Overview
Lesley University, founded in 1909 as a women’s teaching college, continues its commitment to educating undergraduates while also offering graduate and Ph.D. programs in the fields of education, environmental studies, human services, counseling and psychology, and the arts. With today’s student in mind, Lesley University has successfully pioneered a wide variety of flexible programs for adult learners that share a commitment to quality, innovation, and the integration of theory with practice.

Lesley offers degree programs for learners at all levels. The University also supports several centers and hosts a variety of academic and professional conferences and institutes. Lesley programs operate throughout Massachusetts and in twenty-three other states as well as at an affiliated site in Israel.

There are four semesters of courses at Lesley: a fourteen-week fall semester, a four-week January minisemester, a fourteen-week spring semester, and a twelve-week summer session (with two- to five-week course options). Day and evening courses on campus, intensive weekend classes on and off campus, a low-residency format for the M.F.A., and individually designed programs permit maximum flexibility in arranging schedules. Students need not be degree candidates to take courses at the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences.

The graduate on-campus and off-campus enrollment at Lesley University is approximately 7,500 students—men and women ranging in age from their mid-20s to their early 70s, in all stages of professional development. Students come from fifty states and forty-three countries. Most have worked in the professional field of their choice and returned to graduate school to upgrade their training, learn new skills, or change careers.

The Location and Community
Lesley University occupies a campus near Harvard Square in Cambridge, an area that benefits from the many advantages of the cities of Boston and Cambridge. The University is connected to downtown Boston by public transportation. Within a 6-mile radius are numerous historical sites and cultural attractions, including theaters, museums, and concert venues.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences at Lesley University offers programs of study in counseling and psychology, creative arts in learning, creative writing, environmental studies, expressive therapies, independent study, intercultural relations, and interdisciplinary studies.

Lesley offers a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in counseling psychology, with the option of specializing in school counseling or professional counseling, and an M.A. degree in clinical mental health counseling, with options of specializing in holistic studies or school and community counseling. A Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.), post-master’s advanced professional certificate programs, post-master’s programs that lead to initial licensure in school counseling, and a postbaccalaureate certificate program are also offered. Dual-degree programs in conjunction with Lesley College and the University’s Adult Learning Division are also available.

The Creative Arts in Learning Division offers an individually designed Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree program with the option of specializing in multicultural or theater studies. An M.Ed. degree in curriculum and instruction with specialization in integrated teaching through the arts leading to a professional teacher license is available for educators with an initial license in early childhood or elementary education. A joint program is offered with the School of Education that leads to initial teacher licensure in early childhood (Pre-K-2 ) and elementary (1-6) education. An M.Ed. degree program in art education leading to licensure as teacher of visual art is offered jointly with The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. Other programs offered are C.A.G.S. and a certificate in arts and diversity.

The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree program in creative writing is offered in a low-residency format.

Lesley offers a Ph.D. degree in expressive therapies and an M.A. degree in expressive therapies with specializations in art therapy, dance therapy, music therapy, and expressive therapies. In addition, a C.A.G.S. and a post-master’s certificate program in expressive therapies are also available.

An M.A. degree in intercultural relations is offered with specializations in critical media studies and culture, development project administration, intercultural conflict management, intercultural health and human services, intercultural training and consulting, international education exchange/international student advising, managing culturally diverse human resources, multicultural education, and an individually designed specialization. A C.A.G.S. in intercultural relations is also available.

Lesley University offers individualized degree programs that enable motivated and focused individuals to earn an M.A. degree, an M.Ed. degree, or a C.A.G.S. In the Independent Study Program, students design their own programs of study, choosing from a variety of format options, including self-directed independent study with the guidance of a faculty team. In the Interdisciplinary Studies Program main-campus format, students design their program by taking courses across the University’s four schools. In the program’s low-residency option, students work with faculty members and peers in planning groups to design the studies they expect to complete independently over the next six months. The Interdisciplinary Studies Program offers specializations in integrative holistic health and women’s studies. A graduate certificate program in integrative holistic health studies is also available.

The Audubon Expedition Institute (AEI) at Lesley University is an academically rigorous alternative to traditional colleges and universities for undergraduate and graduate students wishing to pursue a deeper ecological understanding of environmental education, leadership, and advocacy. AEI offers Master of Science (M.S.) degree programs in environmental education and ecological teaching and learning and the Bachelor of Science degree in environmental studies.

Lesley also offers master's degree programs in Israel and an Advanced Studies Certificate Program in Creativity, Imagination, and Leadership through its International and Collaborative Programs Office.

Facilities & Resources
The Ludcke Library maintains a working collection of books, periodicals, microfilm and microfiches, curriculum materials, nonprint materials, and software resources. The Library provides Internet resources and database access to general and subject-specific resources appropriate to the subject focuses of the University. The Kresge Center provides instructional resources for individual and group instruction, and the Microcomputer Center houses the instructional computing activities of the University, including a collection of educational software. Through the Fenway Consortium students can access thirteen other libraries in the Boston-Cambridge area.

Expenses and Aid
Tuition for on-campus graduate students is $795 per credit; tuition for off-campus graduate cohort students ranges from $445 to $625 per credit. Most courses are 3 credits. Graduate degree requirements vary from 33 to 60 credits, depending upon the student’s program and past experience. Book and supply costs average $750 per year.

Financial Aid:
The Lesley University Financial Aid Office administers all federal financial aid programs. A limited number of assistantships are awarded by semester or academic year for full-time students. Most positions require about 10 to 15 hours of work per week.

Housing/Living Expenses:
Housing is not available for graduate students on campus. Information on local housing and housing assistance are available upon request from the Residence Life Office of Student Affairs.

How to Apply / Application
Applications are reviewed and acted upon as they are completed. Applications from international students not residing in the United States should be completed by April 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. Requirements for admission to graduate degree programs are a bachelor’s degree (for the M.A. and M.Ed. programs) or a master’s degree (for the C.A.G.S. and doctoral programs) from a regionally accredited college or university as well as a satisfactory grade point average, official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work, three letters of recommendation, a written personal statement, and a nonrefundable $50 application fee. Additional requirements specific to particular degree programs are outlined in admissions materials. An application packet should be requested from the Office of Admissions for Graduate and Adult Baccalaureate Programs.

International Students
In the Division of Student Life and Academic Development, the International Student Services Director serves as the primary Designated School Official (DSO) for international students and their primary resource for information regarding interpretation and application of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations. The Director counsels and advises international students on immigration matters, as well as provides programming and resources that promote cultural adjustment, cross-cultural understanding, and academic success.

Go To Profile Index Page

Go To Top Of Page