Honors Courses: Detailed Descriptions

This page provides detailed information about the various ways to satisfy Commonwealth Honors College requirements. All courses need to be completed with a grade of “B” or higher to be counted toward CHC requirements.

Designated Honors Courses

Commonwealth Honors College partners with departments and programs campuswide to offer various types of courses and experiences that fit within an Honors curriculum.

Enriched Honors Courses

Enriched Honors courses are Honors sections of courses and seminars (three or more credits) with a 25-person enrollment capacity. They can be identified CHC Honors Course Guide and on SPIRE by their course number suffix “H” (e.g., ENGL WRIT 112H, ANTH 104H, BIO 383H). The small class size of these courses allows for direct mentoring relationships between faculty and students. 

Honors Colloquia

Honors colloquia are one-credit enrichments to non-honors courses. 

Colloquia offer the opportunity for more focused study of course content. Honors colloquia can be identified in SPIRE by their course number prefix “H” (e.g., COMPSCI 311 + COMPSCI H311).  

In tandem with the non-Honors course, a colloquium will fulfill one Honors course requirement. For the vast majority of Honors colloquia, the course and colloquium will share the same course number, although there are some instances where they differ. Please talk with a CHC Advisor if you have questions about enrolling in a colloquium. 

Note: If you are the only student interested in enriching a course, read about the Honors independent study option below. 

Honors Independent Study

An Honors Independent Study is developed in partnership with a faculty member, either as additional one- to two-credit in-depth, independent work for a non-Honors course (e.g., SPANISH 312 + SPANISH HI312) or as a three- to six-credit Honors Independent Study of your own design unrelated to an existing course (e.g., SLHS 396ISH). CHC calls a one- to two-credit Honors independent studies “add-on” and a three- to six-credit Honors independent studies “stand-alone.” A maximum of three Honors independent studies of either type may be applied to the Honors requirements. 

Honors Independent Studies require faculty collaboration and cannot be registered in SPIRE. Please see the Honors Independent Studies Proposals page for more details, including the course expectations and registration process. 

Honors Independent Study Contract Registration

If you are interested in arranging an Honors independent study, you should approach a faculty member and ask if they would consider guiding you in an Honors experience. After you and the faculty member discuss the planned course of study, you will initiate a proposal through CHC PATHS.

Please see the Honors Independent Studies Proposals page for more details, including the course expectations and proposal content.

Requirements

• One- or two-credit HI enrichment of a non-honors course of three or more credits: This must involve at least eight hours of student-faculty contact time over the course of the semester. Once your proposal has been approved in CHC PATHS, you will be registered in an additional one- or two-credit section with a prefix of HI (e.g., ANTH HI104). Both the Honors component and the regular course must be passed with grades of “B” or higher to fulfill Honors course requirements.
• Three- to six-credit “stand-alone” ISH: Students requesting this option must provide a syllabus-like proposal and documentation of the course workload. They must have at least 30 minutes of contact with the sponsor per credit, per week and approximately three to four hours of work per credit, per week.

Note: A maximum of three Honors independent studies (HI or ISH) may be applied to the Honors requirements.

Six-Credit Intensive Language Courses

Six-credit intensive language courses provide a highly interactive experience that CHC feels aligns with the rigors of Honors coursework (e.g., CHINESE 246). A maximum of two intensive language courses may be applied to the CHC curriculum. 

UMass Amherst Graduate Courses at the 600, 700, and 800 Level

UMass Amherst graduate courses at the 600, 700, and 800 level apply automatically to Commonwealth Honors College requirements. 

As part of a large research university with many master’s and doctoral programs, Commonwealth Honors College is uniquely positioned to support students ready and eager for the rigorous challenges graduate courses afford. Therefore, CHC accepts any upper-level graduate course that carries three or more graded credits. Graduate courses completed as an undergraduate as part of an accelerated master’s or 4+1 program should be taken in consultation with appropriate graduate program staff to confirm eligibility.

Honors Thesis Course Options

The Honors Thesis provides the culminating experience of a CHC student’s academic life and is designed to provide them with an opportunity to integrate their undergraduate experiences while preparing for their intended career paths. Whether you choose to work with a faculty member to design an individually contracted Honors Thesis or participate with other CHC students in a faculty-taught thesis seminar, you will have an opportunity to conduct in-depth scholarly research and complete a Research Manuscript or Creative Portfolio under the guidance of an experienced faculty mentor. The Honors Thesis is traditionally completed over two semesters in the senior year, divided into Honors Thesis Part One (three or more credits) and Honors Thesis Part One (three or more credits).

Petitioned Courses

There are many types of valuable experiences available during your time at UMass, and some of these experiences may or may not count towards your Honors College requirements. A petition process exists to validate that academic work and to apply it the Honors College curriculum.  

While traditional undergraduate UMass non-honors courses cannot be petitioned for Honors course recognition, other types of courses, as listed below, can. No more than two non-honors courses may be approved as substitutes for honors course requirements. In some unique circumstances, certain courses and experiences that are petitioned can be pre-approved and essentially function as Designated Honors courses. An Honors advisor can guide you through the petition process and consult on these types of academic experiences. 

Note: The Petition for Exception form is located in CHC PATHS. 

Five College Courses

Five College courses taken at neighboring Amherst, Smith, or Mount Holyoke Colleges through the Five College Consortium may be petitioned for Honors credit. 

These courses must meet the following criteria:  

• Enroll a maximum of 25 students 
• Include a high degree of interaction between instructor and students 
• Feature a challenging course syllabus, as determined by petition reviewers.  

The petition will be reviewed by the equivalent department to determine whether the Five College course has similar rigor to an Honors experience at UMass. 

Exceptions: Five College language courses that carry more than eight credits per semester may not be used to satisfy Honors requirements. 

Study Abroad Courses

Study abroad courses may be petitioned for Honors credit. 

Each year hundreds of students from UMass Amherst experience the challenges and rewards of studying abroad. Commonwealth Honors College views courses completed in this environment as aligned with the rigors of an Honors curriculum. A maximum of one course per semester abroad may be applied toward CHC requirements.These courses must be academic in nature and cannot be practicum or internship credits.  

National Student Exchange and Honors Transfer Courses 

Honors courses completed during a National Student Exchange and/or Honors courses transferred into UMass can be applied toward Commonwealth Honors College requirements. Consult with a CHC Advisor for further details. 

UMass Amherst Graduate Courses at the 500 Level

500-level courses may be petitioned for Honors credit. 

UMass Amherst offers a variety of courses at the 500 level. . Petitions for this kind of course will be reviewed to determine whether the 500-level course has similar rigor to an Honors experience and/or graduate level course at UMass. Students can petition any three-credit 500-level course, but some of these courses are already considered pre-approved by CHC. A list of these pre-approved 500-level courses can be seen in the Petition for Exception section of CHC PATHS. Typically, a 500-level course must have an enrollment cap of ~25 students, feature a challenging course syllabus (as determined by petition reviewers), and include a high degree of interaction between instructor and students.  

Commonwealth Honors Program Courses

Transfer students from a Commonwealth Honors Program in the Massachusetts public higher education system may count Honors courses toward the Breadth of Study requirements. Check with your Honors advisor for more information. However, Honors 201H and Honors 391AH requirements and the Honors Thesis requirement will not be waived under any circumstances.

Honors Independent Studies Proposals

Types of Honors Independent Studies

Honors independent studies come in two forms:

• A one or two credit “add-on” component to enrich a non-honors course (HI) of three or more credits
• Three to six credits of “stand-alone” research (ISH)

Why complete an Honors Independent Study? 

Honors Independent Studies are a way to customize your learning and make a non-Honors course count for Honors. They can also be used to turn research or creative experiences into Honors credit.  

An “add-on” can provide an opportunity to dive deeper into topics within a standard course, while a “stand-alone” may offer a chance to get credit for research or creative endeavors on a topic of your choice or within a faculty member’s lab or research team. All Honors independent studies must be contracted with a UMass faculty member.  

When can an Honors Independent Study be completed? 

A maximum of three Honors Independent Studies may be applied to Honors course requirements.  

Each "add-on" used to enrich a non-honors course must be affiliated with a different course each time to qualify as an Honors requirement. The “add-on” can be completed either concurrently (in the same semester as the standard course) or retroactively (in a different semester than the standard course). 

It is important to note that an “add-on” Honors Independent Study must be sponsored by the affiliated non-honors course instructor and involve at least eight hours of student/faculty contact over the course of the semester. Please also note that “add-on” Honors Independent Studies are not permitted with any kind of stand-alone independent study, practicum, or internship. Similarly, a "stand-alone" Honors Independent Study requires at least thirty minutes of contact with the sponsor per credit, per week. 

How do I register for an Honors Independent Study? 

To register for either version of an Honors Independent Study, you will need to submit a proposal online via CHC PATHS . You are encouraged to draft your responses in a document in coordination with your faculty sponsor prior to initiating the online proposal.  

Honors Independent Study Proposal Outline 

The Honors Independent Study proposal will serve as the official UMass course description of the Honors work you complete. Your proposal should address the following questions: 

1. What will you study? 

• Clearly define your topic and the nature of your study. Do you wish to investigate the “big picture” (e.g., the effects of excessive TV viewing on the general public) or a specific aspect of something (e.g., violence on TV and the rising crime rate among teenage males)? 
• What do you hope to discover/accomplish from your study? 

2. How will you conduct your research? 

Surveys, observations, lab experiments, library searches, readings, archival explorations, discussions with community organizations, interviews, and consultations are examples of research methods or approaches. Please provide details for each method you list, including bibliographies as applicable. Note: If you are proposing to collect data from human subjects, you should discuss the need to complete a Determination Form with your faculty sponsor. 

3. What is your timeline and proposed method for benchmark evaluations of your Honors Independent Study progress/achievements throughout the semester? 

• Create a timeline of assignments and a regular meeting schedule to help keep you on track and to provide opportunities for evaluation and feedback from your Honors Independent Study sponsor 

4. How will you present your Honors Independent Study for grading? 

• A written document (formal paper with a bibliography, journal, or composition) is the standard method for demonstrating your work in an Honors independent study. Discuss the proposed length with your sponsor and note it in your proposal 
• An oral presentation of your findings to either a committee or class may occasionally be scheduled as well 
• Other options might include a project with documentation: a collection of original poetry, an exhibit of original artwork, a performance, or contribution of a product to a community or for a client 

Senior Checklist

Senior “To-Do” Checklist

A checklist of requirements Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) seniors must complete before leaving campus

Submit Research Manuscript or Creative Portfolio Thesis

Required for graduation with Honors distinction.

• Submit your correctly formatted manuscript through CHC PATHS by the last day of classes.
• Use the correct form, based on the venue for your 499 research: either via research manuscript/creative portfolio individually-contracted thesis (with a guidance committee) or via research manuscript/creative portfolio thesis seminar.

Address Grading Issues

• Remind your research manuscript/creative portfolio instructor to convert any “Y,” “INC,” or “NR” grade previously submitted for 499 Part I. They must convert the grade on SPIRE to reflect the final grade being awarded. If not converted, a “Y,” “INC,” or “NR” grade will delay your graduation clearance.
• Remind your research manuscript/creative portfolio instructor to also submit a final grade on SPIRE for 499 Part II.
• Clear up any other “INC” or “NR” grades (INC = incomplete, NR = not recorded). These affect your final GPA and can delay the awarding of your degree. Contact the instructor of the course to revise the grade on SPIRE or via a Change of Grade form submitted to the Registrar’s Office or contact the honors office if you decide to leave the “INC” or “NR” as is on your transcript.

University Requirements and SPIRE Info

• Review your SPIRE Academic Requirements Report (ARR) for any unsatisfied university, college, and major requirements. Your ARR can tell you if you are missing a requirement (e.g. Gen Eds, residence credits, etc.). 
  Note: Departmental Honors requirements are not recorded on the SPIRE ARR at this time. If you are unsure of your CHC graduation status, an Honors advisor can review your file with you at any time. Schedule an advising appointment online now.
• Update your SPIRE contact information—phone, address, and email—before you leave campus. We will use that information to contact you after our graduation clearance reviews. Please ensure the information is up-to-date!

Important Links

• Manuscript and Grading Deadlines
• Manuscript Formatting and Submission

Terms of Agreement

As a Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) student, in addition to completing university, college/school, and major requirements, CHC membership also requires adherence to the following CHC Terms of Agreement.

CHC students are expected to:

• Complete Honors course requirements as defined by your unique CHC Curriculum Track. Completion of an Honors Thesis is included in all CHC Curriculum Tracks.
• Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.400 or higher. 
• Earn a grade of B or higher in all Honors courses.
  • Please note that while grades of B or better are required to satisfy CHC curriculum requirements, lower passing grades (D or better) may still satisfy other university requirements.
• Meet with a CHC Advisor periodically, as needed, to review academic progress.
• Understand that CHC Residential Community (CHCRC) housing is not required nor guaranteed. 
  • Acknowledge that all students must use the UMass Amherst residential housing process to select their housing preferences, which is facilitated by Residential Life Services .
  • Recognize that not maintaining CHC status with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.400 may affect the ability to request housing in CHCRC. See more information on the CHC Status Maintenance Policy here.
• Pay the $300 university fee each semester for CHC membership benefits. Please note, this fee cannot be refunded after the add/drop period each semester, even if Honors courses are not taken.
• Uphold the highest standards of academic integrity as outlined by the UMass Amherst Undergraduate Student Success Center’s Academic Integrity Policy. 
• Be informed of all the CHC requirements and benefits as documented on the CHC website.
• Check CHC and University academic status regularly using the SPIRE “Academic Requirements Report” (ARR) and the CHC PATHS Curriculum Tracking Sheet. 
• Use UMass Amherst email to review emails from and correspond with CHC and UMass Amherst faculty/staff.

All CHC students must read and sign the above CHC Terms of Agreement (TOA) on CHC PATHS. 

Status Maintenance Policy

Students who maintain their status in Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) are eligible to apply for:

• CHC scholarships, fellowships, and grants
• CHC Residential Community (CHCRC) housing during the first round of the housing selection process*

*CHCRC housing is not guaranteed. Honors students on CHC academic notice or CHC academic recovery may become eligible to participate: 

a) only in the final round of the selection process, and 

b) only if space is available. 

CHC Status Maintenance

To maintain status in Commonwealth Honors College, a student must

• Be in good standing with UMass Amherst by complying with all its policies, including the Code of Student Conduct and the Academic Integrity Policy
• Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) at or above 3.400
• Complete the Honors course requirements of a CHC graduation sub plan with earned grades of “B” or higher in all components

Recommendations for maintaining CHC status

• Abide by the expectations outlined in CHC Terms of Agreement
• Make progress towards completion of Honors coursework as specified in Curriculum Requirements by earning grades of “B” or higher in all Honors courses intended to fulfill CHC curriculum requirements, including the root courses affiliated with one-credit add-on Honors independent studies or colloquia. (Note: with the exception of HONORS 391A, one-credit freestanding honors courses do not fulfill Honors curriculum requirements)
• Meet with a CHC Advisor during the first semester of membership, and at least once each year thereafter

CHC Academic Notice

An Honors student will be placed on CHC academic notice if their cumulative GPA drops below 3.400.

If after one semester on CHC academic notice a student’s cumulative GPA reaches 3.400 or higher, the student will maintain their CHC status without any additional intervention. If their cumulative GPA remains below 3.400, the student will be in CHC academic recovery status.

Any student on CHC academic notice is strongly encouraged to meet with a CHC Advisor as soon as possible to discuss an action plan. 

CHC Academic Recovery

After one semester of CHC academic notice, an Honors student will be in CHC academic recovery status if the cumulative GPA remains below 3.400.

If, after one semester in CHC academic recovery status, a student’s cumulative GPA reaches 3.400 or higher, the student will maintain CHC status without any additional intervention. If their cumulative GPA remains below 3.400, they will have a temporary discontinuation of their CHC status. 

Any student in CHC academic recovery status is strongly encouraged to meet with a CHC Advisor to discuss an action plan.

CHC Temporary Discontinuation

If after an CHC academic notice and CHC academic recovery status an Honors student's cumulative GPA remains below 3.400, they will have a temporary discontinuation of their CHC status. 

Any student who has a temporary discontinuation of their CHC status and wants to still complete the CHC curriculum before their expected graduation date is strongly encouraged to meet with a CHC Advisor to discuss an action plan. 

Students who have a temporary discontinuation can regain CHC status when their cumulative GPA is again at/above 3.400. More details about CHC status reinstatement are provided below.

CHC Withdrawal

An Honors student will be withdrawn from CHC if any of the following is true:

• It is mathematically impossible for the student to regain a cumulative GPA of 3.400 by the anticipated graduation date.
• The student will be unable to satisfy the Honors course requirements of one of the four CHC graduation sub plans: Breadth of Study + Departmental Honors Depth of Study (GSDH), Breadth of Study + Multidisciplinary Honors Depth of Study (GSMH), Departmental Honors Depth of Study only (DH), or Multidisciplinary Honors Depth of Study only (MH).
• The student decides they no longer wish to maintain CHC status and communicates that to a CHC Advisor. 

CHC Status Reinstatement

A former CHC student who regains a cumulative GPA of 3.400 should meet with a CHC Advisor to request CHC status reinstatement and discuss their academic planning to ensure they can complete the CHC curriculum in a timely manner upon reinstatement.  

Students who are completing Departmental Honors (DH) should also meet with the Honors Program Director of that department to ensure they are on track to complete the DH requirements.

Student Instructions for CHC Paths

Log In

Go to the CHC PATHS Portal.

Log in using your UMass NetID and password.

Start a New Contract

Determine which type of course contract you would like to create:

499Y: Part I of Honors Thesis

To enroll in the first semester of an independent Honors Thesis.

499T/P: Part II of Honors Thesis

To enroll in the second semester of an independent two-semester Honors Thesis or to enroll in a one-semester six-credit Honors Thesis.

ISH: Independent Study Honors

To enroll in an independent study.

Information

Review relevant details below about submitting a course contract.

Student Section

• Review the information about your major and honors plan. Contact a CHC advisor to make changes.
• Indicate the faculty member(s) who will guide your independent work.
• Enter the number of weekly hours you will dedicate to your independent work.

Semester Plan/Proposal

As part of the course contract, the semester plan or proposal is a binding contract (similar to a course syllabus) that outlines expectations. Students should complete each section of the proposal and consult their faculty member for guidance.

Finish/Submit

Save the form to return later and make further revisions. Submit it if you have entered all of the requested information and are ready to submit it for review.