The UMass LowellCommonwealth Honors Program

An Overview

Part I The University’s Bigger Picture

Part II: A University-wide Honors Program

Part III: Joining Honors (partially completed)

Part IV: Transferring into Honors After You Start College

By Jim Canning - November 2013 ( Version 1.1)

Part I

The University’s Bigger Picture

University of Massachusetts Lowell Academic Hierarchy

1 University

4 Colleges and 2 Schools

29 Departments and 2 more Schools

83 Undergraduate Degree Programs and Concentrations

Each of the 83 degrees programs and concentrations

aresummarized by a curriculum grid.

They vary in their amount of “freedom of choice”

that a student may have.

For example ….• Lots of Freedom

– History– Psychology

• Not Much Freedom– Chemical Engineering– Sound Recording Technology

• In-Between Freedom– Accounting – Computer Science– Nursing

Insert the example curriculum grids in this position.

Embedded inside those grids are three levels of requirements

…. you need to satisfy

University Level Requirements

College Level Requirements

Department Level Requirements

All students must satisfy university requirements:

• College Writing I and College Writing II• 1 Mathematics General Education course• 3 Social Science General Education courses• 3 Arts and Humanities General Education courses• 3 Science and Technology General Education courses• 1 Diversity Badge• 1 Ethics Badge• A minimum of 120 college credits• A minimum of a 2.00 grade point average

At UMass Lowell we havefour gen. ed. categories:

• Mathematics• Social Science (SS)• Arts and Humanities (AH)• Science and Technology (SC, TN)

How can you learn what courses are general education courses ?

Answer:www.uml.edu/gened

This website has the approved lists for each of the four gen. ed. areas:

Arts and Humanities (AH)Social Science (SS)

Science and Technology (ST, TN)Mathematics

Example English Gen. Ed.AH

English:• 40.248 (D, E) Values in American Culture (Also listed as 42.248)• 40.257 (D) The Family in American Literature (Also listed as 42.257)• 42.201 Great Books of Antiquity• 42.205 Great Books of the Modern World• 42.205 (D, E) Human Values in Western Culture I (Also listed as 59.205)• 42.206 (D, E) Human Values in Western Culture II (Also listed as 59.206)• 42.210 Drama• 42.211 Poetry • 42.212 Short Story • 42.216 (E) Monsters, Apes, and Nightmares• 42.217 Horror Story

EnglishHistoryPhilosophyCultural StudiesOther …

Example Social Science Gen. Eds.SS

Political Science:• 46.101 Introduction to American Politics• 46.110 (D) Introduction to Politics• 46.112 (D) Comparative Political Systems• 46.121 (D) Introduction to International Relations• 46.175 Introduction to Environmental Studies• 46.215 (D) African Politics (Also listed as 57.225)• 46.218 (DE) Introduction to Politics and Sports• 46.231 (E) Intorduction to Political Thought• 46.235 (D) Constitutional Law and Politics (and honors section)• 46.237 (D) Civil Liberties Law and Politics (and honors section)

Peace and Conflict Studies • PCS.205 (E) Restorative Justice (Also listed as 41.210)

Psychology:• 47.101 General Psychology• 47.209 (D) Social Psychology• 47.232 Psychology of Personality• 47.255 (D) Community Psychology

Political SciencePsychologyCriminal JusticeSociologyEconomicsOther …

Part II

The Commonwealth Honors Program at UMass Lowell

What We AreThe UMass Lowell Commonwealth Honors program is a university-wide academic and social enrichment program whose graduates need to satisfy four requirements.

They are:

CHP-1: Earn a 3.25 GPA or higher.

CHP-2: Submit one approved enrichment form (E1) each semester.

CHP-3: Satisfy the H1-H8 honors course requirements.

CHP-4: Create and present either an Honors Project or an Honors Thesis.

What Commonwealth Honors is Not

First: We are not Latin Honors.

• Summa Cum Laude 3.850 - 4.0 • Magna Cum Laude 3.500 - 3.849 • Cum Laude 3.250 - 3.499

Second: We are not a department level honors program.

Computer Science Dept. Honors Program. Psychology Dept. Honors Program.Physics Dept. Honors Program.

We are not a …

Third: We are not a College Level Honors Program.

Not a …

College of Sciences Honors ProgramManning School of Business Honors Program

College of Engineering Honors Program

Fourth: We are not a national organization.

Phi Beta KappaPhi Kappa PhiPi Mu Epsilon

If you satisfy our four CHP requirements:

• Your transcript will identify you as a Commonwealth Honors Scholar.

• Your diploma will have a nice shiny gold embossed sticker on it.

• You will be recognized at graduation.

• Your honors project or honors thesis will be hard-bound and displayed forever – in full glory and with pride!

One principal aim of the honors …

… program is to ensure that students take a number of dedicated honors classes that are populated mostly with other honors students.

These classes are taught by highly motivated faculty who love teaching undergraduates. They are some of the finest teachers on campus.

Another principal aim … is to allow you

… to express and practice your research/creative skills while being supported by a caring faculty mentor who will help you complete either a six month or a twelve month honors project or honors thesis.

A third principal aim is to …

strengthen your

• Complex reading skills• Writing skills• Presentation skills• Critical Thinking skills

A fourth aim is to …plant a few seeds:

• You can earn an advanced or terminal degree.

• You can do research and create.

• Exploration and creativity is fun.

Have you conquer the “bunny slope”.

Before working on the “double-blacked diamond”.

If you are a member of the Commonwealth Honors Program …

• You have the option of living in honors housing.

• You are able to register for classes before most of the other students on campus.

• You get to receive lots of emails from Jim.

Our standard honors curriculum is an 8-course, 24 credit program that includes:

• a minimum of 5 dedicated honors courses populated with other honors students. At least four of these have majors from many disciplines.

• either – a one-semester, 3-6 credit, Honors Project or– a two-semester, 6 credit Honors Thesis

• at most one graduate level class or at most one 300/400 level Honors-By-Contract.

Our honors curriculumgrid can overlay 80 of the 83

undergraduateprograms without requiring any

extra classes.

We are likely just a conversation away from including the final

three.

Recall our four CHP RequirementsCHP-1: 3.25 GPA or higher

CHP-2: One enrichment form (E1) per semester.

CHP-3: The H1-H8 honors course requirements.

CHP-4: One honors project or one honors thesis.

CHP-1: Earn a 3.25 GPA or HigherIf your GPA drops below 3.0 we will withdraw you from the Commonwealth Honors Program.

If your GPA drops below 3.25 but remains at 3.00 or higher, we will put you on “honors probation”.

If you are on honors probation for two consecutive semesters we will withdraw you from the program.

Students on honors probation cannot compete for honors scholarships given by the honors program.

CHP-2: Enrichment Requirement (E1)We want you to attend a campus-event or activity and report on it. You need to do this once per semester. We encourage you to do more than one. It should be an event that is not directly tied to your major. It should not fulfill a class requirement.

If you do not submit an approved E1 form for a given semester, we will put you on “honors probation”. If you miss two semesters in a row, we will withdraw you from the honors program.

CHP-3: H1 – H8

These eight honors course requirements do not need to be extra courses, they are enhanced or different courses that are already embedded into your major’s curriculum grid.

You must earn a B or better in each of these classes.

H1 H2 H3 H4 H5H6 H7 H8

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3

H5

H7 H8

Honors Course Requirements H1 – H8The Harry Chapin Approach

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3

H5

H7 H8

At least four are at the 300/400 level

300/400level

courses

H2 H1

H4

H6

H3

H5

H7 H8

They can be taken in different orders.

H1H3

H2

H4

H6

H5

H7 H8

You can double up in one semester.

H1H3

H2

H4H6

H7

H5

H8

Here is another possible order.

H1 HON 110: FYSH

(Arts and Humanities Gen. Ed)

H2 Honors College Writing II

42.102 Section 3xx

H4

H6

H3

H5

H7 H8

H1 and H2

H1 H2

H4 There are two ways to fill this H4 requirement.

H6

H3

H5

H7 H8

H4

H1 H2

H4 First Way: Take an Honors Section of a General Education Course ( AH, SS, ST, Math)

H6

H3

H5

H7 H8

H4: Take an Honors Gen. Ed.

How can I identify if my section is an honors section?

Answer: It is an honors section if the section number begins with a 3.

For example, 301, 302, 303, …

Honors Gen. Ed. Courses

Mathematics Science and Technology

92.141 Honors Calculus I92.142 Honors Calculus II92.241 Honors Calculus III92.244 Honors Differential Equations

95.161 Honors Physics I84.135 Honors Chemistry I84.136 Honors Chemistry II

Social Science Arts and Humaniites

41.261 Introduction to Legal Studies44.248 Terrorism44.360 Gender, Race, and Crime46.110 Introduction to Politics47.101 General Psychology47.260 Child & Adolescent Development48.101 Introduction to Sociology48.330 Fast Food, Hot Planet49.201 Economics I49.202 Macroeconomics

42.217 Horror Story42.249 Lit. on Tech.and Human Values42.258 Disability in Literature42.311 The South in Amer. Literature43.111 US History to 187758.101 Art Appreciation74.261 Music History I (~)74.262 Music History II (~)HON 110 FYSH

How do I know what honors gen. eds. are offered this semester?

Answer: www.uml.edu/registrar and then click on the semester of interest.… and then click on honors courses.… then scope down the column labeled gen. ed.

And do not forget – any Honors math, Honors Physics I, Honors Chem I, Honors Chem II are gen. eds. too!

H1 H2

H4 Second Way: Take an Honors Seminar

Ex. HON 320: Power: What it is …

H6

H3

H5

H7 H8

H4: Use an Honors Seminar

What is an Honors Seminar?An Honors Seminar is a 300/400 level dedicated honors course that has the following properties:

• It has an enrollment of 19 or less.

• It is accessible and available to many majors across campus.

• It does not have any firm pre-requisites.

• Issues based critical thinking and communication are prevalent. This implies a fair amount of analysis and synthesis. This normally translates into a course that involves a substantial amount of reading, writing, discussion and/or presentation.

Honors Seminars• HON 310 Honors (Thesis) Workshop

• HON 320 Honors Topics– Difference Makers: Past, Present, and Future – The Radiance of Being– Power: What it is. What it Does. Why it is Important.– Heroes Through History– Smart Thinking: How to Analyze and Argue– Ideas Worth Spreading– Literary Works that Changed the World– Gender and Sexuality in Theater and Film

• 95.316 Science and Technology in the Impoverished World • 48.330 Fast Food, Hot Planet: A Sociological Approach ... • 42.342 Women Writers and the Past • 43.311 The South in American Literature• 41.489 Seminar in Law

• PCS 473 Seminar in Peace and Conflict Studies– Perspectives on Human Rights– Bridging Minds for Peace

How do I know what is an honors seminar?

At present, you need to either:

1. ask Jim, Beth, Elizabeth, or Megan

2. Read the email that Jim sends to you on the honors listserver.

We are working on a better way to distribute this information.

H1 H2

H4

H6 Honors Seminar

H3

H5

H7 H8

H6

H1 HON 110: FYSH

(AH)

H2 42.102, Section 308 Honors College Writing II

H4 47.101 Section 301An honors section of

General Psychology

H6 95.316, Section 301 Science & Technology in the Impoverished World

H3

H5

H7 H8

One Example of H1, H2, H4, and H6

H1 HON 110: FYSH

(AH)

H2 42.102 Section 312 Honors College Writing II

H4 92.141 Honors Calculus I

H6 48.330 Section 301 Fast Food Hot Planet (SS – Gen. Ed.)

H3

H5

H7 H8

Another Example of H1, H2, H4, and H6

H2 42.102 Section 301 Honors College Writing II

H1 HON 110: FYSH (AH)

H4 58.101 Section 301

Honors Art Appreciation

H6 HON 310, Section 301 Honors Thesis Workshop

H3

H5

H7 H8

A Third Example of H1, H2, H4, and H6

Replacing H1 and H2Sometimes there is a very valid reason why a student cannot take HON 110 FYSH or cannot take an honors section of 42.102 College Writing II.

In this case, the student must replace H1/H2 with either an honors AH gen ed or an honors SS gen ed or an honors seminar.

In such cases, a student should identify the replacement course and submit an Honors Petition for Exception Form (see www.uml.edu/honors).

H2 H1

H4

H6

H3 There are two ways to satisfy the

H3 requirement

H5

H7 H8

H3

H2 H1

H4

H6

H3 First Way:

Any 200/300/400 honors course

H5

H7 H8

H3

H2 H1

H4

H6

H3 60.201 Section 301

Honors Acct/Financial

H5

H7 H8

H3

H2 H1

H4

H6

H3 66.210, Section 301Honors

Professional Communications

H5

H7 H8

H3

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3 91.201, Section 301

Honors Computing III

H5

H7 H8

H3

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3 HON 320: Topics

H5

H7 H8

H3

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3 Second Way:

An Honors Gen. Ed.

H5

H7 H8

H3

H3 and H4

The two courses that are used to satisfy the H3 and the H4 must be from different departments.

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3

H5 There are three ways to satisfy the H5 requirement.

H7 H8

H5

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3

H5 First Way:Any graduate level class.

H7 H8

H5

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3

H5 Second Way:

Any 300/400 honors course.

H7 H8

H5

H1 H2

H4

H6

H3

H5 Third Way: Any 300/400 level

Honors by Contract

H7 H8

H5

What is an Honors-By-Contract?

An honors by contract is an honors add-on to a non-honors class that is negotiated between the honors student and the faculty of record for the course.

The contract must be approved by the director of the honors program.

Satisfying the H7 and the H8

Three ways:

1. A two-semester honors thesis experience

2. A two-semester honors project experience

3. A one-semester honors project experience plus another approved honors class.

H1 HON 110: FYSH (AH)

H3 Honors Calculus I

H2 Honors College Writing II

H4 49.201, Section 301 An honors section of Econ I

H6 95.315, Section 301 Sci. & Tech. Imp. World ( ME Tech Elect)

H5 22.381 Fluid Mech. with an Honors by Contract

H7: ME Graduate Courseor an

Honors Seminar

H8 22.423 Section 30x Capstone Design + an honors add-on.

Mechanical + Commonwealth Honors: PossibleOne Semester Project Experience

H1 HON 110: FYSH (AH)

H3 Honors Calculus I

H2 Honors College Writing II

H4 49.201, Section 301 An honors section of Econ I

H6 95.315, Section 301 Sci. & Tech. Imp. World (ME Tech Elect)

H5 22.381 Fluid Mech. with an Honors by Contract

H7: 23.492, Section 301

ME Directed Study

H8 23.492, Section 301

ME Directed Study

Mechanical + Commonwealth Honors: PossibleTwo semester honors thesis experience

H1 HON 110: FYSH (AH) H2 Honors College Writing II

H4 49.201, Section 301 An honors section of Econ I

H6 HON 320: Topics Smart Thinking: How to Analyze and Argue

H3 66.310, Section 310 Honors Professional Communication

H5 66.301 Section 301 Honors Organizational Behavior

H7: 60.499 Independent

Study

H8 66.490, Section 301 Strategic Management

Accounting + Commonwealth Honors: PossibleOne Semester Honors Project

H1 HON 110: FYSH (AH)

H3 47.101, Section 301

H2 Honors College Writing II

H4 48.101, Section 301

H6 HON 320: Topics Smart Thinking: How to Analyze and Argue

H5 An honors by contract alongside 33.310 Health Promo. & RiskH7:

33.412 Comm. Health with an honors add-on

H8 33.415 Community

Project with an honors add-on

Nursing + Commonwealth Honors: PossibleTwo semester honors project experience

The Honors ProjectThe goal of an honors project is either to solve an applied problem or to produce a creative artifact.

All Honors Project Experiences across campus have the following five components:

– A creative project– A written piece produced by the individual Honors Student– A presentation given by the individual Honors Student– An Honors Project Advisor– An Honors Project Committee

The Honors Project(modeled after Colorado State)

Honors Project Experiences can be linked with mandatory within major requirements such as:

– An engineering design/capstone project– An artistic project– A sound recording mix – A software project – A business-plan– A required in-the-field experience

The Honors Project

Linked-honors project experiences will also contain:

– A reasonable “value-added” honors component that has been approved by both the student’s Honors Project Advisor and the Honors Director.

This value-added component must always include a 7-15 page context paper. In addition to this, the student will often do an extra technical piece too.

The Honors Project• Honors Project Experiences that occur primarily within a team of

students will have an individual contribution written piece.

• Honors Projects are either 6 months (1 semester) in length or they are 12 months (2 semesters) in length.

• A two-semester Honors Project Experience will satisfy both the H7 and the H8 honors course requirements.

• A one-semester Honors Project Experience will satisfy the H8 honors course requirement. If a student engages in a one-semester project experience then the H7 course requirement needs to be fulfilled in another manner with the approval of the Honors Director.

The Honors ThesisThe Honors Thesis Experience is always a two-semester, 6-credit research activity. The goal of this activity is new knowledge.

The student must find a faculty mentor who will guide the student through the process. In the ideal, this is a twelve month experience.

The student will typically sign up for two independent study courses.

The Honors Thesis Experience will satisfy both the H7 and the H8 honors course requirements.

How Does One Join the Honors Program?

Method 1: Automatic Invite as you enter UMass Lowell from High School.

Method 2: Automatic Invite as you enter UMass Lowell from another college.

Method 3: A student seeks to join without an invite.

Method 4: Automatic Invite as you enter honors from within UMass Lowell.

Transferring into Honors

We encourage transfer students to enter the honors program, but they must do so knowing all the honors requirements and they must sit with an honors advisor to develop an Honors Program of Study.

As such we have the following transfer guidelines:

Transfer GuidelineIf you transfer 29 or less credits into the Commonwealth Honors Program you must satisfy all H1-H8 course requirements.

However, it may be that H1 and/or H2 need to be replaced with another dedicated honors course.

These replacement courses must be either:– An honors SS gen. ed.– An honors AH gen. ed.– An honors seminar

Transfer Guidelines

If you transfer in 30 or more college credits either your H1 or your H2 would be waived.All other course requirements must be met.

If you transfer in 60 or more college credits both of your H1 and your H2 course requirements would be waived. All other course requirements must be met. It may be possible to waive the H3 requirement in lieu of waiving either H1 or H2.

Transfer Guideline

Honors courses taken at another Commonwealth Honors Program (ie. UMass Boston, Fitchburg State, Middlesex CC ) could be used to satisfy the H1, H2, H3, and/or H4 honors requirements.

Honors courses taken at a non-Commonwealth Honors program will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

Transferring into HonorsMost students who transfer into honors will not need to take an extra class or two.

However, it is possible that an extra course may need to be taken.

This could happen when the student:

– Has already satisfied all gen. ed. requirements and is in a major with little or no “freedom of choice”.

– Is aggressively pursuing a double major.

– Plans to graduate early ( less than 8 semesters).

– Some combination of the above three items.

When You Enter Honors Matters

If join our honors program during a semester, your first full semester in honors is the next semester.

The number of college credits you bring into your first full semester as an honors student is what is used when applying the transfer guidelines.