Honors Program
Do you have your sights set on academic excellence? The GGC Honors Program may be the place for you.
Georgia Gwinnett College offers qualified students admission into the GGC Honors Program. This program offers students an integrated educational experience through enhanced opportunities in scholarship, leadership, service and creativity.
Overview of the Honors Program | Honors Program Student Learning Outcomes | GGC Honors Program Admission Policy | Honors Program Expectations and Requirements
Overview of the Honors Program
The GGC Honors Program provides an integrated educational experience that encourages students to demonstrate excellence in scholarship, leadership, service and creativity. The Honors Program challenges students to discover the deepest meanings of these core values and apply them to their studies, potential careers and daily lives. Program members participate in a rich and varied set of curricular and co-curricular experiences that challenge them academically; develop their creativity; enhance their leadership skills; and foster within them an abiding commitment to civic engagement.
Members are eligible for enrollment in: Honors versions of many core curriculum classes; Honors 1000, a one-credit, pass-fail Honors seminar designed for first-year students; and interdisciplinary Honors 3000 Special Topics seminars developed by faculty from disciplines across the college. Honors courses are limited in size and emphasize in depth discussions and active, student-centered learning in an engaging and supportive atmosphere. Members also have access to our Honors Learning Lounge and a range of special co- and extra-curricular programming, events and opportunities designed to enrich their college experience.
In addition, Honors Program members may be able to graduate from the college “with honors” and their Honors Program membership noted on their transcripts and diplomas if they:
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2 in college-level courses;
- Demonstrate a commitment to leadership, creativity, scholarship and service;
- Demonstrate mastery of the Honors Program Student Learning Outcomes; and
- Remain enrolled at GGC and in the Honors Program for at least four semesters.
Honors Program Student Learning Outcomes
Members of GGC’s Honors Program are expected to demonstrate progress related to and eventual mastery of the following outcomes:
- Effective multi-modal communication;
- Creative thinking;
- Critical thinking; and
- Civic engagement.
GGC Honors Program Admission Policy
Honors Program applications are reviewed holistically, and those students who desire admission into the GGC Honors Program must:
- Have attained a GPA of 3.5 or higher;
- Write an essay adhering to the guidelines and requirements contained in the Honors Program Essay Instructions (PDF);
- Obtain a letter of recommendation from a GGC faculty and/or staff member. Or, in the case of first-year or transfer students, a letter of recommendation from a faculty and/or staff member from the student’s previous institution;
- Successfully complete an interview conducted by the Honors Programs Selection Committee; and
- Complete the GGC Honors Admission Application form, which requires students to give information about their co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
Honors Program Expectations and Requirements
Students accepted to the program are expected to:
- Participate in and document at least one activity per semester related to each of the four core values;
- Enroll in Honors versions of core curriculum courses when applicable and appropriate for a student's degree plan;
- Play an active role in at least one service project each semester
- Document their activities related to the four core values and the Honors Program outcomes for inclusion in a portfolio;
- Represent the college appropriately at school functions and in the community; and
- Abide by all schools policies and codes of conduct.
Students in the program are required to:
- Enroll in and successfully complete the Honors 1000 1-credit seminar (open to all members but required of only first-year students);
- Enroll in and successfully complete a minimum of two (2) Honors 3000 classes over the course of their time in the program;
- Maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher, barring extraordinary mitigating circumstances;
- Remain active in the program for four or more semesters (in order to graduate with the Honors Program distinction); and
- Maintain a portfolio demonstrating their commitment to the four core values and appropriate progress towards mastery of the program learning outcomes.