What is the Honors Program?
The Honors Program is a liberal arts and sciences academic program in which students complete courses that engage them as partners in the learning process. Students in Honors classes are provided opportunities to explore topics in more depth and to actively engage in class discussion, group work, and even become "experts" on a topic to teach the class. Because students interact closely with their professors, because they see their classmates across different Honors and regular classes, and because they participate together in out-of-class events, the Honors Program is a community that supports while at the same time challenges each of its members.
What are the characteristics of an SF Honors Student?
Honors students aren't necessarily the students who earn the best grades nor score best on standardized tests. Honors students are:
- Critical thinkers, able to conceptualize, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, research, communication, computation, and experimentation
- Effective communicators, both written and oral
- Engaged learners who take active roles in class discussion, collaborative work, and the learning process
- Responsible, with high standards and a high level of commitment
- Motivated not just by an "A" grade, but also by learning experiences
- "Big-picture" learners, seeking to connect topics in their classes, world, and personal life.
What are the characteristics of an SF Honors Professor?
Honors professors:
- are knowledgeable and share their passion for the subject
- have high expectations and standards for their students, which are clearly communicated and consistently applied
- appreciate and care about their students' experience and success
- participate as much as possible in events sponsored by the College, especially those required for their classes
- are receptive towards mentoring interested students' academic goals and interests
- are willing to experiment and innovate, and are flexible with their pedagogy and assessments
- give Honors students freedom and responsibility for their own learning, including sharing some of the teaching responsibility
- encourage Honors students to participate in healthy dialogues about ideas and issues
- recognize the importance of and help to foster a classroom and Honors Program community
What are the benefits of joining the Honors Program?
Honors Program classes are smaller than regular classes. We cap our classes at 15 versus regular classes which enroll as many as 24, 27, 30 or even more students. Smaller classes mean a more enriching and engaging educational environment, especially when the entire class is full of good, high achieving and highly motivated students. And because students interact so much with each other in class, they form friendships that then extend to a sense of community outside of the classroom.
Other advantages include eligibility for our James Gregg Honors Scholarship, priority registration for all of your classes (up to one month before regular registration), one-on-one advising tailored to your graduation and transfer requirements, help with transfer applications, information about outside scholarships, internships, and volunteer opportunities, reduced membership fee for Phi Theta Kappa, and Honors recognition at your graduation and on your official College transcripts.
How do Honors Program classes differ from regular classes?
Honors classes offer a similar curriculum to regular classes but are tailored to high-achieving and motivated students. Honors classes either cover additional topics or cover topics in greater depth and detail. Also because Honors classes are smaller, they are driven less by lecture and more discussion-based, more project oriented, and more able to allow you to actively participate in the learning environment. Everything we do in Honors classes is designed to help students develop and refine critical thinking and improve writing, oral communications, and research skills.
Honors classes are more challenging than regular classes because more is expected from the student. Students are expected to be fully prepared for each class meeting, and students are expected to be full and active participants in all class activities. In return, Honors students are given more freedom to explore topics in depth and to guide the learning process.
Are Honors Program classes like AP, IB, or Cambridge classes?
High school AP, IB, and Cambridge classes are academically demanding and offer good preparation for college Honors Program classes. There are differences, however. Whereas the focus of AP, IB, and Cambridge classes is on delivering information to help students demonstrate content mastery in end-of-the year exams, in Honors classes, although content knowledge is still important, the focus is on teaching students to think critically, to communicate clearly, and to develop the academic and personal skills necessary for college success and for lifelong learning.
What are the requirements for admission into the Honors Program?
Please notice that there are different requirements for students coming directly from high school, students currently enrolled at SF, and students transferring from another college.
What if I don't meet the GPA and standardized test score requirements? Can I still apply?
The GPA and SAT/ACT scores are benchmarks. However, we realize that students are more than just a couple of numbers. That's why we look at your curriculum (did you challenge yourself), ask that you submit a letter of recommendation from an instructor (teachers know your ability and potential best) and that you complete an essay (so that we get to know who you are, what motivates you, etc.), and require you to submit a sample paper or project from one of your classes (so that we can assess your skills).
Is there an application deadline?
Technically, no. The Honors Program uses a rolling admissions process. Applications are reviewed as they are received and decisions are made shortly thereafter. The last day to apply and to enroll in classes for a given semester is the first day of classes for that semester.
Are there any extra costs associated with being part of the Honors Program?
No, we don't charge application or membership fees, and Honors courses have the same tuition and fees as regular classes.
What Honors classes are offered?
Every Fall and Spring semester, we offer Honors sections of ENC1102, ENC2210, MAC2311, MAC2312, MAC2313, MAP2302, SPC2608, and STA2023. Courses in other areas of the curriculum are offered as well, but differ every semester.
Do I have to take my entire schedule as Honors courses?
No. Of course, we'd like you to take as many as possible and to take enough during your time here at SF to earn our Honors Certificate, but you don't have to take an entire Honors schedule. Most students take one or two Honors courses per semester.
Are there any Honors classes that I am required to take?
Students admitted to the Honors Program directly from high school are required to take Honors HUM2020 Introduction to the Humanities. Students admitted to SF are not required to complete this course, but are strongly encouraged to do so. HUM2020, which focuses on the question, "What is a Good Life?", serves as a gateway to the kind of broad interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and global approaches to academic study that characterizes Honors education.
Students admitted to the Honors Program directly from high school are strongly encouraged to take an Honors-level English composition course. The specific course and the specific semester in which you complete this course will depend on AP/IB/Cambridge or Dual Enrollment English credit(s) received.
Students admitted to SF are strongly encouraged to take Honors ENC1102 or Honors ENC2210, if not already completed.
Do I need to be active in the honors club?
While Honors Program students are encouraged to join Phi Theta Kappa, you are not required.
Will the Honors Program guarantee my acceptance to UF?
UF admissions are not guaranteed. Like all transfer candidates, Honors Program students must perform well in their classes to ensure they’re competitive for admissions. What Honors offers students who want to transfer to UF is personalize advising and guidance to ensure you get and stay on track. Honors also offers students opportunities to be competitive for the NEXT step after UF, such as internships or graduate or professional school admissions or the workforce.
If I’m removed from the Honors Program, can I rejoin?
Removed students may still receive academic advising from the Honors Program, but cannot take advantage of any other benefit.