Honors Program

About the Program

The Honors Program offers highly motivated students an enriched learning experience. We offer both Honors sections and individual Honors contracts for students in non-honors sections.  Both honors courses and honors contracts receive the same "honors" designation on the student transcript.

An Honors Contract is an agreement between a professor and a student in a regular (non-honors) section to design a mutually enriching experience enhancing the course's curriculum. The agreement uses honors level attributes to guide the student and professor in developing Honors assignments. Unit credit remains the same as a regular course.  Honors level attributes include: a higher degree of student participation in the class; more opportunities for research; more opportunities for classroom presentations; more supplementary reading, especially primary sources; and stronger enhancement of skills in critical thinking, analysis, and interpretation.  See the Honors Program Overview guide under Important Documents.

Key Program Highlights

There's no application to be an Honors Program student.  Students are Honors Program students if they've completed an Honors course or contract.

There's no minimum GPA required to participate in Honors.

Honors contracts can be offered in all modalities--in person, hybrid, and fully online.

Honors contracts can be offered in all transfer-level courses in all sessions during fall and spring semesters, including short term classes that are at least 8 weeks long. Note: Honors is not available in summer and intersession.

Important Notice - Honors Contract Process

The District has launched a much easier roster-based process for signing up for an Honors Contract. No Honors Contract form is needed.  Professors can go to their college faculty portal's roster follow up screen to invite students to sign up for an Honors Contract.  Students will receive a notification to apply for Honors via "My To Do List." 

Please checkout our tutorial: https://mysdccd.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MYS/pages/1913257985/Applying+For+Honors+Student 

Questions about the new process?  Contact us!

How Do I Become an Honors Student?

Register for Honors designated courses the same way as you would register for any other course OR communicate with your instructor your request to convert your non-Honors section into Honors via the Honors Contract process.

Spring 2025 Honors Contract Deadlines: 

8 week session 1: 2/18/25; 10, 12 and 16 week sessions: 4/18/25; 8 week session 2: 4/18/25.

How Does Joining the Honors Program Benefit Me?

The Benefits of Honors:

• Guaranteed priority admission consideration to a number of prestigious universities, including UCLA, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, and others
• Honors to Honors Transfer to SDSU
• Honors designation on your transcript
• Student Centered Learning Environment
• Designated Honors Counselor
• Leadership development opportunities
• Consideration for scholarships
• Use of resources from beyond the campus itself, such as university libraries
• Many courses taught from a global perspective
• Invitation Only Conferences and Receptions
• Scholarships
• Earn the Honors Global Competencies Certificate (see below for details)
• Study a subject in your major or another subject you love in greater depth
• Get career experience through internships or volunteer work
• Build a support network in a field you want to enter

How Do I Complete the Honors Program?

Although there is no number of honors units that are required to be a member of the Honors Program, some transfer agreements have additional requirements.  Honors students who do complete the following will receive an Honors Program Completion Certificate.  

1. Complete 15 units in Honors coursework within the San Diego Community College District (Minimum 6-units completed at Miramar College)
2. Have a minimum GPA of 3.25 overall
3. Meet any one of the following:

• Complete the Honors Global Competencies Certificate of Performance.
• Join Beta Iota Lambda, the Miramar College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Email the advisor for an application.
• Present research at a research symposium or conference.
• Be accepted for transfer and/or complete requirements for the Associate's Degree.

About Honors Courses

In addition to the Honors contract, students have the option to enroll in Honors courses.  Honors courses in a variety of subjects are identified on the online class schedule via an  and a note in the Class Details.  Honors courses offer students the opportunity to learn collectively with other Honors students and to examine a specific subject in greater depth and/or from a different perspective.  There is no application to enroll in an Honors course.  Enroll the same way as you would in any other course.  Check online course listings for most current course offerings.

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