Urban College of Boston: Pathways to Opportunity Through Accessible and Diverse Education

Urban College of Boston (UCB) stands as an institution dedicated to providing accessible, supportive, and multilingual education to a diverse community of learners. The college's mission is to empower students to pursue career advancement and transform their lives through individualized learning experiences. UCB achieves this by offering a range of academic programs, flexible course formats, and comprehensive support services, all designed to meet the needs of students, employers, and academic transfer partners. This ensures graduates have access to a broad range of career and higher education options.

Academic Programs: A Foundation for Success

UCB offers Associate of Arts degrees in three key areas: Early Childhood Education, Human Services Administration, and General Studies. In addition to these degrees, the College provides numerous Certificates of Achievement, as well as continuing education programs for those registering as Professional Studies students.

Associate of Arts Degrees

Early Childhood Education: This program prepares students for careers working with young children in various settings, such as preschools, daycare centers, and early intervention programs.
Human Services Administration: The Associate of Arts in Human Services Administration degree at UCB prepares students for transfer and employment in social service agencies, schools, and centers. The program provides a unique combination of college course work and human services field experience employers value.
General Studies: Through a blend of general education core courses and electives aligned with individual aspirations, the Associate of Arts in General Studies degree provides students the opportunity to plan, analyze, and execute their individual career and education goals.

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Certificate Programs

UCB offers a variety of certificate programs designed to provide students with specialized skills and knowledge in high-demand fields. These programs include:

Business
Case Management
Children’s Behavioral Health
Digital Marketing
Early Childhood Education
Elder Care
General Studies
Human Services
Paraprofessional Educator
Project Management

The General Studies Certificate is perfect for students who want to earn college credits but are unsure what they want to study. This versatile certificate empowers students to explore several course topics and career paths while learning online. Benefits of a General Studies Certificate include a wide variety of career paths post-graduation. All courses in the certificate program will transfer into the corresponding associate degree program at Urban College of Boston. In addition, transfer agreements with other colleges allow students to continue their education.

Professional Studies & Single Courses

For students seeking continuing education or professional development opportunities, UCB offers a range of professional studies courses.

Flexible Learning Options

Urban College understands that students have diverse schedules and commitments. To accommodate these needs, the College offers flexible course formats, including:

Day and Evening Classes: Students can choose to attend classes during the day or evening, depending on their availability.

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In-Person, Remote, and Accelerated Formats: Courses are offered in-person, remotely, and in accelerated formats, allowing students to learn in the way that best suits their learning style and schedule.
Online Programs: Urban College offers flexible online associate degrees and certificate programs. As a student, you can choose to enroll in traditional full-semester courses, accelerated eight-week Fast Track sessions, or a combination of both options. Classes run through the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters, with flexible synchronous and asynchronous class sessions. Courses are offered online, and support is available virtually and on our Boston campus.

Multilingual Education: Serving a Diverse Community

UCB is committed to serving a diverse community of learners. Over 70% of the students speak English as a second language. The College offers courses in several languages, including English, Spanish, and Mandarin. If you are currently learning English, you may enroll in courses in your native language while progressing along a sequence of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses. UCB also support non-native English speakers through a robust ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) sequence and offer free tutoring.

Support Through Graduation

Urban College is dedicated to helping our students succeed. The College provides robust support to our students throughout their time with us, from offering guidance through the application and financial aid processes, to registering for courses and seeking tutoring or technology support, to considering post-graduation options.

Affordable Programs: Making Education Accessible

UCB is committed to making education affordable for all students. The College offers low-cost tuition with scholarships and grants available. Most Urban College students graduate debt-free. The majority of the financial support we provide is through grant aid and/or scholarships. Grant aid is money that is awarded to students and does not need to be paid back. Let us help you attend college more affordably, or even tuition-free.

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Location and Accessibility

UCB is conveniently located in downtown Boston, close to the Boston Common, the State House, and the city’s vibrant theatre district. The College is easily accessible by public transportation, as it is located across from the Chinatown Orange Line T station and is also easily accessible via the Red, Green, and Silver lines, as well as numerous bus routes.

Professional Licensure & Certification Disclosures

As part of our commitment to transparency and student success, we provide the following information for programs designed to prepare students for professional licensure or certification. The programs listed below meet recognized national professional and licensure standards.

Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential
Courses: ECE 119 - CDA Professional Resource File Development IECE 120 - CDA Professional Resource File Development II These courses guide students through the 120 hours of formal training, development of the CDA portfolio, and preparation for the verification visit and exam required by the Council for Professional Recognition.
ParaPro Assessment (ETS)
Recommended Courses: ENG 111 - College Writing IECE 109 - Early Language and Literacy Development MAT 100 - College Mathematics These courses help prepare students for the ETS ParaPro Assessment, a national test evaluating skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, commonly required for paraprofessional roles.
Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Certification
Course: HUS 108 - Behavior Analysis and Intervention Skills Satisfies the 40-hour training requirement set by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) to qualify for the RBT examination. Additional steps include a competency assessment under BCBA supervision.
Community Health Worker (CHW) Certification (Massachusetts)
Course: HUS 110 - Core Competencies for Community Behavioral Health Workers Aligned with the 10 core competencies outlined by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health under 272 CMR 5.00, this course supports eligibility for CHW certification.

If you are enrolled in, or considering, one of the programs above and reside outside of Massachusetts, our team is available to assist you in understanding national licensure requirements. Urban College is here to support you.

Diversity and Inclusion

Urban College of Boston is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, religion, race, color, disability, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, employment policies, and other programs and activities. Urban College has long served an ethnically- and racially- diverse student body; of the over 1,100 students enrolled during the 2021-2022 academic year, 67% identified as Hispanic or Latinx, 10% as Black or African American, 11% as Asian, 4% as white, 2% as another race or ethnicity, and 6% did not indicate their ethnicity.

Communication and Conflict Resolution Skills

COM 113 - Communication and Conflict in the Helping Professions This course equips students with theoretical frameworks and practical skills for effective communication and conflict transformation in the helping professions. Students will define conflict, examine different communication styles and models for addressing conflict, consider factors such as gender, culture, language, and power dynamics in communication, and identify stakeholder interests and goals. This is followed by a course description consisting of several topics that describe what students can expect to learn by taking COM 113. The course description followed by the number 3 followed by the word “credits” which states the number of credits awarded upon completion of the course.

General Studies Certificate: A Versatile Pathway

Benefits

A wide variety of career paths post-graduation.
Learn wherever you are with flexible online courses.
Low-cost tuition with scholarships and grants available.

Curriculum

There are 21 credits required to complete the General Studies Certificate. Courses may include:

General Psychology
Computer Information Systems
Cultural Aspects of Families and Children
College Writing I and II
Additional areas of focus courses reflect the student’s field of interest in Management, Social Sciences, Humanities, and more.

All courses in the certificate program will transfer into the corresponding associate degree program at Urban College of Boston. In addition, transfer agreements with other colleges allow students to continue their education. See our College Transfer Pathways page for information on how your associate degree at Urban College can transfer into several bachelor’s degree completion programs.

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