RAPs for Declared Majors

There are a number of academic departments at UMass Amherst which offer RAPs designed specifically for students who have been admitted into their majors. These programs are small (24-48 students) and often include connections to faculty in the department.

These programs are available to students admitted into the given major
Please go to the individual program pages to learn more about each program:

If you are not interested in a program on this page, you can still join one of the RAPs for Any 1st-Year Student!

Program Name
Classes & Unique Features
Location(s)
Bio TAP
• Students invited to join this program will receive invitations
directly from the Biology department
• TAP Seminar taught by faculty
• Upper class Peer Mentors live on the hall with TAP students

Celestial Observations RAP

• For Astronomy students (opens to any 1st -year student on June 9)
• Weekly observations from Orchard Hill Observatory
• Astronomy faculty participate in class

 
Communication Majors RAP
• RAP Seminar Fall and Spring semesters
• Small sections of Intro to Communication classes Fall and Spring
semesters
Computer Science Majors RAP

• RAP Seminar taught by faculty
• Room with students in the program

Orchard Hill
Engineering Majors RAP

• RAP Seminar
• Main campus seats in “Calculus 1” and “General Chemistry”
• Room with students in the program

Northeast and Orchard Hill
English TAP
• Students invited to join this program will receive invitations
directly from the English department
• Enrollment in “Literary Studies Seminar” (English 200)
• Get to know faculty in the department
Central
Nursing Majors RAP
• RAP Seminar Nursing 150 - “Faculty Seminar for First-Year Nursing
Students”
• Room with students in the program
Orchard Hill and Southwest
Performing & Visual Arts Majors RAP

• For Art, Dance, Music, and Theater majors
• Courses to be announced
• Room with students in the program

Central
Physical Science Majors RAP
• For students declared OR interested in Chemistry, Geology and
Physics majors (opens to any 1st -year student on June 9)

• RAP Seminar – faculty led. Learn about the relationship between
these majors and the multitude of major and minor opportunities
Orchard Hill
Political Science Majors RAP
• RAP Seminar Fall and Spring semesters
• Political Science 197B small class taught by faculty in residential
area
Southwest
Psychology Majors RAP
• RAP Seminar and “Introductory Psychology” small class taught by
faculty
• Room with students in the program
Southwest