Honors Courses
Students can enroll in an Honors Course if the following criteria is met:
- 3.0 or higher GPA
- 9 or more college credits
Please note the following exceptions to the above criteria: Current students who have not yet earned 9 credits but have a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA are eligible with the recommendation of an advisor in consultation with the Honors Program Coordinators. New students with no GPA and no remedial needs are also eligible with the recommendation of an advisor in consultation with the Honors Program Coordinators.
Students who complete the honors course with a B+ or higher will receive an honors credit notation on their transcript.
What is different about Honors Courses?
Honors courses emphasize seeing the relationships between topics and concepts. You are encouraged to bring your personal knowledge and experience to bear on a question or issue and interact with others during class discussions and group projects. The major focus of an honors class is not on increasing the quantity of the workload. Instead, honors courses increase the quality of the learning experience by exploring topics in greater depth and breadth. As a result, honors students encounter a range of historical, technical and cultural points of view that they may not have experienced in a non-honors section of the same course. The emphasis on interactive classroom settings, critical thinking, library research, strong writing skills and group presentations and critiques is extraordinarily valuable to the student because it anticipates the rigor and intensity of the university experience. At the same time, the personal attention extended by committed and caring professors, counselors and classmates create and sustain the ‘small and supportive’ atmosphere that you’ll come to love about the Honors Program.
Contact Us
Alicia Bralove Ramírez, World Languages and Cultures
Email: alicia.bralove@bcc.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-289-5649
(Please note: Email is a more efficient way to contact me.)
Office: CO 240
Office hours: Mon: 3-4 p.m. (in person); Weds: 3-4 p.m. (online)
Also available by appointment
Liz Hardman, History
Email: elizabeth.hardman@bcc.cuny.edu
Google Phone: 914-502-9914
Office: CO 344
Office hours:
Mon & Wed: 1:30 – 2:30 PM (and by appointment, in person and on Zoom)
Are the classes more difficult?
Most students describe honors coursework as more challenging and exciting, and more stimulating and thought-provoking. Honors classes emphasize student involvement, participation and performance. You will be encouraged to think analytically and creatively, and are taught to communicate your thoughts effectively. Group projects are a component of nearly all honors courses. In this setting, students pool their skills and benefit from each other’s strengths rather than compete against each other. As with any class, expectations and assignments are relayed to students well in advance of their due date. Although students will certainly find their honors coursework challenging, students who enter the program with strong, well-organized study skills will find that they have very little trouble handling their honors workload.
