University Profile:
University of Massachusetts Boston

At a Glance
Notable for its solid academic reputation, active faculty, modest class size and flexible schedules, the University of Massachusetts Boston is Boston's only public university. Its proximity to the city's cultural and social riches and urban sophistication, its moderate cost structure, and its dedicated, highly diverse student body make the campus an extremely desirable academic destination. The picturesque harborside campus is accessible by both public and private transportation, and the school will help you locate appropriate local housing options. A rich mix of student organizations provides social options connecting to both the campus and the surrounding metropolitan environs. With more than 100 undergraduate programs, 38 masters and 13 doctoral degree programs, UMass Boston surely has something for you.

Academics
UMass Boston's 14,000 active students enjoy the benefits of choosing coursework from among five undergraduate colleges, each of which award bachelor's degrees. The College of Liberal Arts and the College of Science and Mathematics offer a wide range of courses in the arts and sciences that relate easily to the wider world of post-college employment and promote a world perspective enabling graduates to make sense of any world they choose to inhabit.  The College of Management proffers opportunities to study business and management, with specific degrees in Management, Information Technology and Accounting; while the College of Nursing and Health Sciences is recognized for its ability to produce top notch nurses, and has an excellent program in Exercise & Health Sciences, as well, for those interested in other health-related careers. The College of Public and Community Service is well known for its competency-based, experiential approach to education and learning, concentrating on community service and advocacy. UMass Boston also offers undergraduate pre-med, pre-law, and teacher licensure programs, along with programs for honors study, credit by examination, and advanced placement.

These five colleges also offer graduate level programs, including master's and doctoral degree programs and graduate certificate programs, giving UMass Boston students the option of continuing their academic studies even after they have earned their bachelor's degree. In addition, two specifically graduate colleges -- the Graduate College of Education and the McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies -- offer graduate degree, graduate certificate and CAGS programs in their respective academic disciplines.

The academic calendar runs from early September through the end of May, with a one-month optional winter session in January and summer school sessions in June, July and August. All in all, it can almost be difficult not to learn a great deal at UMass Boston.

Campus Life
No matter what your interests, UMass Boston has an activity to engage you socially and intellectually. Be it student government, literary endeavors, championship chess, working with inner city youth, academically affiliated clubs, affinity groups, athletics opportunities, or a course-credit-based leadership development program, you can find the right activity to complement your classroom experience. UMass Boston is a community of scholars with pride in academic excellence, diversity, research, and service, tightly woven into the public and community service needs of Greater Boston. Our students come from an extraordinary range of backgrounds, talents and interests and represent all levels of the economic, political, spiritual and ethnic spectra. Many come straight from high school, while others transfer from two- and four-year colleges; most are from Massachusetts, but many arrive from other states and countries.

Facilities
Built to face the beautiful water views of Boston Harbor and Dorchester Bay, the physical campus has much to recommend it. There are research opportunities to be had at the adjacent Kennedy Presidential Library, and the Massachusetts State Archives and Museum, of course. The Kennedy Presidential Library is linked to UMass Boston by a variety of educational programs, enabling students to utilize the more than 28 million pages of documents, 6.5 million feet of film, and 100,000+ still photographs in the library s archives. Next door, the Archives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are also a rich depository covering more than 550 years of Massachusetts history.

The University's own Healey Library holds a collection of more than 600,000 volumes, 25,000 electronic and print journals and newspapers, 30,000 electronic books, 85 databases, and over 2,500 videos, DVDs, and films representing all fields of study on the campus. The library s electronic resources are available both on and off campus, 24/7. Also, UMass Boston is a member of three library consortia, and participates in the state-wide virtual catalog providing yet wider accessibility to scholarly and study resources.

The Information Technology Division provides seven-day-a-week access to general purpose computer labs with some 220 Dell Pentium Four and 60 Apple Macintosh G5/G4s, as well as other specialized, course-related facilities including Adaptive Computer, Graduate and Faculty, Media and Language Labs, as well as a media viewing center.  Equipment from Dell, Sun and Apple, and operating systems including Windows XP, Unix, Linux and Apple OS round out the school's technical advantages. With more than 70 Smart Classrooms, network connections throughout the campus, and wireless access in the Library and Campus Center, a wide variety of IT and data communications resources is available to students.

A state-of-the-art Campus Center provides easy access to student services, dining services and spectacular meeting spaces, along with the previously mentioned computer terminals and wireless Internet access.

Applying
Applying to UMass Boston is relatively easy. The application form is available online or can be downloaded and printed at home for easy completion. The University will also mail you a copy, if you prefer. A 500-word essay, transcripts, and a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor must be mailed in, along with the usual application fee. Your application for financial aid, using the national FAFSA form, is a separate transaction, though UMass Boston will automatically consider all accepted applicants for any aid for which they qualify and will offer the best possible aid package, including grants, scholarships, loans and work/study opportunities.