University of Massachusetts-Boston

university of massachusetts boston majors

Degree Programs Available at the University of Massachusetts-Boston

The University of Massachusetts-Boston appears in our ranking of 100 Affordable Public Schools With High 40-Year ROIs.

University of Massachusetts-Boston undergrads can choose from more than 50 degree programs as well as a handful of concentrations. The management major awards graduates with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree and includes concentrations in leadership, entrepreneurship, and finance among others. This program provides internships for students who want to gain practical experience and access to investment and business clubs. Students can choose from other concentrations and tracks as well as minors in other programs, including creative writing and biotechnology. Chemistry, mathematics, psychology, women and gender studies and music are some of the other majors available for undergrads.

More than 40 programs are available from UMass Boston for graduate students too, including a counseling education major. Counseling majors can study general or adjustment counseling and spend a few hundred hours in the field. The university’s conflict resolution program trains students on finding ways to resolve issues between two or more people or groups. It also has a popular Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, which is available online and on-campus as well as in a hybrid format. The hybrid MBA gives students the chance to take some classes online while doing other work in Boston.

Students at all levels can also choose from a variety of online programs, many of which have start dates up to four times a year. One option is an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) that takes only one year to complete and includes a small amount of offline work. The university’s gerontology program for graduate students includes concentrations in organizing and managing senior transportation, management of aging services, and global aging and life. Depending on their concentrations, it takes up to four years to complete this program. Other majors that online students can choose from include rehabilitation counseling, vision studies, and global affairs.

This University of Massachusetts-Boston offers opportunities for local high school students to obtain college credits through the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership. Also called the dual enrollment program, students can take 100-level and 200-level courses both online and on-campus. The credits they earn will count towards their high school diplomas and also transfer to other schools. Since opening in 1992, more than 12,000 students from area schools have taken part in this program. The university does not limit what subjects or areas that students can study.

About the University of Massachusetts-Boston

Often called UMass Boston, the University of Massachusetts-Boston is a public university in Boston, Massachusetts. Though the UMass system opened in 1863, the Boston campus did not open until around a century later when the state wanted to open a new school for commuters. It used the name Boston State College until becoming UMass Boston in 1964. As the needs of incoming students changed, the university switched from a commuter school to a standard university that offered programs for all types of students.

UMass Boston has partnerships with local employers such as hospitals to offer internships and other programs for students to help them gain real-life experience. The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report and Forbes all rank UMass Boston as one of the nation’s top schools, which helped its overall enrollment grow to more than 15,000 students.

University of Massachusetts-Boston Accreditation Details

With regional accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), UMass Boston can evaluate transcripts that students submit and determine what credits will transfer. It is the same accreditation that allows incoming students to apply for financial aid also. Some of the programs available from UMass Boston at all levels have accreditation from organizations that include the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

University of Massachusetts-Boston Application Requirements

Students applying to the university’s dual enrollment program need a high school grade point average of 2.5 or higher and must live in Massachusetts. They also need to be a high school student in the state or enrolled in a home school program. UMass Boston requires that incoming students complete a non-registration application and meet with the program coordinator. They may need to submit a letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor or teacher too.

Traditional undergrads who have a high school diploma can attend an online seminar to learn more about UMass Boston and meet with an admissions counselor online too. As a test-optional school, students do not need to provide an ACT or SAT score unless they believe it will help their applications. There is a November first early application deadline and a regular deadline near the middle of May. All applications must include a high school transcript, an essay of 500 words or more, an academic recommendation letter, and a $60 application fee.

Graduate students need a minimum undergrad GPA of 2.75 or higher and a transcript that shows they either have a bachelor’s degree or will complete one by the time they start at UMass Boston. Many programs ask for an official score from the GMAT or GRE. Students will also write and submit a statement of purpose and provide up to three letters of recommendation. Each graduate program can set its own application deadline.

Tuition and Financial Aid

UMass Boston undergrads pay $7,306.50 per semester if they are Massachusetts residents. This includes the university’s technology and activity fee. Undergrads not from Massachusetts pay $17,537.50 each semester. The university also has a program designed for students coming from other states in New England that allows them to pay $13,836.50 a semester. Those taking graduate courses pay $9,440 as a resident of Massachusetts, $18,217.50 as a nonresident, and $15,193 as a resident of any other state in New England. Those rates include tuition costs and fees.

Any student attending UMass Boston can apply for financial aid, but they’ll need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before the beginning of the next semester. The university has scholarships and grants for undergrads and can help them get federal loans and grants too. Some students also qualify for work-study, which is available for graduate students in the form of assistantships. Several loan programs are open to graduate students too. Prospective students can look at the undergraduate and graduate programs available from the University of Massachusetts-Boston before applying for any type of financial aid.