Honors Scholar Program

The Honors Scholar Program (HSP) consists of advanced courses specifically designed to develop exceptional academic ability in highly motivated students. Honors courses provide intensive instruction and challenging course work through close interaction with HSP faculty to provide students with an enriched educational experience.

The Honors Scholar Program offers a variety of interesting and challenging courses. These courses are fully transferable, and many are written at the survey/introductory level so that students in virtually every major can participate in HSP while making continuous progress toward graduation and transfer. Honors scholars are guided individually by a designated counselor to establish an educational plan that best suits their particular educational goals. Students must complete English 100 with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better and a minimum of 15 units in five honors courses.

Honors Curriculum Components

Additional Activities

Honors scholars participate in a variety of engaging and challenging activities, including special cultural events, field experiences, colloquia, and invitations to visit four-year colleges and universities.

Transfer Opportunities

Honors scholars who complete the Honors Scholar Program in good standing are eligible for priority consideration for admission to many public and private four-year colleges and universities. Transfer agreements vary by school, but some offer special scholarships, guaranteed housing, priority registration, and honors-to-honors transfer opportunities.

Program Admission Requirements

1. Entering freshmen: have an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 in all high school work. Continuing students who have completed at least 12 units of college-level courses: have a GPA of 3.0 in all transferable course work, including courses taken at other institutions.
2. Complete and submit an Honors Scholar Program application and statement of purpose.
3. Provide two letters of recommendation.
4. Submit copies of transcripts of all previous academic work. Unofficial copies will be accepted. Entering freshmen must submit high school transcripts. Continuing college students may obtain unofficial MiraCosta College transcripts online through SURF. All transcripts from other postsecondary institutions attended must be submitted with the HSP application.
5. Submit copies of Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) transcripts with the HSP application.
6. Be English 100 eligible. Students who have completed ENGL 100 must have received a minimum GPA of 3.0.

All application materials must be returned to the following:

Honors Office
MiraCosta College
MS 12A1 Barnard Drive
Oceanside, CA 92056

Application materials are available on the Oceanside Campus in the Honors Office, located in the Student Center, or the Transfer Center, Bldg. 3700. On the San Elijo Campus, application materials are available in the Administration Building. Applications are available online at www.miracosta.edu/honors. Questions regarding the program may be sent to honors@miracosta.edu or 760.795.6878.

Program Completion Requirements

1. Complete a minimum of five honors courses (minimum of 15 units).
2. Enroll in at least one honors course each semester and receive a letter grade for the course.
3. Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in each honors course.
4. Maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in all associate degree course work.
5. Complete all pre-major and admissions requirements set by the planned transfer university.
6. Satisfy the residency requirement: final 30 transferable units must be completed at MiraCosta College.
7. Meet with an honors counselor once per semester.
8. Attend and/or present at the Student Research Conference at UC Irvine (hosted by the Honors Transfer Council of California) at least once while enrolled in the Honors Scholar Program.
9. Petition for graduation by the 30 percent deadline of the final semester leading to graduation. (Final dates to file a petition are posted on the College Calendar in each semester's class schedule and at www.miracosta.edu.)
10. To "Graduate with Honors," have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all associate degree course work and all honors courses at the beginning of the graduating semester.

Students who complete the Honors Scholar Program requirements receive the "Certified Honors Scholar" designation on their transcript and are eligible for their transfer institution's program-completion benefits.

For further information, students should call the MiraCosta College Honors Office, 760.795.6878.