Honors Program
Learn, grow, achieve GLOBALLY
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The Palo Alto College Honors Program challenges high-achieving students to fully engage with their courses, their college, their community, and beyond. The Honors Program consists of 12 hours of course work in small classes with mentoring by dedicated faculty. Not only do honors courses bring a global perspective to learning, but there are also opportunities for travel to local and national conferences and cultural events. In addition, students can participate in community service activities at home and abroad. By making the world their classroom, honors students experience first-hand what it means to be a citizen of today's vibrant global culture. |
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Benefits
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Admissions Requirements
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Spring 2025 Honors Courses
As an Honors student, you can pick one or two Honors courses to add to your schedule each semester. An Honors staff member will contact you to enroll you in the course.
The deadline to apply for the Honors Program for spring 2025 classes is November 1, 2024.
The registration deadline for classes is November 25, 2024, and seats fill up quickly. Enroll now to secure your spot.
Take just one or two honors courses per semester.
| Course | Dates | Instructor |
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BIOL 1309 Biology for Non-Science Majors II |
T/R 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. |
Dr. Jessica Humann |
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BIOL 1407 Biology for Science Majors II |
T/R 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Lab: R 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
Dr. Robert Miranda |
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COMM 1307 Intro to Mass Comm. |
T/R 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
Andrea Fuentes |
| ENGL 1302 Composition II | T/R 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Dr. Rafael Castillo |
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GEOL 1301 Earth Sciences Lecture 1 |
M/W 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. |
Elizabeth Montgomery |
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GOVT 2306 Texas Government |
T/R 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
Joseph Fonseca |
| HIST 1302 U.S. History II | M/W 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Tori Beckman-Wilson |
Fall 2025 Honors Courses
The deadline to apply for the Honors Program for fall 2025 classes is July 10, 2025.
The registration deadline for fall 2025 classes is August 1, 2025, and seats fill up quickly. Enroll now to secure your spot.
Take just one or two honors courses per semester.
| Course | Dates | Instructor |
|---|---|---|
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BIOL 1308 Biology for Non-Science Majors I |
T/R 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. |
Dr. Jessica Humann |
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BIOL 1406 Biology for Science Majors I |
M/W 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Lab: R 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
Dr. Ernesto Perez |
| ENGL 1301 Composition I | T/R 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | |
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GOVT 2305 Texas Government |
T/R 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
Dr. John LaPete |
| HIST 1301 U.S. History I | M/W 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Dale Schlundt |
Yes! Every Honors course you take will be annotated on your transcripts. If you complete 12 units of Honors-designated courses from our program and you'll be recognized as an Honors Graduate both on your transcripts and at graduation. Whether you take one Honors course or complete the four-course Honors sequence, participation in the Palo Alto College Honors Program demonstrates your intellectual curiosity and your commitment to academic achievement.
No. There is usually a world of difference between high school and college honors courses. In many high schools, honors courses are the normal courses "made harder" with extra readings, extra assignments, and more rigorous grading. At college, honors courses are specially "enriched" courses, not normal courses made "harder." Grading standards are the same as in non-honors college courses.
As an honors student, you will gain confidence in your academic abilities through ongoing faculty mentoring, experiencing the personal attention provided by small honors classes, and working with other honors students.
No. Honors courses aren't graded harder (or easier) than other college courses. A student who averages a 3.5 in regular courses will probably earn a 3.5 GPA for honors courses, too. In fact, data from schools similar to Palo Alto College indicates that most students maintain or improve their GPA's after participating in the Honors Program.
Contact Us: |
Dr. Rosalinda Ortiz |
Dr. Jessica Humann |
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Thomas Murguía |
Marisol Ortega Location: Phone: |