Explore Academics | Lesley University

?Hide Help QuestionsNeed help finding a program?

Learn about CommonLynx, Lesley's outcome-based approach.

Majors 41 Programs

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Explore media and tools that give life to visual stories, characters, and environments. Develop your own distinctive style and voice. And, gain the professional know-how for careers in film, TV, game design, and beyond.

Create films that challenge conventional thinking, inspire action, or elicit emotion. With a strong foundation in technical skills—cinematography, sound design, lighting, and editing—turn your vision into a powerful story that you will produce and bring to the big screen.

Explore across media as you investigate the full scope of the visual arts. Divide your time between classrooms and studios where you’ll not only draw, paint, sculpt, and explore printmaking, but also read, write, and conduct research.

Turn your creativity, talent for technology, and love of video games into an exciting career in game design.

Get hands-on experience in print, motion, experiential, and interactive design. Gain the ability to think visually and present strategic design solutions to real-world challenges.

From visual narratives to character design, concept and editorial art, product and surface design, a bachelor’s degree in illustration offers you the possibility to create work that engages and excites.

Address the needs, emotions, and behaviors of users while solving complex design challenges that affect real people. Gain the skills and understanding needed to create information design, product interfaces, mobile apps, and more.

Explore traditional and new media in commercial studio, documentary, photojournalism, and fine art photography. Forge your own voice in the creative process as you learn to craft a photo from initial concept to final image.

Learn to tell stories and solve problems with visual and practical effects. Create believable visual narratives alongside industry trailblazers in the classroom and beyond. Also, build a well-rounded portfolio to enter careers in film, gaming, advertising, healthcare, or more.

To succeed in our contemporary visual landscape, art makers need to be able to express themselves in multiple ways. As a visual narrative major, you’ll develop a distinct visual language that draws inspiration from culture, politics, history, and more.

Bachelor of Arts

Study theory and history of the visual arts while creating your own from many different forms of media. Ideal for students who also want to take on a second major as there are fewer credits and studio requirements.

Investigate the natural processes and life cycles of plants and animals. Explore the world through its complex systems and see how all life is connected. Take the first steps toward a career in education, public and community health, science writing, and more.

Discover how race and ethnicity, gender, class, and culture shape families and communities and affect children’s learning and growth. Gain hands-on experiences and insights that prepare you to be an advocate for youth and families in need.

Whether you choose to focus on fiction, nonfiction, poetry, script writing, or writing for children and young adults, as a creative writing major at Lesley you’ll gain the tools, support, and experience to bring your vision to the world.

Guide children’s playfulness and creativity as you discover cutting-edge approaches to teaching children in pre-kindergarten through second grade. Encourage their earliest stages of learning and development and help set a solid foundation for success in school.

Gain a scientific understanding of nature, ecology, and biological diversity. Work alongside experts in climate change and urban ecology to address critical environmental problems.

Cultivate the creativity, knowledge, and real-world experience needed to lead Grade 1–6 classrooms. Discover cutting-edge teaching approaches that make learning engaging for every student.

Explore the most significant writers and works from American, European, and world literature. Tackle big questions about the human experience. Hone writing and communication skills that translate to success in a wide range of careers.

Discover a multidisciplinary approach to addressing environmental problems. Understand human effects on the environment by studying not only the sciences, but also philosophy, history, politics, and culture.

Explore how people and nations are connected. Work toward solutions to global issues, such as immigration, trade, and climate change. Transform your fascination with the world into a career in international business, law, education, and more.

In our bachelor's degree program in Health Science, you can complete all your pre-med requirements without majoring in a traditional pre-health program.

Trace the rise and fall of civilizations and draw on the lessons for today’s world. Translate your knowledge into careers in education, museums, journalism, and beyond.

Gain an understanding of how mind, body, and spirit are related. Use this knowledge to help people find relief, balance, and calm. Study alternative healing practices from around the world.

Earn your Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in liberal studies with a completely customizable area of study. This is a perfect opportunity to design a program of coursework that is specific to your background or individual goals.

Examine real-world problems with an analytical eye and take action. Use math as a lens to examine global issues. Participate in important research with expert faculty. Gain skills for careers in computer science, data management, education, and more.

Mathematics is one of the most versatile majors today, allowing you to bring comprehensive quantitative skills and analytical abilities to a diverse range of occupations in a wide range of industries.

Capture the imagination and attention of students in grades 5-8. Become an expert on the adolescent mind. And gain the skills and experience to engage this challenging age group with confidence and creativity.

Gain an understanding of how government policies are made and carried out. Analyze different types of governments and their impacts on citizens. Prepare for a rewarding career in business, law, education, government, or communications.

Investigate how the brain works and learn about mental processes. Study the biological factors that cause people to act in certain ways. And gain an understanding of human growth and development.

Inspire high school and middle school students to discover their strengths and passions. Guide them in building a foundation for successful learning and future careers. And gain confidence in your knowledge and skills as a teacher.

Focus on society and the factors that define our place in it. Explore how individuals and groups are affected by race, class, gender, sexuality, and age. And gain the skills for a career in public health, community organizing, advocacy, and more.

Discover how to make education accessible and engaging for PreK–8 students who have diverse learning styles and needs. Gain the skills you need to become a confident, inclusive, and empathetic teacher.

Bachelor of Science

Grow as an artist and help others use their own creativity as a path to wellness. Our art therapy bachelor's degree program gives you the tools to improve people's abilities to cope, heal, understand, and relate to others.

Channel your curiosity about living into a career focused on healthcare and research. Graduate with the skills needed to continue onto medical, dental, or veterinary school, and a range of science-related professions.

Gain the business skills you need to think strategically, identify challenges, offer creative solutions, and lead others. Build your resume with work experience in some of the best places to work in Greater Boston—a hub for tech start-ups.

Develop the listening and people skills to counsel others. Build your understanding of human development, psychology, and relationships. Gain the confidence to work with children and adults in schools, communities, and social service agencies.

Prepare for a career working with young children or enhance your current teaching with our bachelor’s degree completion program. Specialize in infants and toddlers, children with special needs, preschool, or integrated teaching through the arts.

Learn about our environment with a scientific perspective.

Discover how to engage people in creative processes that can free them from mental and emotional problems. Gain an understanding of the professional skills needed to guide others toward health and healing.

Explore the systems and organizations that serve communities. Channel your compassion and activism into a career helping people access the programs and services they need.

Bachelor of Social Work

There are countless ways to use a social work degree to help put individuals, families, and entire communities on the path to living happy, productive, and meaningful lives. Let Lesley help find the one meant for you.

Masters 31 Programs

Master of Education

Bring your artistic skills to the classroom. Teach PreK-8 or 5-12 students how to think and learn through the creative process. Continue to develop your own work while discovering the latest in classroom practices, research, and art education.

Transform your love of the arts into a career in a nonprofit, hospital, museum, school, or other institution. In this dynamic program, you gain the tools to effect change in the community through art—and become a better artist at the same time.

In this master's program, learn skills that will engage students in computer science skills and concepts.

Prepare to nurture the social, emotional, and intellectual development of PreK-2 children. Explore teaching methods that will help you inspire in your students a lifelong love of learning. Gain rich experience and prepare for a rewarding career.

Play a vital role in helping grade 1–6 students become critical thinkers who will thrive in an era of change. Explore ways to support children with varied abilities, and emerge from your studies with the skills you need to succeed as a teacher.

Expand your content knowledge while gaining strategies for engaging students and preparing them for college and careers. Choose from English, history, math, biology, chemistry, earth and space science, physics, or social sciences, and become a highly effective licensed educator.

Be a teacher who can effectively teach students with moderate learning disabilities in both special education and inclusive classrooms. Study instruction, current issues and laws, and how to provide all students with full access to learning.

Become a teacher who can educate students with moderate learning disabilities. Prepare to teach in special education and inclusive classrooms. Study instruction, current issues and laws, and how to provide all students with full access to learning.

Fulfill your goal of being a dedicated special education teacher. This dual-license master’s program prepares you to work with PreK–8 students with a range of moderate and severe disabilities in school, clinical, and other settings.

This dual-license master’s program prepares you to work with students with both moderate and severe disabilities in school, clinical, and other settings. Fulfill your goal of being a dedicated special education teacher.

Fulfill your goal of being an effective special education teacher. This dual-license master’s program prepares you to work with PreK through high school students in school, clinical, and other settings.

Prepare to educate and encourage students with severe disabilities. Make a meaningful difference for those with complex learning needs by providing access to curriculum, behavior support, skills development, and quality of life options.

Design an advanced degree based on your professional and personal goals. Pursue a specialization or choose a variety of courses from across the university, and take a combination of face-to-face and online courses.

Develop skills in PreK-2 environments, materials, provocations, documentation, family engagement, citizenship, and the vision of the capable, curious young child through the example of the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Learn the vital skills needed to teach middle school students English, general science, history, humanities, math/science, math, or social sciences.

Make a real difference in students’ lives by turning your passion for literacy into career as a school or district reading specialist. In this highly-regarded program, you’ll gain expertise you can apply to a variety of settings and roles.

Design a master’s program in special education tailored to your unique professional goals. Centered on a chosen concentration area, this non-licensure program is for those who already have or do not need a special education license.

Prepare to effectively teach English to speakers of other languages. Gain an Initial Massachusetts license in English as a Second Language (ESL), and prepare for a rewarding career.

Master of Arts

Develop the understanding, social justice perspective, and clinical expertise needed to become a creative and effective mental health counselor. Gain eligibility for your counseling license by completing 700-1,300 hours of field experience.

Promote healing through drawing, painting, sculpting, and other media. Learn theoretical and practical approaches to help people gain self-awareness and understanding. Become engaged with individuals, families, and communities to foster well-being.

Learn to use dance and movement to enhance communication and relationships and foster mental and physical wellness in clients. As a dance/movement therapist and mental health counselor, explore how dance can yield fresh insights and facilitate the healing process.

Facilitate change through improvisation and performance. As a licensed mental health counselor, use experiential techniques to help others become spontaneous and flexible in their relationships. Practice in schools, clinics, and community centers.

Learn from pioneers in the field as you train to become a licensed mental health counselor, whose practice integrates multiple areas of expression, including art, dance/movement, drama, and music. Choose from our on-campus or low-residency options.

Starting from the basis of the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—learn a multidimensional approach to counseling that addresses people’s mental, physical, and emotional needs. Complete 1,300 field-training hours, qualifying you for licensure.

Engage others in music making as a means to wellness. Use musical performance to instill confidence and collaboration. Prepare for careers in diverse settings, including at-risk youth, underserved communities, and clinical and educational centers.

Train to excel as a counselor in diverse primary and secondary school environments. Learn to work with children and collaborate with a wide range of individuals, including parents, teachers, administrators, and community members.

Guide those in pain toward health and healing. With 1,300 hours of specialized field training, you’ll develop the mental health counseling expertise needed to address traumatic experiences, especially in the case of young and vulnerable populations.

Work in school settings with children and adolescents, as well as their families, to help them reach academic and personal goals. In this 48-credit program, become eligible for licensure as a Massachusetts school counselor for grades PreK-8 or 5–12.

Gain the expertise you need to promote engagement and understanding across cultures and groups of people within higher education settings.

Master of Fine Arts

Immerse in an intimate community of artist/scholars that is redefining photography. Study full-time in Cambridge, MA, and explore traditional and alternative photographic practices, new technology, and contemporary media through one holistic curriculum.

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Lesley’s Master of Social Work (MSW) is a distinctive program with a mission of emphasizing social justice, promoting client well-being, and serving and supporting a diverse range of vulnerable individuals, families, and communities.

License Only 12 Programs

License Only

If you have an advanced art degree and need only a Massachusetts teaching license, this program will enable you to help PreK-8 or 5-12 students think and learn through the creative process. Develop your own work while discovering the latest in classroom practices, educational equity, assessment, and art education.

In this license-only program, learn skills that will engage grade 5-12 students in computer science skills and concepts.

Play a key role in helping students become critical 21st century thinkers. Designed for career changers and others who do not need a master’s degree, this license-only program is a perfect way to prepare for teaching without taking a full program.

Gain valuable skills and credentials for teaching English language learners (ELLs). This license-only program gives you new career opportunities and the ability to help students make significant strides.

A program for career changers and others who would like a high school teaching license but do not require a Master's degree. Teach English, history, math, biology, chemistry, earth and space science, physics, or social sciences. Expand your content knowledge while gaining strategies for engaging students and preparing them for college and careers.

Learn to teach students with moderate learning disabilities in both special education and inclusive classrooms. If you have an appropriate classroom license and don’t need a master’s degree, this license-only program may be right for you.

Prepare to teach and inspire students with moderate learning disabilities in PreK–8 special education and inclusive classrooms. If you have an appropriate classroom license and don’t need a master’s degree, this license-only program is for you.

Make a difference in the lives of students with complex learning needs by providing behavior support, skill development, and access to education. If you have an appropriate initial license and don’t need a master’s degree, this program is for you.

Prepare to provide informed educational technology coaching and mentoring to your school community.

Turn your area of expertise into a rewarding career teaching middle school students English, general science, history, humanities, math/science, math, or social sciences. Learn about adolescent development, designing appropriate curriculum and learning environments, and classroom management strategies.

Positively impact students’ lives as a school or district reading specialist. If you have a master’s degree and an appropriate teaching license, you can get your reading specialist license and move your initial license to the professional level.

PhDs 1 Program

PhD

Blending online study with weekend on-campus classes, our PhD program for mental health professionals and school counselors prepares you to bring transformative leadership and applied research to mental health programs, schools, and higher education.

Certificates 12 Programs

Certificate

Gain the knowledge and experience for a career in animation and motion media with our two-year certification program. To be eligible, you must have already completed a bachelor’s degree program.

Learn the ins and outs of graphic design through hands-on courses and internship experience with our two-year certification program. To be eligible, you must have already completed a bachelor’s degree program.

Earn professional certification in illustration after two years of specialized study and hands-on experience. To be eligible, you must have already completed a bachelor’s degree program.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Through our certificate program, discover how to integrate the healing power of creative expression into the care of patients in hospitals, health centers, nursing homes, and other settings. You’ll develop a range of skills that open new possibilities in healthcare, education, human services, social work, counseling, and more.

Explore the principles and practices of art, dance/movement, drama, music therapy, and more. Discover how these disciplines, known as expressive therapies, can be integrated into clinical work and build on your current professional practice.

In this 12-credit program, you'll learn how to develop Reggio Emilia-inspired communities of engaged PreK-2 learners in a wide range of settings.

Explore the principles of intercultural communication and apply these skills to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Discover how these tools can build on your current professional practice in fields of education, business, nonprofits, faith communities, healthcare, and government and non-governmental organizations.

Expand your counseling psychology expertise. Start by creating a personalized 12-credit program of study with Lesley’s expert faculty advisors.

Build your expertise in psychosocial trauma work and bring new knowledge to your current practice. This 12-credit graduate certificate program provides an overview of trauma theory and practice in relation to specific client populations and topics.

Graduate Certificate or Endorsement Programs

Develop deep understanding of the unique languages, cultures, and identities of linguistically diverse student populations. Learn best practices for teaching emergent bilingual learners in this 15-credit program leading to endorsement in Massachusetts.

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study Programs

If you have an advanced degree in expressive arts therapy or a related field, and wish to gain in-depth training in the principles and practices of different modalities (art, dance, music, and psychodrama), this certificate program is for you.

Grow your literacy skills and qualify for a reading specialist license. Designed for PreK–12 educators with a master’s degree and teaching license, this program prepares you for higher-level positions in curriculum, staff training, or supervision.