Honors Education Program

The KCKCC Honors Program aspires to become of the leading community college Honors Programs in the nation characterized by leading community college Honors Programs in the nation characterized by its students, who are highly motivated and eager to learn and to become socially responsible members of the global society; its curriculum, that is integrated, interdisciplinary, and team-taught; its faculty, who are theoretically innovative and engaged in the scholarship of interdisciplinary teaching and learning; its pedagogy, that enables the students to critically analyze, comprehend, and explain the complexity of the human and natural worlds; its staff, who are willing and able to help students successfully graduate and transfer to prestigious universities. 

Most honors courses are separate sections of regular college offerings in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, math or business. Other honors courses have been created to accommodate the needs of Honors students in a particular major field. Classes are designed to offer greater flexibility in teaching techniques, more faculty-student interaction, and to increase critical thinking and analysis.

Specific course offerings in Honors Education are listed separately each semester in the class schedule. Students work with the Director of Honors Education to select the honors courses which best meet their academic needs.

An honors contract is intended to establish a mentor relationship between a student and course instructor who, together, agree on what assignments will be completed by the student in order to receive honors credit for a regular course. The student completes regular course requirements as well as the assignments designated in the honors contract.

Honors contracts may be arranged in any academic or professional course listed in the regular class schedule, provided that the course has a theoretical foundation and that the course is not regularly offered in the Honors Education schedule. Ideally, the assignments are individualized to match the student’s particular interests, talents, or career goals.

Honors contracts are arranged during the pre-enrollment period and must be approved by the Division Dean and Director of Honors Education.

A student can earn Honors Program Graduate Distinction on his/her transcript by completing four Honors core courses and five Honors elective courses as one of the following Honors Education Program participants:

• a recipient of KCKCC’s Presidential Scholarship
• a recipient of KCKCC’s Deans’ Scholarship
• have a 3.3 or higher KCKCC cumulative G.P.A. and approved admission to the Honors Program by the Director of Honors Education

Specific Program and course requirements are available in the Honors Education Program office.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society for two-year colleges acknowledges students for their efforts in the hallmarks of scholarship, leadership, and service to the community. KCKCC’s Mu Delta Chapter students have been ranked by Phi Theta Kappa in the top 100 colleges internationally. Each year, Phi Theta Kappa students work on projects to present at regional and international conferences.

The Mu Delta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa is open to students who have proven themselves capable of academic excellence. To join, students must have achieved a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade-point average and must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours at KCKCC. Potential members are invited to join each semester. After induction, members must maintain a 3.00 grade-point average to remain active.