Academic Recognition Programs

Recognition for outstanding academic achievement is given in the following ways:

Dean's List

Outstanding scholastic achievement by San Bernardino Valley College students is recognized through the Dean’s Honors List. The Dean’s List is generated twice in each academic year, once during the Fall semester and once during the Spring semester. This scholastic recognition is based on GPA earned during the prior semester as opposed to a cumulative GPA. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must complete 12 units of college-level courses during the prior semester. (Units earned through credit-by examination will be counted when determining eligibility.) Courses taken on a “Pass/No Pass” basis and/or courses numbered in the 900s that do not apply toward a degree are not included when evaluating whether a student has met the 12-unit requirement. Qualifying students will be included on the Dean’s List in the following categories:

  • Highest honors for students earning GPAs between 3.90 and 4.00.
  • Honors for students earning GPAs between 3.70 and 3.89.
  • Distinction for students earning GPAs between 3.50 and 3.69.

Graduating with Honors

Students who complete 60 units and who graduate with cumulative GPAs in the above three categories will be honored at graduation with special mention in the graduation program. No more than 15 units of course work graded on a Pass/No Pass basis will be included in this 60-unit requirement.

Students completing their associate degrees with an overall GPA of 3.0 are eligible to wear a gold cord at graduation. Students completing their vocational certificates with an overall GPA of 3.0 or above are eligible to wear a gold cord at graduation. Cords can be picked up in the Bookstore prior to graduation.

Alpha Gamma Sigma

Students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher may join Alpha Gamma Sigma, the California Community College Honor Scholarship Society.

For information, please see our website at: www.valleycollege.edu/current-students/clubs/alpha-gamma-sigma

Honors Program

The mission of the Honors Program is to provide students with a rigorous learning experience that encourages independent and creative thought, to enhance students’ critical reading, writing and thinking abilities as tools for achieving further academic success, and to prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions and to remain in the academic honors track.

Students involved in the Honors Program have the opportunity to develop unique links with UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Cal Poly Pomona, Pepperdine University, UC Santa Cruz, and Chapman University including:

  • Priority admission consideration,
  • Priority scholarship consideration,
  • Privileges such as use of the libraries,
  • Opportunities to attend academic, cultural, and athletic events, campus tours, and the Honors Transfer Day.

Admission to the Honors Program is open to all students. Students who complete the Honors Program will receive a special seal on their transcripts and diploma, and an Honors Program medallion. To complete the program, a student admitted to the Honors program must:

  1. Complete a minimum of 15 units of honors classes;
  2. Maintain and graduate with an overall 3.5 GPA in all college coursework.

The honors courses range from one to five units. Most courses are accepted by the University of California and California State University systems, and most can be used to satisfy general education requirements. Students who qualify for the Honors Program may register for any of the following honors courses:

ANTHRO 102HCultural Anthropology - Honors3
ANTHRO 106HBiological Anthropology - Honors3
ANTHRO 111HThe Anthropology of Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion - Honors3
ARCH 145HHistory of Architecture: Early Design Through Gothic - Honors3
ARCH 146HArchitecture History: Renaissance to Modern - Honors3
ART 102HArt History: Renaissance to Present - Honors3
CD 105HChild Growth and Development - Honors3
COMMST 100HElements of Public Speaking - Honors3
COMMST 111HInterpersonal Communication - Honors3
ECON 200HPrinciples of Macroeconomics - Honors3
ECON 201HPrinciples of Microeconomics - Honors3
ENGL 101HCollege Composition - Honors4
ENGL 102HIntermediate Composition and Critical Thinking - Honors4
ENGL 151HFreshman Composition and Literature - Honors3
ENGL 270HEnglish Literature: Middle Ages to 18th Century - Honors3
ENGL 271HEnglish Literature: 18th Century to Present - Honors3
GEOG 111HPhysical Geography Laboratory - Honors1
ETHS 107HNative American Experiences in U.S. History - Honors3
ETHS 141HRace and Ethnic Relations - Honors3
HIST 100HUnited States History to 1877 - Honors3
HIST 101HUnited States History: 1865 to Present - Honors3
HIST 107HNative American Experiences in U.S. History - Honors3
HIST 140HChicano Experiences in U.S. History - Honors3
HIST 145HHistory of California - Honors3
MUS 121HMusic History and Literature - Middle Ages through Baroque - Honors3
MUS 122HMusic History and Literature - Classic through Contemporary - Honors3
PHIL 101HIntroduction to Philosophy - Honors3
POLIT 110HIntroduction to Political Theory - Honors3
POLIT 138HService Learning: Student Leadership - Honors3
POLIT 139HService Learning: Community Leadership - Honors3
POLIT 141HIntroduction to World Politics - Honors3
PSYCH 100HGeneral Psychology - Honors3
RELIG 100HIntroduction to Religious Studies - Honors3
SOC 100HIntroduction to Sociology - Honors3
SOC 110HSocial Problems - Honors3
SOC 141HRace and Ethnic Relations - Honors3
SPAN 101HCollege Spanish I - Honors5
SPAN 102HCollege Spanish II - Honors5
SPAN 103HCollege Spanish III - Honors4

For a complete course description of any of these courses, refer to the specific department listing in this catalog.

Students who would like to take a single honors course without fully participating in the Honors Program may enroll after satisfactorily demonstrating skill or aptitude in the discipline covered by that honors course. The prerequisite(s) for each course must be met by the individual student. Visit the Honors Program website for additional information.