Gemstone FAQ
Will being a Gemstone student allow me to graduate in 4 years?
Students can graduate in 4 years but it depends on the student's personal choice. Some students may take longer to graduate because they spent time studying abroad, interning or working in a co-op position. We support our students' academic aspirations. We work with major departments to assist departmental advisors when they are working with Gemstone students. The Gemstone Program is dedicated to making sure students have a rich, intellectually stimulating and satisfying experience while they are at the University.
Can students graduate early?
Yes, that is possible. If students intend to earn the Gemstone Citation, they should work with the team mentor, Assistant Director, and the Gemstone Academic Advisor to determine how they can assist the team while studying abroad and meet the Citation Requirements. Students can reference our Academic Policies to get the details about how this works.
Do students have to take additional credits to earn a Gemstone Citation?
Yes, Gemstone requires that students take a total of 18 additional credits over 4 years. These credits are taken in addition to what is required for the student's major. Three of the 18 credits may be counted towards the University's core requirement. Eleven of these credits are the 2 credits per semester that students earn for doing research in their teams. See Curriculum for more details.
What is the typical workload for a Gemstone student?
Typical? That really depends on the student and what he or she hopes to accomplish (double majoring, working, fraternity/sorority involvement, athletics, etc.), so, it is hard to say. The demands of extracurricular research are time consuming. Time management skills are crucial for students to manage the academic workload and extracurricular demands. Gemstone students are very busy; they learn time management skills early in their academic careers.
Will students have to choose between Gemstone and Honors to be invited?
No. As a matter of fact, Gemstone participants are University Honors students who were invited to Gemstone. They are invited to Gemstone in addition to their Honors invitation. They have to be a University Honors student to receive an invitation to Gemstone. Typically, 190 University Honors freshmen are Gemstone students.
Can a student just remain in Honors, if after accepting the Gemstone invitation he/she decides Gemstone is not for them?
Yes, that is possible because Gemstone students are also honors students. We encourage second semester freshmen to think about the commitment that is required to work in a team conducting research for the next three years. When freshmen participate in the topic selection process of GEMS 102 (see the Gemstone Curriculum), they are asked to decide at that point if they wish to remain and commit to the team and topic. It is better for students to make that decision PRIOR to working in a team, as withdrawing after the teams are formed disrupts the team's progress.
Will students earn scholarship money because they are a Gemstone student?
There are no special scholarships offered simply because a student accepts the Gemstone invitation. If you have questions regarding scholarships specific to University Honors students, visit the scholarships page for University Honors.
Do Gemstone students have to live on campus?
We do not have mandatory housing. We have priority housing in Ellicott for Gemstone freshmen, but students have to let the Housing office in Resident Life know their intentions. Students receive information about Housing options from Resident Life.
Can Gemstone students double major?
Sure, Gemstone students are ambitious and talented, so many students double major. Students will need to work closely with their major department(s) to familiarize themselves with degree curriculum requirements. Students may need to take many credits, but it is possible to earn two degrees or double major (there is a difference). One is not equivalent to the other. The Undergraduate Catalog will provide you with details on the University's distinction.
Can Gemstone students earn both the Honors Citation and a Gemstone Citation?
It is easily possible. It is expected that students complete Honors Citation Requirements within 5 semesters. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.2 to earn the Honors Citation. Please reference our Academic Policies to see details of how this is possible for Gemstone students.
How big are teams?
Teams start with 8-14 members. Ideally, teams are formed with around 10-12 members. Please view the list of teams to get an idea of the size for each class.
Can Gemstone students study abroad?
Yes! Gemstone students are encouraged to study abroad as long as they adhere to a few required guidelines. Study abroad must take place second semester sophomore year, or either semester junior year, and must be limited to one semester (year-long programs are not permitted). The semester before going abroad, the student will work with their teammates and mentor to create a contract outlining what he or she will accomplish for the team while abroad. Students will also be responsible for staying up to date on and contributing to the team's progress. Students are also more than welcome to study abroad as many times as they’d like during the winter and summer terms.
Once a student has been accepted into the University, do they now have to fill out a separate application for Gemstone?
No. Being accepted into the program means they have a spot reserved. All the student needs to do now is visit our website: www.gemstone.umd.edu and complete the confirmation form on the home page with their acceptance information by the stated deadline. Remember, however, that this does not fulfill your university confirmation for enrollment, which must be done separately through the admissions website: https://www.sis.umd.edu/servlets/AdmitEnrollConf.
What's the difference betwen the Gemstone Program and the University Honors program?
GEMSTONE |
HONORS |
| Living-learning program housed in Ellicott Hall | Living-learning program housed in Denton, Anne Arundel and Queen Anne's Hall |
| Size of program: ~190 students/year | Size of program: ~800 students/year |
| Gemstone students may take Honors classes | Honors students cannot take Gemstone classes |
| Students graduate with a Gemstone AND Honors citation at the end of 4 years, assuming that they meet the requirements for both. | Students graduate with an honors citation, assuming that they meet the requirements. |
| Main focus of the program: team research based on student-generated research topics with a faculty mentor, working towards writing a senior Gemstone thesis | Main focus of the program: Involving honors students in small honors versions of large lectures and participation in small honors seminars on a variety of topics |
Required Classes: GEMS100 (1 credit) |
Required Classes: HONR100 or HONR200 |
| Website: www.gemstone.umd.edu | Website: www.honors.umd.edu |
It is important to note that all Gemstone students may take Honors version of classes and Honors seminars, just like any other Honors student. The difference is that Gemstone students do not have to take any of these courses if they do not want to, but will still obtain a University Honors citation by simply fulfilling all of the Gemstone requirements and maintaining a 3.2 GPA (as required by the Honors Program).
What are some recent Gemstone team projects?
Team websites can be found on the teamweb page. Research descriptions can be found within this year’s Gemstone newsletter. Projects span the education, political, and laboratory science fields, to name a few. Most project ideas are entirely student-generated, and therefore the possibilities for future projects are limitless.
How does the Gemstone team selection process work?
The second semester of the freshman year, students take GEMS102, a course entirely devoted to the team selection process. In this class, all students first brainstorm and submit a variety of ideas. The Director and Assistant Director of the Gemstone Program then review the submitted ideas and accept the feasible projects, moving them into the second step. In the next phase, students get their project ideas “vetted” by an expert in the field to ensure that the project is realistic and possible. From this point, the topics brainstormed at the beginning are narrowed down through a preference voting process. Each week, the students who are very interested in a particular project will advertise their idea and present it in front of the entire freshman class. Each student votes to narrow down the possibilities. At the end of the semester, students vote for the project they want to spend the next 3 years working on, ranking projects by preference. Students will then be placed on teams of 8-14 people according to these research preferences. Most students within the program are placed on either of their top two project choices.
Can a student participate in both Gemstone and Honors Humanities?
No. Students who are accepted into both of these programs must choose one. To learn more about the honors humanities program, go to www.honorshumanities.umd.edu/ .
