Honors Program

  • COMM-C1000H-21221: Honors Introduction to Public Speaking (TTH, 9:20AM-10:45AM in IAC 108)

The Merced College Honors Program is your gateway to an enriching educational experience, designed to inspire and empower every student to reach their fullest potential. Our program not only aims to better prepare students for the academic rigors of a four-year college or university but also welcomes and encourages enrollment in honors classes and seminars by all incoming and continuing students who meet the minimum qualifications. For those who don’t meet these qualifications, we offer an inclusive challenge process for enrollment.

Our dedicated instructors in the Honors Program are passionate about academic excellence, recognizing that genuine education is intertwined with creative expression and personal growth. We wholeheartedly commit to fostering an educational environment that nurtures both expression and personal growth, ensuring that every student can thrive and succeed.

Courses for Fall 2026

  • COMM-C1000H-21221: Honors Introduction to Public Speaking (TTH, 9:20AM-10:45AM in IAC 108)
    • Professor Jim Bonstein
  • HNRS-40B-21407: Honors Native American Philosophy (W, 1:00PM-3:05PM in IAC 146)
    • Professor Andrew Winters
  • HIST-C1001H-51037: Honors United States History to 1877 (MW, 12:35PM-2:00PM in IAC-108)
    • Professor Mike Lorenz
  • HUM-01H-21408: Honors Studies in Humanities: Ancient Through Renaissance (TTH, 9:20AM-10:45AM in B&E-125)
    • Professor Andrew Winters
  • POLS-C1000H-51108: American Government & Politics-Honors (TTH 11:00AM-12:25PM in IAC 146)
    • Professor Alison Brady
Learn more about Honors 40B - Native American Philosophy

Why Join Honors?

  • Benefits

    Smaller class sizes, priority consideration for transfer to select schools, access to a specialized counselor, and more. 

  • Specialized Courses

    We off unique interdisciplinary seminars that are accepted as elective credit by both CSU’s and UC’s. These courses offer field trips unique to the honors program.

    Find out what is being offered

  • Scholarships

    The McConnel Honors Scholarship is a $1,000 for students enrolled in the Honors program.

    Learn about eligibility

What does it take and how do I enroll?

Any new student with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5, or any continuing student with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, may enroll in any open Honors Program class for which they have met the necessary pre-requisites. 

Students who do not meet the above qualifications may be allowed to enroll in an honors class by successfully completing the challenge process.  To begin the challenge process, please contact Professor Jacqueline Alvarez, Honors Program Coordinator, at (209) 384-6363 or at [email protected]

 

Honors classes have a restriction on enrollment and cannot be added through the online enrollment process.  Permission to add must be obtained in one of the following ways:

  1. To enroll in an Honors course, please fill out an Honors Request Form. If seats are available, and you are approved, the honors coordinator will submit a schedule request form on your behalf.

Native American Philosophy

Honors 40B

This seminar will focus on the in-depth discussion and analysis of Native American philosophy, politics, and music.

Learn more about Honors 40B
Native American woman in the Yosemite valley

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Merced College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in employment, in any education program, or in the provision of benefits and services to its students.