Nature


Strategic Initiatives

Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership

Overview

The Massachusetts Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP) provides opportunities for Massachusetts high school students to take college-level courses for free or at a discounted price and earn credit toward high school completion and their future college degrees.

Contact

Keith Connors
Director of Academic Affairs and Student Success
(617) 994-6911
kconnors@dhe.mass.edu

Duration

1993 – 2002
2008 – Present

Funding

Related Data

 

Partnerships

Public Higher Ed System
MA Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Education

Related Initiatives

Early College

Background

State-funded dual enrollment was first established in Massachusetts in 1993 and supported 12,000 participating students between 1994 and 2001. After a hiatus due to a shortage of state funding, the program was restored in 2008 and, as of July 2009, became known as the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program and in June 2014, it was renamed the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership. In FY15 the program had 1,638 enrollments and by FY18, enrollments increased to 2,310. 

Programs Details

CDEP eases the transition from high school to college, allowing students the opportunity to enter college already having earned course credit. Participating students gain an early college experience with meaningful and challenging academic courses that they might otherwise not have had available to them.  And for low-income, underrepresented or first-to-college students, involvement with CDEP might be their first exposure to college or the first time they considered college as a possibility.  The ultimate goal of CDEP is to increase the population of high school graduates who are college ready.

CDEP funded students take their first course free of charge or for a nominal fee. Subsequent course fees are set by the institution. Student participation in CDEP is at the discretion of the participating institution of public higher education, subject to capacity constraints and state appropriation.  Not all of Massachusetts’ public higher education institutions participate in the CDEP program. Please contact your local public campus to find out what dual enrollment opportunities and funding is available. 

If you apply for admission at one of the state’s public colleges or universities, grades received in courses as part of CDEP receive additional weight in your high school GPA. The additional weight will be the same as that given for grades earned in Advanced Placement courses for the purpose of calculating the high school GPA. See the Department of Higher Education's Admissions Standards Reference Guide for more information on calculating the high school GPA.

Students who participate in CDEP are required to receive high school and college credit for the courses they successfully complete.

Student Eligibility

Students must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Be enrolled in a Massachusetts public secondary school or nonpublic school, including home school;
  • Meet all course prerequisites per the policies of the participating campus;
  • Be a Massachusetts resident;
  • May not have earned a GED or high school diploma

Students who meet eligibility guidelines are not guaranteed participation. Participation is at the discretion of the participating institution of higher education, subject to capacity constraints and state appropriation.

Course Eligibility

CDEP courses are limited to those that would qualify under the MassTransfer Block . These are generally first- and second-year college courses that institutions regard as highly transferable. These courses are not guaranteed to transfer, however. Students should contact the college or university in which they plan to enroll after high school to inquire about their transfer policy.

Eligible Courses: An eligible course must be a credit-bearing college-level course that meets the following criteria:

  • listed in the participating institution’s course catalog;
  • counts for no less than three credit hours;
  • qualifies under the MassTransfer Block*, or is within the disciplines of computer science, technology or engineering; and
  • listed in the participating institution’s course catalog;
  • counts for no less than three credit hours;
  • qualifies under the MassTransfer Block*, or is within the disciplines of computer science, technology or engineering; and
  • taught by college faculty or high school faculty that have been vetted by the college.

*Note: three credit courses that include tutorials and co-requisite support are eligible for CDEP.

The disciplines represented in the MassTransfer block are behavioral and social sciences, humanities and fine arts, natural or physical science, English composition/writing, and mathematic/quantitative reasoning.
More information about MassTransfer can be found here.

Ineligible Courses: The following courses are ineligible:

  • remedial/developmental courses (including ESL courses);
  • non-credit courses;
  • physical education/fitness/recreation courses;
  • courses less than three credit hours; and
  • first-year orientation or similar courses.
Higher Ed Institutional Eligibility

The Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP) is offered within the public higher education system in Massachusetts. To be eligible for CDEP funding, a community college, state university, or University of Massachusetts campus must plan and develop dual enrollment opportunities with the following guidelines:

  • Offer a variety of college-level courses in multiple disciplines.
  • Focus efforts to enroll qualified students with particular emphasis on potential first-generation college students, low-income students, and students who are interested in high demand career areas.
  • Expand the CDEP student experience so that opportunities for college preparation, access and success are connected with academic components. Information on college admissions, application of dual enrollment credit, accessing student support services and financial aid awareness should be particular areas of focus.
  • Expand dual enrollment opportunities by including as many qualified students as possible based upon available state funding and in-kind contributions

Please note that students who are not first-generation college students, low-income students, or interested in STEM fields are also eligible to participate.

FAQs

For Students & Families

Where are courses offered?

Course are offered by the majority of Massachusetts community colleges, state universities and undergraduate University of Massachusetts campuses. Courses may be taught on the campuses of those institutions, on a high school campus, or online. Courses that are offered at the high school are called "contract courses" and are arranged through an agreement between the high school and the institution of higher education.

How many courses may I take?

Students may enroll in one or more courses per the discretion of the participating institution of higher education. Because college and universities are required to expand dual enrollment opportunities to as many students as possible, you may be limited to the number of courses you may take.

What credits will I earn for the courses I complete successfully?

Students must receive college and high school credit, documented on their college and high school transcripts, for the courses that they successfully complete. Students may be asked to collect signatures of college and high school administrators for this purpose.

The high school may count the CDEP course either as an elective or a required course. Participating higher education institutions and high schools are responsible for establishing written agreements that ensure that high school students receive credit from both the college and high school for courses completed as part of CDEP. Although not a requirement, the Department of Higher Education suggests grades earned from CDEP courses are configured into the high school GPA and weighted the same as Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

What charges are covered through CDEP?

Students do not pay tuition or fees for courses taken through CDEP. However, some institutions may charge a nominal admission fee (for example, $25), which may be waived. Student who demonstrate financial need may also receive additional assistance for books, supplies, and transportation. For more information, contact the CDEP coordinator at the participating institution of higher education.

I am interested in participating. How can I get more information?

Check with your high school guidance counselor to find out if a contract course is offered at your high school and/or how you can enroll in a course offered on a higher education campus or online.

Interested students and families are also encouraged to coordinate with the CDEP coordinator at their public higher education institution of interest (PDF map) to arrange for student enrollment in courses offered on the college campus or online. Arrangements must be made prior to the start of a new term, and interested parties are encouraged to start the process as early as possible.

CDEP is just one of many different dual enrollment and early college programs and initiatives offered at Massachusetts' public colleges and universities. To avoid confusion when contacting a higher education institution about it, please refer to the program by its specific name: "Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership" or "CDEP."

For High Schools

How do high schools ensure enrolled students receive course credit from participating colleges?

High schools must establish agreements with the participating public institution of higher education to ensure that participating students receive credit from both the college and the high school, documented on both transcripts, for the courses taken through CDEP. Students may be asked to collect signatures of high school and college administrators for this purpose.

How are CDEP grades weighted against a student’s GPA?

As an additional incentive to students to take more challenging coursework, grades received in CDEP courses will receive additional weight in the calculation of applicants' weighted GPA for admission into Massachusetts public higher education institutions. The additional weight will be the same as that given for grades earned in Advanced Placement courses for the purpose of calculating the high school GPA. See the Department of Higher Education's Admissions Standards Reference Guide for more information on calculating the high school GPA.

Where are CDEP courses held?

Interested high school administrators and staff are encouraged to coordinate with the CDEP coordinator at their local public higher education institution to arrange for a "contract course" to be offered on a high school campus or for student enrollment in courses offered on the college campus or online. Arrangements must be made prior to the start of a new term, and interested parties are encouraged to start the process as early as possible.

For Institutions of Higher Education

What are the obligations for the participating higher ed institutions?

Students must receive college and high school credit, documented on their college and high school transcripts, for the courses that they successfully complete. Institutions of higher education and high schools are responsible for establishing agreements that ensure that high school students receive credit from both the college and the high school for courses taken as part of CDEP. Students may be asked to collect signatures of college and high school administrators for this purpose.

The high school may count the CDEP course either as an elective or a required course. Participating IHEs and high schools are responsible for establishing written agreements that ensure that high school students receive credit from both the college and high school for courses completed as part of CDEP. Although not a requirement, the Department of Higher Education and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education suggest grades earned from CDEP courses are configured into the high school GPA and weighted the same as Advanced Placement (AP) courses. 

Campus Contacts

Community Colleges
Berkshire Community College Megan Lussier
Director of Admissions and Recruitment
(413) 236-2131
mlussier@berkshirecc.edu
Bristol Community College Nikita L. Viera
Interim Associate Director, College Access
Nikita.Viera@bristolcc.edu
Bunker Hill Community College Steve W. Prudent
Director, High School Partnerships & Pathways
(781) 499-2105
swpruden@bhcc.edu
Cape Cod Community College Christie O'Campbell
Dual Enrollment Program Coordinator
(774) 330-4992
cocampbell@capecod.edu
Christine McCarey
Dean, Enrollment Management & Student Development
(774) 330-4315
cmccarey@capecod.edu
Sheila Vaughn
Director of Admissions
(774) 330-4466
svaughn@capecod.edu
Greenfield Community College Patrick Tanner
Interim Dean of Enrollment Management
(413) 775-1870
tannerp@gcc.mass.edu
Holyoke Community College Jenilee Cochran
Dual Enrollment Coordinator
(413) 552-2241
jcochran@hcc.edu
Theresa Eccles
Dual Enrollment Advisor
(413) 552-2752
teccles@hcc.edu
MassBay Community College Lisa Slavin
Assistant Vice President, Enrollment Management
(781) 239-2501
lslavin@massbay.edu
Massasoit Community College Lara Tavare
Program Coordinator for Dual Enrollment
(508) 588-9100 x1685
ltavare12@massasoit.mass.edu
Michelle Hughes
Director of Admissions
mhughes13@massasoit.mass.edu
Middlesex Community College Melissa Chandonnet
Director of Concurrent and Dual Enrollment
CHANDONNETM@middlesex.mass.edu
Mount Wachusett Community College Sara Vettese
Director of Early College & Dual Enrollment
(978) 630-9356
svettese1@mwcc.mass.edu
North Shore Community College Cheryl Ryan
Assistant Director, Early College Partnerships
(978) 762-4000 x 5521
cryan@northshore.edu
Northern Essex Community College Aaron Altman
Associate Dean of PK-12 Programs
aaltman@necc.mass.edu
Quinsigamond Community College Christina Hebert
Director of Educational Partnerships K-12 & Early College Initiatives
(508) 854-2583
chebert@qcc.mass.edu
Roxbury Community College Loretta Minor
Associate Dean of Admissions
(857) 701-1207
ldaway@rcc.mass.edu
Springfield Technical Community College Melanie Laurin
Director of Early College Initiatives
(413) 755-4443
earlycollege@stcc.edu
State Universities
Bridgewater State University
Rob Geddes
Coordinator of Dual Enrollment and Early College
(508) 531-2266
earlycollege@bridgew.edu
Fitchburg State University Andrew Goodwin
Coordinator of Early College and Dual Enrollment
(978) 665-3847
agoodwi7@fitchburgstate.edu
Framingham State University Roxana Marrero 
Senior Director Early College Community Growth
(508) 215-5600
rmarrero@framingham.edu
Massachusetts College of Art and Design Jessie Miyu Magyar
Director of Artward Bound
(617) 879-7122
jmagyar@massart.edu
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Josh Mendel
Associate Director of Admissions
(413) 662-5409
j.mendel@mcla.edu
Paul A. Petritis, M. Ed.
Associate Dean, Graduate & Continuing Education
(413) 662-5543
paul.petritis@mcla.edu
Massachusetts Maritime Academy Joanne Robertson
Assistant Director, Transfer and Readmission Coordinator
(508) 830-5031
jrobertson@maritime.edu
Salem State University Elaine Concepcion
Undergraduate Admissions Counselor
(978) 542-4673
econcepcion@salemstate.edu
Westfield State University Julie Hill-Spivey
Assistant Director
Westfield Promise/MA Early College Program
(413) 572-8316
jhillspivey@westfield.ma.edu
Worcester State University Ryan Forsythe, Ed.D.
Vice President, Enrollment Management
(508) 929-8498
rforsythe@worcester.edu
UMass
University of Massachusetts Amherst UMass Amherst is not participating in the CDEP program.
University of Massachusetts Boston Daniel MacLeod
Director of Merit Scholarships
(617) 287-4850
daniel.macleod@umb.edu
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Tracy L. Wallace
Director of Undergraduate Transfer Affairs
(508) 999-8754
twallace1@umassd.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell Francine Coston
Associate Director, Early College Initiatives
(978) 934-5532
Francine_Coston@uml.edu