The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest of the 7 colleges at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth). The college enrolls nearly half of the University's students and offers 14 distinct graduate degrees: Biology/Marine Biology MS; Integrated Biology PhD; Marine Science and Technology PhD (conjoint with School for Marine Science and Technology); Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology PhD (conjoint with the College of Engineering); Chemistry MS; Chemistry PhD; Education MAT; STEM PhD; Educational Leadership and Policy Studies PhD and EdD; Professional Writing MA; Luso-Afro-Brazilian Studies and Theory MA and PhD; Public Policy MA; and Psychology Clinical MA, Research MA, and ABA MA. There is a certificate program in Professional Writing. Programs use collaboration, service, and engagement to prepare students to be leaders within both the community and their fields of interest.

Alumni of the College of Arts and Sciences are leaders in business, communication, government, public service, and science. Notable graduates include the Director of the Urban Initiative, the Founder of Yomega Corporation, and National Science Foundation expert for geosciences.

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Graduate Programs in Biology

The proximity of UMass Dartmouth to coastal habitats allows for unique opportunities in biology research. The University offers the Master of Science (MS) in Biology to students interested in areas such as cell biology, genetics, developmental mechanisms, immunology, animal behavior, plant ecology, or microbiology. Students interested in biological oceanography, marine biology, and marine benthic ecology can earn MS degrees in Marine Biology. UMass Dartmouth also offers an interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Marine Science and Technology, a PhD in Integrated Biology, and a nationally recognized PhD in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology (BMEBT).

Graduate Programs in Chemistry and Biochemistry

The College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers an MS with five specializations: analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, or physical chemistry. Students can also delve into the specialized areas of biotechnology and environmental chemistry.

Graduate students participate heavily in research projects, and have access to a number of research laboratories and state-of-the-art equipment, including DCS calorimeters, mass spectrometers, laser spectrometers, and more than 16 high-performance liquid chromatographs.

Students pursuing degrees beyond the master's level can complete the PhD in Chemistry.

Graduate Programs in Luso-Afro-Brazilian Studies and Theory

The Department of Portuguese, in collaboration with the Departments of Art History, Educational Leadership, History, Political Science, Sociology/Anthropology, Teaching and Learning, and the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture, offers the MA and PhD in Portuguese Studies and the PhD in Luso-Afro-Brazilian Studies and Theory. Both degrees give graduates an in-depth understanding of the literary and cultural history of the Portuguese-speaking world within a broad, interdisciplinary context of humanities and social sciences. Course offerings are complemented by frequent guest lectures, colloquia, and an international peer-reviewed academic journal, Portuguese Literary & Cultural Studies.

The majority of core and elective courses are taught in the Department of Portuguese, in the disciplinary area of literary and cultural studies. These courses are mostly offered in Portuguese. Students may also take courses related to the Portuguese-speaking world that are taught in English in the departments of Art History, Educational Leadership, History, Political Science, and Sociology/Anthropology. In addition to regular curricular offerings, students take seminar-level courses taught by a rotating pool of distinguished visiting scholars, in residence at UMass Dartmouth as holders of the Hélio and Amélia Pedroso/Luso-American Foundation Endowed Chair in Portuguese Studies. Graduate courses are also offered during the summer, with the Summer Program in Portuguese.

Graduate Program in Psychology

UMass Dartmouth offers Master of Arts (MA) in Research Psychology degrees to students who are planning to pursue PhDs, as well as those seeking higher-level careers in research. The MA program creates opportunities for close interaction and collaboration with faculty members, in the classroom and the laboratory. Coursework uses a number of research skill objectives, such as critically analyzing research, writing literature reviews, developing ideas for research, and designing studies. 

Graduates have found careers in institutional or market research, career resources, junior colleges, or business training.

The University also offers an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program, which prepares students for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) examination. Unlike many ABA programs, the UMass Dartmouth program leads students to earn MAs in Psychology. The flexible program allows for maximum individualization; classes are offered in the late afternoon and evenings, and post-MA certificates are available for students who have previously earned their MAs.

The Master's degree in Clinical Psychology is a three-year program directed at meeting the requirements for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the state of Massachusetts. Although the curriculum provides a broad exposure to a variety of therapy modalities the emphasis is on training in a behavioral perspective.

Graduate Programs in Professional Writing

The UMass Dartmouth professional writing program offers two, student-tailored avenues of study: a full MA (33 credits) or Post-Bac Certificate (12 credits). Our program allows students to develop experience and abilities that span multiple professions. As communications technology continues to revolutionize all the fields of professional writing, our students train to lead in those fields of technical communications, journalism, public relations, publishing, organizational and business communications, web authoring and design, and creative writing. Working in small classes in our community of writers, full- and part-time students build theoretically grounded, applicable skills that they take with them into their professions.

Graduate Programs in Public Policy

UMass Dartmouth's Department of Public Policy is an interdisciplinary academic unit that offers its students a wide variety of graduate educational options, including a traditional and online Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, and online graduate certificates in environmental policy, educational policy and public management. All of the Department's programs of study involve courses that emphasize the development of policy analysis, applied research, and public management skills. Programs are especially designed for individuals seeking employment in state, federal, and municipal governments, non-profit organizations as well as business, trade, and labor associations.

The Department of Public Policy offers students the opportunity to work with and learn from an interdisciplinary community of scholars who are actively engaged in the world of public policy and who regularly work closely with policymakers in federal, state and local government and a myriad of non-governmental organizations.

Graduate Program in STEM Education

UMass Dartmouth offers a PhD in STEM Education. The program supports students to become educational researchers in one of the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics). The program focuses on providing hands-on experience in conducting research through classwork and internship opportunities with researchers in academic and Research & Development settings. Students will be introduced to a wide variety of theoretical positions on teaching and learning mathematics and science as well as quantitative and qualitative research methods and related analytical tools to conduct educational research. This is set up as a four-year program in which the student has two years of preparatory coursework and two years dedicated to the dissertation project and advanced doctoral seminars.

Graduate Programs in Teacher Development

The UMass Dartmouth programs for teachers include a variety of routes to initial and professional licensure in the state of Massachusetts. These programs provide students with theoretical and practical foundations needed for a successful teaching career. There are two different versions of the Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree. One is for applicants seeking initial certification, while the other serves those seeking professional licensure. There is a "4+1" program that allows undergraduate students to pursue both their bachelor's degree and their master's degree in an overlapping approach. This typically leads to students receiving both degrees in a five-year program (four years of undergraduate study plus one year at the master’s level).

Financing Graduate Education at UMass Dartmouth

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is committed to providing an affordable and accessible education. The Office of Financial Aid on campus works to find assistance for more than 65 percent of students through federal, state, and University sources. Qualifying students may apply for grants and waivers, loans, scholarships, work-study, or campus employment opportunities.

Teaching, Research, and Graduate Assistantships are available and awarded by the Department to many students who qualify.

History and Profile of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

The University of Massachusetts system has been providing top-quality education opportunities since 1863. The system is comprised of five physical locations, which include Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and the UMass Medical School in Worcester, as well as the award-winning distance learning division, UMassOnline. The University of Massachusetts School of Law is located near the Dartmouth campus.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth campus has its roots in several textile schools in the area. Today, the university offers over 40 diverse graduate degree programs and 25 graduate certificate programs in many fields of study. Noted architect Paul Rudolph was responsible for the campus's original master plan in the early 1960s, as well as the design for most of the buildings. His influence can be seen in the Brutalist style with decorative fluting, exposed structure design, and repeated geometrical shapes. UMass Dartmouth is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

• Department of Biology
• Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Department of Educational Leadership
• Department of Portuguese
• Department of Psychology
• Department of Public Policy
• Department of STEM Education and Teacher Development
• Program in Mathematics Education
• Program in Professional Writing
• School of Education

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Postbaccalaureate Certificate
  Post-Master's Certificate
  Graduate Certificate
  Doctor of Education (Ed D)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  Master of Arts (MA)
  Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
  Master of Public Policy (MPP)
  Master of Science (MS)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 126
• Doctoral Degrees 12
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees 19
• * 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
• Applied 314
• Accepted 226
• Acceptance Rate 71
• Enrolled 140
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $60
• Application Fee - International $60
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Not Reported
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE, statement of purpose (minimum of 300 words), resume, 3 letters of recommendation, official transcripts, and writing sample in Portuguese (minimum 10 pages), writing sample for professional writing (minimum 10 pages)
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE, statement of purpose (minimum of 300 words), resume, 3 letters of recommendation, and official transcripts, scholarly writing sample for educational leadership and Portuguese (minimum 10 pages)
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced Degreesstatement of purpose (minimum of 300 words), resume, and official transcripts, 3 letters of recommendation
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 533 paper based, TOEFL iBT

• Tuition & Fees *
• Tuition & FeesNot Reported
• *Average dollar amount (tuition & fees) required to complete the degree
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsMarch 1
• Types of financial support availableFellowships, Research Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships, Financial Support for Part-time Students, Institutionally-sponsored Loans, Scholarship and/or loans, Graduate Assistantships, instructional assistantships, doctoral support, Fulbright scholarships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students408
• Female Percentage65%
• Male Percentage35%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students408
• Part-time Percentage69%
• Full-time Percentage31%
• Race/Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino8%
• Black / African American5%
• White / Caucasian72%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian2%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races2%
• Unknown or International Student11%

• Faculty Breakdown
• Total Faculty153
• Full-time Percentage75%
• Part-time Percentage25%
• Female Percentage52%
• Male Percentage48%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchMarine mammal biology, biology, ecology, bioanalytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, translation studies, literature in Luso-Afro-Brazilian studies, social and developmental psychology, child neuropsychology, journalism and related non-fiction, creative writing, human rights policy, globalization policies, role of metacognition in advanced mathematical thinking, conceptual and historical development of mathematical concepts, reading, special education, education reform, curricular theory
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last year$6,143,000