Honors Program
Explore. Engage. Excel.
The ECC honors program offers talented and highly motivated students rich and challenging classes to cultivate their potential and help them prepare for transfer to a four-year college or university.
Honors courses offer students a smaller class size and innovative learning experiences including multidisciplinary approaches to topics and experiences outside the classroom.
Qualified students may choose to participate in the honors program during any semester they are enrolled.
- For automatic program admission:
- New first-time-in-college students must meet two of three criteria to be fully admitted to the Honors Program:
- Graduated in the top 20 percent of their high school class
- Earned a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (weighted or un-weighted GPA may be used).
- Earned an ACT composite score of 25 or higher or an SAT combined score of 1710
- New transfer students who have earned college credit at another institution must complete at least 12 hours of formally articulated, college-level course work with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.
- Current ECC students must complete at least 12 hours of formally articulated, college-level course work with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.
- For special requests for full or provisional admission:
Students who may not fully meet the only meet one of the above admission criteria but believe they are strong candidates for the Honors Program may submit a special request for full or provisional program admission on a case-by-case basis. In addition to the program application form, the applicant must provide a written statement that responds to the following prompt:
Describe your intellectual and personal interests and what experiences have prepared you to explore, engage, and excel within the Honors Program at ECC. Please limit your statement to no more than two pages, double-spaced.
Please send all completed special requests, which include the application form and personal statement, to the Honors Program Director. All special requests will be reviewed by the Honors Program Director, and the applicant will be notified whether full or provisional admission has been granted or if the applicant needs to reapply after further coursework is completed at ECC.
Under provisional entry, students may enroll in one honors class their first semester. If the student earns an A or B in this honors class and has an overall cumulative GPA of 3.25 then he/she may apply for full admission to the Honors Program.
Satisfaction of these admission requirements will be demonstrated through verification with official final high school and/or college transcripts which will be submitted with the completed honors program application to the Office of Admissions. After a student’s eligibility is verified, he/she will be admitted to the honors program and allowed to register for honors classes.
Download application
To maintain membership in the honors program, honors students must maintain a 3.25 GPA each semester. Students falling below a 3.25 will be permitted one probationary semester and must return to a 3.25 GPA by the end of the probationary semester.
Students whose GPA remains below 3.25 at the end of the probationary term will be deactivated from the program and may not enroll in honors program classes or participate in honors-related activities. Students may re-apply after a minimum of one semester and the return of the GPA to 3.25.
Students who are admitted and remain in good standing in the Honors Program may register for honors classes each semester. Program students typically take one to two honors classes at a time. Students who earn an A or B in an honors class are eligible for a tuition waiver that covers the number of credit hours completed for use toward honors classes in a future semester. Waivers are available for up to 15 credit hours. Tuition waiver requests must be submitted to the Financial Aid office each semester.
Annual Class Schedule
The courses included satisfy the general education requirements for most programs of study. The class meeting times meet student needs and facilitate enrollment in as many honors courses as possible. Download class schedule
Class Search & Registration
Students wishing to take an honors class who have not sought formal program admission may contact the honors instructor for permission to register. This permission applies only to that single course. Documentation of the instructor's approval must be provided to the Registration office.
View course offerings
This award is given to honors students who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance during their time at ECC. Students who complete the following may apply for the award during the semester they will graduate:
- At least 12 credit hours of honors coursework with grades of A or B
- HUM 216, honors capstone course
- Transfer degree or plans to transfer to another institution
- Cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher
- Active involvement in Phi Theta Kappa honors society, or an academic-oriented student club (Alpha Beta Gamma business honorary, Phi Rho Pi speech honorary, etc.)
To be considered for this award, the student must prepare an honors scholar application. Applications must be received no later than December 1 for fall graduation and May 1 for spring graduation.