The David C. Frederick Honors College provides students with individualized opportunities, academic challenges, and an extensive network of driven peers and world-class faculty mentors. Many Frederick Honors College opportunities are open to everyone, and students are encouraged to be admitted into one of three programs available to earn a formal credential from the Frederick Honors College: the Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) Degree, the Honors Degree, and the Honors Distinction.

The Honors degree consists of a structured program of curricular and co-curricular activities that provides an enhanced academic experience which includes opportunities for interdisciplinary study for students. Completion of the Honors degree program will give students a degree jointly-conferred by the Honors College and the student's primary academic area (Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Business, Nursing, Computing and Information, etc.). This program gives students priority course registration, priority access to Honors housing communities, and an assigned Honors Scholar-Mentor to support their academic experience. 

The Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) degree requires students to complete an individually approved program of study that has an element of intellectual scope achieved through breadth and/or depth combined with the successful defense of a graduate-caliber thesis under the direction of a faculty member in a student's major department.

The Honors distinction offers a lighter credit load than the Honors degree program, so the distinction can be earned as a transfer student or if a student's major has strict requirements.