The Honor Code has been a valued tradition at College of Notre Dame of Maryland since 1936 when unsupervised tests were initiated. Founded on the pledge that each student takes—to act with integrity in both her academic and personal life—the Code’s purpose is to establish and maintain a college community founded on personal honor and mutual trust. This combination of personal commitment and community responsibility helps to strengthen each student as an individual and helps her to develop mature powers of judgment, reason, and intellectual and social honesty.

The Honor Code is a philosophy of conduct developed and managed by students. It is based on the belief that students can take responsibility for their own behavior.

The Honor Board, an elected group of students representing each class, takes primary responsibility for:

• educating students about the Honor Code
• fostering discussion and awareness
• helping to resolve questions concerning the Code.

First-year students are introduced to and educated about the Honor Code at Orientation. During the third week of the fall semester, all new students are invited to participate in Honors Convocation where, dressed in the academic attire they will wear at graduation, the Honor Pledge is recited in the presence of family, friends, faculty and administration.

Honor Pledge
With a keen sense of responsibility, I accept this symbol of my entrance into the world of scholarship. And I give this pledge of my purpose to wear it worthily.