Frequently Asked Questions for Honors Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a student get accepted into the Honors Program?
To apply for the Honors Program, students need to fill out the Honors application. Once the Honors Program Coordinator has confirmed your eligibility, you will be notified of your acceptance into the program and may begin enrolling in Honors courses.
If a student is in an Associate Degree Program, what are the Honors Program requirements?
In order to be a member of the Associate Degree Honors Program, students must:
- Achieve and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher.
- Successfully complete 12 Honors Program Points, at least 6 of which must be completed through HONR courses (e.g. HONR 100, an Honors Independent Study course developed in conjunction with a faculty member, and/or by adding an Honors Contract to a non-honors course. etc.)
If a student is in a Bachelor's Degree Program, what are the Honors Program requirements?
- Achieve and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher.
- Take a minimum total of 15 Honors Program Points, at least 6 of which must be completed through HONR courses (e.g. HONR 100, an Honors Independent Study course developed in conjunction with a faculty member, and/or by adding an Honors Contract to a non-honors course. etc.).
What scholarships or funding are available?
The Dennis Callas Scholarship is a competitive scholarship available each semester to currently enrolled Honors Program students. Each semester we award a total of $4,000 in scholarships to a few eligible recipients. Find more information about the Dennis Callas Scholarship.
What classes are offered?
Honors classes cover a wide variety of topics from Leadership Development to the films of Disney to International Human Rights. Take a look at past Honors Courses offered.
Can a student do an Independent Study for the program and what does it entail?
While most Honors students complete their Honors requirements at SUNY Delhi by taking courses designated HONR, there are occasions for students to seek completion of their Honors requirements outside of scheduled courses. This is accomplished via an Honors Independent Study Contract. Students may enter into only one Honors Independent Study of no more than three credits for the entire program to fulfill the requirements for the Honors Program.
The Honors Independent Study is intended for research work which goes beyond carrying out clearly specified tasks and which requires some decision-making on the part of the student. The Independent Study should not simply duplicate work available in regular undergraduate courses. Independent Study is reserved for serious academic work.
What happens if an accepted Honors student performs below the required minimum GPA?
To be eligible for the Honors Program and to graduate with the Honors Program distinction on your transcript, students must have a 3.3 GPA. If a student falls below the 3.3 GPA requirement for a semester or two, the student is not removed from the program. However, students with a GPA of below 3.3 will not be eligible to enroll in Honors courses. If the student raises their GPA to a 3.3 by the time they graduate and they have completed all of their required Honors Program course work, they will graduate with the Honors Program distinction.
What is the difference between the Honors Society and the Honors Program?
The Honors Program is an academic-based program in which students take Honors designated courses in addition to or as part of their degree program.
Joining an Honor Society is completely separate from the Honors Program. Honor Societies recognize all students who have shown academic excellence during their time at SUNY Delhi.
What is the benefit of graduating as part of the Honors Program?
Students graduating from the Honors Program are celebrated at commencement and distinguished by wearing the Honors Key as part of their regalia. Honors Students also take part in the Honors Banquet in the spring, a celebration of their hard work and success in the Program. The Honors Program designation on a student's transcript reinforces to potential employers or graduate-level programs that the student not only maintained a high GPA, but has done so while taking particularly rigorous courses.
How does a student gain HONR credit for a class in their major (Honors Contract)?
An Honors Credit Contract enriches a student’s experience in a non-Honors class by establishing a complementary reflective study alongside regular coursework. Course credit remains the same for the class, but the Honors designation is awarded on the student’s transcript upon successful completion.
Who to seek information from on campus?
For more information about the Honors Program, please contact Dr. Shelly Jones, Honors Program Coordinator, at jonesmc@delhi.edu.
