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: 

  • Completing Honors course requirements for either the full CHC curriculum or Depth of Study portion only - Departmental Honors (DH) or Multidisciplinary Honors (MH), including the completion of an Honors Thesis.
  • Maintaining a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.400 or higher. 
  • Earning a grade of B or higher in Honors courses for them to satisfy CHC curriculum requirements.
  • Meeting with a CHC advisor periodically, as needed, to review academic progress.
  • Understanding that CHC Residential Community (CHCRC) housing is not required nor guaranteed. 
    • Acknowledging that all students must use the UMass Amherst residential housing process to select their housing preferences, which is facilitated by Residential Life Services .
    • Recognizing that not maintaining CHC status with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.400 may affect my ability to request housing in CHCRC. See more information on the CHC Status Maintenance Policy here.
  • Paying the $300 university fee each semester for membership benefits. This fee cannot be refunded after the add/drop period each semester, even if Honors courses are not taken.
  • Upholding the highest standards of academic integrity as outlined by the UMass Amherst Undergraduate Student Success Center’s Academic Integrity Policy. 
  • Being informed of all the CHC requirements and benefits as documented on the CHC website.
  • Checking CHC and University academic status regularly using the SPIRE “Academic Requirements Report” (ARR) and the CHC PATHS Curriculum Tracking Sheet. 
  • Using UMass Amherst email to review emails from and correspond with CHC and UMass Amherst staff.

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