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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.
80%
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
Amherst in Pictures
Spring is almost here! The days are getting warmer and longer, inviting us outdoors to enjoy our beautiful campus.
More Videos
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.
Academics
Arts course in
Art and the History of Art
Sustainable Design: Principles, Practice, Critique
Description
Explore sustainability in architectural design via canonical literature and social science-based critical theory. We will examine key tenets of the sustainable design discourse and locate sustainability within the larger environmental movement.
Humanities course in
English, SWAGS, Black Studies
Global Women’s Literature
Description
What do we mean by “women’s fiction”? How do we understand women’s genres in different national contexts? We will examine topics in feminist thought and draw on postcolonial literary theory, essays on transnational feminism, and historical studies.
Humanities course in
Philosophy
Wittgenstein: Mind
Description
Ludwig Wittgenstein asked himself, “What is your aim in philosophy?” and answered, “To show the fly the way out of the fly-bottle.” What did he mean? We will examine Wittgenstein’s revolutionary approach to mind, language, and philosophy itself.
Science & Math course in
Computer Science
Thinking Like a Computer Scientist
Description
Analytical thinking is inherent in every aspect of computer science. This course will introduce mathematics as the primary analytical tool used by computer scientists, and explore set notation, symbolic logic, proof techniques, and more. Students will gain experience with formal reasoning.
Science & Math course in
Chemistry
Nanomaterials
Description
Materials with structural features at the nanometer scale have become increasingly important in a range of technologies. In this course, we will emphasize applications relevant to alternative energy, including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and batteries.
Social Sciences course in
Political Science
Punishment, Politics, and Culture in the United States
Description
Who a society punishes and how it punishes are key political questions as well as indicators of its character. This course considers connections between punishment, politics, and culture. We will consider whether we punish too much or too little, and the ways race has shaped the ways we punish.
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.
Celebrating 50 Years of Coeducation
Beginning in 2026 and extending through 2027, we are celebrating one of our most meaningful milestones: the 50th anniversary of coeducation at Amherst. We’re marking five decades of the contributions of women students, faculty, staff, and alumni. We will honor the trailblazers who pushed coeducation forward, and the subsequent generations of women who added new chapters to the story of Amherst.
Learn about 50CO
Nicholas Holschuh, Geology
“
Entrained debris records regrowth of the Greenland Ice Sheet after the last interglacial
,” co-authored by Nicholas Holschuh, assistant professor of geology, has been published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Faculty Profile
Ivan Contreras, Mathematics
“
Graded Contact Geometry and the AKSZ Formalism
,” a paper coauthored by Ivan Contreras, associate professor of mathematics, has been published in the journal
Differential Geometry and its Applications
.
Faculty Profile
William Taubman, Political Science
William Taubman, the Bertrand Snell Professor of Political Science, Emeritus, has won the
New York Historical
’s annual Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize in American History for
McNamara at War: A New History
.
Faculty Profile
Black Artists Inspire
The Shifting Landscape of the Classroom: Video Conversation with President Elliott and Catherine Sanderson
Apr
23
Fayerweather Hall, Pruyne Lecture Hall
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:15:00 -0400
Porcelains and Power: The Politics of Chinese Art in the Age of American Ascendancy
4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Apr
23
Converse Hall, Cole Assembly Room
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0400
Why the Fourteenth Amendment Means What it Says: People Born in the U.S. are Citizens at Birth
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Apr
23
Fayerweather Hall, 113
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0400
Hypermediacy in Postwar Japanese Photography
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Apr
23
Aliki Perroti & Seth Frank Lyceum, 202
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0400
Montaigne and Mirrors
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
You have what it takes to be a Mammoth.
Now take the next step.
Explore
Visit
Apply
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.
Skip to primary navigation
Skip to section menu
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
PAUSE VIDEO
PLAY VIDEO
Link to textual description of video
Home
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.
80%
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
Amherst in Pictures
Spring is almost here! The days are getting warmer and longer, inviting us outdoors to enjoy our beautiful campus.
More Videos
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.
Academics
Arts course in
Art and the History of Art
Sustainable Design: Principles, Practice, Critique
Description
Explore sustainability in architectural design via canonical literature and social science-based critical theory. We will examine key tenets of the sustainable design discourse and locate sustainability within the larger environmental movement.
Humanities course in
English, SWAGS, Black Studies
Global Women’s Literature
Description
What do we mean by “women’s fiction”? How do we understand women’s genres in different national contexts? We will examine topics in feminist thought and draw on postcolonial literary theory, essays on transnational feminism, and historical studies.
Humanities course in
Philosophy
Wittgenstein: Mind
Description
Ludwig Wittgenstein asked himself, “What is your aim in philosophy?” and answered, “To show the fly the way out of the fly-bottle.” What did he mean? We will examine Wittgenstein’s revolutionary approach to mind, language, and philosophy itself.
Science & Math course in
Computer Science
Thinking Like a Computer Scientist
Description
Analytical thinking is inherent in every aspect of computer science. This course will introduce mathematics as the primary analytical tool used by computer scientists, and explore set notation, symbolic logic, proof techniques, and more. Students will gain experience with formal reasoning.
Science & Math course in
Chemistry
Nanomaterials
Description
Materials with structural features at the nanometer scale have become increasingly important in a range of technologies. In this course, we will emphasize applications relevant to alternative energy, including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and batteries.
Social Sciences course in
Political Science
Punishment, Politics, and Culture in the United States
Description
Who a society punishes and how it punishes are key political questions as well as indicators of its character. This course considers connections between punishment, politics, and culture. We will consider whether we punish too much or too little, and the ways race has shaped the ways we punish.
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.
Celebrating 50 Years of Coeducation
Beginning in 2026 and extending through 2027, we are celebrating one of our most meaningful milestones: the 50th anniversary of coeducation at Amherst. We’re marking five decades of the contributions of women students, faculty, staff, and alumni. We will honor the trailblazers who pushed coeducation forward, and the subsequent generations of women who added new chapters to the story of Amherst.
Learn about 50CO
Nicholas Holschuh, Geology
“
Entrained debris records regrowth of the Greenland Ice Sheet after the last interglacial
,” co-authored by Nicholas Holschuh, assistant professor of geology, has been published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Faculty Profile
Ivan Contreras, Mathematics
“
Graded Contact Geometry and the AKSZ Formalism
,” a paper coauthored by Ivan Contreras, associate professor of mathematics, has been published in the journal
Differential Geometry and its Applications
.
Faculty Profile
William Taubman, Political Science
William Taubman, the Bertrand Snell Professor of Political Science, Emeritus, has won the
New York Historical
’s annual Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize in American History for
McNamara at War: A New History
.
Faculty Profile
Black Artists Inspire
The Shifting Landscape of the Classroom: Video Conversation with President Elliott and Catherine Sanderson
Apr
23
Fayerweather Hall, Pruyne Lecture Hall
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:15:00 -0400
Porcelains and Power: The Politics of Chinese Art in the Age of American Ascendancy
4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Apr
23
Converse Hall, Cole Assembly Room
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0400
Why the Fourteenth Amendment Means What it Says: People Born in the U.S. are Citizens at Birth
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Apr
23
Fayerweather Hall, 113
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0400
Hypermediacy in Postwar Japanese Photography
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Apr
23
Aliki Perroti & Seth Frank Lyceum, 202
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0400
Montaigne and Mirrors
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
You have what it takes to be a Mammoth.
Now take the next step.
Explore
Visit
Apply
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.