MMC and Northeastern

MMC’s Board unanimously voted to pursue this opportunity after completing a very thoughtful, deliberative, and thorough process to explore ways to preserve its mission as an institution of higher learning for the long term.

Institutions across the country are confronting significant challenges regarding enrollment and finances. This is particularly true for small, private liberal arts colleges, including MMC. Recognizing the mounting challenges the college is facing, MMC’s Board of Trustees proactively sought out a plan to ensure the continuation of the core elements of MMC for generations to come. Through this agreement, MMC aims to benefit from additional resources and complementary strengths of Northeastern.

Established in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the world leader in experiential learning. Northeastern’s global university system includes 13 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, and serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university offers personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs across a wide range of disciplines, including science, technology, engineering, arts, humanities, and social sciences, that lead to degrees through the doctorate. Northeastern students participate in experiential learning programs in 149 countries and thousands of cities, including New York City. Northeastern has 300,000-plus alumni and more than 4,000 industry partners worldwide.

 

The merger has been approved by the governing boards of both institutions, as well as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the New York State Education Department. The merger also requires approval from the U.S. Department of Education, and the timeline for this approval is not certain. We will provide updates on this timeline as we get more information. 

Once the merger is completed, the new entity will be called Northeastern – New York City.

Northeastern values MMC’s legacy and has expressed its intent to preserve and enhance the campus, including the establishment of the Marymount Manhattan Center, which will preserve the history and legacy of MMC, maintain MMC’s unique traditions, and support programs that carry forward MMC’s mission. 

Northeastern intends to preserve and enhance the East 71st Street campus for generations to come.

Named spaces—such as the Judith Mara Carson Center for Visual Arts and the Theresa Lang Theatre—will be preserved as part of Northeastern – New York City.

Marymount Manhattan students who enroll at Northeastern following the completion of the merger will have pathways to degree completion in either their equivalent, mapped major or a closely aligned one. Students who are pursuing double majors should refer to the next question in the FAQs regarding double majors.

MMC Degree Program	Northeastern Degree Primary Program Equivalency
Art and Art History
Art History, BA	Art, BA with Art History and Visual Studies minor
Art, BA/BFA	Art, BA/Studio Art, BFA
Business
Business, BA	Business Administration, BS with equivalent concentrations
Entrepreneurship, BS	Business Administration, BS with equivalent concentrations
Finance, BS	Business Administration, BS with equivalent concentrations
International Business, BS	International Business, BS
Management, BS	Business Administration, BS with equivalent concentrations
Marketing, BS	Business Administration, BS with equivalent concentrations
Communication Arts
Communication Arts, BA	Communication Studies, BA
Digital Journalism, BA	Journalism, BA
Film & Media Production, BFA	Film & Media Production, BFA (*)
Film & Media Studies, BA	Media and Screen Studies, BA
Public Relations & Strategic Communications, BA	Public Relations, BA
Dance
Dance, BA/BFA	Dance, BA/BFA
English & World Literature
Creative Writing, BFA	Creative Writing, BFA
English & World Literature, BA	English, BA
Literature & Media, BA	English, BA
History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies
History, BA	History, BA
Philosophy & Religious Studies, BA	Philosophy, BA Religious Studies, BA
Interdisciplinary Studies
Interdisciplinary Studies, BA	Interdisciplinary Studies, BS
International Studies
International Studies, BA	International Affairs, BA
Natural Sciences
Behavioral Neuroscience, BS	Behavioral Neuroscience, BS
Biology, BS	Biology, BS
Biomedical Sciences, BS	Health Science, BS
Environmental Studies, BA	Environmental Studies, BA
Human Biology, Health, & Society, BA	Public Health, BA
Politics & Human Rights
Politics & Human Rights, BA	History, Culture, and Law, BA
Psychology
Psychology, BA	Applied Psychology, BA
Theatre
Acting, BFA	Acting, BFA
Musical Theatre, BFA	Musical Theatre, BFA
Stage and Production Management, BFA	Theatre Design, Technology, and Stage Management, BFA
Theatre Design and Technology, BFA	Theatre Design, Technology, and Stage Management, BFA
Theatre Arts, BA	Theatre, BA/BS
Prison Education
Social Sciences, AA	Social Sciences, AA

(*) New Northeastern degree program has been submitted through governance for approval in SP25.

All students who transition from MMC to Northeastern will be able to complete their mapped program provided they continue to maintain satisfactory progress toward degree completion.

It is recognized that double majors are an important component of curriculum flexibility and interdisciplinarity at MMC. Northeastern achieves this same goal through its combined majors. The table below shows the similarities of MMC double majors and Northeastern combined majors. 

Program Elements	MMC double majors	Northeastern combined majors
Satisfy requirements for two majors
Allows for double counting of courses	Variable	Up to two courses
Built-in integration of program and Gen Ed NUpath requirements for fewer credits
Retains optimal flexibility for students transitioning from a 3-credit to a 4-credit system
One degree is awarded
BFA major + another major: more than standard number of required credits and may require additional time/credits to degree completion

In the case of both the MMC double major and the NU combined major, students fulfill the requirements for two majors and receive one degree and one diploma. Some double-counted or overlapping courses are allowed, and in the case of the Northeastern combined major, there is an emphasis on ensuring integration between the two majors being combined. A Northeastern combined major includes at least nine courses from each of two participating disciplines, with both disciplines appearing on the transcript, along with the single degree earned. Students in a combined major may further tailor their studies to specific interests through the selection of concentrations, program electives, and minors.

Currently, Northeastern has over 200 combined majors, many of which align closely with MMC double majors by bringing together similar pairs of areas of study across the two institutions. MMC students pursuing double majors will be supported through the academic advising process on how to complete an equivalent combined major. For double majors that include a BFA requiring more than nine courses in one discipline, students can work with their advisor to propose the desired combination of two disciplines into an “independent combined major,” which will be processed for approval through the Northeastern University governance system.

Please note that Northeastern has an option for “double majors,” but because of the significant additional number of credits required, the wide range and flexibility of combined majors offered, and the advantage of including both disciplines on the transcript and diploma, very few Northeastern students pursue a double major. 

Students enrolled and in good standing at the time of the merger will be eligible for automatic enrollment at Northeastern and can continue working toward completion of their degree, in accordance with transition plans developed by our community in collaboration with Northeastern.

At the time of the merger, students who are enrolled or admitted to MMC (including a student on an approved leave of absence) and in good academic, financial, and disciplinary standing will receive individualized guidance to ensure they have pathways toward degree completion. Students meeting these criteria will be eligible for automatic enrollment at Northeastern for a period of 12 months after the completion of the merger. 

Students who were dismissed or withdrawn from MMC prior to the merger will not be automatically eligible to enroll in NU as part of the academic integration process.

When the merger is completed, MMC students who opt to enroll at Northeastern will be subject to NU academic and student conduct policies and procedures from that point forward. 

There will be no delay in time to degree completion as long as the student sticks with their originally mapped academic program and continues taking a full course load.

Good standing refers to academic, financial, and disciplinary standing.

Criteria for good academic standing:
For the purposes of the merger and eligibility for automatic enrollment at Northeastern, good academic standing initially will be based on the student’s MMC grade point average (GPA) and MMC enrollment status as of the date of the merger. An MMC student who, prior to the merger, is on academic probation due to their cumulative or semester GPA pursuant to MMC’s academic policies will enter NU with that same probationary academic status.

Criteria for good financial standing:
For the purposes of the merger and eligibility for automatic enrollment into Northeastern, good financial standing means a $0 account balance with MMC. In other words, MMC students must be paid in full in order to be eligible for automatic enrollment at Northeastern.

Criteria for good disciplinary standing:
For the purposes of the merger and eligibility for automatic enrollment into Northeastern, good disciplinary standing means a student is not on disciplinary probation or suspension at MMC at the time of merger.

Northeastern is enthusiastic about supporting the vibrant performing arts programs currently offered at MMC. Marymount Manhattan students majoring in the performing arts who enroll at Northeastern following the completion of the merger will be able to complete their respective degrees (BA, BS, or BFA) in their chosen fields of study, including: BFA in Acting; BA or BFA in Dance; BFA in Musical Theatre; BFA in Theatre Design, Technology, and Stage Management; BA or BS in Theatre.

Current students pursuing other BFAs at MMC also will be able to complete their degrees when they enroll at Northeastern, after completion of the merger: a BFA in Creative Writing and a BFA in Film and Media Production are already approved. 

Any MMC student who matriculates into Northeastern will be granted academic credit for all college-level, non-remedial courses that appear on the student’s MMC transcript with a passing grade. Northeastern transfer credit limits will be waived for MMC students. All transfer credits approved by MMC prior to the merger will be honored by Northeastern and reflected on the Northeastern transcript as Transfer (T) grades.

The initial Northeastern GPA for MMC students who matriculate into Northeastern will be the cumulative MMC grade point average (GPA) as of the merger completion date.

Integration planning is underway for the academic systems, policies, calendars, and operational structures that support the top priority of the merger: maintaining an optimal learning environment for MMC students. At the institutional level, this means reconciling differences in degree requirements, course options, credit levels, and other elements. For example, course-by-course equivalencies have been established between MMC and Northeastern to enable integration from a 3-credit to 4-credit based credit system and maintain a minimum requirement of 120 credits for degree completion.

At the individual student level, the outcome of this collaborative planning will be a degree transition map for each student that translates their courses, accumulated credits, and academic standing from one institution to the other and provides clear documentation of remaining requirements to degree completion.

Prior to the completion of the merger, students can order their official MMC transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse.

Note: Courses in progress are not included on MMC transcripts. After the completion of the merger, MMC transcripts will continue to be available; updated instructions for ordering transcripts will be provided at that time.

Yes. Students will receive individualized guidance and support throughout the academic transition process, including during the enrollment, degree mapping, and course registration periods from Marymount Manhattan College and Northeastern University academic advisers.

Students will also continue to receive academic advising specific to their coursework and chosen path of study throughout their degree completion journey, initially from Marymount Manhattan College and then from Northeastern University when the merger is complete.

In collaboration with their Marymount Manhattan College counterparts, Northeastern University student services representatives and academic advisers are planning on-campus engagements. More information regarding days and times will be available soon.

College level honors programming will continue to be available to students who are in active status within the MMC College Honors Program (CHP) at the time of the merger. The availability of honors sections and the requirements for maintaining GPA and other honors eligibility criteria will remain consistent with CHP practices after the merger. Students who successfully fulfill these requirements will receive an honors designation in Commencement proceedings and in annual award recognitions. 

MMC students who study abroad will continue to receive credit for work that was pre-approved by MMC. Northeastern will accept these credits once the merger is complete. This includes approved study abroad credits earned prior to the merger and during the semester in which the merger is completed.

Once MMC students transfer to Northeastern following the merger, they must meet Northeastern’s requirements for study abroad. 

There are specific modifications to these requirements for MMC students who enroll at Northeastern after the merger. They include:

• Residency Requirement: Semesters enrolled at MMC can be combined with semesters enrolled at Northeastern after the merger to meet this requirement.
• Active Enrollment: If they wish to study abroad in the semester immediately following the merger, students must have been actively enrolled at MMC in the semester prior to the merger.
• GPA Requirement: The GPA used to determine eligibility for study abroad will be a combination of the GPA that the student carries over from MMC and any grades the student has earned at Northeastern.
• Disciplinary Restrictions: These restrictions will include any disciplinary sanctions from the student’s last semester at MMC prior to the merger and/or any incurred at Northeastern after the merger.
• Financial Balances: Students may not have remaining balances from MMC or at Northeastern after the merger prior to departure.

Students who enroll at Northeastern following the merger will be eligible for the full range of Northeastern student experiences. However, students close to graduation may need to consider whether enough time remains to prepare for and execute these plans without delaying the date of graduation.

After the merger the post-bac program will continue to be available for students who are admitted by MMC into the program as of the effective date of the merger, and have been registered for program-related classes in at least one of the two terms immediately preceding or the one immediately following that date.

For these eligible students, the selection of equivalent, Northeastern post-bac courses, access to pre-health advising and committee letter evaluations will remain available for up to two years after the effective date of the merger. The number of credits for some courses may increase from 3 to 4, which may impact the cost per course for post-bac students. However, tuition adjustments will be applied through the remainder of their post-bac program, allowing students to complete the program for the same total tuition cost that they would have paid prior to the merger (except for standard annual increases to tuition and fees).

Northeastern offers a number of graduate-level credit-bearing certificates and non-credit learning opportunities with associated badges. Marymount Manhattan and Northeastern are currently exploring options for students to take advantage of those offerings, which are anticipated to include post-bac program focus areas.

Admission decisions at both MMC and Northeastern are campus-specific. Students who are admitted to and enrolled in a degree program at the New York campus are expected to complete their degree there.

Specific majors may offer optional opportunities for students to spend a semester or year at another Northeastern campus through mobility programs such as Semester In, although New York will remain the home campus for those students for the purpose of degree completion.

Until completion of the merger, students enrolled at Marymount Manhattan College will be subject to Marymount Manhattan College academic policies.

After the merger, Marymount Manhattan College students will be subject to Northeastern University academic and student conduct policies and procedures. For more information, see Northeastern Academic Policies and Procedures and Northeastern Code of Student Conduct.

Students at Northeastern University maintain good academic standing when they have earned at least 12 semester hours in the semester just completed and have an overall GPA of 1.800 at the end of each semester of their freshman year and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 at the end of each semester thereafter. Individual colleges may have additional requirements.

As part of Northeastern’s commitment to support the MMC community of learners and scholars through the merger, current MMC students will receive financial aid packages as needed to ensure no increase in out-of-pocket costs for tuition and fees (other than customary annual increases).

Northeastern and MMC are currently evaluating space and developing plans to address these needs—everything from traditional classrooms to studios, labs, social spaces, and offices. 

All full-time MMC faculty members at the time of the merger will become Northeastern faculty and will be appointed into a Northeastern college and department. All staff employed by MMC upon the effective date of the merger shall become employees of Northeastern University. Staff positions will continue to be prioritized in support of our mission and operations in New York, which are expected to grow over time. 

To ensure that the MMC legacy continues to thrive, Northeastern University is committed to establishing the Marymount Manhattan Center and emphasizes its core values with respect to the performing arts and creative expression. Consistent with the merger agreement, Northeastern will also retain MMC’s Bedford Hill and Taconic College prison education programs as well as the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP).

MMC alumni will continue to be a valued and integral part of our community. Alumni will always have a home on the vibrant East 71st Street campus. MMC remains committed to providing a quality alumni experience for our graduates that honors our traditions, and we will continue to plan reunions, publish stories about alumni accomplishments, and facilitate important career connections between students and alumni.

Northeastern offers a wide array of alumni benefits that will be open to MMC graduates including access to the university’s Lifelong Learning Network and eligibility for Northeastern’s Double Husky scholarship program for graduate study. Additionally, through the Marymount Manhattan Center, Northeastern will celebrate and support MMC alumni and organize special events and programs. The Center will connect MMC grads to Northeastern University’s extensive resources for networking and professional development.

Yes. Donors have opportunities to continue to support MMC’s campus, programs, students, faculty and staff. These opportunities include support for the Marymount Manhattan Center, transformative prison education programs, much-needed scholarships for students, and other key priorities. We are relying on continued alumni and donor support in order to keep serving our students and broader MMC community.

Please fill out the form included on this webpage.