Academic Standards

Honors Academic Progress Standards

Honors College academic progress standards:

In addition to completing the courses required by the Honors College, you must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.40 in order to graduate from the Honors College and to receive the designation of “Honors College Graduate” on your official transcript. All Honors students are required to complete a specific number of HONS credits to graduate from the Honors College. Students entering the Honors College prior to the fall of 2021 are required to complete 25 HONS credits. Students entering the Honors College from fall 2021 onward are required to complete 22 HONS credits.

Under normal circumstances, students will take at least one HONS each semester. Exceptions will be made for study abroad. Other exceptions must be discussed with your Honors advisor.

To guide you toward meeting the 3.40 cumulative GPA and course requirements, we have established academic performance standards. The Director of Honors Advising in consultation with the assigned Honors Advisor tracks the academic performance of each Honors College student and will notify that student of his or her standing, as appropriate, at the end of each semester.

 Good Standing for 1st Year Students

  • Completion of the Honors FYE (BGS, HONS 110)
  • Completion of Honors Engaged
  • Progress in the Quantitative Literacy category
  • Completion of one Foundation course
  • Completion of at least 30 credit hours for the academic year, including at least 11 HONS credit hours
  • Cumulative GPA of at least 3.00
  • No Class I or Class II Honor Code violation
  • No conduct violation that has resulted in the sanction of suspension or expulsion

 Probation and/or Removal for 1st Year Students

  • Students who have Class I or II Honor Code violations or conduct violations that have led to suspension or expulsion, or who are placed on academic probation, will be moved from the Honors College into the regular curriculum.
  • Students who are not in good standing at the end of the spring following the freshman year will be placed on advising probation. Students on advising probation will be required to schedule an individual advising appointment with an Honors advisor before the start of the fall semester to discuss long-term goals and their status in Honors.
  • Students who do not schedule the appointment will lose priority registration for the sophomore year.
  • Students who are removed from the Honors College have the right to appeal this action using the prescribed appeal form. These students should consult with the Director of Advising about this process.

Good standing for 2nd Year Students

  • Completion of two exploring complexity and diversity colloquia
  • Completion of the Quantitative Literacy requirement
  • Completion of at least 30 credit hours for the academic year
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.20
  • No Class I or Class II Honor Code violation
  • No conduct violation that has resulted in the sanction of suspension or expulsion

Probation and/or Removal for 2nd Year Students

  • Students who have Class I or II Honor Code violations or conduct violations that have led to suspension or expulsion, or who are placed on academic probation, will be moved from the Honors College into the regular curriculum.
  • Students who are not in good standing at the end of the spring following the sophomore year will be placed on advising probation. Students on advising probation will be required to schedule an individual advising appointment with an honors advisor before the start of the fall semester to discuss long-term goals and their status in Honors.
  • Students who do not schedule the appointment will lose priority registration for the junior year.
  • At the end of summer following the sophomore year, students with a GPA of less than 3.0 will be moved from the Honors College into the regular curriculum.
  • Students who are removed from the Honors College have the right to appeal this action using the prescribed appeal form. These students should consult with the Director of Advising about this process.

 Good Standing for 3rd Year Students

  • Completion of at least one advanced studies seminar
  • Ideally, students will also complete honors immersed as a junior
  • Completion of at least 30 credit hours for the academic year
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.30
  • No Class I or Class II Honor Code violation
  • No conduct violation that has resulted in the sanction of suspension or expulsion
  • Students who are removed from the Honors College have the right to appeal this action using the prescribed appeal form. These students should consult with the Director of Advising about this process.

To complete the Honors College in good standing

  • Achieve a minimum 3.40 cumulative GPA upon graduation from the College.
  • Completion of the Bachelor’s Essay, Honors Engaged, Honors Immersed and all other honors course requirements.
  • No Class I or Class II Honor Code violation.
  • No conduct violation that has led to the sanction of suspension or expulsion.
  • Completion of all college-wide general education requirements and requirements for a major(s).
  • Graduates of the College of Charleston who successfully complete all of the requirements outlined above will be said to have met the requirements for completion of the Honors College and will receive a special designation on their official transcript stating as much. They will also receive an Honors College certificate of completion and an Honors College graduate medal.

Participation in the Honors College Awards Ceremony

  • All students who complete in Good Standing in the Honors College by the end of the semester in which they applied to graduate will be invited to participate in the Honors College Awards Ceremony and will receive a medal to be worn during College of Charleston Commencement and an Honors College certificate signed by the President and the Dean. Their Honors College completion will be noted on the transcript.
  • All students who have remained in the Honors College through the senior year and are in Good Standing on all counts except for the 3.40 GPA will be invited to participate in the Honors College Awards Ceremony.
  • All students who have remained in the Honors College and have earned at least a 3.40, but have remaining course requirements to complete over the summer, will be invited to participate in the Honors College Awards Ceremony. The medal and framed certificate will be issued upon completion of course requirements.