The Department of Resource Economics offers Departmental Honors (DH) opportunities in Managerial Economics and Environmental & Natural Resource Economics (ENRE) for motivated students and gives recognition to students who produce exceptionally high-quality work. DH is an advanced scholarship track of the Commonwealth Honors College (CHC). Students may complete DH as part of the full CHC curriculum, which includes Honors General Studies, or they may complete DH alone. All DH students are members of CHC. For an overview of the entire CHC curriculum, visit their website.
Eligibility
Minimally, to be eligible to apply for Departmental Honors (DH), students must have:
- An overall GPA of 3.400 or higher earned after one full-time semester of UMass Amherst coursework.
- The ability to complete the DH - Track requirement
- The ability to complete the CHC residency requirement, i.e. 45-graded (not pass/fail) credits earned at UMass Amherst (not transferred).
Admission Process for Managerial Economics or ENRE Departmental Honors
- UMass Amherst students who are not already members of the Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) must apply to Departmental Honors (DH), an Advanced Scholarship track of CHC, via the CHC online application using this link.
- Students who are already CHC members must meet with the department's Honors Program Director (HPD) regarding their interest in joining Departmental Honors (DH). The HPD will determine a student a student's eligibility and preparedness for DH. Admission to DH will be at the discretion of the HPD based on the criteria as established by the department and CHC. The HPD will notify the CHC office of newly accepted DH students so appropriate steps can be taken for SPIRE designation.
Requirements for Managerial Economics or ENRE Departmental Honors
Successful completion of the DH course requirements and the submission of a properly formatted Honors Thesis manuscript will result in the award of "Departmental Honors" on the student's academic transcript. The course requirements for DH are:
- One Res-Econ honors course any level with a grade of B or better
- One Res-Econ honors course 300-level or higher with grade of B or better
- Honors Thesis with grades of B or better earned in both parts
| Option A | Individually Contracted Honors Thesis: Res-Econ 499Y Honors Research and Res-Econ 499T Honors Thesis |
| Option B | Honors Thesis Seminar: Res-Econ 499CA and Res-Econ 499DA Economics of Renewable Energy Transition |
| Option C | Alternative Honors Thesis/Project Seminar as approved by the HPD |
Although not required, we strongly encourage Departmental Honors students to enroll in Res-Econ 312 (Introductory Econometrics).
Note: Exceptions to the requirements above require approval by both the HPD and a CHC advisor; requests must be submitted in writing through CHC Paths.
If you are interested in pursuing Departmental Honors, please contact our Honors Program Director: Dr. Christine Crago at ccrago "at" resecon.umass.edu for an advising appointment to discuss your plans.
Requirements for Departmental Honors and how to apply if you are already or are not already a member of the Commonwealth Honors College can be found on the Honors College website.
Department Contact
Email: ccrago@umass.edu
Phone: 413-545-5738
Office: 216 Stockbridge Hall