University of Massachusetts-Lowell Degree Programs
The University of Massachusetts Lowell appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Affordable Accelerated MBA Programs Online.
The University of Massachusetts-Lowell (UMAS-Lowell), the second-largest educational institution in the state, employees the skills of over 1,100 talented faculty members to instruct more than 18,000 students. The faculty to student ratio is 17:1. UMAS-Lowell saw the value of online courses and degrees early in the process of web education development and participated in many of the experiments that led to the perfecting of distance learning in the virtual world, which led to repeated Sloan-C Awards for Excellence in Online Education, which the university receives yearly.
UMAS-Lowell is organized into six colleges and schools. Those divisions are:
- Manning School of Business
- College of Education
- Francis College of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
- Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences
- Kennedy College of Sciences
UMASS-Lowell offers honor degree programs for students who excel. The honors program requires extra hours of study beyond the standard curriculum. The extra hours are intended to enhance critical thinking skills in students that will eventually be challenged by the push and pull of everyday life.
Undergraduates at UMAS Lowell must select a major field of study within the first two years. Students are encouraged to consider a dual major or the addition of a minor or certifications to their initial degree selection to enhance their school experience.
UMASS-Lowell offers 43 masters-level areas of study. Some master’s degrees do not require a thesis — many of the masters-level programs that the university offers are presented entirely online.
Doctoral programs at UMASS-Lowell require the completion of 60 credit hours beyond the hours the candidate completes when studying for their master’s degree. A Doctor of Philosophy in Criminology and Criminal Justice has two pathways—Ph. D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice or Ph. D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a Terrorism Option. Each path requires the candidate to choose between writing a publishable dissertation that the candidate must defend before a panel of expert faculty, or the publication of three articles through a reputable academic publisher that progresses logically through a subject to find a suitable conclusion.
UMASS-Lowell developed an online presence early, which is not surprising considering the technological leaning of the school. The school allows undergraduates to consider adding a certification to their degree through online programs in fields like information technology, graphic design & digital imaging, English, engineering, criminal justice & security studies, and business. Currently, the university is offering eight baccalaureate degrees entirely online, including:
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
- Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology—Second Degree
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology—Business Administration Minor
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Bachelor of Arts in English
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Realizing that many potential students are unable to attend classes, the school adopted using their online presence for the benefit of society by offering a shorter means for graduate-level students to gain knowledge in a more focused environment by offering graduate certifications entirely online. These short programs are available online at UMASS Lowell in the areas of business, criminal justice and security studies, education, engineering, health sciences, information technology, psychology, and public administration.
The university is deeply committed to presenting masters-level degrees online with 27 programs currently offered. These crucial degrees come in several areas of study, such as business, criminal justice & security studies, education, engineering, health sciences, and information technology.
UMASS Lowell includes two doctoral-level degrees in its impressive online programs—Doctor of Education in Leadership in Schooling and the Doctor of Education in Leadership in Schooling: STEM Option. These programs prepare educators to inspire teachers and administrators to excel at the school level.
About University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Founded during the 1890s, UMASS-Lowell has grown into a prestigious public research institution. The university is the only educational institution to offer programs in meteorology, nuclear engineering, plastics engineering, and sound recording technology. The school is rated by Business Insider as the “Most Underrated College in America.”
UMASS-Lowell is accumulating several rankings in publications that evaluate the strengths of universities. US News & World Report ranks UMASS-Lowell at number 179 in its 2020 list of Best Colleges is National Universities. The publication also ranks the university at 133 in Best Colleges for Veterans and 147 in Top Performers for Social Mobility. US News & World Report also ranks UMASS-Lowell at 78th in Top Public Schools and second in Massachusetts. Forbes ranks the UMASS Lowell as the tenth Best Return on Investment among all colleges and universities nationwide and fourth among non-military schools.
University of Massachusetts-Lowell Accreditation Details
UMASS-Lowell is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Specialized accreditations for individual departments include:
- Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
- Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business (AACSB)
- Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACL)
- National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
- Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC)
- Medical Physics Commission for Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP)
- Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
University of Massachusetts-Lowell Application Requirements
Applications to enter undergraduate studies must include SAT or ACT exams delivered to the Admissions Office through the testing agency. The student must include an unopened official high school transcript with the application that shows the completion of these units with a minimum GPA of 3.00:
- Four units of English
- Four units of mathematics including Algebra I & II, Geometry, and Trigonometry
- Three units of lab-sciences
- Two units of social science including U.S. History
- Two units of a single foreign language
- Two units of electives from the above courses or arts & humanities or computer science
To apply for a graduate program at UMASS-Lowell, the applicant must present their baccalaureate degree. Many graduate programs at UMASS Lowell require a pre-application test, such as a GRE. To find information on the requirements of a given department, visit their website.
Tuition and Financial Aid
UMASS-Lowell has three tuition plans. The tuition and mandatory fees for a year of schooling a Massachusetts resident $15,648. For out-of-state applicants, those fees run $33,574. UMASS-Lowell also offers lower tuition and mandatory fees for some in neighboring New England states; these exceptions to the regular rule of out-of-state tuition pay $27,188. Students that live on-campus pay an additional $13,060 per year.
The UMASS-Lowell Financial Aid Department helps students find financial assistance. The school intends to provide quality education at the least cost possible. Consequently, the university assists every student in finding scholarships, Pell Grants, other “need-based” solutions, and community assistance. The university sidesteps the Federal Student Loan Program as much as possible to avoid saddling students with loan debt. UMAS-Lowell accesses over $79 million each year.
UMASS Lowell is a community experience that leads to enduring relationships, not only between students but also between the student and the school. Graduates of the University of Massachusetts Lowell take with them an incredible amount of knowledge as well as friendships that last.