Amherst, MA

Today we are featuring one of the many great universities located in Massachusetts, UMass Amherst. UMass Amherst originated in 1863 with just 4 faculty members, 4 buildings and 56 students set on 310 rural acres of land. The first female student enrolled in 1892 and this was the same year graduate degrees were authorized. After World War II, the university experienced rapid growth and expansion. Today, in the 21st Century, UMass is known as the flagship campus of the state's five campus University system with close to 24,000 students enrolled. It has a wonderful reputation for excellence internationally.

More UMass information from their website: http://www.umass.edu

Location

UMass Amherst, the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system, sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston and 175 miles from New York City. The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers.

Enrollment and Faculty (Fall 2008)

Students

• 20,540 undergraduate students
• 5,820 graduate students
• 26,360 total undergraduate and graduate students

Faculty

• 1,180 full-time instructional faculty

Tuition and Fees (2008-09)

Massachusetts resident, full-time undergraduate

• Tuition/Fees $10,232
• Housing/Meals $8,114

Non-resident, full-time undergraduate

• Tuition/Fees $21,929
• Housing/Meals $8,114

Rates are for fall 2008 semester and spring 2009 semester combined. Fees include mandatory fees only. Housing/Meals based on full year, standard double room, value meal plan. See complete fee details, including tuition and fees for New England Regional Student Program.

Research

Supported research activities total more than $140 million per year.

Academics

88 bachelor's degree programs, 6 associate's, 73 master's and 53 doctoral programs in 9 schools and colleges.

Library

The library system is the largest at a state-supported institution in New England with more than 6.1 million items.

Alumni

Approximately 215,000 living alumni around the world.

Athletics

21 teams compete at the NCAA Division I level.

Arts

The Fine Arts Center brings nationally-known theater, music, and dance to campus year-round. Six galleries provide a variety of spaces for visual arts. Student art and performance opportunities abound.

Amherst, Massachusetts is located in the fertile and scenic Connecticut River Valley, and enjoys views of hills and mountains in all directions. Although originally a farming community, Amherst's main industry is now education, since it is the home of the main campus of the University of Massachusetts as well as two private colleges, Amherst College and Hampshire College. The town's commercial, social and cultural life benefit from the liveliness and diversity stimulated by the colleges and the University.

Amherst has long supported excellent public schools, libraries and town services. It has also worked hard both to preserve farming and open space and to provide affordable housing. Amherst is one of the few towns in Massachusetts to have met the state's goal of having 10% of its housing stock affordable.

Amherst is one of the most livable towns in the country, encompassing big-city cultural flair and down-home charm. You'll find everything here from grand Victorians to rambling Colonial Revival farmhouses, modern condominiums and comfortable family homes.

To visit the Virtual Homes virtual community website go to http://www.amherstmarealestate.com/ for information about Amherst Massachusetts (MA) real estate.

AMHERST - Researchers at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst are set to begin a one-year study of pharmaceutical levels in New England drinking water supplies.

A recent investigation by the Associated Press revealed that a vast array of pharmaceuticals have been detected in minute levels in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas.

The $150,000 UMass project has been in the works for about two years. Researchers plan to test unfiltered water entering more than a dozen wastewater treatment plants and analyze how well the purification systems filter out the drugs.

The study will also try to better determine if the presence of the medicines can be harmful to people or to wildlife.

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