Critical Ethnic and Community Studies (MS)

Critical Ethnic and Community Studies | College of Liberal Arts

About the Program

Admission Requirements

Program Requirements

Complete a minimum of 37 credits from 13 courses including six core courses, five electives, and one capstone course.

Students may transfer in completed certificates in Gender, Leadership and Public Policy , Conflict Resolution or Critical and Creative Thinking to partially or wholly fulfill their elective credits requirements.

Capstone: Completion of a project, internship, or research paper as part of CECS 698 . The capstone includes a public presentation of the student’s work.

Grading basis: No courses taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory or for no grade may be applied toward the program.
Residency: Before enrollment in the program, students should consult with the graduate program director regarding transfer credits or UMass Boston undergraduate credits if these are intended to satisfy degree requirements. The program does not accept transfer credit for any of its required core courses; transfer courses may be applied to the program’s electives.
Independent study: No more than one independent study course (three credits) may be applied toward the program.
Statute of limitations: Five years.

Course Requirements

Core Courses (16 Credits)

CECS 600 - CECS Professional Seminar A 1 Credit(s)
CECS 610 - Foundations of Critical Ethnic and Community Studies 3 Credit(s)
CECS 611 - Migration and Diaspora 3 Credit(s)
CECS 612 - Community Formation and Development 3 Credit(s)
CECS 622 - Transdisciplinary Research in Practice B 3 Credit(s)
CECS 623 - Transdisciplinary Research Methods 3 Credit(s)

Electives (15 Credits)

Complete five additional courses chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor.

Electives for CECS include graduate courses from within Critical Ethnic and Community Studies as well as courses from other graduate disciplines or programs, such as Global Inclusion and Social Development , Public Administration , Creative Writing , Conflict Resolution , American Studies , Environmental Sciences , Gerontology , Urban Planning and Community Development , or Applied Sociology .

Alternatively, CECS offers the unique opportunity of fulfilling the elective sequence through the completion of a graduate certificate (at least 15 credits) in one of various areas, including:

Human Rights
Conflict Resolution
Survey Research
Gender, Leadership, and Public Policy
Critical and Creative Thinking

Capstone Course (6 Credits)

CECS 698 - CECS Master’s Capstone 3 Credit(s)