*TEAMS Academy development is grant-funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education project “STEM Pilot Program for Accelerated High School Students.”  Funding for fiscal year 2008 (academic year 2007-2008) and future years is pending state approval.

Answers to key questions about the TEAMS Academy

• What is TEAMS?
• Tuition, Fees, and Transportation?  Free!*
• Enrollment and class size?
• How will the TEAMS schedule mesh with my high school schedule?
• Do you offer college credit?  What about high school credit?
• What type of courses will you offer?
• What courses should I continue to take at my own high school?
• How much effort will these TEAMS courses require?
• Who will develop and teach these courses?
• Who is eligible to apply by March 15?  How do I get an application?

What is TEAMS? Technology, Engineering and Math-Science

The TEAMS Academy at UMass Lowell gives regional high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to explore various career fields as they take creative, specially-designed college courses for advanced students.  These entry-level college courses help develop the students’ existing math, science, and technology skills in both classroom and laboratory environments.  Coursework includes hands-on, project-based components that take advantage of the extensive laboratory resources of UMass Lowell.

Students in the academy join us each morning at UMass Lowell to work with a dynamic group of their peers, and then return to their own high school in mid-morning to work on core courses.  Students will take four college courses with us, two in the fall and two in the spring.

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Tuition, Fees, and Transportation?  Free!*

The Academy will be free of charge to all students.  We provide transportation to and from high schools within the region. Due to a severe parking shortage, we do not plan to allow students to drive themselves.

*TEAMS Academy development is grant-funded for the academic year 2007-2008 by the Massachusetts Department of Education project “STEM Pilot Program for Accelerated High School Students.”  Funding for future years is pending state approval.

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Enrollment and class size?

In mid-March we will select approximately 30 high school sophomores and juniors to join us as juniors or seniors next fall.  Two cohorts of approximately 15 students per class will take two courses in the fall and two in the spring.
 
Two high school teachers will instruct the courses with the help of a graduate teaching assistant and with oversight by a university faculty advisor.

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How will the TEAMS schedule mesh with my high school schedule?

We transport students to UMass Lowell’s North Campus every school morning to takes classes from approximately 7:45 am to 9:20 am.  We then transport students back to their own high school for the rest of the day.  Our school schedule will be tied to a high school schedule rather than a university schedule.

The school year is divided into two semesters, with student taking two college courses each semester, as shown below.

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Do you offer college credit? What about high school credit?

Each high school will grant high school credits and weight the credits based on its local policies. We offer three (3) UMass Lowell college credit hours for each semester-long course. A student’s ability to apply these college credits to a post-secondary degree will depend on the institution’s transfer credit policies and the requirements of the degree program in which the student enrolls.

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What type of courses will you offer?

Each term students will take two courses, one focusing on an applied science, the other on engineering. These courses will be multidisciplinary, drawing content from various fields of mathematics, science, and technology. Here is an overview of the first four college courses students will take next year—click on the links below for more details.

• Environmental Biotechnology—Why do cities and towns spend millions to clean waste water prior to dumping it into the river? Collect samples in the field, analyze those samples, and learn how to quantify the impact of humans on our surroundings. Learn how pollutants in the local swimming hole alter microorganism biology down to the level of the genome. Work in a high tech lab to explore ways to alleviate the damage caused by humans.

• Interactive Robotics—What is a robot? Work in a new computer science laboratory to understand how robots are built and how to control them. Design and build robots and see if they can perform challenging tasks that require use of mathematics, electronics, and programming.

• Bat Engineering Design—Study materials science, use 3D computer modeling tools, and mechanical engineering. Use the engineering design process to design and build your own baseball bat made of composite materials. How do you pick the best design and use statistics to compare it to others? Use math and physics to predict how the bat will perform, then perform high-speed testing at UMass Lowell’s Baseball Research Center, the official certification center for the NCAA and a research facility for Major League Baseball.

• Assistive Technology & Electronics: Study electrical engineering and use the engineering design process to make devices that help real people overcome their disabilities. Learn about electronics in a new assistive technology laboratory. Explore integrating robotics and electronics into assistive technology.

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What courses should I continue to take at my own high school?

The courses offered by the TEAMS Academy are designed to supplement the courses offered by your school, not to replace them. For example, a student may attend the academy in the morning, then return to their high school for the remainder of the day to take their core math, science, english, and history coursework. Students should meet with their guidance counselors to determine how TEAMS courses fit into their four year high school plan.

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How much effort will these TEAMS courses require?

These courses are entry-level college courses, so students should expect to spend around 12 hours per week working outside of class. We are designing these courses be challenging, but interesting and enjoyable. Students should expect to use their advanced math and science skills from high school, and to develop them even further as part of these courses. Each course will include a balance of classroom and laboratory experiences.

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Who will develop and teach these courses?

A team of university professors and graduate students will work with high school teachers from the region to develop these innovative courses. A pair of these high school teachers will teach each course with assistance from a graduate student and oversight by a university professor.

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Who is eligible to apply by April 1? How do I get an application?

• The Academy’s goal is to admit a diverse group of academically talented students entering their junior or senior years. These students should currently be enrolled in the advanced courses offered at their grade level at their high school. Students are expected to apply advanced math and science concepts at the Academy.

• Each school has reviewed the goals of the Academy and compared them to its own curriculum to determine eligibility requirements. TEAMS courses are designed to supplement, not replace, courses offered at the high school. Students must still complete their math, science, English, Social Studies, and other core courses at their own high school. See a guidance counselor for more information.

• Download an application from our web site, fill it out, and send it no later than April 1, 2008. We plan on enrolling approximately 30 students this year, but plan to expand enrollment in the future.

Click here for more information about applying!

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