a very small field and the odds of you getting a stable job in the field are small. You can always study genetics as a minor or concentration somewhere but you might want to use it as an accessory, not the main piece.
Google careers in genealogy and you’ll see that it’s really a patchwork. Again, most people are hobbyists. Few can afford to pay for research services. So see what’s out there and then study something that will give you breadth and depth and might be applicable for other jobs that interest you and might take some of the same skills.