Community College of Allegheny County :: Participating in the Honors Program

About CCAC

The Community College of Allegheny County provides a supportive and transformative learning environment that prepares graduates to meet critical needs in the region’s workforce.

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Admissions

As an open-admissions institution, CCAC does not require college entrance examinations. To enroll as a full-time student, applicants must have a high school diploma or Pennsylvania GED certificate or must be at least 18 years of age with experience reasonably equivalent to a GED.

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Online Learning

If you are self-motivated, work well independently, and meet deadlines easily, then our flexible delivery of college courses using the latest technologies can put an associate's degree at your fingertips.

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Student Services

CCAC is committed to supporting your personal and academic efforts. No matter which of the four CCAC campuses you choose, services and resources are available to help you achieve your goals.

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Student Life

At CCAC, we believe that life outside the classroom is an important part of your college experience. Each CCAC campus has a variety of activities to enhance your lifestyle – including athletics, cultural events and personal development seminars.

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Workforce Development

Education and skills are essential for today’s changing economy. The competitive global environment rewards workers who possess sound general knowledge that enables them to adapt to changes in the workplace and continually learn new job skills.

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Promotions & Marketing

The award-winning Public Relations and Marketing Department works to promote CCAC and its activities through strategic, cost-effective advertising and marketing campaigns, college publications and overall branding efforts, among other activities.

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Educational Foundation

The CCAC Educational Foundation is the fundraising and benefactor arm of the college. It seeks to create vital connections between the college and the wider community to ensure the ongoing viability of the college.

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Participation in the Honors Program

Students in the Honors Program may earn Honors credits by enrolling in designated web-enhanced Honors courses as well as completing Honors-by-contract.

Honors-designated courses combine on-line delivery through Blackboard with face-to-face seminar meetings and field trips. These courses are noted in the catalog with an H after the course name.

The Honors-by-contract option allows students to earn Honors credit in a course of their choosing. Students will create the Honors contract by collaborating with their professors in the creation of an Honors project, which sparks the students' interests and provides academic enrichment and challenge to the existing course. Honors students and their faculty mentors complete an Honors contract, which details the specifications and scope of the Honors project. After successfully completing an Honors contract in a course, an H will appear after the designation for that course on the student's transcript, for example ENG101H.

Honors students need to earn at least 3 credits in Honors each academic year to remain in the program and 15 credits in Honors to graduate with an Honors degree. If you are not fully funded from another source, your in-county tuition for Honors courses will be reimbursed after successful completion of the course/s.
Honors-Designated Courses

Honors courses at CCAC add more depth and competencies to the existing versions of courses. Students in Honors courses are engaged in academic enhancements that take them to higher levels of understanding and application of knowledge or skills than non-honors courses might allow. Honors courses should engage and challenge highly-capable students and allow them opportunities to take responsibility for and provide direction to their own learning.

Honors courses can be taken only by students in the Honors Program and enrollment is limited to 18 students. Honors courses are designated in the course catalog with an H next to the course name, such as HIS-229H, Contemporary US History. Some Honors courses are web-enhanced, combining on-line teaching through Blackboard, seminar meetings, and field trips.

For students not fully funded by another source, Honors courses receive in-county tuition Honors scholarship reimbursement after successful completion of the course, earning a C or better and completing Honors requirements. Refer to the Honors Scholarship section for more eligibility information.
Honors Contract Option

The Honors-by-contract option allows students to earn Honors credit in a course of their choosing. Students will create the Honors contract by collaborating with their professors in the creation of an Honors project, which sparks the students' interests and provides academic enrichment and challenge to the existing course. Honors students and their faculty mentors complete an Honors contract, which details the specifications and scope of the Honors project. After successfully completing an Honors contract in a course, an H will appear after the designation for that course on the student's transcript, for example ENG101H.

After successfully fulfilling the Honors contract, students earn Honors designation and Honors credit(s) for the courses. For instance, if a student completed an Honors contract in PSY-101, he or she would earn three (3) Honors credits. The student's transcript will designate any course taken as an Honors-by-contract course with an H, signifying Honors credit: PSY-101H. No Honors designation is given in courses in which the student fails to earn a B or better for the Honors contract project and a C or better in the course in which the contract is completed.

The maximum number of credits that can be earned by completing an Honors contract is three credits, even if the Honors contract is completed in a course with four or more credits

Honors students who are not fully funded by another source will receive Honors scholarship money in the form of in-county tuition reimbursement (up to three credits per course) for successful completion of Honors contract courses, earning a B or better for the Honors project and a C or better for the course in which the project is completed.

Due to the academic rigor required, students are not permitted to engage in more than one (1) Honors contract per semester.

Recognition in the Honors Program
Honors students can be recognized in the following ways:
Students receive an “H” designation after each Honors course listed on their transcripts.
Students receive CCAC Honors pins after completion of their first Honors credit/s.
All graduating Honors students in good standing wear purple and white cords at commencement, signifying their active participation in the CCAC Honors Program.
Students who complete fifteen (15) credits of Honors coursework earn Honors degrees.
Students who graduate with Honors degrees wear Honors medallions at graduation.
Students who engage in service activities will be considered for the Campus Service Award and will be recognized at the annual Honors Forum.