Honors Institute

The Grindle Honors Institute offers a stimulating academic environment for students who want to enrich their academic experience. The program offers the following benefits to students:

• Matching students with outstanding faculty instructors in small course settings that foster collaboration, discourse and engagement;
• Developing critical thinking skills with an emphasis on academic writing and research;
• Complementing the classroom experience with co-curricular programming that promotes leadership, service and scholarship;
• Providing high levels of mentoring, advising and development through individualized attention throughout a student's program of study;
• Preparing students for transfer, career success and competition for undergraduate fellowships and awards.

 The following programs are available:

• Honors Diploma
• Honors in the Major

Honors Diploma

The Honors Diploma Program is an 18-credit curriculum that offers qualifying students a unique academic opportunity to broaden and enrich their college experiences. Students who complete the program in tandem with their A.A. requirements and with at least a GPA of 3.4, of graduate with an Associate in Arts Honors Diploma.

Program Admission

This is a limited-access program. Interested students must first be admitted to Seminole State before becoming eligible to apply to the Grindle Honors Institute. Seminole State's Honors Diploma program is available for students seeking an Associate in Arts degree who meet the following qualification:

• Grade Point Average (GPA) - Students must have a minimum 3.4 high school cumulative GPA or a minimum 3.4 cumulative GPA in at least 6 hours of college credit courses.
• Demonstrate the motivation and interest in being part of the Grindle Honors Institute.

Admission to the Honors Diploma program is made on a rolling basis. Students should be aware that acceptance to the College does not guarantee admission to the Honors Program. Candidates must submit a completed Honors Institute application for consideration. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Admission for Dual Enrollment Students

All SSC Honors courses are open to dual enrollment students who have a 3.4 cumulative GPA or higher. If a dual enrollment student matriculates at SSC after high school graduation, the student must make a formal application to be part of the Grindle Honors Institute. All Honors Program courses completed with a grade of "C" or higher while dual enrolled will count toward the requirements for graduation from the Honors Program.

Honors in the Major

The Honors in the Major Program is a nine-credit curriculum designed to encourage students to explore their major disciplines in greater depth by completing a research or applied project, and the program is open to all qualified baccalaureate students in select academic programs. Students completing the requirements for Honors in the Major engage in valuable preparation for graduate and professional training and learn worthwhile skills that will benefit them in the workplace.

Program Admission

This is a limited-access program. Interested students must first be admitted to Seminole State before becoming eligible to apply to the Grindle Honors Institute. Seminole State's Honors in the Major program is available to baccalaureate students who meet the following qualifications:

• Grade Point Average (GPA) - students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA in the major.
• Demonstrate the motivation and interest in being part of the Grindle Honors Institute.
• Support of the dean of the department offering the bachelor’s degree.  This is necessary to ensure that the Honors courses will have faculty assigned to the courses. 

Admission to the Honors in the Major program is made on a rolling basis. Students should be aware that acceptance to the College does not guarantee admission to the Honors Program. Candidates must submit a completed Honors Institute application for consideration. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

For more information, contact the Honors Institute, L-230, phone: 407.708.2600 or honors@seminolestate.edu.