You could say Endicott’s graduate programs are hidden gems inside a hidden gem. Now that the “secret” of Endicott’s undergraduate success has bloomed into an increasingly respected reputation, the time has come for the College’s graduate programs to step into the spotlight they deserve.
Differentiated by affordability, flexibility, and networking opportunities, Endicott’s graduate programs are being bolstered by alumnus and new Director of Graduate Admission Tom Hurley M’18, who has big plans.
“Long term, the main goal is to be one of the strongest graduate schools in the Northeast,” Hurley said. “I may sound a little overconfident, but we have the faculty, administration, and staff to achieve that goal. Our educational structure and programs are excellent. We’re poised for growth and excited about the future of our graduate programs.”
The secret to success is the translation of Endicott’s high-quality resources into the graduate program environment, all while keeping the tight-knit feel of a close community. Hurley said that, although Endicott is growing, there’s still a familial feel where students can get the support they need.
“We’re still in a place where people know your name, and you can always reach someone that’s willing to help you,” he said. “At a lot of other schools, you get a call center, and that’s not what Endicott is about.”
Director of Graduate Admission Tom Hurley M’18Sam FanFan, an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership graduate of the Class of 2022, said he never had a question that wasn’t answered, and his professors always made time to sit with him to have helpful discussions.
“My advisor, Dr. Aubry Threlkeld, was really amazing,” FanFan shared. “I owe a lot to him, being able to contact him anytime through text or email. We’d meet every week at the same time, and it was always helpful, whether we were talking about school, just a mental check-in, or to see how my writing or research was going.”
FanFan added that the ability to visit campus at the beginning of each semester to meet professors and hear directly from cohorts ahead of him added an extra layer of support that was key, especially when entering apprenticeships or starting research and writing.
Smaller classroom sizes are a key feature of Endicott’s graduate programs, according to Jason Carucci M’15, who came to Endicott for the MBA program after earning his bachelor’s at Salem State University.
“Every student would have plenty of time to interact with each other and have the opportunity to have one-on-one time with the professors,” he said. “Every professor was more than willing to help out with anything, especially when it came to applying to jobs and preparing for the future.”
In addition to a helpful and supportive environment, flexibility is one of the largest differentiators of Endicott’s grad programs, explained Hurley, who returned to Endicott and started in his role in January of this year.
“We try to meet the student where they are,” he said. “Flexibility is key, so we have different educational mediums, be it online, in person, or hybrid. We want to make graduate school attainable and accessible for students who are interested in Endicott, no matter where they are in life.”
For Carucci, the opportunity to take an accelerated program made a big difference.
“I chose Endicott’s MBA program due to the program’s fast-track and the affordability of it as well,” he shared. “It was a great experience where I could focus 100% on my studies instead of trying to juggle school and a full-time job at the same time.”
In the spirit of flexibility, a new offering that’s opening up this year is the opportunity for Endicott alumni to return and pursue an accelerated fifth-year master’s program, at a 20% discount, if they’ve graduated in the past two years. A non-accelerated program remains open to graduates from outside that two-year window with a 15% discount. (Details are program dependent, so interested Gulls should reach out to learn more.)
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Graduate nursing students practice suturing
Returning Gulls will recognize the resources and benefits from their undergraduate experience. From career services and the Tutoring & Writing Center to the extensive network built among professors and peers of all professional levels, the support Endicott is famous for extends to graduate students.
So, what’s on the horizon?
Hurley expects growth in the nursing and education programs, as fallout from the pandemic continues to affect those workforces. He adds that the fastest growing program is Applied Behavior Analysis, due to Endicott’s cutting-edge position thanks to Dean Mary Jane Weiss. New programs in the next few years include a doctor of nurse practitioner program (DNP), a Ph.D. in education, and a physician assistant program, which will be the first on the North Shore of Boston.
To achieve program growth, Hurley places his trust in the admissions team, which is newly centralized to provide a more personalized level of student communication.
“We have an awesome admissions team with a lot of experience,” he said. “They really work to put students in the best position to succeed. At the end of the day, we just want to make sure students feel comfortable and that they enjoy their experience, and come out of Endicott feeling like they are in a better position professionally and personally.”
Learn more about Endicott's flexible certificate, master's, and doctoral programs.