Why Commonwealth Honors College?
About
Learn to make a difference in the world
Commonwealth Honors College is a community of scholars on a campus full of opportunities. Students build community through collegewide events, take small classes that support their academic journey through direct engagement with renowned faculty and intellectually curious peers, have access to dedicated advising staff, and can receive support for their thesis through Honors Research Grants. An integrated living, learning community is also fostered in the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community where many of our students live.
A Community of Scholars
Commonwealth Honors College students benefit from a tight-knit community, close ties with faculty, small honors classes, value-added honors advising, and access to special programs, merit scholarships, and research grants.
A Campus Full of Opportunities
Commonwealth Honors College students have access to the extensive resources of UMass Amherst—a large research university with roughly ninety majors, including the option to design your own, and wide-ranging opportunities for student engagement.
In the Spotlight
“Be excited and passionate about your major, but also awed to have the opportunity to learn about topics outside of your academic wheelhouse. Take advantage of the many opportunities the university and CHC have to offer. Take academic chances and try something new. It is in those experiences that you truly learn.”
Small Classes, Expansive Ideas
The honors curriculum promotes education that is both broad and deep.
Through honors General Education courses, CHC students reach beyond the boundaries of their academic majors, while advanced scholarship tracks provide students opportunities to delve deeply into topics of interest.
In-Depth Curriculum
Small, discussion-based courses taught by faculty members from a variety of disciplines encourage extended explorations of ideas and facilitate meaningful interactions. CHC students have many opportunities to enrich their academic interests through in-depth independent work.
College Students Help Put #SeussinSpringfield
Springfield Museums teamed up with a group of talented students from UMass Amherst Commonwealth Honors College to help put #SeussinSpringfield.
Advising
Honors Thesis
CHC students complete advanced work in their majors or across disciplines, culminating in an honors thesis, which focuses on an original investigation of a topic of their choice. Our alumni report that the honors thesis was one of their most meaningful undergraduate experiences.
Perspectives: Darshana Blaise and Parker Sweet
Honors Living-Learning Community
The CHC Living-Learning Community is an extension of the rich cultural and research-centered environment that is UMass Amherst.
Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community
Located in the heart of campus, with six residence halls, classrooms, an events hall, the Bloom Honors Advising Center, and Roots Café, the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community, serves as a home base for CHC students.
Residential Academic Programs
Many first-year students participate in Honors Residential Academic Programs (RAPs). In these Honors RAPs, CHC students live on the same floor and take one or two classes together, often with related themes.
Jacob Spevack ’21 Prepares to Study Abroad
Student Perspective: Jacob Spevack `21 Prepares to Study Abroad
Meet Our Student Ambassadors
We are a group of Commonwealth Honors College students with wide-ranging academic interests, hobbies, extracurricular involvements, and long-term postgraduation goals. We can help support prospective students and families in learning more about being an CHC student at UMass Amherst.
Contact
Ann Marie Russell
Ann Marie Russell is an Associate Dean of Recruitment and Belonging at Commonwealth Honors College.
