Graduating with Honors
Honors College students who have completed the rigorous academic requirements and have successfully presented a capstone project are eligible to graduate with University Honors. In order to earn this distinction, you must satisfy the requirements detailed below.
If you enter as a first-year student, you are required to complete 21 credits in Honors coursework:
- HONR 200 Research Writing (3 credits) and HONR 250 Writing Cultural Conversation (3 credits)
- HONR 150 Flourishing (one credit)
- HONR 170 Humans of RVA and VCU (one credit)
- Before enrolling in the capstone course, students should complete nine honors credits, referred to as courses of intention (e.g., HONR 398, HONR 399, Honors Sections and Variants.)
- HONR 494, a four-credit senior capstone course.
Other options for earning Courses of Intention credit include:
- HONR 492 independent study
- A semester-long study-abroad experience
- Select 500-level graduate courses
- Additionally, students can earn honors elective credit by completing HONR 493 internship (P/F).
Students will complete a yearly reflection essay about their time in honors and in the community, formerly called Engagement Points. 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 will complete a yearly reflection essay about their time in Honors and in the community, formerly called Engagement Points. 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 will complete a yearly reflection essay about their time in honors and in the community, formerly called Engagement Points. 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.
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
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.
Check out our Honors FAQ page for answers to questions like: What is a Capstone? What is a cohort? What is a course of intention? and more!