CCD Celebrates Student Success
Academic Honors
Graduation Honors
Graduation honors recognize outstanding academic achievement throughout your academic career. The honors are awarded to students who complete the requirements for an associate degree, completing at least 30 credit hours with a 3.5 or better cumulative GPA at CCD. Only college-level courses completed with CCD will be included in the GPA calculation.
The three levels of recognition are defined as follows and will be posted on your transcript:
- Cum Laude ("with honor") – 3.50 to 3.749 cumulative GPA
- Magna Cum Laude ("with great honor") – 3.75–3.99 cumulative GPA
- Summa Cum Laude ("with highest honor") – 4.0 cumulative GPA
Semester Honors
CCD provides an opportunity for you to be recognized with academic honors on a semester-by-semester basis. CCD has three recognized academic honors: Dean’s List, Vice President’s List and President’s List. When you qualify, you will receive a notation for that term on your official transcripts. You must complete a minimum of 12 college-level credits during the semester to be eligible for this recognition. Developmental courses are not included in the calculation for semester honors.
Semester GPAs required to qualify for these term academic honors are as follows:
| Honor | Required Term GPA |
|---|---|
| Dean's List | 3.50-3.749 |
| Vice President's List | 3.75-3.999 |
| President's List | 4.0 |
Honors Program
The CCD Honors Program was established in 1990 to recognize outstanding talent among CCD students and to provide a supportive, stimulating community throughout their time at CCD.
As a student in CCD’s Honors Program, you will go a step beyond the routine, turning ordinary courses into extraordinary learning experiences. Your student transcript will reflect the individual honors courses and the overall completion of the Honors Program, providing recognition that will serve you as you transfer to other institutions, seek scholarships and pursue career goals.
There is no fee to join the Honors Program and all CCD students are welcome. To participate, contract with individual instructors to do work above and beyond the ordinary class requirements. Once you have completed this supplemental work, the class will be transcripted as an “Honors Course.”
Once you complete the Honors Program (15 credits of honors course with a 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA), you will have the notation “Honors Program Completed” on your official transcript. Honors Program graduates also receive special recognition in the CCD annual Commencement program and are entitled to wear purple and gold honors cords regalia at Commencement. Since 2011, the CCD Honors Program has had an articulation agreement with Metropolitan State University of Denver's Honors Program, whereby honors credits may be transferred. To learn more, contact the honors program coordinator at CCD.edu/Honors.
National Society for Leadership & Success
The National Society for Leadership and Success (Sigma Alpha Pi) is the nation's largest leadership honor society. Students are selected by CCD for membership based on either academic standing or leadership potential. Candidacy is a nationally recognized achievement of honorable distinction. With 496 chapters, the Society currently has 541,402 members nationwide.
Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for two-year community and junior colleges and recognizes student academic excellence while promoting academic community through its Alpha Mu Mu chapter at CCD.
To be eligible for membership in Phi Theta Kappa, you must have at least a 3.5 GPA after completing 12 or more credit hours of college-level work. If eligible, you will be invited to join each semester, becoming lifetime members. Phi Theta Kappa members are honored at graduation for your outstanding academic achievements. Only Phi Theta Kappa members are eligible for over $37 million in transfer scholarship money.
As an interested and eligible student, visit CCD Phi Theta Kappa’s Facebook page, Alpha Mu Mu, or visit CCD.edu/PTK for more information.
Psi Beta
Psi Beta is the national honor society in psychology for community and junior colleges. Its mission is to encourage professional development and psychological literacy of all students at two-year colleges through promotion and recognition of excellence in scholarship, leadership, research and community service.
Psi Beta members gain recognition for achieving the honor of membership and are eligible for national awards, annual awards and other benefits.
As an interested and eligible student, contact the faculty advisor at CCD.edu/Psi-Beta.
Sigma Chi Eta
Sigma Chi Eta (SCH) is the official community college honor society of the National Communication Association. Its six goals are to:
(1) recognize, foster, and reward outstanding scholastic achievement
(2) stimulate interest in the field of Communication
(3) promote and encourage professional development among Communication majors
(4) provide an opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas about the field
(5) establish and maintain close relationships and understanding between faculty and students
(6) explore options for further undergraduate/graduate studies
To be eligible for admission, students must meet the following criteria: complete 12 semester credit hours, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all courses taken, complete the equivalent of three courses or 9 semester credit hours in Communication, have a minimum GPA of 3.25 for all Communication courses taken, and be currently enrolled as a student in good standing.
If interested in more details or becoming a member, contact SCH faculty advisor at CCD.edu/comhonors.
Commencement
Commencement is held once a year in the spring semester. The summer, fall and spring graduates are invited to participate. For more information regarding commencement, visit CCD.edu/Commencement or contact the Office of Registration and Records.
