Student Handbook 2010-2011 - Holyoke Community College

Honors Colloquium (HON 206)The Honors Colloquium is an interdisciplinary, team-taughtcourse for which students may receive “B” or “C” credits.Colloquia are reading and writing intensive, and examine acentral theme from a variety of academic perspectives. Pastthemes have included “Evil,” “Colonialism,” “Biotechnology”and “Value.” The Honors Program provides all required textsfor each semester’s 15 colloquium students. Students who planto transfer to the Commonwealth Honors College at UMassor to a private college or university will find the colloquiuman excellent place to hone their reading, writing and researchskills. Students who have completed 24 credits (includingENG 102) and achieved a 3.5 GPA are eligible for the HonorsColloquium. Enrollment is by instructor invitation; qualifiedstudents who do not receive an invitation should contact theprogram coordinator or the colloquium instructors.Honors Learning CommunitiesThe Honors Program offers two seven-credit first-year learningcommunities (LC) that combine ENG 101 (fall semester) andENG 102 (spring semester) with different “topics in science”courses (SEM 130). Students who take both the fall and thespring first-year LCs will fulfill both their English and lab sciencerequirements. Incoming students who receive scores of100 or better on their English placement exam will be invitedto join the fall Honors LC. Students who complete the fallHonors LC may continue on in the spring. Students whocomplete English 101 with a grade of “B+” or better will alsobe invited to enroll in the spring Honors LC. Eligible studentswho do not receive an invitation should contact the programcoordinator or the Honors LC instructors.A sophomore-level Honors LC is offered in the spring. Thecourse combinations for this LC will vary. Students who takethe Honors colloquium in the fall will be invited to join thespring sophomore Honors LC. Students who have completed24 credits (including ENG 102) and achieved a 3.5 GPAare eligible for the course.Commonwealth Honor Scholar DesignationThe Commonwealth Honors Scholar designation recognizesthe achievements of students who have completedat least nine credits of Honors-level work in fulfillment of(or in addition to) their regular degree requirements. Thisdesignation may be attached to any of Holyoke CommunityCollege’s existing A.A. or A.S. degrees.To graduate as a Commonwealth Honors Scholar, studentsmust complete nine Honors credits, at least six of whichmust be earned in interdisciplinary Honors courses (HonorsLearning Communities or Honors Colloquia). The remainingthree credits may be earned in stand-alone Honors coursesor by completion of one-credit Honors Projects. Check“Honors, Academic” in the Glossary of Academic Policies,Procedures and Terms for more information about Honorscourses.Students must complete all Honors courses with a grade ofB or better and have earned a 3.5 GPA at the time of graduationto qualify for this designation. Students who meetthese criteria will be recognized as Commonwealth HonorsScholars on their diplomas and in the CommencementProgram.Honors - Dean’s ListStudents of superior academic achievement are recognized atthe end of each semester. Full-time students who have earneda grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or better and who haveearned at least 12 semester hours of work in a semester will beawarded the distinction of having their names placed on theDean’s List. Students in the current term carrying fewer than12 attempted hours are considered part-time students for theDean’s List. Upon the completion of each increment of 12semester hours, those part-time students who have a GPA of3.2 or higher shall be recognized for academic achievement bybeing placed on the Dean’s List. There can be no carry-overof credits. NOTE: Developmental courses and credits earnedin S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) courses are not countedtowards determination of the Dean’s List.Honors - GraduationTo graduate with honors from HCC, the minimum cumulativeGPA required is 3.2. The minimum GPA for high honorsis 3.7.Honors - Phi Theta KappaPhi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for communityand junior colleges. The purpose of Phi Theta Kappais to recognize and encourage scholarship among associatedegree students. To be eligible for induction into Phi ThetaKappa, a students must meet the following criteria;1. Have earned at least 30 semester hours at HCC(transfer hours not included)2. Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (notcounting the current semester)3. Have no zero (0) level courses count toward the 30on-campus earned hours4. Have never graduated from HCCAll students who meet these criteria will be invited to joinAlpha Xi Omega, the HCC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.Inductions will take place at the Honors Convocation inthe fall semester. Spring inductions will also be offered, withan inductions ceremony at Awards Night. HCC currentlypays membership fees for all students. Limited scholarshipand transfer benefits are available, and members are eligibleto wear the Phi Theta Kappa gold stole and tassel at commencement.For further information, contact Kim Hicks,the Phi Theta Kappa advisor (FR 270, (413) 552-2197).13