From Bernadette Keefe
The study of graphology came to Britain from Europe (mainly France, Germany and Switzerland) during the late 1800s and mid 1900s and since then it has been further developed by international advances in Depth-Psychology, Psychoanalytic Theory and Neuroscience. Today there are two main graphological organisations in England: the British Academy of Graphology, and the British Institute of Graphologists.
The British Academy of Graphology (BAOG) was founded (1985) by Renna Nezos, who qualified through the eminent French school. Her aim was to bring a professional standard of graphology to the UK and she went on to publish three academic books “Graphology”, “Advanced Graphology” and “Judicial Graphology”. She is one of the founder members of the prominent Association De Déontologie Européenne de Graphologie (ADEG) established 1990 to harmonise and raise standards of graphology throughout Europe, and to promote a rigorous code of ethics.
The London College of Graphology prepares students for the qualifying exam of the British Academy of Graphology. This is a four hour written exam, plus an oral exam, overseen by an external examiner and adjudicator. The course is international in scope and has European recognition as valid by ADEG. On graduating with a BAOG (Dip), successful candidates are entitled to full membership of the Academy. A further Advanced Exam (BAOG Dip.Adv) is offered two years later by the BAOG and is recommended for those members wishing to enter professional practice.
The BAOG also offers a Correspondence Course leading to the qualifying Diploma exam. It also offers Continuing Professional Development through its Seminars and Workshops, often presented by international lecturers.
The BAOG’s publishing arm Scriptor Books has published 18 academic text books – 7 are original titles in English and the remaining 11 are translations of key French, German and Italian classics. Scriptor Books also has a valuable series of Study Notes booklets on graphological and psychological topics. The BAOG journal, Graphology, which commenced quarterly publication in March 1987, continues to give access to international studies and researches
The British Institute of Graphologists (BIG) was founded by Frank Hilliger in 1983. He trained under Dr Erik Singer who had been a pupil of Dr Ludwig Klages, a pre-eminent German graphologist. Hilliger gathered a group of interested students around him and formed the BIG as a body that would promote graphology to a high standard and also promote its practitioners.
The BIG website lists its own accredited teachers eligible to teach the examination syllabus to students privately to the required standard, which is tested in three examinations, one each year, to gain their Diploma, MBIG (Dip). Some tutors also offer Correspondence Courses to students as well as Short Public Courses. A regular programme of Lectures and Seminars are held, often presented by international speakers.
The Institute’s journal, The Graphologist, first published in 1983, has been published quarterly since then. The Library of the British Institute holds books on graphology and related topics, plus valued lectures from their series of Symposia.
Members of both the BAOG and the BIG and students of the London College are free to attend one another’s lectures and various congresses, including the IGC Cambridge university meetings, for the purpose of comparative analyses sessions and continuing professional development.
April 2019