The College of Public and Community Service is an innovative Upper Division College with a dynamic faculty, motivated students, and distinguished alumni such as Boston Mayor Tom Menino (Class of 1988) and Former Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy (Class of 1976).

The College of Public and Community Service is one of the colleges that comprise the University of Massachusetts at Boston campus, strategically located next to the JFK Library and the state archives near the heart of one of North America's best cities.

The College was founded in 1972 to extend the land grant mission of the university by focusing on public and community service in urban areas and by providing an education in the liberal arts and social sciences with training for professional careers. The College of Public and Community Service is distinguished by its explicit emphasis on a civic engagement and social justice mission. In this context, the College provides a unique outcome-oriented system of education, innovative courses, and a commitment to promote full participation in society through educational programs and professional practice.

The College of Public and Community Service is for people who are seeking to make a difference in their own lives and in the lives of others. It provides an empowering and effective education to people who are committed to working for social justice, and who want to promote positive development in their communities.

The College offers four majors: Human Services, Community Studies, Gerontology, and Labor Studies—and a Masters of Science Graduate Program in Human Services. Innovative courses may include opportunities to engage in specific classroom instruction, project-based learning, experiential learning, and service learning. Incorporated in courses may also be opportunities to utilize prior learning experiences. Additionally, students may engage in Independent Study. At the College, students use a learning plan to assist them in moving through the curriculum.