If you enter as a first-year student, you are required to complete 21 credits in Honors coursework:

• The Honors writing sequence courses, HONR 200 Rhetoric and HONR 250 Expository Writing, are three-credit courses.
• First-year students also take our  and  courses: HONR 150 Flourishing (one credit), HONR 170 Humans of RVA and VCU (one credit) and HONR 171 Investigative Inquiry (non-credit). 
• Prior to the capstone year, students must take nine credits of courses of intention, selected in consultation with an Honors advisor.
• The HONR 494 senior capstone project totals four credits.

Students can earn Honors credits by completing an HONR 493 internship or HONR 492 independent study, participating in an approved semester-long study-abroad experience or taking an approved graduate-level course.

Students need to earn 25 Honors College engagement points per academic year. GPA requirements are detailed in the "GPA Requirements for all honors graduates" ribbon below.

If you completed at least one semester at VCU before entering the Honors College, you are required to complete 21 credits of Honors coursework:

• Continuing students must take the one-credit course,  Humans of RVA and VCU. 
• Prior to the capstone year, students must take 9 credits of courses of intention, selected in consultation with an Honors advisor.
• The HONR 494 senior capstone project totals four credits.

Students can earn Honors credits by completing an HONR 493 internship or HONR 492 independent study, participating in an approved semester-long study-abroad experience or taking an approved graduate-level course.

Students need to earn 25 Honors College engagement points per academic year. GPA requirements are detailed in the "GPA Requirements for all honors graduates" ribbon below.

If you enter as a transfer student with 12 to 53 credits, you must complete 21 credits of Honors coursework, but you are not required to take the Honors writing sequence (HONR 200 and HONR 250). 

If you enter as a transfer student with 54 or more credits, you must complete 14 credits of Honors coursework, but you are not required to take the Honors writing sequence (HONR 200 and HONR 250). 

Transfer students must take the one-credit course,  Humans of RVA and VCU. 

Prior to the capstone year, transfer students must take 9 credits of courses of intention, selected in consultation with an Honors advisor.
The HONR 494 senior capstone project totals four credits.

Students can earn Honors credits by completing an HONR 493 internship or HONR 492 independent study, participating in an approved semester-long study-abroad experience or taking an approved graduate-level course.

Students need to earn 25 Honors College engagement points per academic year. GPA requirements are detailed in the "GPA Requirements for all honors graduates" ribbon below.

The required honors courses depend upon how you enter the Honors College.  

First-year:

• If you entered as a first-year student, you are required to complete 24 credits in Honors coursework, including 18 credits in specific Honors core classes. First-year students must complete the Honors writing sequence (HONR 200 Rhetoric and HONR 250 Expository Writing) in addition to the Honors core classes (MATH 230, PHYS 215, PHIL 230, and POLI/INTL 365). 

• The Honors core (MATH 230, PHYS 215, PHIL 230 and POLI/INTL 365) is designed to satisfy VCU’s set of TIER II “general education” requirements. These are not meant to be extra classes. For example, Honors core course PHIL 230 satisfies the humanities requirement set by VCU.

• The remaining credits can be achieved by taking Honors electives, completing an Honors 492 independent study, participating in an approved semester-long study-abroad experience or taking an approved graduate-level course.  

Continuing:

• If you completed at least one semester at VCU before entering the Honors College, you must complete 24 credits of Honors coursework, but you are not required to take the Honors writing sequence (HONR 200 and HONR 250) because you’ve completed UNIV 111 and UNIV 112.

• The Honors core (MATH 230, PHYS 215, PHIL 230, and POLI/INTL 365) is designed to satisfy VCU’s set of TIER II “general education" requirements. These are not meant to be extra classes. For example, Honors core course PHIL 230 satisfies the humanities requirement set by VCU.

• The remaining credits can be achieved by taking Honors electives, completing an Honors 492 independent study, participating in an approved semester-long study-abroad experience or taking an approved graduate-level course.  

Transfer:

• If you transfered to VCU with fewer than 54 credits, you are required to follow the same requirements as continuing students. If you transferred directly from another institution, having applied to VCU and the Honors College at the same time, you are considered a transfer student and your Honors course requirements depend on the number of credits being transferred to VCU.  

• If you transfered to VCU with 54 or more credits, you are required to take any 12 credits in Honors coursework and are not required to complete the Honors core classes. You may complete your 12 Honors credits by taking Honors electives, completing an Honors 492 independent study, participating in an approved semester-long study-abroad experience or taking an approved graduate-level course.  

Diversity of Study

Students in the Honors College are expected to explore various topics and interests and we urge students to pursue opportunities in a variety of fields. Our Diversity of Study requirement can be satisfied by any one of the following options:

• A minor in any field of study.

• A second major in any field of study.

• A dual degree in any field of study.

• A certificate recognized by VCU. These certificates (not “certificates of completion”) include International Management Studies, Spanish/English Translation and Interpretation, Product Innovation, Venture Creation and Sustainable Innovation. You may seek approval for another certificate program by contacting the academic programs supervisor.

• Studying abroad.

• Successfully completing two upper-level courses — level 300 or above — totaling at least six credits from two different fields of specialization that are beyond your own primary field of study. Please note, your field of specialization is broader than your major and includes allied subjects. For example, biology is a subject within the natural sciences, marketing is a subject within the field of business, English is a subject in the humanities and the craft and material studies major is in the visual arts.

• Completing a focused study in a single field that lies outside your field of specialization by completing three upper-level courses (level 300 or above). Combined, these three courses should total at least nine credits.

Honors College students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

GPA requirements are detailed in the "GPA Requirements for all honors graduates" ribbon below.

Honors College students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

When calculating your cumulative GPA, the Honors College factors in every course you’ve attempted and the resulting grade. This means that although VCU allows historical repeats that drop an original grade of D or F from your GPA calculation, the Honors College does not disregard the original D or F.  

If your cumulative GPA drops below a 3.5, the Honors College will place you on Honors probation and allow you one semester to raise your cumulative GPA. If it is not mathematically possible to do so or if you fail to raise your cumulative GPA to a 3.5 or higher during your probationary semester, you will be notified that you are no longer a member of the Honors College. However, you will be invited to reapply once your cumulative GPA returns to a 3.5.  Seniors entering their final semester with a GPA below 3.5 will also be notified of their loss of membership in the Honors College, but may still be able to graduate with University Honors. 

A student who experiences a decline in GPA during the final semester may be eligible for graduation with University Honors but is not permitted to take part in Honors commencement activities. Although students in this situation are removed from the Honors College, the Honors College will still review their final semester grades and consider them for graduation with University Honors. Students who wish to receive this consideration must notify the dean.

Students who entered the Honors College prior to Fall 2018

To earn the distinction of graduating with University Honors, each Honors student who entered the Honors College prior to Fall 2018 must prepare a dossier detailing your undergraduate career.

Completing your Honors College Dossier

As Honors students you have had many opportunities during your career at VCU. We want to know how the opportunities that you have chosen have affected the person you have become. In essence, we want to know who you were, who you are, and how you got there. The emphasis is on insight and reflection. You are not required to talk about specific classes or the Honors College. (Of course you can if you want to!) Each person's experience is unique; we are interested in hearing about yours. You are welcome to talk about academics, but your growth might be anchored to other aspects of your experience as well, such as community or relationships. Again- tell your story.

The recommended guideline for the essay is eight pages, double spaced, but we are not counting pages or words.  We are looking for depth of reflection and honest insight about your growth and development. I know that any assignment is work, but do your best to make this a meaningful experience for you and it will be for us as well. This dossier is uploaded as part of the Honors graduation application.

Completing your Honors College Graduation Application

Your Honors College Honors graduation application and your Honors College dossier are presented to the Honors College for review during the penultimate semester of your academic work.

• For students graduating in the Fall, the graduation application opens July 16 and closes August 15.
• For students graduating in the Spring, the graduation application opens November 1 and closes January 1.
• For students graduating in the Summer, the graduation application opens June 1 and closes July 15.

Please note that this graduation application is only for the Honors College. You will still need to submit a graduation application with your academic major. 

You will need the following information to complete the application:

• Your total credits at VCU and overall GPA
• Your total honors credits and honors GPA
• A list of your completed and planned honors modules
• A list of your completed and planned honors semester courses
• A list of your completed and planned courses that fulfill the Diversity of Study requirement, if you don’t have a minor, second major or dual degree
• A screenshot of the Honors section of your DegreeWorks
• A copy of your completed Honors Dossier

What is a cohort?

When you join the Honors College (in 2018 and beyond), you will be placed in a small working group for certain first-year activities. This initial cohort exists only in your first year. Later, as you approach your capstone project, you will self-select into a similarly small working cohort formed around that project.

What is a capstone?

Honors College students who join Honors in Fall 2018 and beyond will work in small groups to develop and complete a project that addresses a need you have identified through your community-based experiential learning. Your self-selected working cohort will collaborate to complete a final, required 4-credit capstone project that finds innovative ways to improve a community. Capstones will be presented in a celebratory formal event in the final spring semester.

What is a course of intention?

This term describes selections you make intentionally when choosing courses for nine required credits after the freshman year. Courses of intention may include Honors topics courses (HONR 398), Honors modules (HONR 399) and other courses approved by the Honors College. These courses help inform the senior capstone.

How do I earn engagement points?

Engagement points can be earned in the following five areas through a wide variety of activities, some of which are part of your curriculum requirements.

• Academic Enhancement: The cornerstone of Honors is an appreciation of a multitude of academic disciplines and interests. In order to cultivate and encourage participation across disciplines, students will have opportunities to attend events and experiences that deepen their academic understanding of topics both within and outside of their course of study. Possibilities include Berglund Seminar/Diverse Conversations, the VCU Study Abroad Fair and VCU Common Book events.

• Community Engagement: Critical to the development of community within the Honors College, these opportunities encourage students to give back to the Honors College and share their Honors experiences with others. Points are earned in this area by HONR 170 participation beyond the classroom, HONR 171 participation, and any volunteer activity tied to an Honors-sponsored community-service event.

• Leadership and Development: Acknowledging that much work to develop oneself is done outside the classroom setting, leadership and development experiences include career development events, National Scholarship Office information sessions, applying for a national award or service in an on-campus leadership position.

• Research and Inquiry: Honors students will contribute to the creation and sharing of knowledge through research, performances and presentations. You might participate in the Honors Summer Undergraduate Research Program, give a poetry reading or attend an academic conference.

What should I do if I don’t think I can meet the requirements to graduate with University Honors?

Although we strive to make the Honors curriculum accessible, we realize that on rare occasions, earning University Honors may not be feasible. In these instances, the first step is to meet with an Honors advisor to ensure that all options have been explored, including creative alternatives to earning Honors credit. Once all options have been explored, your Honors advisor may refer you to the Associate Director of Academic Affairs for review. The decision not to pursue University Honors should not be made hastily.

The Honors College is founded not only on academic excellence but also on academic integrity. Honors students represent the Honors College and the University in everything they do and are therefore expected to maintain the highest level of integrity.

Because the Honors College community is based on a culture of honesty, integrity and trust, Honors students must familiarize themselves with the VCU Honor System. Students should visit the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity's website to review the Honor System as well as the Student Code of Conduct. Any Honors College student found responsible for an honor system violation, following any appeals made, will be removed from the Honors College immediately and will not be eligible for re-admittance.