Skip to Main Content

Prospective DMACC Honors Students

Questions? Contact us.

DMACC
Director of Honors
honorsdirector@dmacc.edu

​​​​​​Program & Benefits

​Des Moines Area Community College's Honors Program is available for students with high academic standards in order to expand their boundaries and better prepare them to enter the workforce or continue on to a four-year college or university.  The mission is to provide quality, student-centered education and opportunities for leadership, service, and research that challenge and stimulate students with high academic standards.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to enroll in leadership and service learning seminars, tuition-free
  • Opportunity to receive tuition-based rebates of up to 3-credit hours per semester
  • Opportunity to take discipline courses in your major as Honors courses by signing online contracts
  • Opportunity to work one-on-one on special projects with honors faculty mentors
  • Opportunity to register for classes first each term
  • Access to a designated Honors advisor on each campus
  • Notation of Honors degree or Honors course credits on transcript to increase transfer opportunities to 4-year honors programs or increased job opportunities
  • Opportunity to wear Honors recognition medallion at graduation
  • Extracurricular enhancements, such as field trips, speaker series, social and cultural events, and regional and national Honors conferences
  • Acceptance into 4-year college or university Honors Programs

Graduating with honors from the DMACC Honors Program 

Meet requirements for a diploma or degree with a cumulative G.P.A of 3.5

Complete a minimum of 13 credits of honors courses at DMACC (approved by Director of Honors—may be designated honors sections or standard sections with online contract signed by Honors professor and Director of Honors). Classes can be traditional face-to-face courses taken on DMACC campuses or at DMACC centers, web-blended, or fully online.​

Tuition Award

All full-time students accepted into the DMACC Honors Program may receive an award.​​

Qualifications​

Admission Requirements *

A. Students enrolling from high school (based on high school performance)​

  • Show a high school cumulative G.P.A. of 3.5 (weighted or non-weighted) on transcript
  • Complete an online application essay

  • Add an academic reference to your application, and DMACC will email a recommendation form on your behalf, make sure you have the correct email! (Home-schooled students: submit a recommendation from a co-op teacher other than a parent--may be from a pastor or other community member)

B. Students enrolling from college (based on college performance)

  • Complete twelve (12) college credits (course level 100 or higher or equivalent transfer) at any accredited college, earning a cumulative G.P.A of 3.5
  • Complete one college math and one college English class (course level 100 or higher or equivalent transfer)
  • Complete an application essay

  • Add an academic reference to your application, and DMACC will email a recommendation form on your behalf, make sure you have the correct email!

Students accepted into the honors program may graduate with honors by completing 13 credits of honors, which must include HON 100 and HON 200.

*The Director of Honors may waive some of the criteria in extenuating circumstances

Retention Requirements

  • Maintain a cumulative 3.5 G.P.A. and remain in good academic standing.
  • Move to honors probation for one semester if term G.P.A. falls below 3.5
  • Regain entry into Program if G.P.A. is restored the subsequent semester; if not, may reapply for admission when restored or appeal the suspension to remain in the Program by writing a letter to the Director of Honors at honorsdirector@dmacc.edu, explaining why you should be allowed to remain in the Program.​

I am an online student, can I still apply?

Absolutely!  When you apply to join the honors program, under the campus tab, select 'Online'.

Application

​The Honors Program is currently taking applications!​​

  • Summer 2025 Honors applications due Midnight Friday April 25, 2025
  • Fall 2025 Honors applications due Midnight Friday July 25, 2025
  • Spring 2026 Honors applications due Midnight Friday December 5, 2025

​We encourage you to apply early in order to have the best selection of honors courses.

Apply Now ​

​​​Once you have been accepted as a student at Des Moines Area Community College, you are invited to apply to the DMACC Honors Program.​

To be accepted into the honors program you

  • Must have earned a high school degree or equivalent by the time you enter the Honors Program.
  • Must complete an AA, AS or AAS degree to graduate with honors.

Applicants are encouraged to compose and edit an essay (described below) in a Microsoft Word document prior to beginning the online form, so that the document can be uploaded or attached into the space provided on the application. Essays should be approximately 800 words in length and single spaced, using Times New Roman 12 point font.

Essay Prompt:

The Honors Program looks for students who think critically, seek in-depth learning experiences, and demonstrate a commitment to using their gifts to benefit others.
In approximately 800 words,

  • Tell us about a time when you have demonstrated research skills and/or problem-solving skills to benefit others through your research, leadership, or volunteer experiences. Good examples might include a research paper or project, a volunteer project, a science fair project, a 4-H project, or a scouting project.​
  • Discuss how being in the Honors Program would enhance your academic experience.

Your essay will be read by a panel of faculty members at DMACC who serve on the Honors Admissions Committee. This committee will evaluate your essay based on the degree to which it demonstrates Honors-level writing and how well it addresses both writing prompts. If an applicant's writing is not determined to be at Honors level, the student may not be admitted to the Honors Program.

The essay is your opportunity to showcase your motivation and achievement to the Honors Admissions Committee.

We look forward to learning more about you.

All documents required may be uploaded, including transcripts, test scores, and personal essays.  Academic references will be sent a recommendation form on behalf of the student, which will be attached to the student's application automatically.  For questions, please contact the Director of Advanced Academics, Nancy Woods at nawoods@dmacc.edu.