The University of Massachusetts, Amherst

A major research university with a strong commitment to its land grant mission of education, research, and public service, UMass Amherst is a leading institution of public higher education in the Northeast. In recent years, UMass has extended its reputation for excellence and broadened its academic offerings, while external support for research has doubled. Our schools, colleges, and faculties offer bachelor’s degrees in ninety-two fields, master’s degrees in seventy-one fields, and doctorate degrees in fifty fields. Enrollment of undergraduates and graduates is almost thirty thousand.

The Five Colleges and the Pioneer Valley

Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and Hampshire College are also located in the Pioneer Valley. Together with UMass, these “Five Colleges,” as they are known, have established cooperative arrangements that allow students to take classes and use resources at the other four institutions.

The location of the University in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts offers a rich cultural environment in a beautiful setting. At the south end of the valley is the city of Springfield, a diverse city of two hundred thousand. To the west are the Berkshire Mountains, an ideal vacation spot offering white water rafting, hiking, and camping in the spring and summer, and skiing in the winter. Ten minutes from the campus is Northampton, with a vibrant main street filled with restaurants, unique boutiques, European-style cafes, and a rich cultural life. The University is only 90 miles from Boston and 150 miles from New York City.