FAQ

Yes. Metropolitan College, as one of Boston University’s 17 schools and colleges, is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), one of six nationally recognized regional accrediting agencies. When you successfully complete a degree program with us, you receive a diploma stating that you have earned your degree at Boston University, which is accredited by NEASC.

Metropolitan College’s MCP program is not PAB-accredited, though it has been listed with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) since 2008. The University is currently assessing the relevance of PAB accreditation and the prospects of undergoing the accreditation process.

Students graduating from a non-PAB-accredited institution have similar competitive advantages as most other graduates of planning schools. Employers generally do not require students to be certified by the American Institute of City Planners (AICP) when applying for a job. If interested in AICP certification, Metropolitan College city planning students are eligible to take the AICP exam upon completing the standard three years of relevant professional experience.

Every MCP and MUA student is assigned a graduate student advisor who provides guidance and assistance during all key stages of the student’s academic career, including employment searches. MET Career Development—in collaboration with BU’s Center for Career Development (CCD) and Alumni & Friends office—offers career guidance and coaching, programs, and resources to matriculated online and in-person degree-seeking students. Courses, career fairs and symposia are also offered to give students access to employers and practitioners that can assist in the transition from classroom to job market.

The MCP is recognized professionally and academically as a two-year graduate degree for people interested in the multi-disciplinary field of city planning. An MCP education provides the theoretical, analytical, and practical tools of the planning trade, whether it is exercised in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. The MCP can be treated as a terminal professional degree or as a bridge degree towards doctoral studies in city planning, urban sociology, or human geography, among other social science disciplines.

The MUA is a one-year graduate degree that provides the theoretical and analytical foundations for understanding the complexities of the urban environment. Students interested in pursuing an MUA are often in search of a challenging academic experience that helps them delve further into urban issues and debates, or they are in need of a graduate degree for internal advancement within their current professional environment.