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Terp Young Scholars

Courses

General Description

  • Students select one three-credit course (offered either in-person or 100% online). Students should expect to spend several hours a day on course-related assignments. Both credits and the grade earned post to the student’s UMD transcript and become part of their student record. The course cannot be taken pass-fail or audit. 
  • Classes are held weekdays, Monday - Friday, with meeting times varying according to the specific course. On the Terp Young Scholars application, students will be asked to select both a first and second-choice course in the event the first selection has filled. Course selection is processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Before selecting a course, view each course description, meeting times, and sample syllabus. The course description features a link to the sample syllabus that lists specific requirements for that course. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to read the course syllabus in its entirety. Particular attention should be given to the material covered in the course and the times the course is offered. It is the student’s responsibility to review the course material and ensure they have the proper academic preparation to be successful in the course. 

Computers and Technical Requirements

  • Due to course content, some in-person courses may require students to bring a laptop to class. Laptop requirements are noted on the specific course description or syllabus.
  • Students who select a 100% online course should refer to Online Option  - Technical Requirements before applying.

Course Textbooks

  • Courses may or may not require a textbook. Most of the sample syllabi (which are based on a previous year’s offering) will indicate if a textbook is required. The Confirmation of Admission Process provides details on how to access this information. Textbook costs are not included in the Terp Young Scholars program package fee.

Accessibility and Disability Service

  • Students with a documented disability are eligible to receive the accommodations necessary to ensure equal access to UMD programs. Upon admission, students complete the Confirmation of Admission Process. Included in this process are directions on how to register with UMD's Accessibility and Disability Service.

Course Cancellation Note

  • Credit courses in Terp Young Scholars are part of UMD’s Summer Session. Courses follow University policies and procedures and are subject to change. The University reserves the right to cancel courses due to insufficient enrollment or for other reasons it deems necessary.

In Person

Explore the role of forensic scientists in terms of skills, technology, experience, research and contributions to scholarship. Through hands-on activities, you’ll discover the history of forensic sciences, an introduction to some of the techniques used, and a demonstration of some of the applications of forensic sciences. Prepare to discover the scientific knowledge and techniques applied to the medico-legal investigation of death and other crimes, develop critical thinking and analysis skills, and articulate processes for collecting, categorizing, and examining different types of evidence and data! This course fulfills the following General Education requirement: Scholarship in Practice (DSSP).

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through in-person instruction must participate via the Commuter Option. No housing is provided.

Dive into architectural design this summer with a hands-on introduction to the design process. This course offers an overview of key design fields like architectural practice, historic preservation, landscape architecture, and urban planning. Through a mix of lectures, media workshops, and in-studio project work, you'll experience life as a UMD architecture student while gaining valuable insights to guide your career decisions. You will learn essential design principles and representation techniques by developing your own ideas through studio projects. Over the course of three weeks, you will produce a collection of architectural drawings and physical models that showcase your ideas in a final design portfolio. The dynamic studio environment fosters growth, allowing you to collaborate with current architecture students and immerse yourself in the creative process. Experience new ways to see the world through architectural design thinking, offered by the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

ARCH150 Studio Fee: $140. Covers the following: T-square; adjustable triangle; pencil sharpener; metal straight edge; tracing paper for draft design layouts; architectural scale; Sobo® white glue; self-healing cutting mat; white eraser; X-acto® knife with blades; Pentel Sign®, or thin nib Sharpie® pens; sketchbook, plain paper; assorted pencils; cardboard sheets; and white cardboard sheets. This is an additional charge to all registered students.

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through in-person instruction must participate via the Commuter Option. No housing is provided.

  • BMGT262 course meeting times (July 14 - August 1, 2025)
  • BMGT262 sample course syllabus (Coming soon)

This course is to help students develop leadership skills in order to identify their personal and professional purpose with an entrepreneurial mindset, and create strategies to develop their abilities and achieve their aspirations. Working in a collaborative group setting, students will identify solutions to problems they find meaningful to solve and will evaluate opportunities, conduct customer discovery, develop a business model, and present a venture pitch. This self-discovery course will introduce the "CEO of ME, Inc." framework and the strategic initiatives matrix and business model canvas, all useful to guide the choices that lie ahead, and to develop win-win relationships. This course fulfills the following General Education requirements: Scholarship in Practice (DSSP) and Big Questions (SCIS).

Course Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed (or be currently enrolled in with anticipated successful completion) high school algebra I and another high school math course, and two full years of high school science (i.e. biology, chemistry, physics, or other life or physical science) before enrolling in this course.

BMGT262 Supply Fee: $50. Covers materials used in the course. This is an additional charge to all registered students.

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through in-person instruction must participate via the Commuter Option. No housing is provided.

Why did the Silver Bridge between Ohio and West Virginia collapse on Christmas Eve, 1967? What caused the top of an Aloha Airlines flight to rupture, creating a convertible airplane? How do these kinds of massive structural damage occur, and how might we prevent them? This course will introduce students to topics of stress and strain and their importance in determining the safety and reliability of engineering structures. Some of the major structural failures worldwide will be identified and researched as to the circumstances leading up to the failures. Reasons for failures will be investigated and are expected to include engineering, social, political, ethical, and economic explanations. Other possible failures to be researched and analyzed would be the collapse of a walkway in Kansas City, the failure of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington, the collapse of a bridge on Interstate 95 in Connecticut, and the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York after 911. This course fulfills the following General Education requirements: Natural Sciences (DSNS) and Big Question (SCIS).

Course Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed (or be currently enrolled in with anticipated successful completion) high school algebra I and algebra II before enrolling in this course.

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through in-person instruction must participate via the Commuter Option. No housing is provided.

  • ENST282 course meeting times (July 14 - August 1, 2025)
  • ENST282 sample course syllabus (Coming soon)

Are you passionate about the environment and new technologies? Are you an entrepreneurial thinker? This course, offered by the Environmental Science and Technology Department, is for you! In this course, you'll explore the in-demand field of ecotechnology innovation by exploring existing technologies, customer discovery and environmental stewardship. You'll follow a project through brainstorming, rapid prototyping, user experience, testing, and redesign. Based on the Lean Startup process, environmental entrepreneurship uses customer discovery, encourages quick product development, reduces start-up costs, tests ideas quickly, and employs designed experiments. This multidisciplinary academic setting embraces designing, building, testing and marketing novel technologies that enhance the environmental needs of humans. Get ready to learn in an active environment that requires working creatively, collaboratively, diligently, and precisely to create a business model and tangible prototype for a new commercial product!

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through in-person instruction must participate via the Commuter Option. No housing is provided.

Catastrophic Environmental Events (CEE) are becoming more common in this time of global environmental change. In this popular course, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills to become a leader as we, as a society, attempt to understand the upheaval caused by CEEs. You’ll examine how CEEs shape human society and the ecosystem through the interdisciplinary field of Geography, using the latest geographic science concepts and techniques to explore these events. Discover the ecological and societal consequences of natural disasters using satellite imagery to gain a multi-scale perspective while exploring a fast-growing and dynamic field. This course fulfills the following General Education requirements: Natural Sciences (DSNS) and Big Questions (SCIS).

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through in-person instruction must participate via the Commuter Option. No housing is provided.

Discover every aspect of a successful eSports production and work with the University of Maryland Esports Team! Through this course, you’ll understand how and why eSports productions are unique.  You’ll delve into every position that makes up a successful eSports production crew. The majority of this course is taught through hands-on production opportunities, and students will have the opportunity to be part of an eSports production crew for the championship-winning University of Maryland Esports team.

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through in-person instruction must participate via the Commuter Option. No housing is provided.

Is “skibidi” already old-school? Fast-changing developments in technology, from TikTok to texting to Zoom, have created new environments for human language use. Examining how communication is changing in these environments highlights humans' endless linguistic ingenuity -- ranging from new vocabulary and punctuation conventions to the use of hashtags, emoji and memes. At the same time, these linguistic innovations exemplify broader patterns of language change and diversity that have been documented and studied by language scientists. In this course, we will engage with the study of language variation and change through a survey of language use in different online environments, and will apply insights from linguistic research to analyze our own and others' language use in more nuanced ways. This course fulfills the following General Education requirement: Humanities (DSHU).

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through in-person instruction must participate via the Commuter Option. No housing is provided.

Online

Immerse yourself in the writing of fiction and poetry that encourages creativity while expanding knowledge in this online course. Hone your writing craft in a nurturing, interactive environment while developing skills that help uncover your own distinctive voice. You will read great poems and stories from across cultures, refine your skill through close reading, radical revision, and the delivery of constructive criticism on peer work. Sessions emphasize assigned readings, writing, analysis, and discussions of craft. Students receive careful, detailed responses to their writing from both instructors and peers. Sessions are also devoted to studio time spent reading and writing. You will share your original writing in a supportive workshop setting and discover new approaches to revision. This course is offered through the Jiménez-Porter Writers' House in the College of Arts and Humanities, and is open to both domestic and international students, and aims to amplify the voice of writers from across the globe.

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

This course is to help students develop leadership skills in order to identify their personal and professional purpose with an entrepreneurial mindset, and create strategies to develop their abilities and achieve their aspirations. Working in a collaborative group setting, students will identify solutions to problems they find meaningful to solve and will evaluate opportunities, conduct customer discovery, develop a business model, and present a venture pitch. This self-discovery course will introduce the "CEO of ME, Inc." framework and the strategic initiatives matrix and business model canvas, all useful to guide the choices that lie ahead, and to develop win-win relationships. This course fulfills the following General Education requirements: Scholarship in Practice (DSSP) and Big Questions (SCIS).

Course Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed (or be currently enrolled in with anticipated successful completion) high school algebra I and another high school math course, and two full years of high school science (i.e. biology, chemistry, physics, or other life or physical science) before enrolling in this course.

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

How do brains work? Globally, neuroscience research has rapidly expanded in recent years yet we still have not found an overarching scientific theory to explain how the brain actually works. Students will examine the Nobel Prize-winning research underlying fundamental principles of neuroscience and compare nervous systems of diverse organisms such as jellyfish, fruit flies, squids, mice, and humans, to understand how common designs and mechanisms generate behavior. This course fulfills the following General Education requirements: Natural Science (DSNS) and Big Questions (SCIS).

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

Discover the world of Criminology while you explore one of the most popular majors at the University of Maryland! This online course examines criminal behavior and the methods of its study; causation; typologies of criminal acts and offenders; punishment, correction and incapacitation; and the prevention of crime. This course is offered through the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. This course fulfills the following General Education requirements: History and Social Sciences (DSHS).

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

Are you considering a career involving computer science or programming? Try geocomputing! This course is your gateway to mastering Python, the versatile programming language that’s revolutionizing data analysis and visualization in geography and environmental sciences. From coding novice to confident programmer, you’ll focus on developing a solid understanding of basic programming techniques that you’ll be able to transfer and apply broadly across programming languages, including variables, looping, conditional statements, nesting, math, strings, and other concepts. In addition, you’ll develop a proficiency in manipulating spatial data sources within the context of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a rapidly growing career and research field. No prior programming experience is required or expected – just bring your curiosity and watch as the digital landscape unfolds before you!

GEOG276 Supply Fee: $40. Covers materials used in the course. This is an additional charge to all registered students.

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

Discover what it takes to be a world leader in this hands-on exploration of the field of international relations with this online course. Using the major theories of international relations, find out how the international system works in an intensive, interactive exploration. Learn why nations go to war and why they make peace and whether the nature of the international system is inherently hostile or inherently collaborative. Finally, consider how countries react when new issues, threats, risks, and opportunities emerge in the international arena. This course is offered through the Department of Government and Politics in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. This course fulfills the following General Education requirements: History & Social Sciences (DSHS) and Understanding Plural Societies (DVUP). 

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

Dive into the diverse and complex field of environmental politics! This course will provide you with an overview of modern environmental philosophy, politics, and policy, exploring environmental politics in the US through comparisons with other developed and developing countries. Become a leader in this dynamic and relatively new field by gaining expertise in critical topics such as green political thought, federal environmental policy, the relationship between the environment and conflict, and citizen movements and actions. Throughout the course, you’ll critically engage with work from social scientists, environmentalists, journalists, and scientists. This course fulfills the following General Education requirement: Scholarship in Practice (DSSP).

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

Welcome to Social Psychology! This course explores people's thoughts, feelings, and behavior, and how all these things are influenced and shaped by social factors and contexts. We will investigate and explore how we interact with ourselves, others, and the world around us. We will ponder the following questions: Who are we in groups? How does an individual function due to social factors and influences? How much of an individual's functioning is based upon that social influence? We will also ponder whether general differences exist, whether power always corrupts, and if violent media makes us violent. This course is also about how social psychologists think, what they do, and what the results of their research mean. This course will help you become a better critical thinker, writer, and consumer of science, so that when you see a social media post, advertisement, or an article purporting some promise, phenomenon, or fact, you're motivated to pause and question, perhaps find scholarly research, and learn that there's more to the story. This course fulfills the following General Education requirement: History and Social Sciences (DSHS) or Scholarship in Practice (DSSP).

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

Dive into the vibrant world of art and activism! This course invites you to explore how artists confront social justice, using visual art as a powerful lens to examine identity and society. Engaging with trailblazing scholars bell hooks and Eli Clare, you’ll discover key issues and analytical frameworks shaping the field. Together, we’ll analyze how artistic products challenge oppressive systems and serve as forms of creative expression. Get ready to think deeply, engage passionately, and participate in artistic production as we explore art’s role in shaping our understanding of justice and the social systems that define our world. This course fulfills the following General Education requirements: Humanities (DSHU) and Understanding Plural Societies (DVUP).

Package Option: Students who select a course offered through 100% online instruction can only participate via the Online Option.

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