COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
Administrators
Michael Greeley, PhD Interim Dean
CSM: A Dynamic Mix of Research and Teaching
The College of Science and Mathematics at UMass Boston is strongly committed to the integration of research and teaching in its programs. The education of both our undergraduate and our graduate students is enriched by opportunities to participate in independent research in productive and exciting research laboratories. The curriculum for our majors is lab-based, and non-science majors taking their general education science courses actively learn science through hands-on experiences.
Our research and instructional programs are designed to address the human and economic needs of the people of Massachusetts, and we bring a multidisciplinary approach to our responsibilities. As a natural result of our location between the City of Boston and Boston Harbor, we have developed major research expertise in the environmental sciences, which focuses on coastal environmental sciences, conservation biology, green chemistry, environmental informatics and molecular environmental sciences. We also maintain a strong core faculty in geographic information systems (GIS) and database mining as well as molecular biology, biotechnology, environmental science, photonics, optics, and software engineering. The research programs integrate natural science and policy and the students incorporate both of these areas into their courses of study.
This is an exciting place to be. We have young and enthusiastic faculty who are working with seasoned veterans. They share a dedication to research and teaching, a combination that is central to our mission, an integral component of science education reform, and a source of pride.
CSM Undergraduate Academic Offerings
For a complete discussion of the CSM undergraduate program and academic requirements, see the section of this publication titled “CLA and CSM: Overview and Graduation Requirements.”
Students have four different ways to focus their studies on academic areas that interest them. Undergraduate offerings are grouped into academic majors, minors, programs of study, and certificate programs. Some of these are housed in departments, while others are free-standing academic units. Majors may also be grouped together within one department (for example, the Biology Department), and some majors are offered by one or more departments (for example, biochemistry). Programs of study and certificate programs are open to both matriculated and non-degree students.
Academic Majors
An academic major provides an opportunity for in-depth study in a specific discipline, or in a combination of two disciplines. A major consists of at least ten courses.
- Biochemistry (BS)
- Biology (BS)*
- Biology and Medical Technology (BS)
- Chemistry (BS or BA)*
- Computer Science (BS or BA)
- Environmental, Earth, and Ocean Sciences (BS or BA)*
- Engineering**
- Engineering Physics (BS)
- Individual Major Option (BS or BA)
- Mathematics (BS or BA)*
- Physics (BA or BS)*
*Students in the college may minor in these disciplines. An academic minor is a sequence of at least six courses in a field for which there is a major. At least a third of the courses in the minor are advanced. Minors are optional.
**Joint programs with UMass Lowell and other institutions.
Certificate Programs and Programs of Study*
Programs of study are groupings of courses that offer significant exposure to a field of academic, often interdisciplinary study. Certificate programs are groupings of courses that relate to a specific set of professional skills.
- Biobehavioral Studies
- Biochemistry Certificate
- Biology of Human Populations
- Computer Science
- Environmental Studies
- Geographic Information Technologies
- Hydrogeology
- Pre-Medical Studies and Health-Related Careers
- Science, Technology, and Values
- Technical Writing
*Open to non-degree students.
Special Course Grouping
Interdisciplinary Studies
A Sample of Special CSM Programs and Initiatives
There are many opportunities for students to combine academic with career or applied interests in the College of Science and Mathematics. We present here a few programs and majors that make this connection. For a discussion of other programs available to CSM students, see the “Special Curricula and Programs of Study” section on page 75.
Engineering Program
For students wishing to major in this field, the CSM Engineering Program offers several options that make it possible for them to live and work in the Boston area while completing either two or three years of the course work required for the bachelor’s degree in engineering. The program has been developed in cooperation with UMass Amherst, UMass Lowell and UMass Dartmouth, and UMass Boston has articulation agreements with these campuses. Students admitted to the program who successfully complete the first two years are guaranteed admission to other schools of engineering within the UMass system. Alternately, they can apply to transfer to Boston University, Northeastern University, or Wentworth Institute of Technology to complete a degree in engineering.
For students wishing to study electrical engineering, there is an additional choice. They may enroll in a collaborative degree program (3+1) with UMass Lowell in which they complete three years of study at the Boston campus, spend the senior year at the Lowell campus, and receive the BS in electrical engineering from UMass Lowell. This curriculum includes a computing concentration component or a computing foundation component in addition to the standard electrical engineering sequence.
Engineering students who wish to complete their education at UMass Boston may pursue a degree in engineering physics. This discipline, a branch of applied science that emphasizes both engineering and physics, is a challenging general alternative to the more specialized undergraduate engineering curriculum. For complete information, see the “Engineering Physics” section of this publication.
Massachusetts Bay Marine Studies Consortium
The “Interdisciplinary Courses” section of this publication describes several offerings sponsored by the Massachusetts Bay Marine Studies Consortium. The University of Massachusetts Boston is one of the founding members of this consortium, an association of nineteen greater Boston educational institutions and organizations. The Consortium was formed by educators committed to the encouragement of active, informed, and responsible public decision making. It promotes cooperation among the area’s academic institutions; sponsors fully accredited interdisciplinary courses that focus academic expertise on real world problems, and facilitates contact among those researching various aspects of marine studies. The Consortium also sponsors publications, meetings and public symposia.
Environmental Studies
The College offers an undergraduate program of study in environmental studies, which students may take in addition to any undergraduate major. Participants can select either a scientific- or a policy-oriented track. The program stresses cross-disciplinary foundation courses, case-oriented seminars, and participation in an internship program. It prepares students for careers in the expanding field of environmental professions and for further environmental study at the graduate level. In addition, it provides the participants with an important environmental perspective that can be brought to their other coursework. (Information is available from the Environmental Studies Program director, the Environmental, Earth, and Ocean Science department office, or the office of the Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics.)