About Commonwealth Honors College : Commonwealth Honors College : UMass Amherst

Commonwealth Honors College gives their diverse community of academically talented students extensive opportunities for analysis, research, professional development, and international experience.

What is an honors education?

The National Collegiate Honors Council, which supports and promotes undergraduate honors education, provides the following definition: “Honors education is characterized by in-class and extracurricular activities that are measurably broader, deeper, or more complex than comparable learning experiences typically found at institutions of higher education. Honors experiences include a distinctive learner-directed environment and philosophy, provide opportunities that are appropriately tailored to fit the institution’s culture and mission, and frequently occur within a close community of students and faculty.”

700

Entering first-year students

4.37

Average high school GPA of the entering class

54%

Proportion of the entering class that identifies as ALANA

Our History

Commonwealth Honors College builds on a long tradition of academic excellence at UMass Amherst. An honors college of national distinction in the public sector, it has become a model throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the nation.

Read about the history of Commonwealth Honors College

Four students posing for a photo at the Celebration of Excellence 2024

Why Commonwealth Honors College?

Commonwealth Honors College is designed for students who seek to harness their intellectual curiosity to motivate learning and who are passionate about applying this knowledge to make a difference in their disciplines and in their communities.

Find out if Commonwealth Honors College is right for you