UMass Boston

Applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements in addition to the following program-specific requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution of recognized standing or an international equivalent at the time of enrollment
• Official transcripts for all institutions where you have earned more than 6 credits
• A minimum, cumulative GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale (or international equivalent) in all undergraduate work
• Statement of Purpose
• Writing sample
• Two (2) letters or recommendation
• If applicable, request official TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo scores to be sent to the University of Massachusetts Boston
• Deadlines: March 1 (priority) and April 1 (final) for fall  

Deadlines: April 1 (priority) and June 15 (final) for fall

Application Fee: The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.

Estimate Your Program Cost: Get a feel for your expected program costs using the Graduate Program Cost Calculator.

Program Cost Information: For more detailed information on costs, please visit the Bursar's website.

Core Courses (16 Credits)

• CECS 600 - CECS Professional Seminar A 1 Credit(s)
• CECS 610 - Foundations of Critical Ethnic & Community Studies 3 Credit(s)
• CECS 611 - Migration & Diaspora 3 Credit(s)
• CECS 612 - Community Formation & Development 3 Credit(s)
• CECS 622 - Transdisciplinary Research in Practice B 3 Credit(s)
• CECS 623 - Transdisciplinary Research Methods 3 Credit(s)

Electives (15 Credits)

Complete five additional courses chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor.

Electives for CECS include graduate courses from within CECS as well as courses from other graduate disciplines or programs, such as Global Inclusion and Social Development, Public Administration, Creative Writing, Conflict Resolution, American Studies, Environmental Sciences, Gerontology, Urban Planning and Community Development, or Applied Sociology.

Alternatively, CECS offers the unique opportunity of fulfilling the elective sequence through the completion of a graduate certificate (at least 15 credits) in one of various areas, including:

• Human Rights
• Conflict Resolution
• Gender, Leadership, and Public Policy
• Critical and Creative Thinking

Capstone Course (6 Credits)

• CECS 698 - CECS Master's Capstone 3 Credit(s)

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

When a student completes the MS in Critical Ethnic and Community Studies at UMass Boston, they should be able to:

• Engage in critical analysis of how migration-to, from, and within the United States-forms an integral part of the experiences of racially and economically marginalized communities
• Integrate knowledge across relevant disciplines as a means of addressing complex social issues that impact the everyday lives of individuals and communities beyond academia
• Possess skills and experience partnering with community-based organizations working with racially and economically marginalized communities to mobilize strengths promoting resilience, growth, and social justice

Complete a minimum of 37 credits from 13 courses including six core courses, five electives, and one capstone course.

Students may transfer in completed certificates in Gender, Leadership and Public Policy, Conflict Resolution or Critical and Creative Thinking to partially or wholly fulfill their elective credits requirements.

Capstone: Completion of a project, internship, or research paper as part of CECS 698. The capstone includes a public presentation of the student’s work.

Grading basis: No courses taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory or for no grade may be applied toward the program.
Residency: Before enrollment in the program, students should consult with the graduate program director regarding transfer credits or UMass Boston undergraduate credits if these are intended to satisfy degree requirements. The program does not accept transfer credit for any of its required core courses; transfer courses may be applied to the program’s electives.
Independent study: No more than one independent study course (three credits) may be applied toward the program.
Statute of limitations: Five years.

Graduate Program Director J. Cedric Woods
cedric.woods@umb.edu
(617) 287-5784