Amherst Voices

“ This toxic value system unsurprisingly originated during slavery. It affects us all. It affects Black women the most. ”

Chloe McKenzie '14
Chloe McKenzie ’14 McKenzie, an expert on financial trauma, abuse and shame, from “The Real Power of Money.”
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Amherst Voices

“ I have a long history of thinking about both the power and problem of fake media. ”

Alexandra Juhasz
Alexandra Juhasz ’86 creator of the podcast We Need Gentle Truths for Now, and Distinguished Professor of Film at Brooklyn College.
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Amherst College

COVID-19 Information

Johnson Chapel on the quad with sunlight streaming through trees

Find information about the College’s response to the evolving situation with COVID-19, including the plan for Spring 2021. Learn about the guidelines for coming to campus and the latest changes to the academic program, housing, dining, athletics, and more.

The Liberal Arts

A liberal-arts education develops an individual’s potential for understanding possibilities, perceiving consequences, creating novel connections and making life-altering choices. It fosters innovative and critical thinking as well as strong writing and speaking skills. The liberal arts prepare students for many possible careers, meaningful lives and service to society.

Facts You Should Know

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80%

Percentage of Amherst alumni who report that they have attended graduate or professional school

Our Alumni

84%

Percentage of Amherst courses that have fewer than 30 students

Liberal Arts
Amherst in Pictures

Faculty in the News

Our constitutional and legal system is remarkably ill-equipped to deal with an electoral crisis. Should we find ourselves in one, the system is more likely to exacerbate than defuse it. —Lawrence Douglas

Upcoming Classes

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Know this...You belong now. You are loved now. You are making your history now. Thank you for letting me sit at your table. —Min Jin Lee

Upcoming Classes

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I knew that music was going to be part of my life no matter what. So, I thought, let me see what else is going on at the College that I might like.—Darryl Harper.

Upcoming Classes

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Even though we are having these intense emotional discussions, when the kids leave, I feel really happy.—Catherine Sanderson

Upcoming Classes

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Latest Videos

AC Votes

President Biddy Martin and Virginia Ryan ’22 discuss efforts on campus to facilitate student voting, the importance of down-ballot voting, and the value of researching the candidates and the questions on the ballot before voting. (Visit AC Votes)

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AC Votes

Amherst College President Biddy Martin and Maya Foster ’23 have a conversation about the importance of absentee voting, local voting, and how AC Votes is here to support and simplify the process for Amherst students. (Visit AC Votes)

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Dining at Amherst

Dining Services

While some things have changed related to dining on campus, the food is still delicious. Take a look at the measures Amherst College has taken to keep our students safe and well-fed while still pursuing our sustainability initiatives. And learn all about the new GET app for ordering meals on campus.

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Bringing Amherst to You

What exactly is the Amherst experience all about? From classes to residence halls to the celebrations surrounding Commencement, experience the creative energy of Amherst College and see what makes this community feel like home. —Video by Maria Stenzel

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Amherst Alumni in the Field:

When Alden Booth ’83, P’12 and Lissa Greenough ’83, P’12 opened beloved brewpub The People’s Pint in Greenfield more than 20 years ago, area farmers weren’t accustomed to selling directly to restaurants. But from the start, The People’s Pint was a platform for the things Booth and Greenough care most about: building community, buying local, minimizing waste. —Video by Marcus DeMaio

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President Biddy Martin and Virginia Ryan '22 (new page)
Maya Foster class of 2023 beside a purple i voted mammoth sticker
a purple mammoth with a red white and blue I Voted sticker (new page)
Four masked students eating outside under a canopy. (new page)
A professor leads a class on the Main Quad at Amherst College (new page)
A beaker full of beer (new page)

Distinctive Courses

Our open curriculum lets you choose among interesting classes taught by exceptional faculty.

Humanities Arts Social Sciences Science & Math
Our Majors
Asian Languages & Civilizations

Imagining Modern China

Description

Surveys the literary and cultural milestones in late 19th-century to 21st-century China, exploring a wide range of works from mainland China and the Sinophone world, including critically acclaimed films and theatrical productions.

Music

Jazz Theory and Improvisation I

Description

Explore jazz harmonic and improvisational practice from both the theoretical and the applied standpoint, building toward a performance at the end of the semester.

First Year Seminar

Antiracism

Description

Central to the seminar will be a deep engagement with historian Ibram X. Kendi’s concept of “antiracism”, which proposes that individuals and communities shift out of the neutral zone of “not racist” into daily life thinking and practices that contribute to dismantling systemic racism.

Environmental Studies

Environmental Justice

Description

Explore how and why factors like race, gender, colonial histories, and contemporary poverty shape the impacts of environmental problems on different communities. We will critically examine the theories and issues of environmental justice and political ecology.

Sexuality, Women's and Gender Studies

The Cross-Cultural Construction of Gender

Description

Explore the issues involved in the social and historical construction of gender identities and roles from a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspective.

Physics and Astronomy

Modern Physics

Description

Examine the theories of relativity, the quantum theory, and properties of nuclei and elementary particles, as well as recent experiments of interest in contemporary physics.

Amherst News & Events

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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 Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Amherst College, P.O. Box 5000, Amherst, MA 01002-5000.