The University of Massachusetts Amherst (otherwise known as Massachusetts, UMass, or UMass Amherst) is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States, and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system. With 1,174 faculty members and more than 27,000 students, UMass Amherst is the largest public university in New England.The university offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees in 88 undergraduate and 72 graduate areas of study, through eight schools and colleges. The main campus is situated north of downtown Amherst. In a 2009 article for MSN.com, Amherst was ranked first in Best College Towns in the United States. In 2012, U.S. News and World Report ranked Amherst amongst the Top 10 Great College Towns in America.The University of Massachusetts Amherst is categorized as a Research University with Very High research activity by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In 2011, UMass Amherst had research expenditures of $181.3 million. It is also a member of the Five College Consortium.UMass Amherst sports teams are called the Minutemen and Minutewomen, the colors being maroon and white; the school mascot is Sam the Minuteman. All teams participate in NCAA Division I. The university is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, while playing ice hockey in Hockey East. In football, UMass has completed their last season in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) at the FCS level, and in 2012 they upgraded to the FBS level and transition to the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
Athletics
Hockey East
Mid-American Conference
National Collegiate Athletic Association
Chancellor
Kumble R. Subbaswamy
City
Amherst, Massachusetts
Endowment ($)
2.306E8
Former name
Massachusetts Agricultural College (1863?1931)
Massachusetts State College (1931?1947)
Founding date
1863-04-29
Mascot
Sam the Minuteman
Motto
By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty
Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem
Number of postgraduate students
6196
Number of students
27269
Number of undergraduate students
21373
Official school colour
Maroon and White
Staff
1121
Type
Flagship
Land grant
Public university
Comment
0