Honors Program Information for Students

Students need a 3.3 CGPA to successfully complete the program. If a student falls below this requirement, a GPA warning will be sent.

If in the best estimation by the Honors Director a student does not seem likely to graduate with a 3.3 CGPA, the director may contact the student (and advisor) recommending the student withdraw.

Students with less than a 3.3 CGPA will be strongly discouraged from proposing an Honors Capstone project and may be removed from the program. Any student below the grade threshold at the end of their junior year must submit a written letter to the Honors Director making a case to continue in the program, specifically indicating why they envision their last two semesters will see their GPA rise while undertaking a significant, two-semester project.

Students with a CGPA less than 3.3 who successfully petition to pursue an Honors Capstone project will earn College Honors only if they raise their CGPA to meet the minimum 3.3 requirement by the time of graduation.

Each semester, the honors director issues a “call for courses” that will be taught two semesters later (so the Fall 2024 call is asking for courses to be taught in Fall 2025). All faculty on long-term contracts (e.g., tenure-track faculty and senior lecturers) are invited in the fall, other faculty (e.g., visiting assistants) for the next spring.

Honors students who want specific faculty, courses, or topics to be taught as HONS 201-202 or HONS 261-262 sections my wish to contact faculty and encourage those sections to be offered. Departmental and program needs, as well as faculty schedules, may not always allow this — but if a core group of students indicates they want a specific section it will indicate demand.

In some circumstances, students may wish to appeal an aspect of the program. Typical appeals may include:

• If graduating early, requesting to undertake the capstone in the junior spring and senior fall.
• Requesting to take HONS 201-202 in the junior year due to conflicts with sequence courses in the major(s).
• Requesting to substitute an independent course in place of HONS 301.

Generally, the Council notes that requests to lessen or change requirements would need compelling justifications and may not be granted.

Any student appeal should be directed as a formal e-mail to the Honors Director, CC:ing your academic advisor(s). The director will submit appeals to the Honors Council with any additional supporting materials (the Council recommends a supporting letter from an academic advisor while the appeal is necessary). Documentation may be provided to strengthen the appeal.

If the Honors Council agrees to the appeal, it will be forwarded to the Executive Committee of the Faculty, as are all requests involving catalog language, for their approval. Successful appeals require approval of both the Honors Council and the Executive Committee.

While students may appeal requirements, the Honors Council expects that all students will fulfill the HONS 201 requirement, the elective, HONS 301 or an equivalent, and the capstone.

Summer Research

Students may complete the elective program requirement with summer research.

Most students will pursue this with participation in the summer Undergraduate Research Program. Students should inform the Honors Director in advance, CC’ing their academic advisor and the advisor for the summer research project that they wish to undertake summer research and apply it to the Honors Program. Successful completion of the project, as communicated by the Director of Undergraduate Research and the advisor of the project, is sufficient evidence to meet this requirement.

Students may have other on-campus and off-campus research opportunities beyond the program run by Undergraduate Research. These may also count towards the requirement. In such cases, the opportunity must be communicated to the Honors Director in advance, pre-approved by the Honors Council, and a final example of the project must be provided for review by the Honors Council.

Independent Research

Students may complete the elective program requirement with a 3-credit independent research course (495) with a faculty member.

To do so, students and the advising faculty member should obtain pre-approval for the proposed project from the Honors Council, and in submitting the 495 form to the registrar indicate that it is an honors independent research course. 

A limited amount of Honors Housing is available for sophomores, juniors, and seniors in(in 2024-25)  a wing of the newly renovated Venable Hall. Honors Students have priority for this wing and may apply early for consideration.

If you are interested, contact the Honors Director starting in January; an e-mail to all honors students will normally announce this opportunity.

The Honors Council is comprised of four faculty members and three students.

Three student members are on the Council. Student members are members in good standing of the Honors Program; seniors who do not undertake a senior capstone are not eligible to continue service. Student members advise on new policies and lead lecture and program initiatives. Student members are encouraged to provide a conduit to allow honors students to shape the program.

Each fall, the Program inducts a new student member from the rising sophomore class, to serve a three-year term. (If a student steps down temporarily or permanently from the council, a replacement is drawn from that cohort.) There is thus a sophomore, junior, and senior member.

Each spring, the Honors Director will invite self-nominations from first-year students in the Honors Program. The Honors Council will select, by vote of the Council as a whole, a representative from those nominated.

In the event a student resigns, the Council will use the same procedure, inviting self-nominations from students in the appropriate cohort.

As a Virginia Collegiate Honors Council institution, H-SC may nominate two students each spring for the VCHC’s “honors student of the year” and “up and comer” awards. The Honors Council will select a senior and a first-year or sophomore for the respective awards.