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 Post subject: BSc - Gemmology and Jewellery Studies in Birmingham City Uni
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 2:26 pm 
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Hi there,

I just found out that Birmingham City Univ partners up with Gem-A offering BSc in Gemmology and they do offer a one year top-up degree. I am currently a GG and am really interested in taking the one year top-up degree. However the requirements for the top-up degree is applicable only for FGA and DGA graduates. I tried to cottact the university and Gem-A and both of them told me that other qualifications from other organization is not accepted. I really wanted to take the course but 3 full years on-site is quite a long time. :cry:

Is anyone here facing the same situation? Any advice and information is deeply appreciated.

Thank you!

Vivian


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 Post subject: Re: BSc - Gemmology and Jewellery Studies in Birmingham City
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:49 pm 
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I took the GemA courses several years ago. The fact that I was a GG was not given any consideration in placement. Not a big deal. I think that instead of three years on site you could do the FGA course in a year or under by correspondence and qualify for the top off. I think if you contact them there has to be a better accommodation than on site for three years.

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 Post subject: Re: BSc - Gemmology and Jewellery Studies in Birmingham City
PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:27 am 
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Hi John,
Thanks for the reply! 3 years for FGA is only applicable only if it took it in birmingham city university itself. I was thinking of doing ODL in Gem-A instead. Is Gem-a more difficult than Gia?


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 Post subject: Re: BSc - Gemmology and Jewellery Studies in Birmingham City
PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 2:07 pm 
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My experience was that it was just different. Much more emphasis on theory. I don't think you would have any problems though. Their testing used to be interesting. At GIA most everybody passes at some point. At GemA they may fail half of all classes. Kind of scary after a warm and fuzzy GIA.

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 Post subject: Re: BSc - Gemmology and Jewellery Studies in Birmingham City
PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:57 pm 
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John Fitzgerald wrote:
My experience was that it was just different. Much more emphasis on theory.

The GIA is primarily interested in teaching about artificial materials (synthetic, imitations, or treated), while GemA is primarilly interested in teaching gemology. There is indeed a difference.


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 Post subject: Re: BSc - Gemmology and Jewellery Studies in Birmingham City
PostPosted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 5:59 pm 
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I read that if you had a GG or similar, you could bypass the Gemology Foundation class and go straight to the Gemology Diploma and Diamond Diploma classes. This does actually save you about 6 months of class and a good chunk of money. Both of the Diploma classes are prerequisites for the top up degree. I'm starting to make a rough plan to do this, too. If you are a GG (which I will be by xmas) then this is a pretty cheap way to get a bachelors degree (which I want). About $22,000 for the whole tuition if you do FGA and DGA at a distance and then a year in Birmingham for the top up.

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 Post subject: Re: BSc - Gemmology and Jewellery Studies in Birmingham City
PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 12:56 pm 
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Sad to report that Gem-A just emailed me back and said GG is not a replacement for the foundations class (though I know that it used to be because it said it on their site FAQ until a few months ago), so anyone with a GG will have to start from the beginning just like everyone else. :(

They also emailed me a PDF for the Gemmology Degree that has a lot more specifics about the cause material than the website:

[pdfview]http://www.justinkprim.com/GemABsc.pdf[/pdfview]

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 Post subject: Re: BSc - Gemmology and Jewellery Studies in Birmingham City
PostPosted: Mon May 08, 2017 9:33 pm 
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I found the GG is quite different to the FGA, and I think if you went to the top up year from a GG it would probably be quite a struggle.

Studying at BCU though I cannot recommend highly enough, the environment is fantastic. I certainly don't think that even with a GG it would be a wasted 3 years.

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