University Of Massachusetts Amherst

The University of Massachusetts Amherst (otherwise known as Massachusetts, UMass, or UMass Amherst) is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, 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).

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