Francis College of Engineering

About the school

University of Massachusetts Lowell Francis College of Engineering first welcomed students in 1897 and, since then, has been offering top-quality, experiential education that helps you meet the needs of a dynamic world. The college is Accredited by ABET and received a Bronze Award under the ASEE Diversity Recognition Programme. You can pursue Master’s programmes in both traditional and new-age engineering fields, including civil, computer, electrical, environmental, plastics, mechanical, biomedical, and energy. Doctoral, certificate and online programmes are offered too. The college boasts more than 100 tenured and tenure-track faculty members and 30 lecturers.

Location of the School

Francis College of Engineering is situated in the industrially important city of Lowell, in Massachusetts, close to museums, parks, and galleries.

Life at the Francis College of Engineering

Students can meet peers from different parts of the world, have fun, learn about different cultures, and build leadership qualities at the college, with more than 250 student clubs available. A portal called Engage also allows you to stay updated about on-campus events. The university also offers wellness centres, counselling support, disability services, as well as resources on sexual harassment prevention and action.

A variety of housing options are available on campus, enabling easy access to fitness centres, libraries, academic labs, and computer labs. Special accommodations such as gender-inclusive housing and alternative housing for health needs are also available. If you want a smooth transition, want to live with students with similar interests, or require mentoring, you can also sign up for Living Learning Community offerings.

Additional Benefits of Studying at Francis College of Engineering

The college takes experiential learning seriously, which is evident in its multiple initiatives. You can choose to study abroad and gain global exposure, learn through community service, consult faculty members for research opportunities, or get work experience in a real company through professional co-op programmes.

The college also offers an Assistive Technology programme, where you can resolve challenging community issues with the use of relevant technologies. Students can also be a part of clubs and teams where they can design, build, race or fly canoes, remote-controlled planes, rockets, and formula one-style cars.

Admissions criteria

To apply to Francis College of Engineering, students need a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Application requirements might vary from one programme to another, so make sure to go through the relevant website pages carefully. Keep an eye on the deadlines, too, as it takes time to process applications and visas.

Generally, applications should include the following types of information:

• Completed online application form
• Statement of purpose (outlining work history, academic background, goals, awards etc.)
• Two letters of recommendation (3 in case of doctoral programmes)
• Unofficial transcripts from previous institutions in English as well as native language
• GRE: Requirement and minimum score vary across programmes
• Proof of English proficiency: TOEFL (79)/IELTS (6.5)
• TOEFL exemption: If you are a citizen of Canada (except Quebec), United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Guyana, and English-speaking countries in West Indies and Africa/completed a minimum of 2 academic semesters of full-time university study in the USA
• Application fee

Please consult the school’s website for more information on fees, the admission process, as well as financial aid or scholarships.

Job placements

The university’s Career & Co-op Center helps students land dream internships and jobs with a variety of tools and initiatives. They will learn how to grow their network, make the most of a career fair, write resumes, prepare for interviews, obtain insights from job trends, and search applications and platforms for the right opportunities.

• More than 600 companies have offered co-op opportunities to students at the university

• Within six months of graduation, 95% of graduates either secure employment or pursue advanced degrees

• Employers currently offering jobs to technology and engineering graduates include NeuroSync, Tesla, Galatea Associates, and EnviroMed Services, to name a few. Internship opportunities are available from Honeywell, Daikin, ZS, and Thornton Tomasetti, among others. Co-op experiences are being offered by Shaw Industries Group, E Ink Corporation, Draper, GSK, etc.