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Honor Code

Understanding Honor Codes in Higher Education

An honor code is a formal commitment by students and faculty to uphold academic integrity. It outlines expectations around honesty, plagiarism, and misconduct and plays a critical role in institutional culture.

Glossary Terms
Term
Description
Honor Code

A documented set of ethical standards and academic conduct expectations signed or acknowledged by students.

Code of Conduct

Broader behavioral policies often paired with or governed by the honor code.

Academic Pledge

A personal statement of commitment to the institution’s integrity principles.

Integrity Violation

Any action—intentional or not—that breaches the honor code.

Peer Reporting

A mechanism by which students can report violations within the community.

Sanction Process

Institutional procedures for handling violations of the honor code.

Evolving Integrity Policies

With the rise of AI, institutions are expanding honor codes to include digital tool usage, citation policies, and ethics training modules as part of onboarding.