Cambridge College

Gaining ABA Experience at Cambridge

Cambridge College appears in our ranking of the Top 25 Best Applied Behavior Analysis Programs.

Since 2014, the School of Education has offered the MEd Behavior Analyst in Boston and online via Moodle to Cambridge College post-grads seeking the intervention skills to modify errant actions for improved social functioning. Directed by Dr. Robert K. Ross, the 38-credit program ends flexible 600-level courses like Communication Disorders with a supervised project for an 88 percent BCBA exam pass rate. The MEd Autism Specialist follows a hybrid 31-credit, the non-certification track at an engaging 10:1 ratio under Dr. Sandra Bridwell for paraprofessionals working with children or adults on the spectrum. Exclusively in Massachusetts, the 49-credit MEd Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities led by Dr. Mary Garrity offers PreK-8 or 5-12 licensing options plus BACB eligibility after 525 hours of practicum, such as Newton Public Schools. Headed by Dr. Jeffrey Skowron of Beacon Services, the Post-Master’s Behavior Analyst Certificate has a shorter 19-credit hybrid curriculum aligned to the BACB Task List. From Springfield to Southern California, the BA in Psychology also lays a 120-credit behavioral foundation outlined by Dr. Niti Seth with an Education, Expressive Therapies, or Family Studies Concentration.

About Cambridge College

Cambridge College originated in 1971 when Fulbright Scholar John Bremer, Ph.D., started the Institute of Open Education for working women at Newton College of the Sacred Heart. Two years later, directors Joan Goldsmith and Eileen Moran Brown linked the young IOE to Antioch College. Accredited in 1979, it started independently granting evening graduate degrees after 18 months. In 1999, Cambridge College was renamed and expanded to its first Western Massachusetts site in Springfield. The Merrimack Valley became the next host for CC-Lawrence in 2003. By 2010, Cambridge was branching into bilingual studies in Rancho Cucamonga and San Patricio Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. On March 8, 2016, Cambridge College announced it was opening a unified 85,000-square-foot building in Hood Office Park for administration. That year, Latino Leaders Magazine named Cambridge among its top 50 for Hispanics. The Eos Foundation also placed CC 11th for percentage of women enrolled. Endowed for $11.1 million, Cambridge College now educates 2,800, including MEd Behavior Analyst majors, from 50 countries online and at five locations.

Cambridge College Accreditation Details

On November 13, 2016, Cambridge College hosted a comprehensive evaluation visit from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) to properly extend the 10-year Level V accreditation under its fourth president, Dr. Deborah C. Jackson, who received the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Award. Located 15 miles northwest via Interstate 93 in Burlington, this six-state Upper Atlantic accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Education Department to review Cambridge’s 13 baccalaureate, 41 master’s, one doctoral, and 26 certificate options. Specifically, the School of Education was last reaffirmed by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) in May 2014. Cambridge College is also authorized by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education, and Council on Education of Puerto Rico.

Cambridge College Application Requirements

Enrolling at Cambridge College is classified “non-competitive” by Peterson’s although just 68 of the 107 Fall 2017 applicants were triumphant for a 64 percent acceptance rate. Freshmen pursuing the BA in Psychology should attest to the completion of a secondary school program. Achieving a 580 GED or 45 HiSET exam equivalent score is eligible. Under the Higher Education Act of 1965, attending an “eligible career pathway program” also qualifies. Nine or more transfer credits graded “B” or better would transfer. On average, undergrads present an unweighted 3.45 GPA. Taking the ACT or SAT is wholly optional. Instead, students reach at least 55 for Reading, 60 for Sentence Skills, and 34 for Arithmetic on the Accuplacer. The School of Education considers MEd Behavior Analyst entrants holding four-year bachelor’s degrees with GPAs above 2.99. Programs, excluding the MEd Autism Specialist, require Massachusetts PreK-12 licensure with passing MTEL marks. The Behavior Analyst Certificate prefers teaching master’s graduates featuring 3+ years of full employment.

Cambridge College conveniently has a rolling admission process. However, prospective students should apply at least four weeks before the current term start dates of September 1st, January 14th, and June 3rd. That’s especially true for foreign learners exceeding the minimum 550 TOEFL, 6.0 IELTS, or 68 MTELP English score. Create a CCOnline account to complete the free ($100 if non-U.S.) application. Mail official transcripts to 500 Rutherford Avenue in Boston, MA 02129. Submit elected test scores using institutional code 3612. Supplemental items include the 500-word personal statement, two employer references, current résumé or CV, passport, financial capability affidavit, teacher certification, and criminal offender record. Please inquire further by contacting (617) 873-0125 or academicservices@cambridgecollege.edu.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2018-19, the School of Undergraduate Studies at Cambridge College is charging BA in Psychology majors $433 per credit. Course audits are $160 per credit. Bachelor’s students pay the $50 course materials fee, $50 science lab fee, and $130 portfolio evaluation fee. Health insurance premiums are $2,109 per year. Cambridge budgets $8,000 for off-campus housing, $1,500 for textbooks, and $2,700 for miscellaneous expenses. Annual undergrad attendance equals around $27,140 independent or $19,140 at home. The School of Education bills master’s tuition of $554 per credit. The MEd Autism Specialist in Puerto Rico is discounted to $318 per credit. Post-Master’s Behavior Analyst Certificate cohorts spend $554 per credit. Field experiences also incur a $650 fee during the first term.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Financial Aid Office connects 57 percent of Cambridge students to tuition assistance averaging $3,717 each for $1.78 million combined. Available funds include the Norma K. Clarke Scholarship, Henry Hampton Scholarship, Susan Lowell Wales Dineen Scholarship, Jane Saltonstall Scholarship, F.B. Reed Scholarship, Carl F. Barron Scholarship, Jay Veevers Scholarship, Hill & Ponton Scholarship, Virginia Wellington Cabot Scholarship, Anne W. Hiatt Scholarship, and TonaLaw Veterans Scholarship. Deadlines are August 1st, December 1st, and May 1st for the College Enrollment Scholarships of $1,000 to $5,000. The Community Service Work-Study program pays up to $20/hour. Local residents for 24+ months can claim the $2,500 City of Boston Scholarship annually. Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance options like the MASS Grant, Gilbert Grant, and Paraprofessional Teacher Preparation Grant help. Submitting FAFSA forms coded 021829 unlocks Federal Pell or FSEOG Grant money for BA in Psychology majors. MEd Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities students could earn the $4,000 TEACH Grant. College Factual lists median yearly debt of $9,500 from Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized and Grad Plus loans too.

Find more about Cambridge College at the School of Education website.