GIA Graduate Pearls Program

[blingbunny10]

Has anyone taken Graduate Pearls with GIA? Did you think it was worthwhile?

I am thinking of taking the AJP course to get my feet wet, and then perhaps follow with the Pearls course. I searched PS and found a bit of old info - wondered if anyone had any fresh opinions or insights?

 

[blingbunny10]

*crickets*

Nobody...? I thought for sure there'd be at least one or two Pearls grads hanging out on PS!

 

[Tanzigrrl]

I have a GIA Graduate Pearls Certificate and the AJP certificate. I found both programs interesting and enjoyable. In fact, I'd like to do the entire Graduate Gemologist program at some point. The issue is that it costs a little bit of money and I tend to spend my mad money on jewelry instead of courses about jewelry! I really enjoyed the programs though, and in particular, I enjoyed the pearls lab.

 

[blingbunny10]

I have a GIA Graduate Pearls Certificate and the AJP certificate. I found both programs interesting and enjoyable. In fact, I'd like to do the entire Graduate Gemologist program at some point. The issue is that it costs a little bit of money and I tend to spend my mad money on jewelry instead of courses about jewelry! I really enjoyed the programs though, and in particular, I enjoyed the pearls lab.

Hi Tanzigrrl! - I think I remember reading your old thread about taking GIA courses. I'm sorry, I have a ton of questions, if you have the patience to answer them!

-Can I ask roughly how long each program took for you? And is there a time limit between earning your AJP and completing the GG? E.g., If you earned your AJP, and then 5 years later wanted to start your GG, would you have to retake any of the intro courses to have them count toward the GG?

-I know the Pearls course is relatively new. Did you feel like the info was thorough and up-to-date, given all the innovations happening in freshwater pearl production?

-Also, a more personal question, if you feel comfortable answering.... Did you take these courses with an eye toward working in the industry, or just for your own enjoyment? I'm thinking of going into retail sales.

 

[NacreLover]

Forum member Pattye took the course. I would ask at pearlguide. Many there have taken it and can answer your questions.

 

[blingbunny10]

Forum member Pattye took the course. I would ask at pearlguide. Many there have taken it and can answer your questions.

Thank you, NacreLover! I'll check that forum as well.

 

[Tanzigrrl]

Hi BlingBunny (cute handle, btw)

The GIA gives you plenty of time to complete the programs. I finished the AJP and Pearls in much, much less time than was allotted. I found the material interesting and fun and it was easy to get through. I completed the AJP, I want to say, around 2010? And, I completed Pearls in 2012. I think I completed the pearls online class in about 3 weeks and the lab class was one day, 9-5. AJP took longer, but I was also acquainting myself with the web portal and the program, itself. My GIA edu login still works so when I am ready, I'll sign up for the GG classes. I don't think there's a time limit. At least, not one that I'm aware of, that is.

I didn't notice anything missing from the Pearls courses. In fact, I downloaded the course material and have returned to it numerous time to refresh my knowledge. It's densely packed with information but it's nicely organized, too.

As to your third question, it was a little bit of both. I enjoy gemstones/pearls/diamonds/jewelry so I wanted to be an educated consumer, but I wouldn't rule out ever working in the industry.

Hope this helps!

 

[Pearlescence]

I am a former University lecturer in law at first degree and post graduate level so I have difficulty with this course producing graduates. It has no transferable academic credit standing
It also struck me as very expensive for a course where there is no marking or tuition, it is all delivered online.
My recommendation would be to buy a couple of good books and read them through.
I have no objection to a course on pearls, just on people who pass being called graduates and in the cost.
I know someone who did the whole thing in an evening and a couple of hours, and ended up doing most of the lab day teaching because their knowledge of pearls was greater than the teacher's
That being so they may now have sought and obtained academic equivalence. The other question to ask is ' how many people fail this course'? A course which no one fails but everyone pays....
I do realise that this makes me sound like a right academic old f*** .And I have no wish whatsoever to disparage those who have done the course.

 

[blingbunny10]

Thanks, Tanzigrrl! That's really helpful. I've scoured through all the GIA materials online and in the physical course catalog, but it's always best to hear directly from other students.

It also struck me as very expensive for a course where there is no marking or tuition, it is all delivered online.
My recommendation would be to buy a couple of good books and read them through.....
I know someone who did the whole thing in an evening and a couple of hours, and ended up doing most of the lab day teaching because their knowledge of pearls was greater than the teacher's
That being so they may now have sought and obtained academic equivalence.

Oh yikes, Pearlescence! I did read a negative post about an instructor on the Pearl-Guide forums, but it's my understanding that GIA did a complete overhaul/update to the course a few years ago. Do you mind sharing when and/or where your acquaintance took her course? I believe the updated course began running in 2010 or 2011 (?). There is also a lab session that is required to earn the diploma, so it is not 100% online.

I will continue to read and study on my own of course, apart from any GIA materials, but it would also be nice to get somewhat marketable credentials that are recognized within the industry. (Which, I know, you don't agree with.... )

 

[Pearlescence]

It was the new course.
I'm not going to say more because I have no intention of identifying the person. The comments were in confidence

 

[cmd2014]

Pearlescence,

I wonder if it's a terminology difference between North America and the UK?

Here we defferentiate between degree and certificate programs, and the term 'graduate' is not associated with a university degree, but is a generic term used to indicate that someone has successfully completed a course of some sort.

So universities award degrees at the Bachelor level (undergraduate), and Masters and Ph.D. Levels (which are casually referred to as graduate school or grad school, but the formal title which indicates the academic designation is the degree). I suspect we call it grad school as in the UK the tern Graduate refers to the advanced degree?

Anything non-university based will award a certificate or diploma, but mainly high schools award diplomas and trade schools/community colleges award certificates. A certificate lets you know that it was not awarded by a university, the program was likely 2 years or less, and in a non-academic domain (ie a skill based program). Certificate programs generally involve 1 - 2 years of full time study at a community college. I guess I had thought of the GIA course as a certificate program....but I have to admit the I didn't realize it was mainly an online thing with a single day lab for the pearl diploma program. I had imagined that a GIA certificate designation would be more involved, and would be run like a trade certificate program (ie 1 - 2 years of full time study with apprenticeship requirement to obtain full designation). Interesting that it might not be. I'm less impressed now by the online marketing of people having completed the GIA pearl diploma program, if that's all it is.

 

[Pearlescence]

cmd2014..yes, that's all it is.
We reserve the term graduate usually for peeps who have completed a degree (and from that there are post graduate courses) but we would not say that someone doing a one or two day course was a graduate, just that they had passed the course..and then only if there was some element of independent assessment and academic oversight. In any case these are all courses which last weeks, months, years, not hours.
I wonder how many people have failed?

 

[Tanzigrrl]

I will say that there certainly is a difference between my "AJP" and "Pearls" certificates and my 2 master's degrees. One of my master's degrees is academic, while one is professional in nature and both of these programs took substantially more time (years, each), energy, and required more academic rigor than any of the GIA offerings. I work in higher ed, actually, and I understand your hesitancy with the terms. Frankly, I had never considered it beyond "oh, this is what the GIA calls these programs." I never once equated them with my academic and professional master's degrees. While I do note them on my CV, they are on the last page, in a section for "additional training," which is where I list odds and ends and various certificate programs I have completed. I list my GIA certs with my certificate in grant writing and data management, for example. I think it would be problematic if I listed them on, say, the first page with my master's degrees and implied that they were somehow "equivalent" to my academic / professional master's degrees. I arrange my CV this way because I currently work in higher ed. However, if I were someday to enter the jewelry world, I would privilege these GIA certificates over my academic master's degrees. It's all in what kind of field you're in and what type of job one is looking for, ultimately.

 

[Pearlescence]

Tanzigrrl , that's a useful confirmation of what I had only conjectured. My problem is that while you and I will dismiss the term graduate as mere puffery those not within academe will think it is somehow on a level.

 

[blingbunny10]

Tanzigrrl , that's a useful confirmation of what I had only conjectured. My problem is that while you and I will dismiss the term graduate as mere puffery those not within academe will think it is somehow on a level.

Pearlescence, I don't think anyone really equates GIA coursework (particularly the programs that are below the GG level) with an academic degree. It's more of a trade designation rather than a properly academic one, or at least that's how I think of it. Ha, then again, I'm quite sure those with PhDs would consider my Master's Degree (in a purely academic field) as akin to "mere puffery," so I guess it's all relative...

Anyway, didn't mean to start a big debate. I do agree with the degree vs. certificate distinction made above.

 

[blingbunny10]

My recommendation would be to buy a couple of good books and read them through.
I have no objection to a course on pearls, just on people who pass being called graduates and in the cost.
I know someone who did the whole thing in an evening and a couple of hours, and ended up doing most of the lab day teaching because their knowledge of pearls was greater than the teacher's
That being so they may now have sought and obtained academic equivalence.

Forgot to add: I guess my other question is what you would consider "academic equivalence" in this case. I don't mean this sarcastically - as a person fairly new to this area, which alternative program(s) would be considered above GIA's in the US? From a consumer standpoint, GIA seems to be the most well-known and respected institute.

 

[Pearlescence]

I wish there was something with a bit of academic depth..some sort of module. I've never found anything over here. I did try to start a half module course a few years ago but it didn't work out and at the moment over here the few jewellery/design art craft degrees seem to be obsessed with non precious metals and such like. Pearls are perceived as twinsets and grandmothers. No one has noticed souffles. ripples, fireballs or even the amazing range of colours

 

[Pirard]

If this helps at all, I think of the GIA as offering professional certification for "graduates" of their program. GIA is, on some level, a trade association not unlike the bar association or Realtor association. Both those organizations have continuing education requirements.

 

[Pearlescence]

Is it a trade association, which to me means owned and operated by the industry? Or is it simply a commercial business operation? In any case, continuing professional education does not produce graduates from day courses. Over here only universities can educate graduates who are people who have degrees and who have studied externally moderated courses for years and passed examinations. Perhaps that is why I am so agin the term. In America you may think nothing of it, so I'll say no more on the subject

 

[blingbunny10]

If this helps at all, I think of the GIA as offering professional certification for "graduates" of their program. GIA is, on some level, a trade association not unlike the bar association or Realtor association. Both those organizations have continuing education requirements.

Agreed. You would never call a GIA student a "graduate student," the way you would someone enrolled in an academic program at a university.

 

[Pirard]

Is it a trade association, which to me means owned and operated by the industry? Or is it simply a commercial business operation? In any case, continuing professional education does not produce graduates from day courses. Over here only universities can educate graduates who are people who have degrees and who have studied externally moderated courses for years and passed examinations. Perhaps that is why I am so agin the term. In America you may think nothing of it, so I'll say no more on the subject

A trade association is any organization or association that is made up of members that pay organizational dues, take continuing professional education (although not all trade associations have an educational component) and they can operate either for profit or not for profit. And to add another rub to how things are done here in the States, we have colleges and universities as well as "trade schools" which can all operate either as a for profit business or as a not for profit (but that doesn't preclude them from multi-billion dollar endowments). Graduate is not taken to mean one who has a degree from an accredited institution of higher education. It is more commonly used to describe one who has successfully completed an education or training programs. Heck, little children even "graduate" from kindergarten.

An aside to this, my oldest daughter is in college in the UK. When she graduates, she will have earned a Masters degree. She has spent four years (as an undergraduate student) but instead of a bachelors degree (what would be awarded in the US) she will earn a masters. Now that to me is a lot more confusing.

 

[Pattye]

Hi Friends, Just dropping by to make a few remarks about this program.

Here's info from the GIA website.

"A Tradition Of Science and Education

Established in 1931, GIA is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. A public benefit, nonprofit institute, GIA is the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education in gems and jewelry."

GIA does have labs around the world and apparently teaches classes on university campuses in other countries. If there are other establishments that offer something similar, I'm not aware of them.

GIA does have a campus in Carlsbad California; however the Pearls Course is a multimedia course available online only. To summarize: one has 6 months to cover the material. I thought it went into great detail. I took the class 2 1/2 years ago, if I recall correctly there was a test after each chapter, with a passing score to be achieved before moving on to the next chapter. As an active member of another pearl forum, with knowledge gained from reading there almost every day for 8 years, I was able to complete the material in less than a week.

A lab class with discussion about grading pearls is the second part of the course. It was 2 days long when I took it here in Oregon, but may be one day now. Upon satisfactory completion of both these courses one receives a diploma saying one has completed the Graduate Pearls program of study. Pearl stringing/knotting is NOT part of this course.

The course needs updating already with the newly introduced ripples, souffle, Vietnamese akoya and more. Still, I am very glad I took the course. (Yes, I do have a college degree.)

Cost for the online multimedia course is $570 (I chose the no interest payments.)
Cost for the lab is $280. Quality of instructor seems to vary for this, perhaps as it is given in localities around the world.

Not familiar with "module" terminology or concept as it applies to education, sorry, Wendy.

If anyone has questions, please contact me over there ->

 

[Pearlescence]

A module is a discrete part of a course. So that, for example, modules in a law degree might include contract....tort.....family....for an english degree (I'm guessing here) Chaucer...Pratchett, Shakespeare. Your degree course will include some compulsory modules (aka core subjects) and some choices.
Surely if you get a diploma at the end of it, you are a diplomate not a graduate. I would have less problem if they called it the Diploma in Pearls. And since they charge so much the least they could do is update it.

 

[Pattye]

Greatly appreciate the clarification, makes complete sense to me now, thanks very much! Ah, LOVED my Shakespeare course, so many years ago!

 

[blingbunny10]

Pattye - Thanks for your posts in this thread. I found the info very helpful. And interesting- I had no idea that GIA ever offered the Pearl Lab away from their designated campus locations!

 

[Pearlescence]

Pattye, I can still quote lots of Romeo and Juliet from my national English exams at 16. (We got Coriolanus for the advanced at 18 and no-one has even heard of the play never mind quote it!)
The advantage of the modular system is that people can change university or college or study for a bit then take break and pick it up again later as for each course you get a specific number of credits (harder and longer = more credits)

 

[Pattye]

Probably all over the world Universities and Colleges have similar credit systems, just differing vocabularies. Good to clarify, as peeps from all over the world read these forums.

BlingBunny10, You're most welcome; it's a good topic to discuss. Wishing you much success if you want to take courses through GIA. Had I continued to work in Fine Jewelry Sales for Nordstrom, I likely would have taken GIA courses, but I was only there for about 4 years in the mid 90's. My manager took the GIA Diamonds course, and trained me, free, which was great! Doing the Pearls course was just for my own satisfaction.

 

[Pearlescence]

Ah...thanks Pattye.

 

[cmd2014]

A module is a discrete part of a course. So that, for example, modules in a law degree might include contract....tort.....family....for an english degree (I'm guessing here) Chaucer...Pratchett, Shakespeare. Your degree course will include some compulsory modules (aka core subjects) and some choices.
Surely if you get a diploma at the end of it, you are a diplomate not a graduate. I would have less problem if they called it the Diploma in Pearls. And since they charge so much the least they could do is update it.

Nomenclature gets tricky across international lines. Here the term Diplomate usually suggests that you are board certified in a medical field (e.g a Diplomate in ABPN has passed board exams in Neurology or Psychiatry).

 

[Pirard]

Purely by its definition, at least here in the US, the word "graduate" has several meanings...but copied from the dictionary: a person who has successfully completed a course of study or training, especially a person who has been awarded an undergraduate academic degree. By this definition, we properly use the word beyond the limited context of a university graduate. For instance, we graduate from High School here in the US, before entering college or university.

As I mentioned earlier, after almost 3.5 years in a Scottish university, I still don't understand the distinctions my daughter will receive when she earns her degree. All I know is that she will have an equivalent of a Bachelors of Arts degree, which is called a Masters of Arts in Scotland. There are also "honours" and different "classes" (first, second). I can already see that there may be an issue with the degree, which will likely (ultimately) work in her favor. She has applied for an internship over the winter break, which is open to students in their last year of undergraduate study. The application requires you to identify the degree you anticipate earning...she was rejected for the internship because it was not open to "graduate students" (meaning those enrolled in a post college, graduate school). Oh, and I should add...to make matters a bit more difficult, she is young...she just recently turned 21. Most kids in the US graduate at 22 or 23.