Posted at 12:39 PM
Bristol Community College and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth have signed a memorandum of understanding to launch the Plus Program: Bristol + UMassD.
The program will provide students with access to associate and bachelor’s degree opportunities, and it will begin enrolling students in September 2019, according to a news release.
“Students in our region deserve to have seamless access to a high-quality and affordable education,” said BCC President Laura L. Douglas in a statement. “The Bristol + UMassD program provides a bridge between institutions that is collaborative and combines the specialized resources of both institutions, creating a rich college experience, while also streamlining the transition to a bachelor’s degree.”
UMD will award merit scholarships of at least $2,500 a year to BCC students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and who enroll as full-time, day students. This program is open to BCC students with fewer than 30 credits, as well as students who are participating in the UMD/BCC articulation agreements or the MassTransfer A2B programs.
Students who completed their AS/AA degree from BCC will enter UMD as juniors.
“This innovative collaboration advances our goal to increase educational attainment across the region,” said UMD Chancellor Robert E. Johnson in a statement. “Together, Bristol Community College and UMass Dartmouth are equipping students with the adaptable skillset and agile mindset required to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy.”
In addition to guaranteed admission to UMD and no application costs, BCC students will also benefit from additional offerings including:
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- UMD’s career development staff will offer workshops at BCC so that students can plan their career path.
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- BCC students will receive priority registration in UMD courses for their entering semester.
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- Students will have access to the library, fitness center, bookstore, and dining halls at both campuses.
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- Students will receive BCC and UMD ID cards that provide access to sporting events, musical and theatre productions, speaker programs, and other events at both campuses.
BCC students who sign up for and meet the guidelines of the Commonwealth Commitment program will attend UMD at frozen tuition and fees throughout their remaining two years of study, a 10 percent rebate on tuition and fees per semester, as well as the MassTransfer tuition credit, according to the release. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Commonwealth Commitment is an agreement between the state’s 15 community colleges and four-year institutions that freezes tuition and fees upon program entry while offering other rebates.
For more information, visit umassd.edu/plus/ or contact the Bristol Community College Office of Transfer Affairs at 774-357-2234 or email transfer@bristolcc.edu.
Original story here.
