Are you…
- an academically strong student?
- seeking a challenge and an opportunity to study your courses in greater depth? and
- looking for an advantage when transferring to another college or university?
Then the BRCC Honors Program might be just what you’ve been missing!
Eligibility
To be eligible for the BRCC Honors Program, current students must meet the following requirements:
- Complete at least 12 hours of college credit
- Maintain a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA
- Eligibility to take ENG 111 with no developmental component (i.e. ENF 3) or completion of ENG 111
- Recommendations from 2 Blue Ridge Community College instructors
Students newly enrolled from high school must meet the following requirements:
- Top 10% of the student’s graduating class
- Minimum 1650 SAT score or minimum 24 ACT score or eligibility to take ENG 111 with no developmental component (i.e. ENF 3)
- Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in high school
For all other students, the Honors Program Director will consider past academic performance, life experiences, and other factors when a student applies to the Honors Program. The student must submit a letter outlining why he or she should be admitted to the program. In these cases, acceptance is at the Honor Program Director’s discretion, and if granted, will be a provisional acceptance until grades are posted at the end of the semester.
Apply to Honors Program
Application for Admission to the Honors Program Form – PDF (requires Acrobat Reader)
If you meet the requirements for acceptance, submit a completed Application for Admission to the Honors Program Form to Dr. Reid Harris, Honors Program Director.
Earning Honors Credits
Honors work takes place through Honors Contracts made with a faculty member in a class he or she is currently teaching. Students must be enrolled in the course to be eligible to do honors work in the course. Any student who qualifies for the Honors Program can create an Honors Contract for any class (with the instructor’s partnership). Upon completion of the requirements of the Honors Contract and earning a grade of B or higher in the course, the student will receive Honors credit for the course. The actual Honors Contract is a short document prepared by the student in collaboration with the course instructor that changes the course into an Honors course.
To begin the process of creating an Honors Contract, the student will meet with the instructor before the course begins or shortly thereafter. When the instructor and student have agreed upon the terms of the Honors Contract, they should fill out an Honors Contract Proposal form. This form must be submitted to the Honors Program Director by the fourth week of the semester.
Instructors often, but not always, agree to substitute the Honors Contract work for a significant course assignment or weight it heavily in calculating a final course grade. Honors work should be of special interest to the student and involve more time and effort than typical course assignments. While many Honors Contracts may involve writing a paper, this is not always required. Fieldwork or other assignments may be an appropriate basis for the project.
Recognition of Honors Work
All courses with Honors Contracts that the student completes with a grade of B or better will be marked as Honors courses on the official transcript. Students do not need to graduate from the Honors Program in order to take courses with Honors Contracts; however, they must maintain a cumulative 3.2 GPA in order to be eligible to take Honors courses.
Honors Seminars
Honors Seminars (HUM 195 – Honors Program Seminar – 2nd 8-weeks course)
Each fall and spring semester, a one-credit Honors Program Seminar is offered during the second 8 weeks. Topics and projects will vary by semester. The course is offered on a pass/fail basis.
Graduation
Graduates of the BRCC Honors Program will receive special recognition at graduation and will have this distinction noted on their transcripts. To be eligible for graduation, students will:
- Complete 3 courses along with the Honors Contract requirements for the course
- Complete 2 eight-week Honors Seminars (1 credit each)
- Submit the Honors Program Graduation Application
- Graduate with a minimum 3.4 cumulative GPA