CS Honors - Graduate Course Inquiry
Hello, My name is Varun Rao, and I am a Computer Science and Math double major enrolled in the Computer Science Honors program. I am in my 6th semester, and I am planning to graduate at the end of the semester in May (Spring 2026). So far, I have completed the Honors seminar course CMSC396H. In terms of my other coursework, I have completed courses in CMSC416 (co-taught with CMSC616), CMSC420, CMSC475, and CMSC460. I am currently enrolled in CMSC426 and CMSC477. Last semester, before registering for my courses, I had emailed Dr. Levin about the graduate course requirement. As a result of my Math major and Robotics minor, I couldn't add a graduate course, so he told me that this requirement could be waived as long as the honors thesis was submitted. I am currently working on and plan to submit my Honors Thesis before May. However, before I move on with my independent research, I wanted to confirm whether I would still be eligible to graduate with Honors. While I have put in a lot of effort into this distinction and would be very proud of graduating with honors, I cannot add this graduate course requirement before graduating this semester. Please let me know if I can still graduate with Honors without having completed the graduate course, and if I should still continue with my Honors Thesis. Thank you in advance! Best, Varun Rao UID: 119551783
Dear Varun, Dr. Levin is on leave this semester. Could you help us by forwarding your email or slack correspondence with Dr. Levin? Thank you, On Sun, Feb 22, 2026 at 11:20 AM Varun Rao <vrao1234@terpmail.umd.edu> wrote:
Hello,
My name is Varun Rao, and I am a Computer Science and Math double major enrolled in the Computer Science Honors program. I am in my 6th semester, and I am planning to graduate at the end of the semester in May (Spring 2026).
So far, I have completed the Honors seminar course CMSC396H. In terms of my other coursework, I have completed courses in CMSC416 (co-taught with CMSC616), CMSC420, CMSC475, and CMSC460. I am currently enrolled in CMSC426 and CMSC477.
Last semester, before registering for my courses, I had emailed Dr. Levin about the graduate course requirement. As a result of my Math major and Robotics minor, I couldn't add a graduate course, so he told me that this requirement could be waived as long as the honors thesis was submitted.
I am currently working on and plan to submit my Honors Thesis before May. However, before I move on with my independent research, I wanted to confirm whether I would still be eligible to graduate with Honors. While I have put in a lot of effort into this distinction and would be very proud of graduating with honors, I cannot add this graduate course requirement before graduating this semester.
Please let me know if I can still graduate with Honors without having completed the graduate course, and if I should still continue with my Honors Thesis. Thank you in advance!
Best, Varun Rao UID: 119551783 _______________________________________________ Honors-chairs mailing list honors-chairs@cs.umd.edu https://mailman3.cs.umd.edu/postorius/lists/honors-chairs.cs.umd.edu
Dear Erin, Thank you for letting me know. Below, I have attached a screenshot of the full email correspondence between me and Dr. Levin from earlier last semester: [image: image.png] I have also forwarded the email in a separate thread for your reference. Please let me know about your decision whenever possible. Best, Varun Rao On Fri, Mar 6, 2026 at 2:29 PM Erin Molloy <ekmolloy@umd.edu> wrote:
Dear Varun,
Dr. Levin is on leave this semester. Could you help us by forwarding your email or slack correspondence with Dr. Levin?
Thank you,
On Sun, Feb 22, 2026 at 11:20 AM Varun Rao <vrao1234@terpmail.umd.edu> wrote:
Hello,
My name is Varun Rao, and I am a Computer Science and Math double major enrolled in the Computer Science Honors program. I am in my 6th semester, and I am planning to graduate at the end of the semester in May (Spring 2026).
So far, I have completed the Honors seminar course CMSC396H. In terms of my other coursework, I have completed courses in CMSC416 (co-taught with CMSC616), CMSC420, CMSC475, and CMSC460. I am currently enrolled in CMSC426 and CMSC477.
Last semester, before registering for my courses, I had emailed Dr. Levin about the graduate course requirement. As a result of my Math major and Robotics minor, I couldn't add a graduate course, so he told me that this requirement could be waived as long as the honors thesis was submitted.
I am currently working on and plan to submit my Honors Thesis before May. However, before I move on with my independent research, I wanted to confirm whether I would still be eligible to graduate with Honors. While I have put in a lot of effort into this distinction and would be very proud of graduating with honors, I cannot add this graduate course requirement before graduating this semester.
Please let me know if I can still graduate with Honors without having completed the graduate course, and if I should still continue with my Honors Thesis. Thank you in advance!
Best, Varun Rao UID: 119551783 _______________________________________________ Honors-chairs mailing list honors-chairs@cs.umd.edu https://mailman3.cs.umd.edu/postorius/lists/honors-chairs.cs.umd.edu
Thank you Varun! We will honor Dr. Levin's decision from last year. To graduate with honors, you must submit your honors thesis at this link: https://forms.gle/ZaZui7kUoYPiQGQU8 <https://forms.gle/ZaZui7kUoYPiQGQU8> by the end of the semester (May 18th). If you are not ready to submit your honors thesis yet, you can additionally fill out this form (https://forms.gle/Pgva1dDXzhw2bsJ96) so that we will know to tell the registrar to list your name with honors on the commencement programs (this is optional and not necessary) On Sun, Mar 8, 2026 at 3:26 PM Varun Rao <vrao1234@terpmail.umd.edu> wrote:
Dear Erin,
Thank you for letting me know. Below, I have attached a screenshot of the full email correspondence between me and Dr. Levin from earlier last semester: [image: image.png] I have also forwarded the email in a separate thread for your reference. Please let me know about your decision whenever possible.
Best, Varun Rao
On Fri, Mar 6, 2026 at 2:29 PM Erin Molloy <ekmolloy@umd.edu> wrote:
Dear Varun,
Dr. Levin is on leave this semester. Could you help us by forwarding your email or slack correspondence with Dr. Levin?
Thank you,
On Sun, Feb 22, 2026 at 11:20 AM Varun Rao <vrao1234@terpmail.umd.edu> wrote:
Hello,
My name is Varun Rao, and I am a Computer Science and Math double major enrolled in the Computer Science Honors program. I am in my 6th semester, and I am planning to graduate at the end of the semester in May (Spring 2026).
So far, I have completed the Honors seminar course CMSC396H. In terms of my other coursework, I have completed courses in CMSC416 (co-taught with CMSC616), CMSC420, CMSC475, and CMSC460. I am currently enrolled in CMSC426 and CMSC477.
Last semester, before registering for my courses, I had emailed Dr. Levin about the graduate course requirement. As a result of my Math major and Robotics minor, I couldn't add a graduate course, so he told me that this requirement could be waived as long as the honors thesis was submitted.
I am currently working on and plan to submit my Honors Thesis before May. However, before I move on with my independent research, I wanted to confirm whether I would still be eligible to graduate with Honors. While I have put in a lot of effort into this distinction and would be very proud of graduating with honors, I cannot add this graduate course requirement before graduating this semester.
Please let me know if I can still graduate with Honors without having completed the graduate course, and if I should still continue with my Honors Thesis. Thank you in advance!
Best, Varun Rao UID: 119551783 _______________________________________________ Honors-chairs mailing list honors-chairs@cs.umd.edu https://mailman3.cs.umd.edu/postorius/lists/honors-chairs.cs.umd.edu
Dear Erin, Thank you for letting me know. As of right now, I haven't completed my Honors Thesis, but I have submitted the additional form. As soon as I have completed my thesis, I will complete the other form and let you know of it. Thank you for your understanding! Best, Varun Rao On Sun, Mar 8, 2026 at 4:28 PM Erin Molloy <ekmolloy@umd.edu> wrote:
Thank you Varun! We will honor Dr. Levin's decision from last year.
To graduate with honors, you must submit your honors thesis at this link: https://forms.gle/ZaZui7kUoYPiQGQU8 <https://forms.gle/ZaZui7kUoYPiQGQU8> by the end of the semester (May 18th).
If you are not ready to submit your honors thesis yet, you can additionally fill out this form (https://forms.gle/Pgva1dDXzhw2bsJ96) so that we will know to tell the registrar to list your name with honors on the commencement programs (this is optional and not necessary)
On Sun, Mar 8, 2026 at 3:26 PM Varun Rao <vrao1234@terpmail.umd.edu> wrote:
Dear Erin,
Thank you for letting me know. Below, I have attached a screenshot of the full email correspondence between me and Dr. Levin from earlier last semester: [image: image.png] I have also forwarded the email in a separate thread for your reference. Please let me know about your decision whenever possible.
Best, Varun Rao
On Fri, Mar 6, 2026 at 2:29 PM Erin Molloy <ekmolloy@umd.edu> wrote:
Dear Varun,
Dr. Levin is on leave this semester. Could you help us by forwarding your email or slack correspondence with Dr. Levin?
Thank you,
On Sun, Feb 22, 2026 at 11:20 AM Varun Rao <vrao1234@terpmail.umd.edu> wrote:
Hello,
My name is Varun Rao, and I am a Computer Science and Math double major enrolled in the Computer Science Honors program. I am in my 6th semester, and I am planning to graduate at the end of the semester in May (Spring 2026).
So far, I have completed the Honors seminar course CMSC396H. In terms of my other coursework, I have completed courses in CMSC416 (co-taught with CMSC616), CMSC420, CMSC475, and CMSC460. I am currently enrolled in CMSC426 and CMSC477.
Last semester, before registering for my courses, I had emailed Dr. Levin about the graduate course requirement. As a result of my Math major and Robotics minor, I couldn't add a graduate course, so he told me that this requirement could be waived as long as the honors thesis was submitted.
I am currently working on and plan to submit my Honors Thesis before May. However, before I move on with my independent research, I wanted to confirm whether I would still be eligible to graduate with Honors. While I have put in a lot of effort into this distinction and would be very proud of graduating with honors, I cannot add this graduate course requirement before graduating this semester.
Please let me know if I can still graduate with Honors without having completed the graduate course, and if I should still continue with my Honors Thesis. Thank you in advance!
Best, Varun Rao UID: 119551783 _______________________________________________ Honors-chairs mailing list honors-chairs@cs.umd.edu https://mailman3.cs.umd.edu/postorius/lists/honors-chairs.cs.umd.edu
participants (2)
-
Erin Molloy -
Varun Rao