Honors University Transfer Program

What You Should Know About the Honors University Transfer Program at West Valley College

• Earn a GPA of 3.25 or higher in at least 9 units of university-transferable work at WVC
• Complete English 1A with a grade of A or B (or take 1A concurrently with your first semester of Honors courses and earn an A or B
• Schedule an interview with the Honors Coordinator

How to qualify as a high school student

• Earn a high school cumulative GPA of 3.5
• Schedule an interview with the Honors Coordinator

The Program

• A selection of general education courses from the IGETC transfer plan. You can complete all of the offerings in three semesters and finish most of the IGETC pattern in Honors, or you can take one or two semesters of Honors courses, whichever suits your goals.
• Thematically-related groupings of two or three courses called transdisciplinary units vary semester by semester.
• Course content that is the same as for non-Honors courses. The difference is in the way Honors courses are taught, the pedagogy. The Honors program emphasizes connections in subject matter across the disciplines, collaborative and experimental learning (working in groups, doing field research, attending cultural events), and higher levels of critical thinking with an emphasis on writing skills.

Examples of Transdisciplinary Units previously offered

• TU I: Civilizations of the World (9 units offered each semester)
  1. English 46: Contemporary American Multicultural Literacy
  2. Art 4: Art Appreciation
  3. Anthro 3: Cultural Anthropology
  4. Speech 10: Persuasive Speaking
     
• TU II: Science and Inquiry (7 units offered spring semesters only)
  1. Biology 21: Genetics with laboratory
  2. Math 8: Finite Math
     
• TU III: Thought and Politics (9 units offered fall semesters only)
  1. English 1C: Clear Thinking in Writing
  2. Poli Sci 1: American Government
  3. Econ 1B: Macroeconomics

Program Benefits

• Provides an interdisciplinary approach to fulfilling IGETC requirements.
• Limits class size to 20 students for more individual attention from instructors.
• Emphasizes skills needed in university-level work such as written analysis, research, collaborative learning, and oral presentation.
• Results in an AA degree in Liberal Arts with Honors upon completion of six courses (18 units) with a GPA of 3.25 or higher.
• Earns priority consideration for transfer admissions into majors in the College of Letters and Sciences of highly competitive universities such as UCLA, University of Southern California, UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Pomona, Pepperdine, Chapman, and the University of Santa Clara.
• Qualification for scholarships and grants available only to Honors students at UCLA, USC, and Pomona.
• 97% successful transfer rate from Honors Program to 4-year universities.

For an application to enroll in the Honors University Transfer Program, call Ann Malmuth-Onn, Honors Coordinator (ph: 408.741.2614) or stop by the Honors Office, Room 16 in the Counseling Center.