Senior Year Guide

During your senior year, you’ll work on your Honors Thesis, which is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you’ll have as an honors student.

The Honors Thesis might feel daunting at first, but Commonwealth Honors College has the necessary resources to help you stay the course and cross the finish line. 

Depth of Study 

The Honors Thesis is the central component of honors work in the senior year and is required to complete the Depth of Study component of the honors curriculum. 

Courses to consider

All honors students must complete an Honors Thesis by the end of their senior year. Ideally, you’ve completed all other honors requirements by the end of your junior year. If not, any remaining course requirements should also be completed by the end of senior year.

Multidisciplinary Honors Courses  

Honors Thesis Part 1 (3+ credits) 

Honors Thesis Part 2 (3+ credits) 

Departmental Honors Courses*  

Honors Thesis Part 1 in your MAJOR (3+ credits) 

Honors Thesis Part 2 in your MAJOR (3+ credits) 

*Some departments have additional requirements. Please check specific requirements by department here. 

Study Abroad  

With proper advising and guidance, it’s still possible to have a study abroad experience in your senior year. Meet with your honors advisor and the advisor in your major as early as possible in the first semester. This collaboration will enable you to create a plan that will allow you to complete coursework requirements for your major and your study abroad interests. 

Scholarships  

Many scholarships are available for seniors. You should look into Commonwealth Honors College scholarships as well as those available through your major, department, and college. Make an appointment with the Office of National Scholarship Advisement (ONSA) at the beginning of the fall semester to see if it’s still possible to explore nationally competitive scholarships such as the Rhodes, Truman, Fulbright, and Marshall.

Research Funding  

You can still apply for Honors Research Grants in early October for spring semester funding. This competitive funding opportunity is by application only.  

Cultivate Relationships with Faculty  

If you are pursuing an individually contracted honors thesis, you must select a second thesis committee member during the first semester of senior year. You should submit a proposal for part two of your Honors Thesis in December. You should also identify faculty members to write letters of recommendation for post-undergraduate endeavors such as graduate school.  

Career Planning  

You should make an appointment with the career planning team in the college of your major to explore career, graduate school, and internships options as well as to build a strong résumé and cover letter. You will also be able to learn about networking, interview skills, and other career search information.

Senior Checklist 

Our senior checklist is designed to remind you of all the Commonwealth Honors College and university requirements needed for graduation so that nothing slips between the cracks.

Advising Meetings 

In the fall of your senior year, meet with all of your academic advisors for a senior completion check to confirm that you have completed all of the requirements needed for graduation from UMass Amherst.

Good Standing 

Keep in mind that a 3.400 minimum cumulative GPA and a minimum grade of B or higher in all honors courses is required each semester. You will also need 45 graded residence credits to graduate from Commonwealth Honors College. All of the required Commonwealth Honors College curriculum courses are counted as part of the 120 credits required to graduate from UMass Amherst.