Honors Program
The Honors Program at Northampton Community College provides an enriched educational environment in which students will be challenged to reach their full intellectual potential and to better prepare themselves for the academic demands of the four-year college or university of their choice. The overall goal of the program is to provide an academic atmosphere in which students learn to think critically, creatively, and independently, and to take responsibility for their own learning.
Features
The Honors Program at Northampton is flexible and works well with students' intended program of study. Students select from honors sections of courses that are part of the general education core. After successfully finishing 12 credits of honors designated courses and maintaining a GPA of 3.5, students will complete the Honors Program.
Honors faculty members are dedicated to inspiring and challenging students with innovative and exciting strategies. Many honors courses include a service learning component, allowing students to relate and apply the content of their course to community service projects outside the college.
The emphasis in honors courses is on participating in alternative learning strategies, producing scholarly papers and projects, and experiencing cultural and social activities within and beyond NCC.
Requirements
Students will be eligible for this program by:
- Completing an NCC Application form.
- Completing an Honors Program Application form.
- Meeting the NCC placement requirement for English I.
Students must meet one of the following entrance criteria:
- Have a minimum high school GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
- Graduate from the top 20% of high school class.
- Have a minimum college or university GPA of 3.5 after 12 credits of coursework.
- Secure a recommendation letter from a high school faculty member, counselor or other appropriate designee approved by the honors director. Students choosing the recommendation option will need to complete an interview with the Director of the Honors Program.
Contact the Admissions Office at 610-861-5500 for further information.
Outcomes
Graduates of program will:
- Actively participate in the classroom and be more responsible for their own learning.
- Apply the critical thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation to course related materials.
- Identify, understand, and apply the methodologies, principles, and research strategies of discipline.
- Complete the honors program will transfer to honors programs at institutions of their choice.
Career Potential: The program will provide an enriched educational environment in which students will be challenged to reach their full intellectual potential and to better prepare themselves for the academic demands of the four-year college or university of their choice.