Honors Curriculum

The NOVA Honors Program is designed for motivated students who want to get more out of their college experience. Through Honors courses, academic opportunities, leadership experiences and a community of engaged students and faculty, the program encourages students to challenge themselves, explore their interests and build skills that will benefit them at NOVA and beyond.

Honors courses are smaller, often discussion-based classes that emphasize the R.E.A.L. components of an Honors education: Research, Experiential Learning, Academic Rigor and Leadership. Rather than simply giving students “more work,” Honors courses provide opportunities for deeper learning, collaboration and engagement with course material.

Participating in the Honors Program can help you:

• Develop stronger critical-thinking, research, communication and leadership skills.
• Build community with faculty and other motivated students.
• Participate in Honors programming, workshops and special opportunities.
• Strengthen your transfer applications and resume by demonstrating academic engagement and achievement.
• Earn Honors credentials that are recognized on your NOVA transcript.

The Honors Program is flexible, and it is what you make of it. You do not have to complete an entire Honors credential to participate. Students can take Honors courses and engage in Honors opportunities based on their individual academic, professional and personal goals. The more you choose to engage — through coursework, events, leadership opportunities or connections with the Honors community — the more you can gain from the experience.

NOVA offers Honors credentials that recognize students who complete a specific number of Honors course credits while maintaining the required academic standards. Credentials are earned primarily through Honors coursework, so simply participating in Honors events or being admitted to the Honors Program does not by itself result in a credential.

Students can earn Honors credits by successfully completing designated Honors courses or, when available, by completing an approved Honors Option in a non-Honors course. The number of Honors credits required depends on the credential you are working toward.

You do not have to decide immediately whether you want to pursue an Honors credential. You can begin by taking an Honors course and decide over time how far you would like to go. Some students take one or two Honors courses for the experience, while others choose to complete a formal Honors credential as part of their academic goals.

An Honors Project is an independent, in-depth academic or experiential project under the guidance of a NOVA faculty member. It allows you to explore a topic or question that interests you while demonstrating the R.E.A.L. components of an Honors education: Research, Experiential Learning, Academic Rigor and Leadership.

Honors Projects are flexible and may take different forms depending on your interests, academic program and goals. A project might involve original research, a creative or applied project, or a community-based experience.

Because an Honors Project is a significant undertaking, it requires planning, faculty guidance and approval. If you are interested in completing an Honors Project, work with your Honors faculty lead to discuss your idea, identify an appropriate faculty mentor and understand the requirements and timeline. You can email honors@nvcc.edu to connect with the Honors faculty lead at your home campus.

An Honors Project can be a great option for students who want to take ownership of their learning, explore a topic more deeply and create a meaningful final product or experience that reflects their individual interests and goals.

No. Honors courses carry the same tuition and fees as other NOVA courses, and financial aid can be used as applicable and appropriate.

Most Honors activities and programming are free. We are not usually able to cover all costs associated with off-campus travel (for internships, volunteering, etc.). If there is any cost involved, you will be notified well in advance so you can make an informed decision regarding your participation. The program always covers mandatory activities associated with Honors courses.

Visit the Schedule of Classes webpage and select the correct semester. This will bring you to the digital catalog, where you can use the filters on the left (scroll down a bit) to view Honors courses.

Activities are posted on the Honors Canvas site, which you can access once accepted into the program.

A full Honors course is a course in which every student is completing the Honors version of the class, and the class size is capped at 18 students — smaller than our typical courses. The entire course is designed around the R.E.A.L. components of an Honors education — Research, Experiential Learning, Academic Rigor and Leadership. These courses may include more discussion, collaboration, independent inquiry and opportunities to engage deeply with the course material. The Honors designation is built into the course from the beginning.

An Honors Option allows an eligible student enrolled in a regular, non-Honors course to earn Honors credit by completing additional or enhanced Honors-level work in collaboration with the course instructor. The student and faculty member agree on an Honors Option project or set of requirements that adds greater depth, complexity or engagement to the regular course experience. Honors Option courses are also designated in the Schedule of Classes.

The biggest difference is that a full Honors course is designed as an Honors experience for the entire class, while an Honors Option creates an Honors experience within a regular course.

Both can count toward Honors credential requirements. Honors Options can be especially helpful when a full Honors section of a course is not available or does not fit into your schedule. Because an Honors Option requires additional planning, students should begin the process early in the semester and follow all Honors Program requirements and deadlines.

No, but priority scheduling exists for all Honors and Honors Option courses, as students who have been accepted into the program are able to self-register for all Honors coursework.

No, you do not need to take an Honors course every semester to remain in the Honors Program. We understand that students have different academic plans, course requirements, schedules and responsibilities, and an Honors course may not be available or fit your schedule every semester.

To remain eligible for the Honors Program, you must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a cumulative GPA of 3.275 in your Honors courses, with no Honors course grade below a C. We also encourage you to stay connected to the Honors community by checking Honors communications and participating in events, workshops and other opportunities when you can.

You can choose the level of programmatic involvement that works for you. However, if your goal is to earn an Honors credential, it is important to plan ahead and make sure you are completing the required Honors credits and other credential requirements before you graduate.

Complete the application to join the program. Eligibility criteria and other helpful information can also be found on the Honors Program page.