You Belong Here
So much is in store for you at Lesley University! Now that you’ve been accepted, RSVP for our exclusive celebration for new undergraduate and Threshold students for either Saturday, March 23 or Saturday, April 27.

These are challenging times for colleges, universities, and students alike. We are saddened by the closing of Becker College, and at Lesley University we want you to know that we have your back.

Lesley University is committed to offering guaranteed admission for Fall 2021 to current Becker College students who are in good academic standing. You can rest assured that we'll apply 100% of the Becker College credits you've earned toward your Lesley degree.

Becker College Application

Are you a Becker College student enrolling at Lesley University? We're accepting applications to start this fall on a rolling basis. 

Contact Our Admissions Team

Have questions? Want to learn more about which of Lesley's 35+ programs are right for you? Need help with the form?

Our undergraduate admissions counselors, Mike McCarthy and Mary Dion, are here to support you through the process and make enrolling at Lesley as seamless as possible. Because we know you're the kind of person who could make big things happen at Lesley. 

erik gullard undergraduate admissions

Erik Gullard, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions

Area of focus: All transfer applicants and degree completion applicants (LCAL on campus programs and Community College partnerships).

“Lesley offers students the opportunity to explore and I love when students have their ‘aha’ moment and realize their passion.”

Email Erik: egullard@lesley.edu; Call or text Erik: 617.326.5217

Schedule a time to connect with Erik

Headshot of Shawn Kithcart. Shawn wears a plaid button-down and has short, pale blonde hair.

Shawn Kithcart, Assistant Director of Admissions

Area of focus at Lesley: First-year students (upstate New York), Transfer applicants (last name A-J), and all degree completion applicants (on-campus, online and Community College Partnerships)

“I love working with students to help them find their potential and the right fit for their education. Lesley’s location and diverse academic programs provide them with immense opportunities to support their future endeavors.”

Email Shawn: kithcart@lesley.edu; Text Shawn: 617.404.2735

Schedule a time to connect with Shawn

A person with short light hair and glasses in front of greenery

Mike McCarthy, Associate Director of Admissions

Areas of focus at Lesley: First-year applicants to the College of Art and Design and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

“My favorite aspect of working at Lesley is the students.”

Email Mike: mmccart1@lesley.edu; Call or Text Mike: 617.431.1284

Schedule a time to connect with Mike.

Contact Student Financial Planners to Discuss Financial Aid

Our Student Financial Planners are happy to speak with you. Submit a question through our Lynx Solution Center form or schedule an appointment with Bree Peterson Lucas or Miriam McAvoy directly. 

student trying out vfx equipment

Cambridge is our campus. Boston is our neighbor.

Cambridge is one of the most creative cities in the country. And while you'll benefit from our dynamic surroundings, you'll also be a big part of them. You'll take art and design classes in our $48 million Lunder Arts Center. And our $7 million Visual Effects (VFX) studio—a state-of-the-art facility where our VFX curriculum comes alive—is the only one of its kind in New England.

Becker College faculty to join us

We're investing in strengthening our programs in the human arts by hiring faculty from Becker’s nationally ranked Department of Interactive Media Design. This is a dynamic department that will complement and augment the world-class programs in Animation and Visual Effects (VFX) we offer in our College of Art and Design.

A headshot of Derek Hoffend

Derek Hoffend, Professor of Sound/Design

Derek Hoffend is a visual and audio artist who creates interactive sound-sculpture installations and electronic music, exploring sound as a medium intersecting with physical forms, structures, bodies, and spaces to create immersive and participatory experiences for viewers.

Fusing elements of sonic, electronic, digital, and physical media, his work combines acoustic, recorded, and generative audio processes with objects and environments, and emphasizes relationships between sensory phenomena and perception.

Ongoing themes of interest include explorations in immersive audio, multi-channel arrangements, geometric architectural forms, tactile interfaces, Vibro-Acoustics, viewer participation, resonant objects, and amplified spaces. Recent work additionally explores an interest in biometric sensing, and therapeutic potentials of audio frequencies, rhythmic entrainment, and colored light. Hoffend also maintains an active music practice, recording and performing electronic music under the moniker Aether Chroma as well as his own name.

Hoffend holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Art and Technology (2004), a MA from New York University in Studio Art (2001), and a dual-major BFA from the State University of New York at Fredonia in Sculpture and Photography (1997).

A headshot of Curvin Huber

Curvin Huber, Professor of Animation/VFX

Curvin has been teaching full-time for over 20 years at numerous colleges and universities. Professionally, Curvin is a technical VFX Artist that specializes in procedural simulation, character animation & rigging, rendering, compositing, virtual production, and digital cinematography.

Over the past 25 years, Curvin’s focus has been on 3D simulation animation for agencies such as the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and the Center for Disease Control. More recently, Curvin has been focusing on VFX for games, film, TV, and stage performance. Recent projects include VFX work for the HBO series “Raised by Wolves”, an electric car design for a manufacturing company, and real-time rendering for various Boston-based opera performances.

A headshot of Keo Heng

Keo Heng, Associate Professor of Gaming/Animation

Keo is a Technical Animator and Game Developer with over 17 years of experience. His experience includes Superseed Studio, Turbine Inc., Sony Bend Studio, and a variety of other freelance projects. In addition to Keo’s professional experience, he has taught at Becker College, UMass Amherst, and Mount Ida College.

He was awarded a highly sought out Epic Megagrant from Epic Games for his development of a Virtual Production Curriculum at Becker College. He was also VP of Video Production at TheBeamer LLC with their work on a $1.1 million NSF and CII grant for a series called “The Stardust Mystery.”

Keo holds a BA from Quinnipiac University in Interactive Digital Design and an MFA in Interactive Design and Game Development from Savannah College of Art and Design.

Answers to the Most Common Questions

Acceptance & Credit Transfers

  • Will I be accepted to Lesley?

    Undergraduate Students: We’re offering guaranteed admission for Fall 2021 to current undergraduate Becker College students who are in good conduct and academic standing, and who have a minimum 2.0 GPA as of January 15, 2021 and at the end of this semester.

    Graduate Students: We’re offering guaranteed admission for graduate students who are in good conduct and academic standing, and who have a minimum 3.0 GPA as of January 15, 2021 and at the end of this semester.

  • Will my credits transfer from Becker to Lesley?

    We’ll apply 100% of the Becker College credits you’ve earned toward your Lesley degree.

  • What information does Lesley need from me?

    Undergraduate Students: You’ll submit supplemental transcripts and demonstrate your minimum 2.0 GPA through your spring 2021 semester at Becker.

    Graduate Students: You’ll submit supplemental transcripts and demonstrate your minimum 3.0 GPA through your spring 2021 semester at Becker

  • When do I apply?

    Please apply by July 15, 2021.

  • How do I know if Lesley is the right fit for me?

    We’re here to help you make that decision. We’ll meet with you by video conference, connect you with our Academic Advising team, and host a special transfer orientation for Becker students to answer your questions, provide advice, and help you register for courses.

Undergraduate Majors, Professors, and Graduate Programs

  • Can I transfer to Lesley regardless of my major or program?

    You can transfer from a variety of Becker programs, including Interactive Media, Business, and Mental Health Counseling.

  • I'm enrolled in Becker's Interactive Media program. Who will my professors be at Lesley?

    We have hired faculty from Becker’s Interactive Media Design department. You’ll be familiar with these faculty members and you’ll benefit from their deep expertise along with the strong offerings and diverse faculty we already have in our College of Art + Design.

  • I'm an Interactive Media major. What will my program be?

    Becker-to-Lesley Transfer Programs

    If you were enrolled in Game Art, Game Design, Game Development & Programming, Game Audio, and Game Production & Management at Becker, you can continue your studies at Lesley in these Bachelor of Arts (BA) programs:

    Game Art (BA)
    Gain a well-rounded education in essential art principles, including digital art skills that are integral to interactive media. At Lesley, you'll learn techniques such as 3D modeling, animation, lighting, and production, as well as practices for creating game art in a production environment.

    Game Development & Programming (BA)
    Discover how to program and code for games as you work alongside designers and artists to produce real game design solutions. At Lesley, you'll learn cutting-edge software architecture techniques to create data structures, complex systems, and algorithms for developing the next generation of video games.

    Game Design (BA)
    Gain a foundational understanding of what makes good game design. At Lesley, you'll learn industry-standard design terminology and practices, as well as how to create complex systems and features that immerse players into new and exciting game worlds. Discover what industry professionals use daily when creating new environments, game levels, and combat systems.

    Game Production & Management (BA)
    Learn the management and production practices that are used in the game industry. At Lesley, you'll learn team-building and project management skills, how to work with an Agile mindset, and techniques such as SCRUM, game production processes, and burndown charts.

    Game Audio (BA)
    Develop a solid foundation in audio production skills that meet the needs of the industry while fostering creative exploration in the field through pertinent topics in the sonic arts. At Lesley, you can take advantage of specialized courses in digital music production and mixing, sound design in synthesis and Foley techniques, music theory and composition, and game engine audio design and implementation.

    Lesley Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Programs

    At Lesley, we offer 8 BFA programs in a range of subjects. We're also developing a new BFA in Visual Effects (VFX) and a BFA in Game Design which will be open to all incoming freshman and transfer students in the Fall of 2021.

  • I'm a Business major. What will my program be?

    We’ll offer a Bachelor of Science (BS) if you’re currently enrolled in Management, Esports, and Sports Management.

  • I'm a graduate student in Becker's Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling program. Can I transfer to Lesley?

    Yes, we’ll offer you courses of study leading to a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. At Lesley, we offer specializations in Trauma Studies, Holistic Studies, and School Counseling and School Adjustment Counseling.

  • What if I’m majoring in something else at Becker, such as Biology or Psychology? Can I transfer, and will my credits transfer?

    We’ll apply 100% of the Becker College credits you’ve earned toward your Lesley degree.

  • What other degree programs does Lesley have?

    Lesley offers 35+ undergraduate majors and 45+ minors across a range of liberal arts and art & design subjects. We also offer graduate programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Social Work, Expressive Therapies, Education, Visual Arts, Mindfulness Studies, and more. And if you graduate from one of our undergraduate programs, you can get 12 free credits toward your Lesley master’s degree with the Lesley Dividend.

Costs and Financial Aid

  • How much does it cost to transfer to Lesley?

    We will not charge a transfer application fee to Becker students.

  • What does tuition cost?

    For the upcoming school year, Becker College students will receive institutional aid to assist with differences in tuition and fees between Becker and Lesley. That means you won’t pay higher tuition during the 2021-2022 academic year than you’re currently paying as a Becker student. Tuition rates should be expected to increase annually from this base by a percentage applicable to other students at Lesley.

  • What about room and board and fees?

    Room and board costs will be Lesley rates and based on your student housing selection. See the current Lesley room and board rates here. Course and program fees depend on the courses and program you are enrolled in, and may change in the future.

  • Can I receive financial aid?

    Your eligibility for federal aid and some types of school-based aid is determined by your FAFSA, so we recommend you start there. Fill out the 2021-2022 FAFSA form and use Lesley’s code: 002160

  • Can I keep my federal Pell Grant?

    If you're receiving a full federal Pell Grant and you qualify for the grant through the FAFSA, then your Pell eligibility continues.

Student Life, Housing, & Sports

  • I'm a student athlete. Can I play for Lesley's teams?

    You can learn more about joining our NCAA Division III athletics teams, and we’ll introduce you to our Director of Lesley Athletics Stephanie Smyrl (ssmyrl@lesley.edu).

  • I live on campus at Becker. Will I get housing at Lesley?

    We are providing our students with flexible housing options this fall. You will have an opportunity to participate in one of the housing options that we are offering our students in the fall.

  • What are Lesley's housing options?

    Guided by health protocols for the fall, on-campus housing options may include short-term (weekly), semester, and academic year housing options. We are working to provide opportunities for students to live in campus housing that include single (and possibly double) occupancy rooms should our public health guidance indicate that it is safe to make these offerings.

    Also, as we have done this academic year, we're working to arrange with local hotels near campus in Cambridge to provide housing for students who need flexible, short-term housing.

  • What is Lesley's COVID-19 considerations for Fall 2021?

    The health and safety of our students and staff are our top priority. As we plan for our fall in-person academic and housing programs, we are considering guidance from public health experts.

  • What are Lesley meal plan options?

    We are reviewing results from a recent survey of our returning and prospective undergraduate and graduate students regarding meal plan options. We are considering options that include a traditional meal plan, as well as a meal debit card.

  • What's student life like?

    We have more than 30 student-run organizations that plan a range of fun activities. Even during the pandemic, students found ways to stay connected virtually through movie nights, game nights, Dance Team workshops, visiting artist lectures, community service opportunities, and much more.