Academics

In Five College majors, departments and programs, our campuses collaborate to enhance academic offerings and support vibrant intellectual communities for students and faculty members.

Five Colleges coordinates dozens of multi-campus academic programs that give students and faculty members the opportunity to engage with people and access resources beyond their home campus. Browse the full list of programs below, or use the filter to focus your search based on the kind of program and academic area. Follow the links to explore other academic opportunities.

Lorna Peterson Prize

Academic Programs Year in Review

Click here to read about Academic Programs events and programming
in the 2022-2023 academic year. 

Five College Academic Programs

African Studies
African Studies
Drawing on the expertise of more than 50 faculty members across the campuses, students pursuing the Five College African Studies certificate work closely with a faculty advisor to plan a uniquely tailored course of study.
Drawing on the expertise of more than 50 faculty members across the campuses, students pursuing the Five College African Studies certificate work closely with a faculty advisor to plan a uniquely tailored course of study.
Anthropology
Anthropology
The study of anthropology is greatly enriched by the presence of a large and varied range of scholars at the five campuses who meet regularly, share their research, and lecture in each other's classes.
The study of anthropology is greatly enriched by the presence of a large and varied range of scholars at the five campuses who meet regularly, share their research, and lecture in each other's classes.
Architectural Studies
Architectural Studies
The objective of the Five College Architectural Studies program is to cultivate concerned architectural designers and thinkers through a flexible yet rigorous interdisciplinary course of study.
The objective of the Five College Architectural Studies program is to cultivate concerned architectural designers and thinkers through a flexible yet rigorous interdisciplinary course of study.
Asian Pacific American Studies
Asian Pacific American Studies
The Five College Asian/Pacific/American Studies Certificate Program enables students to pursue concentrated study of the experiences of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Americas.
The Five College Asian/Pacific/American Studies Certificate Program enables students to pursue concentrated study of the experiences of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Americas.
Biomathematical Sciences
Biomathematical Sciences
The daunting complexities of biological phenomena from neurological development to ecosystem carbon fluxes require development of new modeling and analytic approaches.
The daunting complexities of biological phenomena from neurological development to ecosystem carbon fluxes require development of new modeling and analytic approaches.
Buddhist Studies
Buddhist Studies
With one of the largest concentrations of scholars of Buddhist Studies in the United States, the Five Colleges provide an excellent environment in which to study Buddhism.
With one of the largest concentrations of scholars of Buddhist Studies in the United States, the Five Colleges provide an excellent environment in which to study Buddhism.
Coastal and Marine Sciences
Coastal and Marine Sciences
The Five College Coastal and Marine Sciences Program offers an interdisciplinary marine-related curriculum to undergraduate students enrolled in the five campuses.
The Five College Coastal and Marine Sciences Program offers an interdisciplinary marine-related curriculum to undergraduate students enrolled in the five campuses.
design mind
Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
This program is designed for students interested in gaining experience within the field of cognitive neuroscience.
This program is designed for students interested in gaining experience within the field of cognitive neuroscience.
Community-Based Learning
Community-Based Learning
Community-Based Learning brings together students, faculty & community organizations to work on projects that provide rich experiences for students & tangible benefits to the community. 
Community-Based Learning brings together students, faculty & community organizations to work on projects that provide rich experiences for students & tangible benefits to the community. 
Creative Writing
Creative Writing
Five College Creative Writing promotes collaboration and community among writers on all five campuses.
Five College Creative Writing promotes collaboration and community among writers on all five campuses.
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Dance
Dance
Five College Dance comprises the dance departments and programs of Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Five College Dance comprises the dance departments and programs of Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Early Music
Early Music
The Five College Early Music Program offers a variety of opportunities to engage with the rich and varied repertoire of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music.
The Five College Early Music Program offers a variety of opportunities to engage with the rich and varied repertoire of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music.
Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology
The Five College community is home to a diverse, vibrant group of students, scholars, and performers working in ethnomusicology, the anthropology of music, and related disciplines.
The Five College community is home to a diverse, vibrant group of students, scholars, and performers working in ethnomusicology, the anthropology of music, and related disciplines.
Film and Media Studies
Film and Media Studies
The Five College Film Council works to coordinate the study of film and video at all five campuses.
The Five College Film Council works to coordinate the study of film and video at all five campuses.
Geology
Geology
Geology students and faculty members from the Five Colleges share research lab facilities equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, learn together in classes across all campuses, and explore settings around the world on joint field trips.
Geology students and faculty members from the Five Colleges share research lab facilities equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, learn together in classes across all campuses, and explore settings around the world on joint field trips.
Hebrew Language Initiative
Hebrew Language Initiative
The Five College Hebrew Language Initiative enables students on all five campuses to study the Hebrew language. Courses are offered through Smith and UMass Amherst and open to all five college students.
The Five College Hebrew Language Initiative enables students on all five campuses to study the Hebrew language. Courses are offered through Smith and UMass Amherst and open to all five college students.
History
History
The University of Massachusetts Amherst/Five College Graduate Program in History represents an extraordinary collaboration between the faculties of five distinguished campuses.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst/Five College Graduate Program in History represents an extraordinary collaboration between the faculties of five distinguished campuses.
Korean Language Program
Korean Language Program
The Five College Korean Language Program allows students at each of the five campuses to develop a concentration of study devoted to the Korean language and culture.
The Five College Korean Language Program allows students at each of the five campuses to develop a concentration of study devoted to the Korean language and culture.
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Languages
Languages
Students at Five College campuses can study more than 60 languages; among the most offered anywhere in the country.
Students at Five College campuses can study more than 60 languages; among the most offered anywhere in the country.
Latin American Studies
Latin American Studies
The Five College Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies enhances the more traditional major/minor available at the individual schools & complements the student's field of study.
The Five College Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies enhances the more traditional major/minor available at the individual schools & complements the student's field of study.
Logic
Logic
The Logic Certificate Program brings together aspects of logic from different regions of the curriculum: philosophy, mathematics, computer science and linguistics.
The Logic Certificate Program brings together aspects of logic from different regions of the curriculum: philosophy, mathematics, computer science and linguistics.
Middle Eastern Studies
Middle Eastern Studies
Students design a program that will meet their intellectual, academic and prospective professional needs in conjunction with an advisor from their home institution.
Students design a program that will meet their intellectual, academic and prospective professional needs in conjunction with an advisor from their home institution.
Multicultural Theater
Multicultural Theater
The Five College Multicultural Theater Committee, supported by the Five College Theater chairs and Five Colleges, Inc., is charged with furthering multicultural perspectives in theater in our community.
The Five College Multicultural Theater Committee, supported by the Five College Theater chairs and Five Colleges, Inc., is charged with furthering multicultural perspectives in theater in our community.
Music
Music
At the Five Colleges, each music department has its own identity, its own range of offerings, and a particular emphasis that sets it apart.
At the Five Colleges, each music department has its own identity, its own range of offerings, and a particular emphasis that sets it apart.
Statistics
Statistics
The Five College Statistics Program was created in 2011 to enable statistics faculty members at the five campuses to coordinate and integrate resources to better serve our statistics and data science students.
The Five College Statistics Program was created in 2011 to enable statistics faculty members at the five campuses to coordinate and integrate resources to better serve our statistics and data science students.
Sustainability Studies
Sustainability Studies
Five College Sustainability Studies brings together several programs to encourage the study and application of sustainability across all five campuses in the consortium and beyond.
Five College Sustainability Studies brings together several programs to encourage the study and application of sustainability across all five campuses in the consortium and beyond.
Theater
Theater
Five College Theater allows students the opportunity to explore elements of theater.
Five College Theater allows students the opportunity to explore elements of theater.

Contact Us

A smiling man with short hair, blue collared shirt, and blue jacket.

Ray Rennard

Director of Academic Programs
Daniel Lavigne

Daniel Lavigne

Academic Programs Administrative Assistant
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April Shandor

Academic Programs Coordinator