Faculty Resources

The continued success of Commonwealth Honors College depends on the sustained involvement of faculty as instructors and mentors, as well as participants in the various committees with responsibility for academic oversight.  We welcome the involvement of faculty who are passionate about Honors undergraduate education on the UMass Amherst campus and encourage contributions to the Honors College high-impact educational practices. These pages provide information for faculty involved in all aspects of the delivery of the Honors College curriculum and the administrative oversight of various aspects of its programs.  Information is provided for instructors, Honors Thesis faculty sponsors and committee members, Honors Program Directors (HPD), and members of the Honors College Faculty Senate Council. 

For Faculty

An overview of how faculty can be involved with Honors College, together with details of how to create honors courses and independent studies, and a description of the expectations for an Honors stand-alone independent study.

For Honors Thesis (499) Sponsors

Details of the processes of creating and grading all the various 499 options (research manuscript, creative portfolio, and seminar).

For Honors Program Directors

Details of all aspects of the role of HPD, including admitting students to Departmental Honors and dealing with Honors Colloquia, including the late-add process.

Resources Available to Students

Links to general information about research as well as details of the Individually Contracted Thesis, including the timeline and instructions for the preparation of the 499Y and 499T/P proposals.

For Scheduling Officers

Links to the Honors Course Guide, and how to submit Honors Seminar and Colloquia approval requests, including the late-added colloquium contract.