School of Education, Public Policy, and Civic Engagement University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts in the northeastern region of the United States. It is one of five campuses in the world-renowned University of Massachusetts system.

Established in 1895, this venerable, public university offers more than 9,500 students a wide variety of bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and certificate programs. It is highly-regarded for its outstanding academic programs, personalized teaching methods, and ground-breaking research.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has a ranking of 81 in the northern region category of "US News and World Report's" 2011 edition of America's Best Colleges. Furthermore, the University of Massachusetts system ranks 56 out of 200 on the "Times of London's" 2010 World University Rankings list.

The School of Education, Public Policy, and Civic Engagement

The School of Education, Public Policy, and Civic Engagement (SEPPCE) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth offers "innovative, collaborative, and interdisciplinary" programs that integrate three disciplines: (1) education, (2) public policy, and (3) civic engagement.

Its programs emphasize applied research and education. Therefore, students gain the expertise needed to successfully compete for employment opportunities in a wide-variety of industries, government entities, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations.

The school offers several programs including the Master of Public Policy (MPP), doctoral program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Education.

Master of Public Policy

The Master of Public Policy degree can be earned in two years of full-time study. It can also be completed in residence, online, or in a blended format. The program is designed for individuals who want to pursue careers in municipal, state, or federal government; non-profit organizations; or business, trade, or labor associations.

The M.P.P. curriculum consists of eight core courses (24 credits), three concentration courses (nine credits), an elective course (three credits), and a policy research seminar (three credits). Areas of concentration include public management, environmental policy, and education policy.

Students also prepare portfolios of their professional work and present them to a faculty committee for review and approval. Additionally, students complete internships with government agencies, non-profit organizations, or private sector businesses that enable them to combine public policy theory with real-world experience in policy making and public management.

Doctoral Programs in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

The doctoral program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies leads to the Doctor of Education (EdD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. The program, which can be completed in four years, is ideal for individuals who want to become professors, researchers, administrators, or executives in various institutional settings.

The curriculum for the EdD and PhD programs in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies includes 82 credits of courses. Students earn the first 40 credits during the first and second years of their studies. They take a common set of core courses and colloquia that cover the fundamentals of educational leadership, policy, and management as well as research designs and methodologies.

In their third and fourth years, students earn the remaining 42 credits, which consist of advanced coursework, colloquia, and dissertation seminars that support writing and defending the dissertation.

Students on the EdD track gain the skills needed to develop solutions to policy and administrative problems related to education practice. They also learn how to use quantitative and qualitative data to facilitate school improvement.

The PhD track focuses on analyzing educational structures and systems and engaging in critical analysis of pre-kindergarten through 12th grade educational policy. Students gain a strong foundation in theoretical knowledge, learn about program evaluation, and develop alternative ways of thinking about research processes.

The Doctor of Philosophy Program in Mathematics Education

The PhD program in Mathematics Education at UMass Dartmouth prepares students for a wide-range of careers in scientific institutions, industrial and educational settings, and federal agencies. The program also emphasizes interdisciplinary perspectives in mathematics education research. Students in the PhD in Mathematics Education program earn 72 credits of coursework and can complete the program in four years.

The curriculum includes 18 credits of introductory courses that focus on research tools, methodologies, and theories. It also includes 18 credits of preparatory coursework in which students refine their understanding of the research process.

There are also 36 credits of doctoral work, which consist of 12 credits of coursework and 24 credits of dissertation research and writing.

The Masters of Arts in Teaching ( MAT)

The Masters program offers initial and professional licensure. Initial licensure is designed for students who are just entering the field or need to advance their preliminary license to the next level. The professional licensure program is designed for students who currently hold an initial licensure from another institution or obtained an initial license through a district based program.

Graduate Certificate in Environmental Policy

This certificate introduces students to environmental issues of local, state, regional, national, and global concern.

SEPPCE Faculty

Faculty members in the School of Education, Public Policy, and Civic Engagement are leading scholars in their disciplines. For example, Professor Maria Blanton, who teaches courses in the PhD in Math Education program, conducts research that examines "the progressions in children's thinking about concepts of functions."

Professor Shawna E. Sweeney is a faculty member in the Master of Public Policy program. She specializes in human rights policy, globalization policy, and public policy issues pertaining to women.

Professor Maureen Hall is part of the faculty for the doctoral program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. She is a Fulbright-Nehru scholar whose research covers developmental reading and writing, instructional methodology, and educational research and technology.

Graduate Student Life at UMass Dartmouth

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is a supportive community that embraces diversity. It provides its students with the resources needed to excel academically, professionally, and socially including housing, health, counseling, academic advising, and career services.

It also provides several resource centers -- such as the Frederick Douglass Unity House, Religious Resource Center, and International Student Center -- that help students maintain their senses of well-being, work on personal growth, and celebrate diversity.

In addition, UMass Dartmouth offers students a wide-variety of clubs and organizations, intramural and instructional athletics, performing arts events, and community service opportunities.

• Department of Public Policy
• Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
• Department of Teaching and Learning
• Program in Educational Leadership/Policy Studies

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Doctor of Education (Ed D)
  Postbaccalaureate Certificate
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
  Master of Public Policy (MPP)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 108
• Doctoral Degrees 0
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees 17
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? No
• Distance learning programs available? Yes
• Terminal master's degree available? Yes

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Not reported
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied155
• Accepted126
• Acceptance Rate81%
• Enrolled86
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $60
• Application Fee - International $60
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline March 31st February 28th Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline November 15th October 15th Yes
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE, MTEL - Massachusetts Tests for Education Licensure, Statement of Purpose (Minimum 300 words), Resume, and 3 Letters of Recommendation, Official Transcripts and Copy of Massachusetts Initial Licensure (for Professional Licensure Program).
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE, Statement of Purpose (Minimum 300 words), Resume, and Official Transcripts, 3 Letters of Recommendation and Scholarly Writing Sample for Educational Leadership / Policy Studies (Minimum 10 pages).
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesMTEL - Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure, Statement of Purpose (Minimum 300 words), and Resume, 2 Letters of Recommendation and Official Transcripts.
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 533 paper based, TOEFL iBT

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$2,071
• Out-of-state tuition *$8,099
• International student tuition$8,099
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$14,929.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsMarch 1
• Types of financial support availableFellowships, Research Assitantships, Teaching Assistantships, Federal Work-Study, Financial Support for Part-time Students, Scholarship and/or loans, Graduate Assistantships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students265
• Female Percentage65%
• Male Percentage35%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students265
• Part-time Percentage87%
• Full-time Percentage13%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino5%
• Black / African American3%
• White / Caucasian83%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native1%
• Asian1%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races3%
• Unknown4%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty29
• Full-time Percentage62%
• Part-time Percentage38%
• Female Percentage45%
• Male Percentage55%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchAlgebraic thinking in early grades; use of dynamic, interactive technologies and their impact on mathematical experience; classroom connectivity and impact on participation and motivation; international human rights; international political economy
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last year$1,702,000