Honors College Frequently Asked Questions for Students
What exactly is the Honors College?
The Honors College at UMass Lowell is focused on eight core requirements geared toward high-achieving undergraduate students of all majors. The Honors College is designed to offer an enriching experience that focuses on honing a student’s research, presentation skills, critical thinking, analysis, and critical writing skills and encouraging excellence through their student years and into their future.
What are the benefits of being an honors student?
- Smaller class sizes in dedicated honors courses
- The opportunity to live in dedicated honors housing (The Honors House at University Suites)
- Preferential class registration for current students (Please note this only applies to regular courses. Priority registration does not apply to clinical courses in the School of Nursing)
- $1,500 Honors College Fellowship opportunities
- Honors Study Abroad opportunities
- Working one-on-one with faculty members on independent research
- Dedicated study space in the Honors Suite – Allen House on South Campus and Falmouth Hall 202B on North Campus
- Unique courses only available to honors students, called Honors Seminars: including Designing Your Life, 12 Ways to Slay a Vampire, Art & the Nazis, and many more!
What are students saying about their experience in the Honors College at UML?
- “I learned how to keep a really creative and open mind about what to do and who to do it with – a lot of that results from interdisciplinary learning.”
- “It was a way for me to prove to myself that I’m capable of taking on different things and succeeding.”
- “Honors built up my confidence. It also helped me recognize what path I should go down.”
Is there an extra cost to enroll in the Honors College?
Yes, there is a $150 fee per semester for Honors College students. These funds are used to offset the cost of the extensive opportunities that the Honors College provides.
Is there a dedicated Living Learning Community (LLC) for Honors students?
Yes, there is optional honors housing for honors students. The Commonwealth Honors Living Learning Community (LLC) at University Suites, the UML Honors House is located at University Suites. Please note, however, that honors housing is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Please also be aware that the pricing for University Suites is different from traditional residence hall prices due to the nature of it being a suite-style Residence Hall.
Are there study-abroad opportunities for Honors students?
Yes. Currently, the Honors College hosts dedicated honors study abroad opportunities during spring break, during winter break, and during the summer. Some examples of opportunities include San Sebastian, Spain, London, and Havana, Cuba. Honors students get first priority for these opportunities.
What are students saying about their Honors Study Abroad Experiences?
- “I would trade anything to go back to Spain. I became my best self on this trip, and I recommend anyone who is thinking about going on the study abroad trip to San Sebastian that they do it.”
- “As cliché as it sounds, the time in Cuba changed me. It changed my perspective on not only the country but how I view our world and the people living in it.”
What are the requirements to join Honors?
Incoming first-year students must have graduated high school with a 3.75 cumulative GPA.
Incoming transfer students must have earned at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA from their previous college or university to join Honors.
Current UML students wishing to apply must have a 3.25 cumulative GPA.
Are there people who can help me better understand how honors could work with my schedule?
Yes! We have honors specialists who are here to help you plan your honors pathway and answer any questions you may have.
What if I have transfer credit?
Depending on how many transfer credits a student has, such as AP, IB or credit from another institution, these may be used to satisfy some of your Honors requirements. If a student transfers in with at least 30 credits, we will waive the H1 requirement. If a student transfers in with at least 60 credits or an associate degree, we will waive the H1 and H2 requirements. Please reach out to your honors specialist for more information.
What if I am a transfer student and took honors courses through another college’s Honors Program or College?
If you took honors courses at your previous college, then those courses may very well transfer into the H1-H8! You can check with honors transfer specialist Kyrie Kowalik (kyrie_kowalik@uml.edu).
What if I already have credit for College Writing II (the H2 requirement)?
If a student has credit for College Writing II by the time they join Honors, they will not be required to take it again at the honors level. Instead, the H2 requirement can be replaced by an honors-level Arts & Humanities or Social Science core curriculum course.
What is Suitable?
Suitable is the app that houses our Honors By Design Program (HBD). The program displays events taking place on campus for students to engage within the community. E1 activities as well as other on and off campus events are posted here.
How do I access the Honors by Design Program on Suitable?
You can download the Suitable app from any app store or visit Suitable's website. Once you have the app installed, log in using your UMass Lowell credentials.
Am I required to attend all of the events listed in the Honors By Design Program?
Students are encouraged to participate in as many events as they can in the HBD program but are not required to attend more than the minimum E1 event per semester.
How do I get credit for attending an E1 event?
After you attend the event, you will complete the activity form under the milestones section of suitable. After the form is submitted a member of the honors team will review the submission and approve or send you feedback for why it was not approved.
What are Honors by Design points?
Each event earns you points in the honors by design challenge and towards different milestone badges. Once you complete a badge you can add it to your LinkedIn page.
What is the difference between E1s and points?
E1s are required events, while points are optional ways to get more involved within the honors community.
Do I need to be at a certain level to attend certain events?
Your level does not mean you can attend certain events, all students can attend any level events.
How do I know if an event counts as an E1?
Any event with the E1 tag can count towards your E1 requirement for the semester.
Where should I send any additional questions I have about E1s and events?
Please reach out to your honors specialist or email honors@uml.edu