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2018/2019 fcc catalog
Eligibility
Students automatically qualify for the Honors College with the following test
scores: SAT = 1100 overall (out of 1600) with at least 550 on verbal, or ACT
= Reading 23+, or FCC placement exams = Honors level reading (103) and
proficient college level writing. Applicants with strong academic records (3.500
GPA) or faculty recommendations are encouraged to apply. We also offer an Open
Campus membership for high school or home school students with a 3.5 GPA or
higher. To apply, complete the Honors College application, available in the Honors
Office (H 245) and at , and submit as directed.
Expectations
Students are expected to pursue academic excellence and be engaged in the
honors program, FCC, or the community. Any student whose GPA drops below
3.000 or violates FCC policy will no longer be in good standing with the Honors
program. Students who started college poorly but whose recent work is honors
caliber can apply to the honors coordinator for an exception.
Academic Opportunities
Your academic opportunities begin with Honors courses, which are designated
with an “H” in the schedule. Because honors courses have the same core
learning outcomes and content requirements as regular courses they are easily
transferable. Honors courses are smaller (limit 15) and often operate as seminars
with heavy class discussion. Some courses are linked so the same cohort of
students is together in two classes that share blocks of time.
With permission of the instructor and the honors coordinator, Honors Contracts
can be arranged for courses not in the schedule (e.g., MA 210 Calculus I). Contact
the honors coordinator to request an Honors Contract application.
Students can conduct scholarly research or produce creative works through
Honors Independent Study projects under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
Students share their work with the campus community at the Honors Forum and
are encouraged to present at student conferences. Each year one student may
be nominated to compete for the Portz Award for Outstanding Honors Student
at Two-Year Colleges, which is sponsored by the Maryland Collegiate Honors
Council.
Engagement
We encourage students to engage in learning both inside and outside the
classroom. To promote learning outside the classroom, all honors courses require
students to attend co-curricular events. The Honors College also sponsors a
variety of student organized activities each year, and the Center for Student
Engagement at FCC offers even more engagement opportunities. With 25
service hours in two projects and a reflection paper, students can earn a service
certificate. Leadership opportunities are available through the Honors Student
Association, Phi Theta Kappa, and Honors College internships. Student leaders
can also complete workshops and earn a leadership certificate.
Benefits
Besides honing your academic skills through active learning, some other benefits
of participating in the Honors College are:
• use of the Honors Lounge (H-247);
• eligibility for honors internships and scholarships;
• conference presentation opportunities;
• student recognitions for excellence (Anne Slater Award for Honors Excellence,
MCHC Portz Award for Outstanding Honors Student, All-USA Academic Team);
• transfer and scholarship benefits with four-year honors partners;
• automatic admission to even more four-year colleges; and
• enhanced resumes when applying for selective admission program at four-year
colleges as well as scholarships.
Graduation
Students who complete 12 honors credits (3 honors credits must be at the 200-
level with an honors project or completion of an honors independent study
project) with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.250 or higher are eligible
to graduate from the Honors College. Graduates receive a notation on their
transcripts recognizing this achievement. Further, at the graduation ceremony
they wear an Honors College medallion and stand to be recognized. The transcript
notation and color of the medallion are based on the student’s grade point
average at the time of graduation:
GPA Transcript Notation Medallion
3.250–3.490 Honors College Bronze
3.500–3.749 Honors College – Honors Silver
3.750–4.000 Honors College – High Honors Gold
Contact
To learn more about how the Honors College can help you reach your goals,
contact the Honors Coordinator, Dr. Bruce Thompson, in H-244 or at bthompson@
or 301.846.2535.