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An Amherst Education Prepares You for the World
Our rigorous liberal-arts education empowers you to explore ideas freely, create novel connections, and advance knowledge for the greater good. Amherst fosters innovative and critical thinking and prizes curiosity, a foundation that prepares our students for fulfilling careers, service to society, and a lifetime of intellectual engagement.
Amherst Facts
More Facts80%
Percentage of Amherst alumni who report that they have attended graduate or professional school
88%
Percentage of Amherst courses that have fewer than 30 students
Meet Our Mammoths
Take Courses That Inspire You
Our approach to education is simple: Take courses that excite and inspire you. With no core educational requirements, you choose the courses that matter to you. Our open curriculum means your classes will be filled with inquisitive, engaged classmates who are committed to the topic.
AcademicsDistinctive Courses
Our open curriculum lets you choose among interesting classes taught by exceptional faculty.
- Arts
- Humanities
- Science & Math
- Social Sciences
Arts course in Art and the History of Art
Drawing in Time
Description
In this studio course, students will explore their artistic voice through time-based drawing methods, learning both analog and digital animation tools and techniques.
Humanities course in Religion
Dreams, Visions, and Otherworldly Encounters
Description
Approach dreaming and states of altered consciousness from the perspective of the academic study of religion in conversation with other disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, and psychology.
Humanities course in Black Studies; English
Women Writers of Africa and the African Diaspora
Description
How useful is this term in describing the writers we tend to include under the frame? How useful are the designations "African" and "African Diaspora"? We will critically examine these central questions.
Science & Math course in Biology
Form and Function
Description
A focus on the basic principles of evolutionary theory and biomechanics, including the importance of body size and metabolism, examining how animals feed and move, and examples of human innovation inspired by animal morphology.
Social Sciences course in Anthropology and Sociology; Environmental Studies
Pandemics and Society
Description
An investigation of how epidemic infectious diseases are not naturally given but socially and environmentally constructed through a study of the plague, smallpox, dengue, malaria, cholera, tuberculosis, influenza, HIV, SARS, MERS, and COVID-19.
Social Sciences course in Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought
The Law and Cultural Economy of Debt
Description
Consider the entwined cultural and legal creation of debt—both in how works of cultural production have imagined debt and how the imperative to repay debt relies on the cultural meaning ascribed to feeling indebted.
What Are Mammoths Made Of?
Every Amherst College student arrives with unique skills, insights, creativity, and passion. At Amherst, you’ll thrive individually, and you’ll make the herd stronger. So what exactly are Mammoths made of?
You’re curious about people, places, and everything else.
Our students lead with an inquisitive nature, exploring and embracing the unknown.
You pull things apart to find your own answers.
Amherst students start by knowing something. Then they brainstorm, make new connections, and put everything back together in surprising ways.
You care about the world and about each other.
Mammoths are a supportive bunch, whether forging a path or working together toward the greater good.
Faculty Spotlight
Caroline Theoharides, Economics
Caroline Theoharides, associate professor of economics, spoke about her research on a recent VoxDevTalk episode.
Faculty ProfileStefan Bradley, Black Studies & History
Stefan Bradley, Charles Hamilton Houston ’15 Professor of Black Studies and History, published a new book titled If We Don't Get It: A People's History of Ferguson.
Faculty ProfileKate Sims, Economics & Env. Studies
Nature Communications has published an article co-authored by Kate Sims, professor of economics and environmental studies.
Faculty ProfileNews
Events
2025 DeMott Lecture: Ted Chiang
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Convocation
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Jazz Faculty at The Drake: All Original(s)
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
The Onion - an Opera
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Nondiscrimination Statement
Amherst College does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs and activities on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex or gender (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity), age, disability, genetic information, military service, or any other characteristic or class protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Amherst College complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Inquiries should be addressed to the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, Amherst College, P.O. Box 5000, Amherst, MA 01002-5000.