Overview
Founded in 1863, Boston College is one of the oldest Jesuit universities in the United States. The total graduate student enrollment of approximately 4,800 students is distributed among seven schools: the Graduate Schools of Arts and Sciences, Education, Management, Nursing, and Social Work; the Law School; and the College of Advancing Studies.

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences enrolls approximately 1,100 students representing a wide variety of national and cultural backgrounds. Students participate in the Graduate Student Association, the Graduate International Student Association, and the Graduate AHANA Association, which are involved in both academic and social activities.

The Location and Community
The university's main campus is located 6 miles from downtown Boston, with direct access to the city via trolley. Metropolitan Boston offers a fine setting for graduate study. Boston College graduate students can cross-register for courses at Brandeis, Tufts, and Boston Universities. The numerous local colleges make the city a mecca for students seeking academic, social, and cultural enrichment. The Boston College campus offers many programs and facilities for cultural, athletic, and other extracurricular pursuits.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Boston College offers programs that lead to the degrees of Ph.D., M.A., and M.S. in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. A list of departments and faculty contacts is presented following the Correspondence and Information section. Prospective applicants may contact the Graduate Arts and Sciences Admission Office or their departments of interest for application materials and program requirements.

Facilities & Resources
Research is an important part of the intellectual life at Boston College. Faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduates collaborate in a range of research strategies across the disciplines and professional schools, including laboratory studies, survey research, archival and textual research, theory development, and field and basic research. In addition to the work of individual faculty units, Boston College supports the collaborative work of faculty members and students across the university through the following centers and institutes: the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life; the Center for Child, Family, and Community Partnerships (CCFCP); the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning; the Center for Corporate Citizenship (CCC); the Center for East Europe, Russia, and Asia; the Center for Ignatian Spirituality; the Center for International Higher Education; the Center for Retirement Research; the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (CSTEEP); the Center for Work and Family (CWF); the Institute of Medieval Philosophy and Theology; the Institute for Scientific Research; the Institute for the Study and Promotion of Race and Culture (ISPRC); the Irish Institute; the Jesuit Institute; the Lonergan Center; the Management Center; the Matrix: Resources for the Study of Women's Religious Communities; the Mathematics Institute; the Social Welfare Research Institute (SWRI); the Watershed Institute; and the Weston Observatory. Boston College provides its students with state-of-the-art facilities for learning, including a full range of computer services, online access to databases, and a library system with more than 1.9 million books, periodicals, and government documents and 3.4 million microform units. The library's membership in the Boston Library Consortium provides access to ten major research libraries in the Boston area, and an interlibrary loan system provides further resources.

Expenses and Aid
Tuition is $1,280 per credit (most courses are 3 credits). Full-time students without health insurance through another source are required to purchase health insurance through the university at a cost of $994 per year. Full-time students are also charged a $15 registration fee and a $25 activity fee each semester.

Financial Aid:
Assistantships, fellowships, and tuition scholarships are available to promising students and include the Boston College Graduate Fellowships for American Minority Students and the Presidential Fellowships. The amounts of these awards and the number of years for which they may be renewable vary among Graduate School departments. The university's Student Financial Services Office administers and awards need-based federal financial aid programs, including loans and work-study.

Housing/Living Expenses:
Most graduate students live off campus in nearby apartments. The university's Housing Office maintains lists of available housing and lists of students looking for roommates. Local realtors are also helpful. For information, students should contact Off-Campus Housing, Rubenstein Hall, or call 617-552-3075.

How to Apply / Application
Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the Graduate Arts and Sciences Admission Office to obtain application information.

International Students
Each year, students from all over the world join the Boston College community. Students who speak a native language other than English must provide evidence of English proficiency. A score of 550 on the paper-based test, 213 on the CBT test (computer-based test), or 79 on the new iBT test (internet-based test) or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required. Remember to enter the Boston College School Code 3083 to ensure that the score report is sent to us, student copies or photocopies of TOEFL scores are not accepted.

Go To Profile Index Page

Go To Top Of Page