Course Enrollment: DG-305 DNA: Historical Studies

Optional Print Course Material: DNA: Historical Studies

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Genetic genealogy is a topic of immense interest to family history researchers looking to find connections to ancestors when traditional research has failed to provide results. Utilizing both DNA testing and traditional research methods can mean the difference between an elusive ancestor and a documented ancestor.

 But DNA testing is not just for genealogists interested in family relationships and ethnicity estimates. DNA is well-known for solving cold cases for law enforcement. It has also been used to solve some of history’s biggest mysteries such as in the claims of historical identities. Cases explored in the course include Anna Anderson, the Titanic Baby, Jesse James, and the Golden State Killer.

 What can these seemingly non-genealogical cases teach us? Learning more about DNA as it relates to genealogical cases and non-genealogical cases helps to expand and enhance our DNA knowledge and provides insights as we solve research problems. Students are encouraged to explore these cases presented in this course further by seeking out scientific journals and popular media articles.