Honors for All

At MassBay, the honors program is not just for students who already see themselves as “honors students.” We believe intellectual curiosity, academic confidence, and leadership can be cultivated through challenge, mentorship, and opportunity. The Commonwealth Honors Program at MassBay invites students to engage deeply with ideas, ask difficult questions, and participate in a community built around inquiry, creativity, and critical thinking. Honors classes enhance traditional coursework to emphasize research, advanced writing, independent study, and small group work.

Whether you are preparing to transfer, exploring new ideas, building confidence as a scholar, or looking for a more engaging academic experience, honors courses provide opportunities to:

• Participate in discussion-driven, student-centered classes
• Work closely with faculty mentors
• Strengthen transfer and scholarship applications
• Pursue independent and creative research
• Connect classroom learning to real-world issues

• Join a supportive community of motivated and curious students

  Upon graduating, transfer into other institutions’ Honors Programs

Massachusetts State Honors Programs

Any student may apply to take an honors course, regardless of GPA, degree program, or academic history.

Take an Honors Course
Honors‑designated courses are offered each fall and spring semester, and all students are welcome to enroll. Successfully completing an honors‑designated section results in an honors designation on your transcript for that course.

Honors Course Offerings

Complete an Honors Contract
Through the Honors by Contract option, students may transform a non‑honors course into an honors experience by completing an approved honors contract with a willing instructor. Successfully completing an honors contract earns an honors designation on the student’s transcript for that course. Students may complete up to two courses as Honors by Contract.

Students who are interested in this option should complete the following steps:

• Let your professor know that you are interested, and decide on an additional assessment or project which, when completed, will transform your class into an honors class.
• Email honors@massbay.edu asking for an Honors Contract, and CC your professor. A contract will then be sent to you and your professor.
• Fill out and sign the contract.

To complete the Commonwealth Honors program, students must complete at least three honors classes at MassBay, including the Honors Colloquium, while maintaining a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA and a minimum grade of “B” (3.0) in each honors course. Students who complete the Commonwealth Honors program at MassBay are eligible for admission in the comparable Honors Program available at the Commonwealth’s sister State Universities and University of Massachusetts campuses.