The Commonwealth Honors Program encourages you to immerse yourself in your studies, think critically about your work, and take on advanced research opportunities. Take classes with other introspective students and have meaningful conversations in your honors-level classes. Reach your full potential with the our honors program.

About the Program

Students participating in the Honors Program:

  • Complete selected courses on an Honors level
  • Participate in an Honors Colloquium
  • Participate in Cultural and Social events
  • Receive personal guidance and peer support
  • Increase their transfer and scholarship opportunities
  • Have access to an Honors Lounge providing space for study, small gatherings and pursuit of research
  • Receive College-wide recognition

All potential Honors Program students must meet with the Honors Program Coordinator.

To remain in good standing, and for QCC’s Honors Program to be recognized as a Commonwealth Honors Program, all students, once accepted into the Honors Program, must maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than 3.3.

Requirements

Program Requirements

To graduate as a Commonwealth Honors Scholar from Quinsigamond Community College, students need a minimum of:

  • A 3.3 GPA;
  • Three honors courses with a grade of B or better. The Program provides students an opportunity to substitute one honors class with independent research or an honors contract in a non-honors class of the student’s choosing;
  • IDS 200: Honors Colloquium, an interdisciplinary team-taught capstone course.
Admissions Standards

To be admitted to Quinsigamond Community College’s Commonwealth Honors Program, a student must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Current QCC Students: 3.5 cumulative GPA with college level credits(progress or final grades)
  • New QCC Students: High School GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale and placement into ENG 101.
  • Transfer Students: in good standing from another Commonwealth Honors Program.

A student who does not meet one of the above automatic admissions criteria may apply to the Honors Coordinator, providing other evidence of academic success including recommendations from high school or college faculty.

Apply to the Program

Return the application form by June 30 for the following Fall semester or December 1 for the following Spring semester to:

Jean Kennedy
Honors Program Coordinator
Quinsigamond Community College
670 West Boylston Street
Worcester, MA 01606

Scholarship Application Form
Honors Contract Form

The Honors Program at Quinsigamond Community College strives to motivate academically talented students to develop their fullest potential. In addition, the Program seeks to awaken and nurture a sense of humane citizenry and community responsibility within its members.The Honors Program at QCC is the ultimate college experience. Honors courses offer the students alternative learning opportunities to enhance critical thinking skills.

Honors courses “encourage student involvement. Although the course objectives are primarily the same as in the non-honors sections, the classes emphasize individual interpretation and analysis, creative thinking, oral communication, and writing . . . . The level of discussion is usually more intellectual and probing, and the student outcomes for the course may emphasize an improvement of critical thinking . . . . There is considerable agreement among honors professionals that an honors section is not formed by adding more work to the regular course.”

The Honors Program at QCC is proud to be accredited by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education as a Commonwealth Honors Program. We are part of an integrated, collaborative system-wide network of honors programs in Massachusetts public higher education.

Fall 2025

  • ENG 101-06 Composition I HONORS MW 09:30-10:45AM; MAIN Campus, Honors Classroom, 352
  • ENG 101-30 Composition I HONORS TR 11:00AM-12:15PM; MAIN Campus, Honors Classroom, 352
  • ENG 102-12 Composition II HONORS TR 09:30-10:45AM; MAIN Campus, Honors Classroom, 352
  • ENG 102-B1 Composition II HONORS 00:00-00:00AM; MAIN Campus, Online Classes, Online Courses
  • HST 105-01 World History II: 1500-WWI HONORS TR 12:30-01:45PM; MAIN Campus, Honors Classroom, 352
  • IDS 200-01 Honor Colloquium: Special Topics MW 12:30-01:45PM; MAIN Campus, Honors Classroom, 352
  • PHI 203-01 Philosophy of Technology HONORS W 11:00AM-12:15PM; MAIN Campus, Remote Learning
  • PSY 101-06 Introduction to Psychology HONORS MW 11:00AM-12:15PM; MAIN Campus, Honors Classroom, 352 

Honors Community at Quinsigamond

The Commonwealth Honors Program at Quinsigamond offers more than inspiring academics; it offers a real sense of community for its participants. Honors students have the opportunity to work in small groups, receive individual attention from faculty, meet and discuss challenges and opportunities, participate in a library mentoring program; attend and present at the Undergraduate Research Conference at UMass Amherst; participate in a state-wide Honors Student Council; and attend events at public colleges and universities across the state, among other activities.

Transferring to a 4-year college or university

QCC Transfer Office — 272A, 508.854.4562, transfer@qcc.mass.edu.

Honors Communities at Massachusetts 4-year universities

For a complete listing of participating Commonwealth Honors Programs and Colleges please visit the Department of Higher Education website at http://www.mass.edu/system/honors.asp.

Honors News

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Learn More

For further information and an Honors Program Application, reach out to us!