Academics at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Academics at a Glance

Whats the point of going to college without academics? Below is an overview of academic life at University of Massachusetts-Amherst — the faculty and staff who teach, the majors and fields of study on offer, and the online and distance options available.

Jump to any section below, or follow a link to dig deeper into a specific part of academic life at University of Massachusetts-Amherst:

• Faculty Resources
• Most Popular Majors
• Additional Questions to Ask
• Continue Your Research

Faculty and Teaching

With 18 students per faculty member, University of Massachusetts-Amherst is about average, as the nationwide rate is 15 to 1. University of Massachusetts-Amherst employs 80% of its instructors full time, above the national average of 47%.

For the full breakdown — tenure status, part-time and adjunct share, and how the faculty compares with the national average — see the faculty composition report.

Majors & Degrees

University of Massachusetts-Amherst offers 114 majors with reported completions across 28 broad fields of study.

Degrees offered at University of Massachusetts-Amherst are summarised below:

Ranked by number of graduates, these are the most popular majors at University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

For the complete list of majors, concentrations and graduation numbers, see the academic majors report.

Additional Questions to Ask

As you weigh academic life at University of Massachusetts-Amherst, a few more questions are worth asking:

• Looking for flexibility? University of Massachusetts-Amherst may offer online or summer classes that can help you finish your degree — 2,659 undergraduates take at least some classes online. Explore online learning.
• Interested in outcomes? Look at how well University of Massachusetts-Amherst retains and graduates its students — 92% of full-time freshmen return). Explore graduation rates.
• Will a degree land you a job? Ask how many graduates were employed full time a year after finishing.

Dig Deeper into Academics on University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Each page below covers one part of academic life at University of Massachusetts-Amherst in more detail:

• Academic Majors at University of Massachusetts-Amherst — the full list of majors, concentrations and graduation numbers
• Faculty & Class Sizes at University of Massachusetts-Amherst — how the teaching staff is structured
• Graduation & Retention at University of Massachusetts-Amherst — graduation and first-year retention rates
• Distance Learning at University of Massachusetts-Amherst — distance-learning enrollment detail
• Accreditation at University of Massachusetts-Amherst — accreditation status and accrediting bodies