INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS -- Honors

Honors courses enable qualified, highly motivated students to enrich their study through challenging honors course work. Honors courses differ from regular sections in that your goals and assignments are more centered on your evolving interests. You will be encouraged to think independently and critically, to participate actively in discussions and to learn in collaboration with your fellow students. Honors courses stimulate broader and deeper consideration of the subject matter and encourage the exploration of the interrelationships of ideas across disciplines. Each honors course will have a special transcript identifier. Universities and employers favor students who seek the greater challenge offered through honors courses.

The approach to honors courses may vary from campus to campus. At some campuses, special sections are designated as honors courses. Some campuses offer specified combinations of honors courses scheduled and designed in coordination with one another for the purpose of interdisciplinary study. “Honors options,” in which honors students take part in a regular course section while also completing a special honors component of the course, are also offered. Honors contract courses, in which the student and instructor agree to a particular independent study, are also offered. Honors faculty advisors are available at each campus to aid you with course selection. The Student Services Center can provide you with further information.

Honors Program Admission Requirements
You may enter the Honors program during your first semester at NOVA, or you may enter later. To be considered for admission to the Honors Core Curriculum, you must meet at least one of the following in each category:

English	Math
Place into Honors ENG 111 via NOVA English placement test	Place into Honors math via NOVA math placement test
Document an average score of >600 on the new SAT Critical Reading and Essay tests, with no score <500.	Document a score of >600 on the new Math SAT exam
Graduate high school in the top 10% of your class	Graduate high school in the top 10% of your class
Submit recommendations from two faculty based on English courses either completed at NOVA or a previous college or in progress at NOVA	Submit recommendations from two faculty based on math or science courses either completed at NOVA or a previous college or in progress at NOVA
Obtain recommendation of an Honors Coordinator based on an interview	Obtain recommendation of an Honors Coordinator based on an interview

Admission to Individual Honors Courses
Admission to individual honors courses and options requires approval of the division, course instructor, or counselor based on test scores, prior achievement, or faculty recommendation.

Honors Core Curriculum
The Honors Core curriculum provides a comprehensive educational experience for honors students and allows them to interact as a community of learners. You may satisfy the requirements of both the Honors Core and any degree program by enrolling in the honors sections of courses or electives within the degree program requirements. To receive the Honors Core Curriculum designation on your diploma and official transcript, you must be admitted into the Honors Core Curriculum and must complete it with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all honors courses taken, with no grade below a C in any Honors course. Completion of the Honors Core Curriculum will be designated on your transcript and on your diploma. You will also receive the Honors Certificate of Completion. This represents a significant enhancement of your academic credentials.

Discipline	Credits
English	3
Humanities/Fine Arts	3
Social/Behavioral Sciences	3
Natural Sciences/Mathematics	3-5
1 Interdisciplinary Seminar	3
2 Electives	3-4
Total	18-21

¹To take the Honors Seminar, it is recommended that you have completed a minimum of 3 semester hours in honors English and 3 semester hours of the humanities, social sciences, and math/science honors unit.

²Elective credits may come from any discipline offering an honors course.  It is strongly recommended that an Honors SDV course be one of the electives.