UMass Dartmouth, Bristol Community College announce partnership

Dec 11, 2018

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Bristol Community College are launching a new partnership to help students achieve associate and bachelor’s degrees.

The “Plus Program: Bristol + UMassD” will begin enrolling students in Fall 2019. UMass Dartmouth will award merit scholarships of at least $2,500 to Bristol students with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 who enroll as full-time day students at UMass.

Students who have completed their associate degree with Bristol will enter UMass as juniors. The partnership will provide collaborative on-site academic advising and access to UMass experiences for students pursuing a Bristol Community College associate degree.

In addition to guaranteed admission to UMass Dartmouth and no application costs, Bristol students will also benefit from programs including career development support, priority registration for their first semester at UMass, and access to facilities and events on both campuses.

The Plus Program builds on the Commonwealth Commitment program, which provides students who earn an associate degree within 2.5 years, maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, and complete a bachelor’s degree at a State University or UMass campus within 2 years with frozen tuition and fees, a 10 percent rebate on tuition and fees per semester, and a Mass Transfer Tuition credit. Students who attend UMass Dartmouth through this program will save approximately 40 percent.

The program will also be open to Bristol students with less than 30 credits, as well as students who are participating well as any students who are participating in the UMassD/Bristol articulation agreements or the MassTransfer A2B programs.

“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.”

The program aims to increase access to education across the South Coast.

“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 skill set and agile mindset required to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy.”

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. Bristol Community College has campuses in New Bedford, Fall River, Attleboro, and Taunton, and offers courses online.