Lasell College today announced the launch of Lasell Works, the institution’s first-of-its-kind alternative curriculum that, beginning in September 2018, will enable students to pursue their degree with an enhanced focus on professional development skills while offering a declining tuition rate over four years of study. The program will provide enrolled students with the skills, perspective, and cost-savings needed to launch a successful and meaningful career after graduation.
Lasell Works comes on the heels of an announcement earlier this year outlining a set of innovative approaches to reducing college financial burdens called the Lower Cost Models for Independent Colleges Consortium (LCMC), which was founded by Lasell President Michael B. Alexander and currently includes 19 independent colleges from across the nation. The LCMC has garnered significant financial support from The Davis Educational Foundation and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Lasell Works is a four-year degree program that lowers both the direct cost of tuition as well as students’ out-of-pocket contributions from freshman year through graduation. Expenditures will decrease each year, with the fourth year of tuition costing $10,000 less than the first. In the second year of the program, students will live off-campus and be required to maintain a part-time work schedule, thus eliminating the cost of on campus room and board while providing them with a steady source of income. Students enrolled in Lasell Works will still be eligible for financial aid and scholarships along with the guaranteed reduced tuition, and can continue to utilize all on-campus resources, services, clubs, and organizations.
“Lasell Works students aren’t just paying less for tuition over time, they’re also gaining the critical skills needed to launch their careers and contribute to the workforce in meaningful ways,” said Gillian Stanley, program director. “They’ll partner with program faculty to evaluate their part-time work challenges and opportunities and understand how collaboration, communication and other soft skills impact the industries and organizations they want to join after graduation.”
Lasell Works will address head-on the education and skills that current labor market data confirms are highly sought after by employers throughout New England. Students will spend their first year on campus with the rest of their freshman class, but will attend seminars as a cohort to prepare for their year of digital coursework. As sophomores, students will live off-campus and take a 100% online course load including classes focused on data analysis, time management, collaborative teamwork, social media for business, and more. Lasell Workssophomores will be asked to apply lessons from their courses to workplace tasks, assignments, and business relationships. In their final two years at Lasell, students will have the option to live on or off campus and will continue to partake in cohort-based professional development work while completing requirements for their specific field of study.
Lasell Works is not the college’s first cost-saving venture. Since 2015, Lasell has offered a one-semester alternative curricular option in which students in their sophomore year may elect to take a 100% online course load, offering significant savings over on-site classes.
President Alexander believes the Lasell Works program reflects the college’s long-term commitment to making a high quality education affordable. “A college education is a major investment for students and their families. Lasell Works is a natural extension of our efforts to develop, test, and launch innovative initiatives that lower costs while providing valuable academic programs, professional experiences, and faculty support.”
About Lasell College
Lasell is an independent coeducational college that emphasizes the integration of professional and liberal arts programs leading to bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Established in 1851, the innovative institution is located on a 53-acre campus eight miles from downtown Boston. Adjacent to the college is Lasell Village, the first-of-its-kind, college-sponsored continuing care retirement community with a learning mandate that has drawn international attention.
