Urban College of Boston (“Urban College” or “the College”) opens new pathways to opportunity through individualized, supportive, and multilingual education that prepares a diverse community of learners to pursue career advancement and transform their lives. Urban College is a private, nonprofit college accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE),
The College grants Associate of Arts degrees in Early Childhood Education, General Studies, and Human Services Administration, and offers several certificates: Case Management Certificate, Clinical Research Coordination Certificate, Early Childhood Education Certificate (Preschool or Infant-Toddler Option), Early Childhood Education Certificate - Bilingual (Preschool or Infant Toddler Option), General Studies Certificate, and Human Services Administration Certificate. Students that are looking to enroll in classes for credit but do not plan to complete a degree or certificate program at the College or receive financial aid can register for classes as nonmatriculated students. The College enrolls over 1,000 students annually, many of whom attend college part-time while working full-time and raising a family. Classes are offered in online asynchronous, online hybrid, and in-person formats. The College currently offers classes in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Portuguese.
Mission
Urban College of Boston opens new pathways to opportunity through individualized, supportive, and multilingual education that prepares a diverse community of learners to pursue career advancement and transform their lives.
Vision
Urban College of Boston graduates are gainfully employed, leading in their communities, and on the path to building financial security for themselves and their families.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Urban College of Boston is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, religion, race, color, disability, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, employment policies, and other programs and activities. Our students include recent high school graduates, parents, working adults, transfer students, international students, and individuals interested in changing careers or completing their degree.
Chartered in 1993, the College has long served an ethnically- and racially- diverse student body. Of the over 1,138 students enrolled during the 2023-2024 academic year, 51% identified as Hispanic or Latinx, 15% as Black or African American, 9% as Asian, 5% as white, 2% as two or more races, and 18% did not indicate their race or ethnicity. Additionally, 88% of students were women, the average age was 36, and students came from over 120 cities and towns across Massachusetts.
History
The College was founded in 1967 as the Urban College Program by Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD). In 1993, the College subsequently received its charter, and in 1998, its 501(c)(3) status. In 2001, the College received full accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), which is now the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Throughout its history, the College has been dedicated to supporting students in attaining their higher education aspirations and equipping graduates with the skills necessary to succeed in their chosen careers. In 2017, the College moved to its current campus, which is located on the first and second floors of the China Trade Center. NECHE gave the College temporary approval to offer online courses to supplement its in-person course offerings in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, The College received permanent approval to offer distance education and became an affiliate of Impact.org, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Impact.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (a Type II supporting organization) created in 2022 to expand the mission of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). One of the goals of Impact.org is to build a national affiliate network of small mission-aligned, community embedded institutions and other nonprofits to help them thrive and serve more students. Outside of SNHU, Urban College of Boston was the first institution added to this network.
Partners in Education
Urban College’s community partnerships support and enhance the college’s programs and curricula. The College’s partners include Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD); American Student Assistance; Asian American Civic Association; The BASE; Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC); Children’s Services of Roxbury; The Community Group; Jewish Vocational Services; Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care; Neighborhood Villages; Tufts Medical Center; Vital Village Network; YMCA Training, Inc.; and many others.
Articulation Agreements
Articulation agreements facilitate Urban College graduates’ entrance into bachelor’s degree programs. An articulation agreement describes when and how a student may be able to transfer to a specific bachelor’s degree program and often includes the entrance and program requirements, which are unique to the partner institution as well as the expected transfer of courses and credits.
Urban College currently offers bachelor’s completion programs with Southern New Hampshire University, Lesley University, Endicott College, Fisher College, Lasell University, Fitchburg State University, UMass Boston, William James College, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology, and Boston College - Woods College of Advancing Studies. For additional information regarding articulation agreements, please contact the Admissions offices at each institution or vist our College Transfer Pathways page.
Accreditation
Urban College of Boston is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.)
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied though a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Commission is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
On November 18, 2022, NECHE considered the interim report submitted by Urban College as well as the report of the visiting team, and took the following action:
- that the interim report submitted by Urban College of Boston be accepted;
- that Urban College of Boston be granted general authority to offer distance education programs within the scope of its mission;
- that Urban College of Boston be continued on the Program of Special Monitoring to assess the institution’s ongoing implementation of its change of ownership to Impact.org and that the institution be reminded of the program’s disclosure and prior approval requirements;
- that the Spring 2023 on-site evaluation and the Fall 2024 progress report to assess implementation of the change of ownership be confirmed;
- that the comprehensive evaluation scheduled for Spring 2025 be confirmed.
Individuals seeking information about Urban College of Boston’s accreditation can contact the Chief Operating Officer, Caitlin Callahan: caitlin.callahan@urbancollege.edu.
Individuals may also contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education
3 Burlington Woods Drive #100
Burlington, MA 01803
781-425-7785
Program of Special Monitoring
On June 17, 2022, the New England Commission of Higher Education approved the change of ownership of Urban College of Boston to Impact.org, a nonprofit Type II Supporting Organization established by Southern New Hampshire University. In approving the change of ownership, the Commission applied its Program of Special Monitoring to the College. The Program of Special Monitoring is routinely implemented by the Commission in cases of change of ownership and enables the Commission to monitor the institution’s ongoing compliance with the Standards for Accreditation.
Further information about the Program of Special Monitoring is available on the Commission’s website (http://neche.org/) or upon request from:
New England Commission of Higher Education
3 Burlington Woods, Suite 100
Burlington, MA 01803-4514
Email:info@neche.org
Professional Memberships and Affiliations
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Massachusetts
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
National Association of Financial Aid Administrators
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
New England Commission of Higher Education
Philanthropy Massachusetts
Campus Location and Services
2 Boylston Street, 2nd Floor,
Boston MA 02116
Phone: (617) 449-7070
Website: https://www.urbancollege.edu/college-services-and-resources
Email: contact@urbancollege.edu
Fax: (617) 830-3137
Urban College of Boston’s downtown Boston campus is located within a convenient walking distance from several Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) T stations on the 1st and 2nd floors of a building known as the China Trade Center.
The College’s main entrance is on the 2nd floor and accessible via stairs and elevators near the building’s entrance. The College’s administrative offices, student support services, and meeting rooms are located on the 2nd floor of this building, including Enrollment Services, Academic Advising, Financial Aid, Student Services, the Business Office, Advancement, the Student Lounge, and the Learning Resource Center. Classrooms are on the first and second floors. All classrooms and meeting rooms are equipped with an instructor station and standard educational technology.
For individuals intending to drive to and from the campus, limited public parking spaces may be available across the campus for a parking fee. Parking in downtown Boston can be expensive. Students and campus visitors are strongly encouraged to take advantage of alternate and sustainable commuting solutions, including buses and trains. The College is located across from the Chinatown Orange Line Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA or “T”) station in Boston. The College is easily accessible via the Orange, Red, Green, and Silver T Lines, and numerous bus routes. The MBTA offers an Income-Eligible Reduced Fare Program and a Senior CharlieCard; visit the MBTA website to learn more.
Urban College Catalog Format and Amendments
The Catalog is published online at www.urbancollege.edu. This electronic document is considered by the college to be equivalent to the previous editions and contains the most recent policies and procedures of the college.
When necessary, amendments will be noted in the web-based Catalog. In the case where policies are amended, readers will be referred to an Amendments page. When the catalog is edited solely to resolve typographical errors or to note corrections (including personnel changes), no change may be recorded in the Amendments page.
The Catalog web version will be maintained for reference.
Amendments as of August 9, 2024
- Removed the paragraph titled “Release of Education Records to Educational Partners” under “Other College Regulations and Policy” and the subheading “Educational Records and Privacy.”
- Added a list of approved program electives to the Human Services Administration Associate of Arts degree program.
- Established criteria for a new President’s List to recognize high-achieving students with a 4.0 GPA and updated the criteria for the Dean’s List under “Academic Honors and Awards.”
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