The University of Massachusetts Boston is nationally recognized as a model of excellence for urban public universities. The scenic waterfront campus, with easy access to downtown Boston, is located next to the John F. Kennedy Library and Presidential Museum, the Commonwealth Museum and Massachusetts State Archives, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

UMass Boston’s academic excellence is reflected by a student body of 15,989 undergraduate and graduate students. In fall 2019, the university’s nine colleges and schools offered 79 undergraduate programs (bachelor’s degrees, undergraduate certificates, post-baccalaureate certificates) and 114 graduate programs (master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, graduate certificates, CAGS, and post-master's certificates). The Honors College serves 692 students who thrive on intellectual challenge. Enriched courses probe more deeply into theory or venture further into application.

UMass Boston’s diverse student body provides a global context for student learning, and its location in a major U.S. city provides connections to employers in industries such as finance, health care, technology, service, and education, offering students opportunities to gain valuable in-school experience via internships, clinicals, and other career-related placements.