The University of Massachusetts Boston is nationally recognized as a model of excellence for urban public universities. The scenic waterfront campus, with easy access to downtown Boston, is located next to the John F. Kennedy Library and Presidential Museum, the Commonwealth Museum and Massachusetts State Archives, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
Part of the UMass system, UMass Boston combines a small-college experience with the vast resources of a major research university. With a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students easily interact with professors because most teaching occurs in small class sizes. Ninety-three percent of full-time faculty hold the highest degree in their fields.
UMass Boston’s academic excellence is reflected by a student body of 16,415 undergraduate and graduate students. In fall 2017, the university’s 10 colleges and schools offered 83 undergraduate programs (bachelor’s degrees, undergraduate certificates, post-baccalaureate certificates) and 130 graduate programs (master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, graduate certificates, CAGS, and post-masters certificates). The Honors College serves 763 students who thrive on intellectual challenge. Enriched courses probe more deeply into theory or venture further into application.
UMass Boston’s diverse student body provides a global context for student learning, and its location in a major U.S. city provides connections to employers in industries such as finance, health care, technology, service, and education, offering students opportunities to gain valuable in-school experience via internships, clinicals, and other career-related placements.
More than 100 student organizations — including clubs, literary magazines, newspaper, radio station, art gallery, and 16 NCAA Division III sports teams — offer a rich campus life. Students live throughout Greater Boston and in apartment communities just steps from the campus, and enjoy the rich amenities, cultural attractions, and educational opportunities that make the city the biggest and best college town in the nation.