Bristol Community College and UMass Dartmouth launch streamlined path to a bachelor’s degree for local students

Bristol Community College and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), launching the Plus Program: Bristol + UMassD. This program will provide students with access to high quality and affordable associate and bachelor’s degree opportunities in the Commonwealth. The program will begin enrolling students in September 2019.

UMass Dartmouth will award merit scholarships of at least $2,500 a year to Bristol students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and who enroll as full-time, day students at UMass Dartmouth. This program is also open to Bristol students with less than 30 credits, as well as any students who are participating in the UMassD/Bristol articulation agreements or the MassTransfer A2B programs.

Students who completed their AS/AA degree from Bristol will enter UMass Dartmouth as juniors. The Plus Program: Bristol + UMassD provides collaborative on-site academic advising and access to a variety of UMass Dartmouth experiences while pursuing a Bristol Community College associate degree.

“Students in our region deserve to have seamless access to a high-quality and affordable education,” said Bristol Community College President Laura L. Douglas, Ph.D. “The Bristol + UMassD program provides a bridge between institutions that is collaborative and combines the specialized resources of both institutions, creating a rich college experience, while also streamlining the transition to a bachelor’s degree.”

“This innovative collaboration advances our goal to increase educational attainment across the region,” sad UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. “Together, Bristol Community College and UMass Dartmouth are equipping students with the adaptable skillset and agile mindset required to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy.”

In addition to guaranteed admission to UMass Dartmouth and no application costs, Bristol students will also benefit from a number of additional offerings including:

· UMass Dartmouth’s career development staff will offer workshops at Bristol so that students can plan their career path from their first year at Bristol through their UMass Dartmouth graduation.

· Bristol students will receive priority registration in UMass Dartmouth courses for their entering semester.

· Students will have access to the library, fitness center, bookstore, and dining halls at both campuses.

· Students will receive Bristol and UMass Dartmouth ID cards that provide access to sporting events, musical and theatre productions, speaker programs, and other events at both campuses.

Bristol students who sign up for and meet the guidelines of the Commonwealth Commitment program will attend UMass Dartmouth at frozen tuition and fees throughout their remaining two years of study, a 10% rebate on tuition and fees per semester, as well as the MassTransfer tuition credit. Students would realize an approximate 40 percent savings if they attended UMass Dartmouth through the Commonwealth Commitment. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Commonwealth Commitment is an agreement between the state’s 15 community colleges and four-year institutions that freezes tuition and fees upon program entry while offering other rebates.

For more information about the Plus Program: Bristol + UMassD visit umassd.edu/plus/ or contact the Bristol Community College Office of Transfer Affairs at 774.357.2234 or email transfer@bristolcc.edu.