The Honors College at Onondaga provides high-achieving students with an intellectually stimulating and challenging academic experience. The Honors College curriculum is rooted in the liberal arts and is distinguished by its core sequence.  The core challenges students to explore the history of ideas through careful analysis of primary source texts in the humanities. By participating in service learning projects, co-curricular programming, and seminar discussions, Honors College students develop critical thinking and writing skills, confront challenging ethical dilemmas,  and consider the requirements of global citizenship. 

The Honors College curriculum also prepares students to transfer to competitive four-year colleges and universities. A two-semester college experience sequence offers students strategies for college success and helps them as they navigate the transfer process. The Honors College has transfer agreements with Honors programs at area four-year institutions so that students can continue their honors education upon transfer.

Mission Statement

The Honors College at Onondaga fosters a culture of inquiry, imagination, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning by offering small seminar-style courses and by providing students with opportunities for independent learning and community engagement.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Civic Engagement Program Outcomes
   • Demonstrate an understanding of the local, state, national, or global significance of diverse and interrelated social and political issues.
   • Apply civic skills through participation in an Honors service activity (e.g., and Honors course with a service component, Phi Theta Kappa service project, Honors Ambassador community outreach).
2. Inquiry and Analysis Program Outcomes
   • Identify research questions or problems in an academic discipline and gather, analyze, and synthesize evidence to draw logical conclusions.
3. Ethical Reasoning Program Outcomes
   • Distinguish and analyze diverse moral, social, political, or cultural perspectives.
   • Develop the intellectual tools necessary to confront complex ethical questions by evaluating defenses of and objections to various approaches to moral, social, political, or cultural problems.
4. Critical Thinking Outcomes
   • Interpret texts, artifacts, or compositions or behaviors with clarity in writing or speech.
   • Explain the complexity of an issue or problem, providing all information necessary for a full understanding of the topic, including the identification of a source’s strengths and limitations.

Cohorts

The Honors College at Onondaga will serve two student cohorts. Honors Scholars will be guaranteed financial incentives. Honors Affiliates will be eligible for financial incentives.

Honors Scholars Cohort

Credit Requirements:

• At least 20 Honors credits required. Credits must include:
  • 8 credit core sequence (HON 100, HON 101, HON 200, and HON 201)
  • At least 9 additional credits in Honors sections of courses offered in various academic departments.
  • At least 3 additional Honors credits to be earned by completing an Honors Contract OR additional Honors section(s).
• Open to students in the following degree programs only: COM.AA, GEN.AA, HMT.AA, MTS.AS (general degree and all specializations).

Honors Affiliate Cohort

Credit Requirements:

• At least 13 Honors credits required. Credits must include:
  • 10 credits in Honors sections of courses offered in various academic departments (this includes HON courses offered by the IDS department).
  • At least 3 additional Honors credits to be earned by completing an Honors Contract OR additional Honors section(s).
    • In some degree programs, up to 7 Honors credits can be earned by completing Honors Contracts so that the 13-credit Honors designation can be earned without taking courses beyond minimum degree program requirements.

Application Requirements

Students interested in entering either Honors College cohort must submit an Honors College at Onondaga application and two letters of recommendation to the Honors Office.

Entering Freshmen

Minimum qualifications for Honors College applicants (both cohorts) admitted as entering freshmen:

• Minimum of 90 cumulative GPA as determined by high school transcript.
   
• Additional procedure for Honors Scholars only:
  • Completion of an Honors Scholar application
  • A personal statement (instructions outlined on application)
  • Interview with Honors College faculty
  • Honors Scholar applications will be reviewed and admissions decisions will be made by members of the Honors Committee.

Current OCC Students

Current OCC students may apply to the Honors College at Onondaga as Affiliates only. Minimum qualifications for Affiliates admitted after their first semester are:

• Completion of 12 college credits with a minimum GPA of 3.5.
   
• Students who are enrolled in degree programs that are not eligible for either cohort due to the degree structure (i.e., there are not enough elective credits available in the degree program to allow for meeting Honors College requirements), may take an Honors section of a course only if they meet the Honors College’s GPA requirement and submit an Honors College Application to the Honors Office.