UMass Amherst Undergraduate Programs: A Comprehensive Overview

The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst), the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system, offers a wide array of undergraduate programs designed to foster creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. Founded in 1863 as the Massachusetts Agricultural College, UMass Amherst has evolved into a leading public land-grant research university, committed to providing accessible, high-quality education. With over 100 major subject areas, UMass Amherst empowers students to fearlessly challenge conventions and pursue a better tomorrow.

A Foundation of Academic Excellence

UMass Amherst's undergraduate programs are built upon a foundation of academic excellence. The university was designated as a research university and the "flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system" by the Massachusetts State Legislature in 2003. This designation reflects UMass Amherst's commitment to cutting-edge research and its role as a leader in higher education within the state.

The university's faculty are actively engaged in research across a wide range of disciplines. For example, a team of scientists at UMass, led by Vincent Rotello, has developed a molecular nose that can detect and identify various proteins. Additionally, UMass Amherst scientists Richard Farris, Todd Emrick, and Bryan Coughlin led a research team that developed a synthetic polymer that does not burn, offering a potentially safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastics.

Commonwealth Honors College: Intensifying the Academic Experience

For students seeking a more challenging and personalized academic experience, the Commonwealth Honors College at UMass provides the opportunity to intensify their UMass academic curriculum. The Honors College offers a tight-knit community centered on small classes and personalized experiences, with the resources of a major research university. Membership in the honors college is not required to graduate from the University with designations such as magna or summa cum laude.

First-Year Seminars: Exploring New Fields

Each year, UMass Amherst offers over 200 First-Year Seminars for its incoming class. These topic-driven, 19-person courses allow students to explore new fields in a small-class setting. In addition, First-Year Seminar instructors teach a variety of general skills and coach students for college success.

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Academic Advising: Empowering Students to Reshape the World

At UMass Amherst, advisors are here for you, to empower you and give you the tools you need to reshape your world. All undergraduate students, including students in an Exploratory Track, are assigned to an academic advisor and academic dean within the school, college, or program that coincides with their academic major status.

Diverse Academic Programs: A Glimpse into UMass Amherst's Offerings

UMass Amherst offers a diverse range of undergraduate programs across its various schools and colleges. Here's a closer look at some of the programs available:

Isenberg School of Management

The Isenberg School of Management equips students with the critical skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in today's dynamic business environment.

Accounting: The accounting program equips students with critical skills to guide business decisions at all levels. Students tackle real-world challenges and interpret financial data, learning to become strategic leaders in a global market.
Business Analytics Certificate: In today’s world, business leaders must be data-driven. Sound business decisions, strategic thinking, and leadership are all based on data. The business analytics certificate from Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst develops a deep understanding of data sourcing, data visualization, and data-driven strategic decision making.

College of Humanities and Fine Arts

The College of Humanities and Fine Arts fosters creativity, critical thinking, and a deep appreciation for the human experience.

W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies: Engage in deeply interdisciplinary study of the history, politics, culture, music, economics, and literature of people of African descent in the United States and across the wider African Diaspora.
Art: Find comfort in the uncomfortable. Ease in the awkward. At UMass Amherst, we encourage all students of art to examine the world with an unflinching gaze. We educate artists who are intellectually curious, artistically fearless, and technically proficient. Our studio programs encompass a wide range of media and leave space for students to invent new methods.
Art Education: Transform a passion for art into a career as a visual art teacher. The art education program at UMass Amherst is dedicated to creating inventive, passionate, and collaborative art educators who inspire creativity in their students. Through a combination of studio arts, art history, education, and field experiences, students embark on a critical examination of art education as they develop skills in research, visual arts, and professional pedagogy.
Architecture: Architecture is more than the design of buildings. It is the art of designing the spaces where people live, work, and play. At UMass Amherst, we take a holistic approach to architecture, understanding the ecological and political context of the built environment and encouraging students to design for sustainable communities.

College of Natural Sciences

The College of Natural Sciences is dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and preparing the next generation of scientists and researchers.

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Astronomy: Study the planets, moon, stars, galaxies, even the origin of the universe itself. Astronomy is a broad and exciting field encompassing the well known use of instruments like telescopes to study the stars, as well as lesser known mathematical and computer models that ask penetrating questions about the nature of the universe. At UMass Amherst, undergraduate students can choose to study astrophysics or space science. At the graduate level, our PhD program in astrophysics gives candidates the opportunity to conduct research at some of the leading national and international facilities.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Uncover the chemical and physical principles underlying life as we know it. At UMass Amherst, students of biochemistry and molecular biology examine biological processes from physical, chemical, and genetic perspectives to better understand how biochemical reactions are integrated and regulated, and how genetic information is expressed. The study of biochemistry and molecular biology opens the door to a wealth of careers and graduate opportunities in the sciences.
Biology: Discover the science of life. At UMass Amherst, biology is a diverse field of study encompassing everything from the planetary to the microscopic. Students have the opportunity to study genetics, anatomy, physiology, neurobiology, botany, and paleontology, among others. Research is conducted in laboratories and in the field. For many students, an undergraduate biology program paves the way for further graduate study and careers in medicine or academia.

College of Engineering

The College of Engineering is a hub of innovation, where students and faculty are working to solve some of the world's most pressing challenges.

Biomedical Engineering: Make a difference in the world working at the intersection of biology, medicine, and engineering. By looking at the human body through the lens of engineering, biomedical engineers are able to use concepts of design, optimization, and programming to detect, repair, and treat diseases. This deeply cross-disciplinary field is focused on improving human health globally and solving problems in healthcare delivery.
Chemical Engineering: Transform conceptual laboratory discoveries into new products and processes. Chemical engineering sits at the crossroads of chemistry, physics, and mathematics, working to bring about chemical and physical changes in materials. Traditionally utilized in industries such as petroleum refining and petrochemicals, the program at UMass Amherst prepares students for the future of the field through studies in biochemical engineering and advanced materials.
Building and Construction Technology: The study of building and construction technology is aimed at maximizing the economic and environmental performance of the built environment. At UMass Amherst, students are transformed into leaders in the field of sustainable design and construction through comprehensive coursework on virtually every aspect of the field, from construction management to sustainable building planning. With our emphasis on sustainability, our graduates use green building as a tool to address climate change, enhance urban biodiversity, and conserve natural resources.

School of Public Health and Health Sciences

The School of Public Health and Health Sciences is committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

Biostatistics: Offered through the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, the concentration in biostatistics at UMass Amherst provides students with the strong analytical and quantitative skills necessary to push the boundaries of public health research.

Stockbridge School of Agriculture

The Stockbridge School of Agriculture offers hands-on, practical education in a variety of agricultural and environmental fields.

Arboriculture and Community Forest Management: Study the art of the arborist in the arboriculture and community forest management program at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Established in 1893, this program is the oldest arboriculture program in the country, with a legacy of excellence in education.
Plant and Soil Science: Explore the fields of agriculture and environmental science through the lens of sustainability and social responsibility. This broadly interdisciplinary field emphasizes research, teaching, and outreach related to the growth of food and ornamental crops, soil and water protection, the management of plant diseases and pests, development of new crops, and the management of harvested materials. At UMass Amherst, the plant and soil science program takes a scientific approach to these issues while remaining conscious of social responsibility and environmental impact.

Other Unique Programs

Bachelor's Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC): Created for the modern scholar whose curiosity exceeds the bounds of traditional academic fields, the Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration is a self-directed, interdisciplinary major program that empowers students to design their own course of study. BDIC students work with a faculty sponsor and BDIC faculty supervisor to design their program. BDIC concentrations are deeply interdisciplinary, drawing from at least three departments. Students are encouraged to engage with resources from across the Five College Consortium, and it is common for BDIC students to conduct their own independent research or embark on a field experience prior to graduation.
Animal Science: Our undergraduate curriculum is designed to provide you with a comprehensive scientific awareness of cell and molecular biology, critical and ethical thinking, and skills in laboratory techniques, animal management, and communication. At UMass Amherst, students prepare for careers in the worlds of human and animal research, animal management, agriculture, and the veterinary sciences. Our curriculum examines the welfare, breeding, nutrition, physiology, behavior, and other aspects of the care and research of domestic and laboratory animals. Students also take courses where they work directly with our beef cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, and horses on our farms. Entering Animal Science majors, choose a concentration - animal management, biotechnology, or equine science and can also prepare to change to the pre-veterinary science major.
Molecular and Cellular Biology: Our graduate curriculum and research program provide rigorous and comprehensive training in leading-edge laboratories and assist students with achieving creative excellence, technical mastery, intellectual independence, and recognition within the field of molecular and cellular biology as it is applied to immunology, infectious disease, developmental biology, reproductive biology, and toxicology.

A Vibrant Campus Environment

Beyond academics, UMass Amherst offers a vibrant campus environment with a wide range of extracurricular activities, student organizations, and cultural events.

Artistic Venues

The UMass Amherst campus offers a variety of artistic venues, both performance and visual art. The most prominent is the Fine Arts Center (FAC) built in 1975. The FAC brings theater, music, and dance performances to campus throughout the year into its performance spaces (Concert Hall, Bezanson Recital Hall, and Bowker Auditorium). These include several performance series: Jazz in July Summer Music Program, The Asian Arts & Culture Program, Center Series, and Magic Triangle Series presenting music, dance, and theater performances, cultural arts events, films, talks, workshops, masterclasses, and special family events. The 9,000-seat Mullins Center, the multi-purpose arena of UMass Amherst hosts a wide variety of performances including speakers, rock concerts, and Broadway shows.

Student Government Association (SGA)

The Student Government Association (SGA) is the undergraduate student governmental body and provides funding for the many registered student organizations (RSOs) and agencies, including the Student Legal Services Office (SLSO) and the Center for Student Business (CSB). The SGA also makes formal recommendations on matters of campus policy and advocates for undergraduate students to the Administration, non-student organizations, and local and state government.

UMass Permaculture

UMass permaculture is one of the first university permaculture initiatives in the nation and transforms marginalized landscapes on the campus into diverse, educational, low-maintenance, and edible gardens. Rather than tilling the soil, a more sustainable landscaping method known as sheet mulching is employed.

Minuteman Marching Band

UMass Amherst has the largest marching band in New England. The Minuteman Marching Band consists of over 390 members and regularly plays at football games.

Student Media

The Massachusetts Daily Collegian: The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, the official newspaper of UMass Amherst, is published Monday through Thursday during the calendar semester. The Collegian is a non-profit student-run organization that receives no funding from the university or student fees. The Collegian operates entirely on advertising revenues.
WMUA: The student-operated radio station, WMUA, is a federally licensed, non-commercial broadcast facility serving the Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts, Northern Connecticut, and Southern Vermont.

Athletics

UMass is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The university is a member of the Mid-American Conference while playing ice hockey in the Hockey East Association. The UMass Amherst Department of Athletics currently sponsors a wide variety of men's and women's intercollegiate sports.

A Legacy of Achievement

UMass Amherst boasts a distinguished alumni network of over 243,628 individuals worldwide. Notable UMass Amherst alumni include individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including:

Greg Landry
Jeff Corwin
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Taj Mahal
Bill Paxton
William Monahan
Kenneth Feinberg
Bill Cosby
Natalie Cole
Julius "Dr. J" Erving
David Pakman
Rick Pitino
Bill Pullman
Betty Shabazz
Briana Scurry
Jack Welch
John F.

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