Frequently Asked Questions

 

Am I eligible to take courses in the Honors Studies program?

If you have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have completed at least 15 college credits, you are eligible to participate in Honors Studies.

How can I participate in Honors Studies?

There are several ways you can participate. You can:

• take either or both of the core Honors Seminars, HRS 103 and HRS 104
• take either or both of the Honors Independent Study courses, HRS 203 and HRS 204, or, with the approval of the Coordinator, take an independent study through another department (e.g. HIS 290, BIO 290, etc.)
• complete a Special Honors Project in a regular credit course
• take special Honors sections of existing college courses as they become available
• complete a work experience in the community, usually of a voluntary nature, with the approval of the Coordinator
• complete a study abroad opportunity or study in another community, with the approval of the Coordinator

Are there scholarships available for students in Honors Studies?

Scholarship opportunities exist for students who want to take courses in the Honors Studies program but who don't have adequate funding or resources to pay for the course(s). Please contact the Coordinator of Honors Studies, Dr. Jeff Shalan, for assistance in securing scholarship support.

How can I receive the final "Distinguished Honors Studies Scholar" transcript designation?

If you complete HRS 103 or HRS 104 and any other three course in the program and graduate with a GPA of 3.5 or higher, you will receive the “Distinguished Honors Studies Scholar” designation on your transcript and be acknowledged for your achievement on Awards Night.

There are several distinct advantages to this, including increased transfer and scholarship possibilities, strong letters of recommendation, and the prestige of being recognized for your accomplishments. 

What are the benefits of taking courses in the Honors Studies program?

In addition to the intellectual challenge and the opportunity to work closely with fellow students and some of the college’s best professors in a non-traditional setting, there are practical benefits to participating in Honors Studies:

• Strengthen your college transcript and increase your transfer and scholarship opportunities by showing four-year colleges and universities how you distinguished yourself from your peers at UCC.
• Satisfy Social Science and Humanities electives for your degree requirements
• Shape coursework to your own interests in Honors Seminars, Independent Studies, and Special Projects.
  
• Build friendships with other bright, motivated, and talented students who are passionate about their education.
  

How does an Honors Independent Study differ from a Special Honors Project?

An Honors Independent Study offers a wonderful opportunity to pursue an interest of your own in greater depth while working one-on-one with one of your favorite professors.  A project in the arts, investigative research in the sciences, field work in the community… the possibilities here are virtually endless. with an Honors Independant study you will earn 3 college credits.

A Special Honors Project or honors contract is like a smaller version of an independent study but is completed as part of a regular credit course that you are currently enrolled in. Its purpose is to allow you to expand the breadth and/or depth of your knowledge of some aspect of the subject matter of the course. As with an honors independent study, you or a professor of yours can initiate a Special Honors Project and together you will work out the details. The work involved typically exceeds (though in some cases may substitute for some of) the standard requirements for that course and is agreed upon in advance by you and the instructor of the course and is approved by the Honors Studies Coordinator. Upon successful completion of the course and the project, a designation will appear on your transcript indicating that you completed a Special Honors Project for the course. 

 

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