The Honors Track in the Department of Communication is a track available only to Communication majors who are in Commonwealth College, the UMass Honors Program (504 Goodell, tel. 545-2483). The Honors Track in the Department of Communication is one of three ways in which Communication majors who are also in Commonwealth College can complete their Commonwealth College requirements. (The other two options are the "Commonwealth Scholar Track" and the "Interdisciplinary Track.") The designation "Departmental Honors" is reserved for those students who choose the Departmental Honors Track (CCDH) and achieve a 3.5 GPA with a grade of 'AB' or better on the culminating experience. (Students graduating from Commonwealth College can also receive various additional honors designations.) Watch the general information video about Commonwealth College to learn more about the experience of being an honors student at UMass.
Departmental Honors
Why do departmental honors?
Are you a Communication major interested in enriching your studies at UMass, pursuing your specific interests, and in forging closer relationships with faculty? Do you think you might be interested in graduate school in the future, or a career that involves research and writing? If so, Departmental Honors in Communication may be for you. Through interaction with Communication faculty one-on-one and in small groups, and opportunities for independent inquiry, the Departmental Honors Track can help you get more out of the Communication major and pursue your Commonwealth College requirements in a more focused way.
What is departmental honors?
While the honors designation cum laude is granted to all students graduating with a 3.2 GPA who complete 45 graded credits in residence at UMass Amherst, only those who complete the Commonwealth College requirements may graduate as Commonwealth College Scholars, and only Commonwealth College Scholars are eligible for higher Latin honors (magna cum laude and summa cum laude). But only students in the Departmental Honors track can graduate with honors in the Communication major. The requirements for the Departmental Honors designation (which is additional to the Commonwealth College Scholar designations) are similar to the regular Honors track, but you must have a minimum 3.5 graduating GPA, a concentration of Honors courses taken in Communication, and a Capstone Experience - a substantial project or thesis undertaken in the senior year.
How do I gain admission to the departmental honors track?
If you are not yet a Commonwealth College honors student:
- You must apply for admission to Commonwealth College. Visit the Commonwealth College website for more information.
If you are not yet a Communication major:
- You must apply for the Communication major. Visit the undergraduate admission to the Communication major page for more information.
If you are already a Commonwealth College honors student and have been admitted to the Communication major:
- You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better.
- You must be a member in good standing of Commonwealth College and be able to complete 45 graded credits in residence.
- You must meet with the Departmental Honors Coordinator, Dr. Emily West, to discuss requirements and Departmental opportunities. She will sign a "Change of Major" form for you, indicating that you have chosen the Departmental Honors Track (COMM CCDH) for fulfilling Commonwealth College requirements.
- The Change of Major form must be co-signed at the Commonwealth College Office (504 Goodell, 545-2483) to finalize admission to the Departmental Honors Track.
What are the Graduation Requirements for Departmental Honors?
Commonwealth College students must fulfill both Departmental requirements for majors and the requirements of the Commonwealth College Program.
- Departmental Honors Track students must complete 38 credits in Communication, rather than the 36 credits that are required of majors who are not in the Honors Track.
- Departmental Honors students must: (a) maintain their status as full-time students at the University (taking at least twelve credits a semester), (b) attain a 3.5 GPA at graduation, and (c) have a meeting with the Departmental Honors Coordinator each semester.
- The following Honors courses are required unless alternatives are approved by the student's Commonwealth College advisor:
- ENGLWP 112H or approved substitution grade of B or Better (or exemption)
- Gen Ed Honors course with grade of B or better
- Gen ED "I" Honors course with grade of B or better
- Deans Book Series with grades of B or better in one 1-credit intro section and two follow-up sections
- 1 COMM Honors course any level with grade B or better
- 1 COMM Honors course 300 level or COMM 600 level with approval from the Honors Program with grade of B or better
- Complete the Capstone Experience in Communication (see below)
- COMM 499Y "Honors Research" OR COMM 499C
- COMM 499T "Honors Thesis" OR Comm 499P “Honors Project” OR COMM 499D
What is a Capstone Experience (CE)?
A Capstone Experience is 6 units of intensive work on a specific topic that all Honors students must complete in their senior year in order to meet the requirements of Commonwealth College. For those students pursuing Departmental Honors in Communication, there are three options for fulfilling the Capstone Experience:
- Do an Honors Thesis under the supervision of a faculty advisor in Communication. Normally this would involve registering for COMM 499Y (Honors Research) in the Fall of the senior year for pre- paratory work, and COMM 499T (Honors Thesis) in the Spring of the senior year to complete the research and write the thesis. Students must receive initial approval for their thesis proposals and defend the thesis to a two-person faculty committee from the Department of Communication. An additional member from outside the Department is optional. Examples of possible thesis topics include: a study of media content or audiences, a study of communication in a political or product campaign, analysis of governmental regulations of the broadcasting industry, a study of communi-cation practices in family or organizational settings, or a study of a film writer.
- Do an Honors Project under the supervision of a faculty member in Communication. Students using this option follow similar procedures to those who write a thesis, except that the final product is a more creative work, such as a film script or a television documentary. However, the Honors Project still requires a significant academic component and the final product must be accompanied by a substantial academic paper. Students doing a project, rather than a thesis, register for COMM 499P in the Spring rather than for COMM 499T. (Both thesis and project options require COMM 499Y in the Fall semester.)
- Take a Capstone Course in the Department of Communication. NOTE: This option may not be available every year. This option is similar to the thesis and project options, but instead of working independently with an advisor and a second reader, the student pursues original research within the context of a small class focused on a particular topic or theme. The 6 units are still spread out over the Fall and Spring semesters (Comm 499C and 499D), and the student still produces a final product (thesis or project) that must be submitted to Commonwealth College for their Capstone Experience.
