Customizable Degree Programs at Simmons University
Simmons University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Most Affordable MPH Online Programs.
Simmons University touts the customizability of their programs, whether that is through concentrations, dual or accelerated programs or through the addition of courses from other disciplines. There are more than 70 undergraduate programs alone. All Simmons students perform internships or field experiences, and the university offers a study-abroad program.
The Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Analytics, for instance, is a 127-to-128 credit-hour program. Forty-three of those credits are in requisites and 20-to-24 are in the concentration. The program can be customized through the selection of one of fourteen concentrations including Biology, Business-Accounting; Business-Finance; Business-Healthcare Management and more.
The Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry is a fascinating program that includes areas like the determination of heredity, how the body uses energy, how nerve impulses are created and transmitted and others. The chemistry component of the degree requires independent research and a thesis with an oral defense. The program is customizable through a dual major or through an accelerated program or by adding a minor.
The Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism requires students to take Visual Communication, a Media Writing Bootcamp and a class called Media, Messages and Society. There are additional journalism and communications courses as well as the liberal arts foundational courses, electives, and a capstone experience.
There are more than 84 graduate degrees at the school. While the undergraduate programs are women-centric, the graduate school is truly coeducational.
The Master of Science in Behavioral Analysis, for instance, can be earned as an Ed.S. or an MS. The difference in the programs is that the Ed.S. Degree is intended for those who already hold a master’s degree. The program is a good choice for anyone who wants to become a Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst. There are many career options, though education is a staple because Behavioral Analysis techniques are proven effective with people, especially children, on the Autism Spectrum.
The degree contains 42 credit-hours and is presented in two-to-three weekday evening classes on campus with some online courses required, or it can be earned completely online.
There are many education programs at Simmons as well as a plethora of nursing programs. For instance, The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is available as a traditional four-year on-campus program, as a 16-month-to-two year adult education offering, as an R.N. to B.S.N. program or as an accelerated Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Nursing degree.
The four-year program involves completion of coursework and six group clinical rotations as well as 600 hours over four semesters of preceptorship to prepare to take the NCLEX exam. There are also 700 hours of advanced clinicals included over the four years of the degree path. There are courses in pharmacology, surgical nursing, maternity, and pediatric nursing and in psychiatric mental health
There is a Ph.D. in Nursing-Health Profession Education that is for people who want to design curriculum. That degree contains two components: education and research. It is entirely online and contains 48 credit-hours.
There are master’s degree programs in public health, and a direct-entry MSN that is intended for people who have backgrounds in other areas, an MSN for people who hold BSN degrees, and another for those who have RN licenses and nurse practitioner programs.
The university also has several accelerated programs including a BS/MS in Biology and Nutrition and Health Promotion that is a 4+1 program, a 3+1 BS/MS in Computer Science and Library Information Science and a BSW/MSW 3=1 program in social work among others.
About Simmons University
This private school was founded in 1899, at a time when women had few opportunities, to allow them to become educated so that they could support themselves in professional positions. The first African-American woman graduated in 1914. Until 2018, the school was a women’s college, but that year it became coeducational. The undergraduate programs still focus on women, but the university, in general, welcomes male, female and transgender students.
There are more than 1,860 undergraduate students and about 3,000 graduate students enrolled at the university through its four colleges. These are the College of Natural, Behavioral and Health Sciences, the College of Organizational, Computational and Information Sciences, the College of Social Sciences, Policy and Practice and the Gwen Isill College of Media Arts and Humanities.
The US News and World Report ranks this university as #125 of National Universities. The average class has fewer than twenty students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. Simmons University has an impressive four-year graduation rate of 76 percent.
Simmons University Accreditation Details
- The New England Association of the Higher Learning Commission
- The Association of Behavioral Analysis International
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Council on Social Work Education Commission on Accreditation
- Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business, International
- Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education
- Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- American Library Association Committee on Accreditation
Simmons University Application Requirements
Undergraduates who apply to this university may use the institutional application, the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Students may complete the application form by hand if desired, but all three forms are available online. There is no fee for the Coalition Application or the Common Application, but the institutional application has a $55 nonrefundable application fee.
Undergraduates must also complete a college preparatory program. They should arrange to have the official results of their SAT/ACT test sent to the school and to have their official high school transcript submitted to Simmons as well. The school also suggests including the class rank.
Graduate application varies by program. The Master’s in Behavioral Analysis, for instance, requires the student to complete the online application, submit a CV/Resume, a statement of purpose, official undergraduate transcripts and two letters of recommendation. There is a $35 non-refundable application fee.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition at Simmons University averages $40,850 per year. Additionally, room and board costs are $15,200 per year. With other fees and charges, undergraduate cost-of-attendance is estimated at $61,013 plus personal expenses.
Graduate tuition varies by program. Behavioral Analysis costs $1,055 per-credit-hour, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree costs $1385 per-credit-hour. Other programs vary as well, and students must still include living expenses, fees, supplies, and personal expenses.
One hundred percent of students at Simmons University receive some type of student financial aid. Massachusetts has grants available for students who demonstrate low income. Simmons University offers a need-based grant as well. The FAFSA program is the place to start in getting help to pay college bills. The federal program awards grants, subsidized and unsubsidized student loans and work-study opportunities.
There are also merit-based opportunities that can be located on the university website. Private individuals, service organizations and corporate entities fund scholarships that can be found through an Internet search.
Student loans and part-time jobs, as well as work-study, are additional resources for funding a degree program at Simmons University.