499 Grading

Grade the Thesis Seminar work as you would any other course - in accordance with the expectations set forth in the syllabus, or, for the Individually Contracted Thesis, as recorded in the contract as approved on CHC PATHS. The grade should reflect the quality of the student's work, attendance, and participation. 

  • Honors Thesis graded “B” or higher in all components will count toward graduation credit and fulfillment of Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) requirements.
  • Honors Thesis coursework graded “D” to “B-” will count toward graduation credit but not fulfillment of CHC requirements.
  • Final grades awarded for the Honors Thesis coursework, as well as Research Manuscript or Creative Portfolio, will affect the CHC Honors credentials awarded at graduation. Please see Graduation with Honors for details.  

In the event of extenuating circumstances that delay completion of a 499 course, Honors College students should be given the same respect and consideration as other students, neither more nor less. Refer to the Undergraduate Registrar's Academic Regulations Handbook for standard policies. 

Grade Submission Process 

  • Individually Contracted Thesis courses registered as "HONORS" 499Y/T/P: for current or previous 3 semesters, instructor forwards grade to CHC Roster Coordinator (RC).
  • Individually Contracted Thesis courses registered as "DEPARTMENT X" 499Y/T/P" (e.g., HIST, ENGL, CMPSCI): for current or previous 3 semesters, instructor forwards grades to the Department Multi-instructor Roster Coordinator (DRC) for the department in which 499Y/T/P is registered; DRC submits/changes grades directly on SPIRE.*
  • Seminars registered as either "HONORS" or "DEPARTMENT X" 499 (e.g., 499A/B, 499C/D, etc.): for current or previous 3 semesters, instructor has online access to SPIRE grade roster and submits grades

*SPIRE offers additional details regarding submitting grade changes online (INC, NR, Y, or '__' (blank). For further assistance, contact your department's Roster Coordinator or Administrative Assistant.

Honors Thesis Grading Guidelines 

Grading options for the Honors Thesis may vary. Visit the Honors Thesis Grading Guidelines page for more details. 

Other Grading Issues 

Some students may feel in jeopardy if they are earning less than our required grade minimum for CHC Honors with distinction. To earn CHC Honors credentials, students must earn the following minimum grades for both their Honors Thesis coursework and the final Research Manuscript or Creative Portfolio: 

  • A-  for Honors with greater or greatest distinction
  • B+ for Honors with distinction
  • B   for Honors 

We encourage ongoing communication between you and your Honors Thesis students regarding their progress. If any of your students are in jeopardy, please have a candid discussion with them as soon as possible, document your conversations in writing, and refer the student to a Commonwealth College advisor if necessary. 

Please be aware that Honors College students cannot be cleared for graduation until Honors Thesis INC, NR, Y, or '__' grades have been converted to final grades on SPIRE.

Contacts 

Feel free to contact Dominic Usher, dusher [at] umass [dot] edu (dusher[at]umass[dot]edu) if you have questions.