Retention Criteria

To remain in the Honors Program, all students must:

  • maintain a 3.50 cumulative grade point average or above each semester;
  • successfully complete a minimum of 15 credit hours each semester;
  • complete 17 credit hours in the sequence of Honors Core Curriculum courses and Honors seminar courses; and
  • participate in the social, cultural, service initiatives and academic projects provided as the Honors Program functions and activities or assigned as University approved events of the University.

Each semester, The Honors Program Advisory Committee will assess each student’s progress and determine whether the student should continue in the Program.

Honors Program members who fail to meet the retention criteria outlined above are subject to review by the Honors Program Advisory Committee. If a student fails to maintain the required cumulative grade point average of 3.50, the student may be placed on probation for a period not to exceed one (1) semester, and must make satisfactory progress toward regaining the required grade point average.

Students accepted in the Honors Program may exit the program under the following conditions:

  1. Graduation with Honors Program Merit designation: those students who complete all University requirements for graduation, who fulfill Honors Program course requirements and whose overall grade point average is 3.50 or above, will graduate with “Honors Program Merit” designation;
  2. Transfer into the regular degree program: Upon the review of a student’s performance by the Honors Program Advisory Committee, a student may be dropped from the V.F. Grant Honors Program if he or she does not maintain at least a 3.50 CGPA, and fulfill the other requirements listed under the Honors Program Retention Criteria;
  3. Officially transfer to another institution.

Retention Criteria for Juniors & Senior

The culmination of the Honors Program experience is the Honors Capstone Project. The Honors capstone project is a major independent or collaborative research, creative, or service-learning project. Students complete the capstone project during their senior year and present their project to the Honors Advisory Council and Honors Program Members at the end of their senior year. Please review the Honors Program Capstone Information/Timeline carefully for specific guidelines for completing the capstone project.
Honors Capstone Projects will be completed in two required parts.

Part One:

Honors Program students will be required to complete a graduate/professional school entrance examination most closely related to their individual program pursuits. Honors Program students will also be required to complete at least one graduate school application by the end of the first semester of their senior year.

Part Two (Please select one):

  1. Study Abroad Experience & Formal Written and Oral Presentation
  2. Research Experience & Formal Written and Oral Presentation
  3. E Portfolio & Job Shadowing Experience & Formal Written and Oral Presentation
  4. Internship Experience & Formal Written and Oral Presentation
  5. Clinical or Field Experience & Formal Written and Oral Presentation