The honors program offers students an enhanced educational experience along with potential transfer and scholarship benefits. Many universities and colleges recognize the academic achievement presented by honors courses with preferential transfer tracks, supplemental points in transfer evaluation, and scholarships for honors students. Successful completion of the enriched curriculum featured in honors coursework can also assist when transferring into programs heavily in demand.

When students take an honors course, an honors designation appears on their transcripts. One such designation can give students a sharper edge when applying for admission and scholarship. Additional honors designations make students even more desirable to institutions of higher learning.

There are two ways to do honors, taking an honors designated course and completing an honors contract with a professor in a non-honors course.

Benefits

  • Transfer Priority
  • Honors Degree Designation
  • Honors Courses and Events

While any CCSF student may take an honors course, to participate fully in the Honors Program and have your work recognized on your diploma, you need to meet ONE of the following criteria: 

  • High school or college GPA of 3.0 or higher (weighted or unweighted)
  • SAT score of 1650 or higher, ACT score of 24 or higher
  • TOEFL score of 500 (PB+), 61 (IB+), 173 (CB+) or higher
  • Score of 4 or higher on AP classes in high school 

To remain in the program, you must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better. 

What should I do if my GPA is below 3.0?

On occasion, exceptions can be made. Ask your professor. If the professor and the chair sign the honors contract the Honors Program will accept it as long as it is on time.

I have attended several colleges and universities.  My GPA at CCSF is below 3.0, but when I calculate my cumulative GPA including all of my college work at various institutions of higher learning, I have a 3.0 GPA.  Am I eligible for the program?

Yes.  And the reverse is true also. You can count or not count your work at other institutions depending on whether or not it helps you qualify.  Copies of unofficial transcripts should be included with your application.

 

In order to earn honors, students must arrange this option with the instructor ahead of time and must complete an honors project. An honors project must represent a scholarly endeavor over and above the normally expected curriculum, and the plan for the project must be described in the honors contract.

Procedure

  1. The student should consult with the instructor to determine if they can take the class for honors. Participation is totally at the professor's discretion. Any credit transferrable course offered in the Fall or Spring semester can be converted to honors as long as the professor, department chair, and student agree.
  2. If the instructor agrees, the student should consult with the instructor about their honors project design (see below examples). The title of the project, what will be entailed, and when it will be due should be discussed. Scaffold the sub parts of the assignment, spread out due dates, and run through drafts is recommended, but this is ultimately up to the professor and the student. A final due date before the end of the semester must be set.
  3. Assuming a verbal agreement is reached, the professor will start the process of obtaining signatures on the honors contract in AdobeSign (see sidebar). The faculty must get the process started and use the student's CCCF email address, not a private email address. It is a violation of FERPA policies to use non-CCSF email addresses. Note: If faculty get an error when they go into Adobe sign they should inform helpdesk@ccsf.edu so that their account can be properly set up.
  4. The student will wait for an email from AdobeSign regarding the honors contract (check inbox, junk mail folders, clutter folders, and spam folders). The student should follow up with the professor if they do not receive an email from AdobeSign. When the email arrives, the student should follow all the directions to sign and send it via Adobe Sign back to the professor in a timely manner.
  5. The professor will then use Adobe Sign to make sure the honors contract gets to the Department Chair before midterm. Please note that the honors coordinator no longer needs to sign at midterm. Please note that chairs have the right to reject the contracts if they are submitted late or they do not agree.
  6. Proposal signatures on the honors contract (student, instructor, and department chair) must be obtained in AdobeSign by the end of midterm week. The instructor retains a copy of the form to submit at the end of the semester. Extensions to the midterm deadline are handled on a case by case basis by the department chair.
  7. The instructor and student should meet throughout the term to check on progress, work out details, etc. Four or five meetings are suggested.
  8. The project must be completed by the deadline set by the instructor, and instructors are allowed to reject honors projects that do not meet their criteria or are submitted late.
  9. Once the project is complete, the honors contract should be sent for signature in AdobeSign again to verify completion of the project by the end of the semester, once they have completed final grades.  All required signatures must be in place.
  10. Please allow a few weeks after grades become available on MyRam for the honors credits to appear on the unofficial and official transcripts. Unofficial transcripts can be viewed for free on MyRam. Please allow CCSF time to place the honors credits on your transcripts and email the honors coordinator if credits are missing from transcripts.

Examples of “What Makes It Honors”

  • Topics that are too advanced for presentations in regular course work.
  • Research beyond normal course assignment.
  • Critical thinking and extended analysis not required in regular course work.
  • Creative project beyond regular requirements of the course.

Alpha Beta Gamma
ABG Zeta Chapter is an excellent honors society at CCSF aimed at Business & Economics majors, although all members are welcome.

If you need information about CCSF's Alpha Beta Gamma (ABG) Business Honors Society including the next meeting time, date, location etc. please e-mail zetabeta.abg@gmail.com.

Alpha Gamma Sigma
City College is home to the Omega chapter of Alpha Gamma Sigma, the California Community College Honor Society. Our chapter was founded in 1935. The chapter fosters scholarship, character and service. Members participate in many activities, including food and clothing drives, a teacher appreciation gala, college convocations, the regional and state conventions of AGS, etc. Alpha Gamma Sigma welcomes your participation and looks forward to seeing you at its next meeting.

To be a member, students must have completed 12 hours of college credit and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

For further information, please email agsccsf@gmail.com.