Diplôme Universitaire (DU) in Family History and Genealogy

This new university degree aims to structure the knowledge needed for genealogical research.

The École Nationale des Chartes is launching a new degree course, a ‘Diplôme Universitaire’ (DU), to teach and structure the knowledge and skills needed for genealogical research. 

After completing these courses, taught by professionals in the relevant fields (archivistics, history of institutions and sources, introduction to law, toponymy, topography, onomastics, palaeography, bibliographic and digital tools, etc.) students will be equipped to compile a family history, carry out prosopography and, of course, read and understand the documents that serve as sources for drawing up a genealogy on their own.

Skills and Objectives

• Understanding the history of families in the light of the history of institutions and the documentary production associated with their activities from the modern era to the present day.
• Identifying and mastering genealogical research sources
• Reconstructing genealogical links by reading and interpreting documents in their historical and institutional context
• Using one's knowledge of inheritance, family and land law to answer genealogical research questions
• Diversifying information sources about an individual and his or her family
• Recognising and interpreting the history of emblematic systems and the evolution of toponymy and onomastics

Head of Education

Marie-Françoise Limon-Bonnet

Administrative Manager

Continuing Education Department
E-mail: formation.continue @ chartes.psl.eu
Tel: 01 55 42 21 53

Teaching Location

École Nationale des Chartes - PSL, 65, rue de Richelieu, Paris 2^e

Courses are available through distance learning.

Admission requirements

Master's degree or equivalent (bac+5)

Application

Send CV, copy of diploma and covering letter (one page) toformation.continue @ chartes.psl.eu from¹ March to 21 May 2024.

Agenda

• The list of successful candidates will be announced 7 June 2024
• Administrative/academic registration (one pathway, no options): from 10 June to 31 August 2024
• The course starts on 13 September 2024

Registration fees: one-off fee, €5,000

• The courses will be supplemented by an internship (max. 6 weeks)
• 509 hours in all (including 201 hours of classes and 308 hours of work experience)
• 60 ECTS
• Duration: 1 academic year

List of courses

• Opening conference: What is genealogy? (3 hours, 0.5 ECTS)
• Accessing archives (6 hours, 1.5 ECTS)
• Genealogical sources I and II (48 hours, 12 ECTS)
• Introduction to law (24 hours, 6 ECTS)
• Institutions and their archives: the Ancien Régime (18 hours, 4 ECTS)
• Toponymy; Onomastics (9 hours, 3 ECTS)
• Prosopography and social history (3 hours, 1 ECTS)
• Heraldry and emblematics (24 hours, 6 ECTS)
• Palaeography (60 hours, 10 ECTS)
• Online tools and resources for genealogy (6 hours, 1 ECTS)
• Internship and internship report (308 hours, 15 ECTS)

• Genealogist for a professional firm
• Entrepreneurship in the field of family or estate genealogy
• Research assignments or participation in projects for public institutions or private companies in the area of expertise covered by the degree