The University of Massachusetts Lowell is also featured in our ranking Top 20 Online Applied Behavior Analysis Bachelor’s Degree and BCaBA Coursework Programs.
Enrolling in one of the online programs that UMass Lowell offers helps students save money on living expenses and other costs. One of the programs that the university offers is a Bachelor’s in Applied Behavior Analysis. Also called ABA, this is a process used to change the behaviors of others. This program focuses specifically on working with autistic children and helping them develop the skills necessary to play with their peers and to develop the skills they need in school and social settings. The university worked with the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) to create a program that meets all the organization’s guidelines, which helps students apply for and receive certification after they graduate.
The program features courses functional analysis and treatment of challenging behavior, which focuses on how to treat children. Another required class looks at the intervention methods that specialists can use in the field to identify the exact needs of a patient. There is also a class on measurement that students must take, which delves into the testing used to determine whether a child has autism. This class also goes over the different parts of the autism spectrum and how specialists will need to customize treatment programs based on the skills of the child.
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This program also includes a required course on legal and ethical issues that goes over some of the issues that professional face as they practice. UMass Lowell has an ABA graduate program available and offers support for students who want to make the transition to the graduate program after earning a bachelor’s degree.
About UMass Lowell
The University of Massachusetts-Lowell is a branch of the University of Massachusetts school system located in the city of the same name. Most use the name UMass Lowell when talking about this school to separate it from other UMass campuses. Established in the 1890s, the university actually opened as two different schools. Lowell State College was a normal school that only enrolled female students and trained those students to work as teachers. A separate technical school opened around the same time and offered courses on new technical subjects. These two schools merged in the 1970s and became the University of Lowell, which became a division of the University of Massachusetts in the early 1990s.
UMass Lowell ranks as one of the nation’s top schools on the lists released by Forbes, Washington Monthly and U.S. News & World Report. Both Time and U.S. News & World Report included the university on their lists of the top colleges in the world. UMass Lowell now has a virtual campus that allows students to take courses online in addition to the classes that they take on its campus. Students also have the chance to enroll in a full program and earn a degree online. Online programs are available for both full-time and part-time students.
University of Massachusetts-Lowell Accreditation Details
As UMass Lowell has regional accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), it has the right to offer federal financial aid to its students. Those students can use the FAFSA to see if they qualify for aid based on the income of their parents. This type of accreditation also allows students to transfer credits to the university or from the school. This Massachusetts campus also has some specialty accreditation that comes from professional groups such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
University of Massachusetts-Lowell Application Requirements
UMass Lowell accepts around 60% of the students who apply every year, and more than half of those students enroll for the fall semester. Incoming freshmen have an average score of 1550 on the SAT and a high school GPA of 3.55, but the university will accept students with a lower GPA or a lower test score. The university has an early decision deadline of November 1 and a deadline for all other students of February 1. Students will need to use the Common Application, which is available on a separate website. They can create private accounts and choose their own user names and passwords. The Common Application gives students the chance to use the same information to complete and submit applications to more than one school. Students can use the university’s own application or a PDF version of the application too.
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Those applying to the university must pay an application fee or provide the university with a waiver, which is available from high school guidance counselors. The university asks for a high school transcript and an official test score, but students can submit a score from either the ACT or the SAT. Students also need to answer one of the three essay questions that the university offers, which gives the school an idea of each individual student’s writing strengths. UMass Lowell requires a letter of recommendation too that should come from someone familiar with the student’s high school abilities.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The university estimates that students will pay around $14,300 a year for tuition as a full-time student and a Massachusetts resident. Nonresident tuition climbs to more than $31,000 a year. UMass Lowell has programs in place that help some students save money on their tuition. It offers a New England Regional Program that drops tuition down to around $25,000 a year for students who live in New England. The Proximity Regional Program is open to students living in nearby states and reduces their costs down to around $25,000 a year too. Only those who are full-time Massachusetts residents and can prove they lived in the state for at least one full year qualify for the resident tuition rate.
These costs do not include the fees charged by the university and the living expenses that students face. It also does not include the cost of textbooks or any other supplies. Any student who needs help paying for college should complete the FAFSA and use the UMass Lowell school code on that form. Undergrad students often receive grants from both the federal and state government, but those students can also qualify for federal loans. The university’s work-study program accepts students who need more help and provides them with a job on the Lowell campus. Loans are also available for the parents and guardians of college students.