Honors Program
This is an academic program that is recognized by four-year universities when evaluating transfer applicants for admissions.
Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) has agreements with some universities and colleges that give students who complete the honors program various transfer application advantages, the most important being priority admission.
If you are interested in transferring to UCLA, we have a part of honors transfer program called the UCLA Transfer Alliance/Honors Program (TAP). Approximately 77% of our Certified Honors Students are accepted into UCLA (vs. less than 20% of non-certified students that are accepted).
Benefits of joining Honors:
- Transcripts that reflect participation in the program.
- Regular opportunities for interaction and individual conferences with faculty mentors and program director.
- Individualized counseling with an Honors Counselor.
- Recognition at LAMC Graduation ceremony with medallion.
- Opportunities to meet guest speakers and attend special events.
- Honors Transfer Council of California membership – LAMC partners with many additional campuses.
For details about our agreements with other universities, see the Honors Transfer Agreements section below.
Applying to the Honors Program
These are general guidelines, if you do not meet a specific requirement but would like to be able to participate in the Honors Program, please contact @email to discuss your particular situation.
- Current LAMC students: must be enrolled in or completed English 101 and have completed 12 transferable units with a GPA of 3.25 or higher.
- Current LAMC students: must have approximately one year completed in the LAMC Honors Transfer Program prior to applying for transfer. For example, you must apply no later than Winter 2024 if you are applying in November (Fall 2024) to transfer in Fall 2025.
- High School Seniors: must have a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher. Must be accepted to LAMC and enrolled in English 101.
How to Apply:
Step One: Please complete the form below
Step Two: Complete and email the following three items to honors@lamission.edu or deliver a paper copy to CMS 243 (East Campus)
- Letter of recommendation from a faculty member.
- A 500-word essay: Personal Statement
- Unofficial transcripts
UCLA Transfer Alliance/Honors Program (TAP)
The Los Angeles Mission College Transfer Alliance/Honors Program (TAP) is designed for motivated students who plan on transferring to a four-year college or university. It consists of academically enriched general education courses in which both written expression and the critical analysis of ideas are stressed. The TAP program offers participating students priority admissions to UCLA and additional opportunities at other universities. Both current and new students may apply to be part of the TAP program.
Overview of Doing an Honors Project
- The purpose of an Honors Research Project is to allow students to investigate a subject beyond the requirements of a standard class assignment. This project should be separate from any assignment required for the class.
- An honors research project should reflect greater breadth (measured by the quality and quantity of sources consulted) and depth (measured by the quality and clarity of critical analysis displayed in the project) than is expected of other students in the course.
- Completing an Honors project in a UC-transferrable LAMC class will result in an Honors designation for that class on their transcript.
- To receive Honors certification for a transfer application, a student would need to complete 15 units of Honors classes, and each selected class would require its own Honors project.
Possible Honors Projects
- a traditional research paper (minimum of 10 pages and 5 sources)
- all other types of projects should be accompanied by a 6+ page explanation or reflection
- a class presentation on a well-researched topic, at least ½ to 1 hour long
- a video production on a well-researched topic
- a creative writing or fine arts portfolio
- a musical composition (at least 10 songs)
- an original software or hardware creation
- creation of an original website
- visit to a historical site, performance, or event (such as ballet, opera, or theatre)
Tips for Brainstorming a Project Outline
- The project outline should propose an original, independent project. The proposal should address why this project is unique and how it contributes to academia or society.
- The project should relate to a main topic from the course being taken, but it should demonstrate critical thinking that is of greater breadth or depth than the normal coursework.
- The project outline should list potential and expected outcomes.
- The project outline should list potential sources.
Process for Approving an Honors Project
- When the project is complete, the mentor will complete the Honors Project Completion Form. The student or mentor will turn in the graded project and the Completion form to the Honors Program.
- The student must earn a grade of B or better for both the course and project to receive an Honors designation for that course and honors credit for certification.
- Honors projects are subject to approval by the Honors Program.
- Students must submit all required Honors Program Forms (Honors Application, Honors Project Contract that includes the project outline, and Honors Project Completion along with the graded project) to the Honors Program.
- Students should remember to discuss details of their Honors Project with Mike Fenton to ensure proper documentation and recognition on your transcript.
- Priority admissions consideration to several prestigious four-year institutions, including UCLA. Admittance rates for UCLA (tabulated for Fall 2015) for TAP/Honors students was 77% versus 31% for non-TAP/Honors students!
- An enriched academic program allowing students to gain opportunities to pursue topics and projects of individual interest within courses taken; opportunity to gain valuable critical thinking, research and writing skills; opportunities to explore interdisciplinary approaches to course topics.
- Assistance in the transfer process.
- Participation in the TAP/Honors program increases admittance to the alternate major, when both the initial and alternate major are impacted.
- UCLA Library Card.You have a choice of two different UCLA library cards:
- A FREE card for use in the College Library only. The College Library is located in the Powell Library Building.
- A FEE card that costs $25 for 6 months (or $50 for one year) and allows you to check out books from any of the UCLA Libraries.
All Other Universities: Honors Transfer Agreements
The Honors Transfer Council of California was created to promote academic excellence, stimulate creative intellectual thinking and discussions of academic issues among students and faculty, increase awareness of current social issues, encourage community service, celebrate cultural diversity, and prepare students for successful university transfer.
LAMC Membership in the Honors Transfer Council of California allows our students to participate in many honors agreements and attend the annual Honors Students Research Conference at UC Irvine, and the primary benefit is priority admission. To learn more about the Honors Transfer Council of California and the programs, agreements, priority admission, scholarships, and other activities they offer to our students.
The universities and colleges that offer honors program transfer agreements and priority admission to those students who complete all requirements at the time of application for transfer are:
For a complete list of participating colleges and universities, please visit the Honors Transfer Council of California website.
Each University or College listed above has specific requirements and guidelines and each offers varying additional advantages outside of priority admission for students who complete the Honors Program requirements described. These advantages may include priority for housing, scholarships and other benefits.