Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) provides UMD students of all backgrounds, disciplines, and levels of experience with the opportunity to engage in scaffolded, multidisciplinary team-based projects.

Why Join a VIP Team?

About the VIP Program & VIP Teams

Learn more about the benefits of the VIP program for participating students.

Why Join a VIP Team?

Earn academic credit while gaining hands-on experience on a scaffolded, multidisciplinary, faculty-led research team.
Participate and grow for multiple semesters.
Develop discipline-based skills and broad professional competencies, including enhanced abilities to communicate, think critically, lead, and operate as a professional within a team-based environment.

What Do VIP Students Say?

"This semester, I loved my experience in a VIP program. It was great learning from my peers and getting to teach as well. It was particularly rewarding the days that I could see us all functioning as a unit. . . I think anyone interested in a VIP program should do it because I have learned so much about our project, the people in our group, and different majors."

Apply for a VIP Team

Spring 2026 applications are now closed.

Applicants can expect to hear about decisions on team acceptance in mid-December 2025!

VIP Team Application Overview

The VIP application will ask a few short questions about you, your skills, and your interest in the VIP Team you are applying for. The VIP application does not ask you about your grades, GPA, or prior academic accomplishments. Rather, it asks you to describe your interests and motivation to join the team you are applying for, and asks that you share any skills you may bring to the team. You do not need prior research experience to apply for a VIP team.

VIP Team Application Review Process

Eligibility: Students must have completed at least two semesters of higher education and be in good academic standing at the time of submitting an application to join a VIP Team. At this time, the VIP Program is open to students in their sophomore through senior year of college.
Application: New students submit a VIP Application for the team they are most interested in joining. New VIP Team members are selected by the VIP Faculty Mentor based on their motivation, interest, and commitment to the project as expressed through their application. Additionally, applications are anonymized, so your application will be reviewed based on your application responses, year, and major. Our advice: If you are interested in a team, make it clear why you are interested in the work the team does and what you might bring to the team!
VIPS Course Enrollment: Students must be able to attend the scheduled weekly course meeting of the VIP Team they hope to join. VIP Team meeting times are listed on each Team's webpage. Students will be guided to enroll in an appropriate VIPS course (VIPS 208, 308, or 408) based on their matriculation level within their degree program.

How much time does it take to participate in VIP?

VIP Team participation and productivity involve a 1-hour team meeting (class) each week, plus time on the project outside of team meetings.

Time spent outside of class varies by the number of credit hours students register for, which is similar to the ratio for traditional courses:

Students who register for 1 credit hour can expect to spend about 2-3 hours outside of class working on their projects each week.
Students who register for 2 credit hours can expect to spend 4-6 hours outside of class working on their projects each week.

What does "vertically integrated" mean?

"Vertically Integrated" refers to VIP team compositions, which include sophomores, juniors, seniors, and faculty.

Who can participate?

The VIP Program is open to students in their sophomore, junior, or senior year. Students can apply while they are freshmen (spring of freshman year) to participate when they are sophomores (fall of sophomore year).

Is experience required?

Previous experience is not required, but a willingness to learn and to work with others is a must.

Can I be on a VIP team led by a professor from another college or department?

Yes! All teams are multidisciplinary. A team led by a professor from Journalism may also include Aerospace Engineering and Business students. Further, teams are not restricted to "majors of interest" listed on the team information pages, so students can apply to any team in which they are interested. Be sure to understand any restrictions set by your department.

What do the approvers consider when reviewing applications?

The review process includes consideration of eligibility and a diverse range of academic majors, year of study, student interests, and specific skills when relevant. You can check the specific VIP Team's page to see if there are recommended skills. The quality of essays, ideas for this type of work, ability to work on a team, and enthusiasm for the subject are taken into consideration.

Overall, the goal is to create a team filled with a diverse range of majors, backgrounds, and skills, all working towards a shared VIP goal.

Can I switch VIP Teams?

The VIP Program does not allow students to freely switch from team to team. As a disincentive, students are asked to take a one-semester break between participation on one team and another. Students seeking an exception to this rule should provide a detailed explanation in the comments section in the online application.

Can I get my VIPS courses to count for electives or other parts of my degree?

We are working with departments to determine specific degree applicability. Many majors, including those in engineering, may be able to count VIP courses at the 300-400 level towards technical elective requirements by combining. Please discuss this with your departmental advisor to determine how this may count this experience towards your degree.

VIPS Courses

The VIP program requires enrollment in a specific VIP Team course.
VIP Teams have weekly meeting days and times (typically 1-2 hours one time a week).
VIPS courses are listed on Testudo.

Time Conflicts

New students cannot have a time conflict with their team meeting.
Continuing students can have a time conflict if approved by VIP Faculty Mentor.

Variable Credit Structure

The VIP Program operates on a variable credit structure in which all new students and most returning students enroll for one (1) credit per semester.
Students who grow into positions of leadership and/or specialization may enroll for two (2) credits per semester.
First-time participants will generally enroll in the 1-credit course option.