Learn to Make a Difference in the World
Average size of an honors course
Faculty teaching Honors courses
Entering first-year students
Average combined SAT score
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.
Small Classes, Big Ideas
Commonwealth Honors College students reach beyond the boundaries of their academic majors and our advanced scholarship tracks provide them with opportunities to contribute original knowledge to their fields of study.
Campus Full of Opportunities
Commonwealth Honors College students have access to the extensive resources of UMass Amherst — a large research university with roughly 100 majors and wide-ranging opportunities for student engagement.
Close Ties to Faculty
Micheal Orlando shares how having close ties to faculty has shaped his academic journey.
Featured Events
In the News
A Letter from a Graduate: Go Live Your Story
Grace reflects on her time at UMass as she graduates
The 2026 Celebration of Excellence: Resilience, Joy, and Hope for the Future
Students gathered at the Mullins Center on Saturday May 9 to celebrate their Honors graduation at the 2026 Celebration of Excellence
Teaching for Depth of Reflection: Madalina Akli Honored with College Outstanding Teaching Award
Madalina Akli, a senior lecturer and director of both ONSA and ISP at CHC, was awarded the 2025-2026 College Outstanding Teacher Award.
