Amherst College

Not to be confused with the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Amherst College
Latin: Collegii Amherstiensis
MottoTerras Irradient (Latin)
Motto in English
Let them enlighten the lands[1]
TypePrivate liberal arts college
Established1821; 203 years ago (1821)
AccreditationNECHE
Academic affiliations
Endowment$3.3 billion (2023)[2]
PresidentMichael A. Elliott
Academic staff
307 (Fall 2021)[3]
Undergraduates1,971 (Fall 2021)[4]
Location
Amherst
,
Massachusetts
,
United States
CampusRural
1,000 acres (4.0 km2)
Colors    Purple & white[5]
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division III –
MascotMammoths
Websitewww.amherst.edu

Amherst College (/ˈæmərst/ ⓘ[6] AM-ərst) is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zephaniah Swift Moore, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher education in Massachusetts.[7] The institution was named after the town, which in turn had been named after Jeffery, Lord Amherst, Commander-in-Chief of British forces of North America during the French and Indian War. Originally established as a men's college, Amherst became coeducational in 1975.[8]

Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution; 1,971 students were enrolled in fall 2021.[9] Admissions are highly selective. Students choose courses from 42 major programs in an open curriculum[10] and are not required to study a core curriculum or fulfill any distribution requirements; students may also design their own interdisciplinary major.[10]

Amherst competes in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. Amherst has historically had close relationships and rivalries with Williams College and Wesleyan University, which form the Little Three colleges. The college is also a member of the Five College Consortium, which allows its students to attend classes at four other Pioneer Valley institutions: Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

  1. ^ "Terras Irradient". Amherst College. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  2. ^ As of June 30, 2023. "U.S. and Canadian 2023 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2023 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY22 to FY23, and FY23 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student" (XLSX). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and TIAA. February 15, 2024. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  3. ^ "Common Data Set 2021" (PDF). Amherst College. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  4. ^ "Common Data Set 2021" (PDF). Amherst College. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  5. ^ "Colors | Visual Identity Toolkit". Amherst College. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  6. ^ "Amherst". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  7. ^ "Oldest Colleges in Massachusetts". College Prowler. Archived from the original on June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  8. ^ "Amherst's History | Timeline". Amherst College. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  9. ^ "Common Data Set 2021" (PDF). Amherst College. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Areas of Study". Amherst College. Archived from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022.