Honors
(HN-COMMWLT)
Upon satisfactory completion of Commonwealth College requirements, a student may be awarded a variety of honors distinctions on the transcript and diploma at graduation. Requirements for the general honors track are listed below. Additional information regarding the Departmental or Interdisciplinary Honors sub-tracks, plus graduation credentialing, may be viewed using the links to the left.
NOTE: only graduates of Commonwealth College are eligible for the awards of Commonwealth College Scholar and magna cum laude or summa cum laude.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Regardless of the track selected, all Commonwealth College students will be asked to sign a contract requiring them to:
- maintain a cumulative and semester grade point average of 3.200 or better
- complete 45 graded residence credits
- complete eight honors courses:
| Honors General Education |
| 1. Gen Ed "CW" honors course (College Writing or equivalent or exemption) |
| 2. Any Gen Ed honors course
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| 3. Any Gen Ed "I" honors course |
4. Gen Ed "I" honors course: Dean's Book Series
a. Honors 191D (1 cr)
b. Honors 291D (1 cr)
c. Honors 391D (1 cr) |
| Honors Electives |
| 5. Any-level honors course |
| 6. 300-level or higher honors course |
| Capstone Experience |
| 7. Capstone Experience (CE) Part I |
| 8. Capstone Experience (CE) Part II |
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- achieve a grade of B or better in all honors courses including affiliated non-honors components (e.g., non-honors courses enriched with honors colloquia);
- take responsibility for monitoring their academic status using appropriate tools such as the Degree Progress Report;
- meet with a Commonwealth College advisor in 504 Goodell during their first semester of membership, and at least once a year thereafter (aside from add/drop & pre-registration) to stay in compliance with Commonwealth College requirements and to keep the office informed of significant changes in their academic career (e.g., decisions to study abroad, engagement in research);
- have Change of Major (COM) forms signed in the Commonwealth College office (504 Goodell) after obtaining the requisite departmental signatures;
- read all Commonwealth College email communications (at least weekly), and respond to them when requested to do so. NOTE: some critical information is conveyed only electronically.
Honors course requirements may be fulfilled in a number of ways. Members will find that many honors course requirements overlap with University Gen Ed and major requirements. Students who transfer into Commonwealth College from another university, or as upperclassmen at UMass, may petition for adjustments to the standard Commonwealth College requirements; such adjustments will be granted at the discretion of the Commonwealth College advisors.
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