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Frequently Asked Questions: Transfer Students

Commonwealth College Membership

What is Commonwealth College?

Commonwealth College (ComCol) is the honors college for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. UMass students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.200 are eligible to participate.

What's my current status with Commonwealth College?

Incoming transfer students are eligible for ComCol membership if they have

completed at least two 12-credit semesters at their previous school
achieved a 3.200 semester and cumulative GPA for each 12-credit semester completed at their previous school

If you meet this criteria, you may receive a ComCol membership invitation in your UMass acceptance letter. Concurrently you will be coded in the Registrar's database as a member of ComCol, subject to our requirements. We do this to facilitate honors course registration during New Students Orientation.

If you wish to stay a member of ComCol, you must confirm your participation by signing and submitting to our office a "Commonwealth College Contract." Contract signing sessions are typically held during New Students Orientation and the first two weeks of the semester. Check our Events Calendar for session dates and times.

If you do not wish to participate in ComCol, you must request withdrawal from Commonwealth College via email, phone or in-person to avoid subsequent problems with your UMass Amherst graduation clearance. See our Contacts page for email and phone information.

What are the requirements for Commonwealth College?

The standard program requires eight honors courses, with grades of "B" or better, combined with a cumulative GPA of 3.200.

Factors which affect the standard program include your choice of honors track within Commonwealth College (honors, departmental honors or interdisciplinary honors) and pursuit of higher honors (magna or summa cum laude). Full details can be found in the requirements section of our website.

Please note that transfer students are frequently eligible for adjustments to our standard requirements due to advanced credit standing. You should speak with a Commonwealth College advisor as soon as possible to discuss your situation. Bring along your Transfer Credit Evaluation to assist with the review.

How do I benefit from ComCol membership?

Three of the obvious benefits of membership are:

enhanced preparation for graduate school or a career via small honors courses and research opportunities
higher honors credentialing upon graduation (i.e., magna or summa cum laude -- awarded solely to graduates of Commonwealth College)
scholarships

Many transfer students additionally appreciate the opportunity to design their own honors work via an Honors Independent Study or Independent Capstone Experience. Some enjoy participating in Community Service Learning and Student Advisory Board activities. Others will make their mark working closely with faculty on research projects, followed by participation in the Undergraduate Research Conference held annually in Boston.

These are only a few of the many benefits addressed on our website.

Transfer Credit

I have questions regarding my Transfer Credit Evaluation. What should I do?

The majority of transfer courses are frequently accepted toward elective credit rather than being equated to specific UMass Amherst major or General Education requirements. This is because the Transfer Credit Evaluator must initially make determinations based soley upon course titles on your transcript.

If you believe a transfer course might satisfy a specific UMass requirement, you will need to provide a course description or syllabus for further evaluation. If your request pertains to:

a Gen Ed requirement: present the course description to the Transfer Credit Evaluator in the Undergraduate Admissions office
a college requirement: present the course description to your Academic Dean's office
a major requirement: present the course description to the Chief Undergraduate Advisor for your major

Advising

Who is my advisor? Where is s/he?

UMass Amherst has a tiered advising system; each student has several advisors assigned to help with various categories of requirements:

University requirements: see the Undergraduate Records Office in Whitmore Administration Bldg.
College requirements: see the Academic Dean's advising office for the college of your major (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences for English, School of Management for Accounting)
Major requirements: see the Chief Undergraduate Advisor in your major department (e.g., English, Accounting)
Commonwealth College requirements: see an honors advisor in Commonwealth College, 504 Goodell.

You may start at the Commonwealth College office if you aren't sure where to begin!

Honors Courses

How do I know which honors courses to take?

A consultation with an honors advisor during your New Student Orientation will help you determine which honors courses are appropriate for your interests, academic plans and goals.

Two considerations when selecting honors courses are:

which courses will satisfy your remaining Commonwealth College requirements
which type of honors course best suits your needs: honors, seminar, honors colloquia, honors independent study, etc.

Prior to meeting with an honors advisor, we recommend that you read more about the various types of honors courses

How do I find an honors course?

Start with our online Honors Course Guide (HCG). This is a searchable database of courses offered as honors. Initially search for courses that you need to complete for your major or Gen Ed requirements. You may also register for honors courses for elective credit. Once you've found a course, proceed to the SPIRE database to register or follow alternate instructions listed in the HCG course description.

Must I take an honors course each semester?

Not necessarily. You may adjust your schedule as necessary to accommodate other interests such as internships or extra-curricular activities. Just plan ahead to avoid a backlog of requirements in your final two semesters and stay in touch with your advisors.

How hard are honors courses?

The challenge of an honors course will vary with its content and professor, but the focus of honors work is enrichment through engagement vs. difficulty. Honors courses may not be any more difficult than their non-honors counterparts but the benefits are great!

Honors courses offer students the opportunity to engage in active learning in a class of 25 or fewer students. Oftentimes research opportunities and an increased level of faculty mentoring are provided beyond those in non-honors courses.

What is the Dean's Book requirement?

Three 1-credit seminars typically completed prior to the senior year. They promote acquisition of skills in critical reading & analysis, discussion, writing, and public speaking. They are designed as preparation for the Capstone Experience requirement.

Transfer students may wish to register for Honors 291G, a special 2-credit section of Dean's Book which combines Parts I and II in one semester, taught back-to-back.

See Dean's Book Course and the Dean's Book Course FAQ for additional details.

What is the Capstone Experience requirement?

The Capstone Experience (CE) is a six or more credit research requirement normally completed in the senior year. You may choose from an Independent Capstone or Course Capstone. Each leads to a research manuscript in the form of a traditional thesis or a project manuscript with accompanying artifact(s). For details see the Capstone Experience section of our website.