Honors Distinction

Return to: David C. Frederick Honors College

The Honors Distinction consists of a structured program of curricular and co-curricular activities providing an enhanced academic experience emphasizing opportunities for interdisciplinary study. The Honors Distinction offers a lighter credit load than the Honors Degree , which may be appealing to transfer students or those in highly structured, credit-intensive programs. 

The Honors Distinction requires 12 credits to be completed upon graduation. Of these 12 credits, a minimum of 9 credits of Frederick Honors College approved academic credits and a minimum of 3 experiential course are required. The 9 academic credits may include courses with the Frederick Honors College course attribute value (honors courses); courses with the Civic Learning course attribute value; graduate-level courses; courses which are used to fulfill the following (including courses which do not have the Frederick Honors College attribute value): Innovation & Entrepreneurship Certificate ; Leadership and Ethics Certificate ; Corporate/Community Relations Certificate ; Digital Media Certificate ; Disability Studies Certificate ; Gender, Sexuality, and Women Studies Certificate ; Leadership Certificate ; Conceptual Foundations of Medicine Certificate ; Health Humanities Certificate ; Public and Professional Writing Certificate ; Public Communication of Science and Technology Certificate ; Sport Studies Certificate ; Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability ; Television and Broadcast Arts Certificate ; Nonprofit Management Certificate ; Bioethics Certificate ; Innovation, Product Design, and Entrepreneurship Certificate ; Engineering for Humanity Certificate ; Sustainability Certificate ; Human Rights and Social Justice Certificate ; Global Health Certificate ; Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Minor  (NOTE: Only for students admitted to the Honors Degree program prior to fall 2023); Pitt Business Honors Program (NOTE: Only for students admitted to the Honors Degree program prior to fall 2024); Engineering Science ; Politics and Philosophy, BA ; and any additional course work beyond those used for the 3 credit experiential course work requirement. The 3 experiential credits may include courses with the Civic Learning + Engagement course attribute value, as well as academic research, independent study, study abroad, internships, or co-op programs, all of which require completed credits to appear on the transcript. If the course used to fulfill the experiential course work requirement did not have the High Impact Practices Course attribute value of Capstone Course, students must fulfill this requirement by completing an additional course with the High Impact Practices Course attribute value of Capstone Course. In addition to the curricular requirements, students are required to complete the Honors Outside the Classroom Curriculum (Honors OCC) that provides non-credit enhanced experiences for honors students. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 upon graduation is required for completion of the Honors Distinction program. Upon successful completion of the program, students receive a notation on their final transcript.