Honors Program
Mission Statement
The mission of the Somerset Community College Honors Program is to encourage academic
excellence, campus and community engagement, cultural awareness, and personal growth
among highly motivated students in all disciplines. Honors students collaborate with
faculty mentors in enhanced learning experiences that foster student success and improve
life in their communities.
Is the SCC Honors Program right for you?
The SCC Honors program is designed for curious students who enjoy testing their intellectual limits and have a strong desire to be part of a community of scholars. Honors students are expected to engage in discussion with faculty mentors and peers as they explore areas of interest. Honors students are also expected to be actively engaged in campus and community activities and enrichment experiences. This combination of scholarly activity and engagement creates an environment where students develop leadership skills that are an asset in any profession.
Semester 1 – Honors First Year Experience (FYE) course*
Semester 2 – Honors Contract Course 1**
Semester 3 – Honors Contract Course 2**
Semester 4 – Honors Capstone Course, GEN 140 Development of Leadership
*Incoming honors students take a section of FYE 100 designated specifically for honors students. If a student’s academic program requires a different FYE course (ex: EGR 101), that student can complete the first semester requirements of the honors program by working directly with a designated faculty mentor or the honors program director.
**Honors contract courses may be taken in ANY discipline as long as the instructor for that course agrees to serve as an honors mentor for the student seeking honors credit. Both the honors student and the instructor serving as mentor must agree to the terms outlined in the honors contract. For complete project requirements, contact Honors Program Director at scc-honors@kctcs.edu.
- $500 Annual Scholarship
- Honors designated courses
- Honors designation on transcript upon successful completion
- Designated honors faculty mentor
- Opportunities for cultural enrichment and civic engagement
- Honors orientation experience
- Competitive edge in scholarship, transfer, and workforce applications
- Letters of recommendation
- Opportunities to present scholarly work in professional settings
- Opportunities to visit four-year colleges and universities and meet honors students from colleges and universities across Kentucky
The SCC Honors program is open to all students in any academic program who meet eligibility criteria and can commit to full participation in the program.
All prospective honors scholars must have two non-family members submit an online recommendation on their behalf.
Prospective high school students should have competitive class ranking, GPA, and ACT scores.
Current SCC students should have a 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA in college coursework.
Honors students must be highly motivated, independent thinkers who enjoy extending
their studies beyond the classroom. Each semester, Honors students identify a topic
of interest and work with a faculty mentor over the course of the semester to develop
a project or research paper related to that topic. Students are required to maintain
communication with their mentor and the Honors Program Director and submit documentation
of progress on their project each month. At the end of each semester, Honors students
share their work during an Honors Symposium. Students are also expected to participate
in enrichment experiences and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2.
Honors students who do not meet program requirements in a given semester may request permission from the Honors Committee to enter into a probationary “recovery semester,” during which the student may regain eligibility by increasing GPA points and/or completing program requirements.
How to Apply
The Spring priority deadline (for August admission) is March 1. The Fall priority deadline (for January admission) is November 1.
For questions, you can contact scc-honors@kctcs.edu.
