Learning at Your Level

NOVA wants to assure you have a successful college experience and reach your goals. Whether you need to prepare for college-level coursework through developmental studies or you're a high achiever looking for added enrichment through Honors classes, NOVA has opportunities for you.

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Honors Program and Honors Classes

NOVA offers an entire Honors Program as well as individual Honors classes and Honors options in regular classes for highly motivated students who seek a challenging academic experience.

Honors Program

NOVA’s Honors Program is distinguished by its Honors Core Curriculum, comprised of 18 credits of general education courses applicable to most degree programs. When you successfully complete the Honors Core Curriculum and your degree requirements, you will receive a designation on your diploma and official transcript. 

Honors Classes and Honors Options

Unable to complete the entire Honors Program, but still looking for some academic challenge? You can take one or more Honors classes, if eligible, based on one of the following: GPA, SAT scores, NOVA placement scores or recommendations. Honors classes are identified by an “H” after the course listings and in the course section number (e.g., ENGL 111.H02L).

When you take an Honors class, you will enjoy these benefits:

• Smaller class sizes, no more than 18 students;
• Student-led discussions;
• Seminar-style classrooms, when possible;
• Collaboration with a community of learners with similar academic goals; and
• Access to multi-disciplinary approaches to learning.

You can also pursue an Honors option. These are regular course sections in which you complete the  Honors component of the course. You will receive an Honors designation for that course upon successful completion of the component.

Honors Admission Information

For more information, please visit the Honors website or contact NOVA’s College-wide Honors Coordinator: Paul Fitzgerald, 703-323-2422, pfitzgerald@nvcc.edu.

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Developmental Studies

NOVA has designed English and mathematics coursework to meet you where you are academically and  allow you to concentrate on strengthening areas of weakness in a subject. Developmental English classes carry the prefix EDE, and Developmental Math classes carry the prefix MDE. For more information, visit Placement. 

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Online Learning

NOVA is committed to preparing students for today’s workforce and recognizes computers to be an extension of the learning tools needed to be globally competitive. To attend NOVA, students are expected to have a laptop (or a desktop with webcam and microphone) that meets the minimum requirements for their major and internet access at home or through a mobile device hot spot.

Students can find the required specifications for their computers here.

NOTE: Chromebooks and iPads are useful but insufficient to replace a laptop. They will not run the software typically needed at NOVA.