Lasell College is a private non-profit independent comprehensive college located in Newton, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest postsecondary institutions in the Boston area. It emphasizes the combination of liberal arts and professional programs that lead to bachelor’s and masters degrees. Its mission is to incorporate rigorous coursework with practical experiences in a learning environment that promotes lifelong intellectual investigation, social responsibility, and active citizenship. Its core values include student focus, social responsibility, innovative education across the lifespan, and integrity, honesty, and ethical decision-making. The college is recognized for helping students make the connection between classroom instruction and real-life experiences through hands-on activities including practice, internships, service learning, and meaningful projects.
Lasell College offers over 40 undergraduate and graduate programs and all programs involve students directly and actively in their particular fields. Faculty members are committed to work with students on an individual basis to get to know them personally and encourage academic success. Programs are offered at the bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and graduate certificate levels in various areas including applied mathematics, business, communication, criminal justice, education, fashion, graphic design, history, humanities, legal studies, management, marketing, psychology, public relations, and sport management.
Lasell College offers online courses and hybrid courses to help students balance work, school, and other obligations. The online courses are offered at the graduate degree level in education, communication, management, and sport management. A Master of Science in Sport Management, Master of Science in Management, and graduate certificates are also offered completely online. The online courses were developed to offer flexible education in a quality interactive and engaging learning environment. Students can regularly communicate with instructors and fellow students. The online courses are accelerated and presented in six-week sessions. The courses are presented asynchronously through the Moodle software platform that features access to all course materials, assignment submission, online grade book, file management and sharing, discussion forums, chat rooms, messaging, and databases. Online students have online access to email, registration, billing, advising, the library and related databases, and other resources.
Edward Lasell founded Lasell College in 1851 as the Auburndale Female Seminary, the first two-year women’s college in the country. The seminary changed its name to Lasell Seminary for Young Women during its early years in memory of Edward Lasell after his death during the first semester the school was open. The seminary became Lasell Junior College in 1932 and officially began offering associate degree programs in 1943. In 1989, the college was chartered as a four-year institution and changed its name to Lasell College. The first bachelor’s degrees were conferred in 1992. The college began admitting male students in 1997. In 2002, Lasell College began offering master’s degrees. In 2008, Lasell College launched its green campus initiative with a goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. Today, Lasell College educates more than 1,600 undergraduate students from 22 states and 17 countries.
Accreditation
The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits Lasell College.
Scholarships Offered
Lasell College offers assorted institutional grants and scholarships such as the Lasell College Presidential Scholarship, Lasell College Dean’s Scholarship, Lasell College Leadership Scholarship, Lasell College Community Service Scholarship, Lasell College Achievement Award, Lasell College Grant, Lasell College Torch Scholarship, Lasell College Alumni Scholarship, and Lasell College Donor Sponsored Scholarships. There are also a variety of endowed scholarships such as the Florence Adams Scholarship, Max M. and Marian M. Farash Scholarship, Williams Morgan Scholarship, Rosalie Brightman Rosen Scholarship, and Lucy Johnson Sypher Scholarship.
Financing Options
Lasell College participates in numerous financial aid programs including the Federal Pell Grant, National Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work Study, Gilbert Grant, and Massachusetts State Grant. The college also accepts private/alternative loans. Payment plans are offered through Tuition Management Systems.
Credit Earning Options
Lasell College grants credit for courses completed at other accredited institutions of higher learning. All transfer courses must have a grade of a C or better, be completed within the last 10 years (5 years for science courses), and be in comparable in content to courses offered at Lasell College. Students seeking transfer credit must submit official transcripts from all previously attended institutions along with course catalogs or course descriptions. Students are also able to gain credit for the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advancement Placement (AP) examinations with a score of a 4 or higher, International Baccalaureate with an exam score of 4 or above, and General Certificate of Education with a grade of a C or higher. Students may transfer up to 60 credits and are required to complete 50 percent of their credits at Lasell College and the final semester must be at the college to receive a degree.