General Information
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Massachusetts Lowell is to enhance the intellectual, personal and cultural development of its students through excellent, affordable educational programs. The University seeks to meet the needs of the Commonwealth today and into the future and supports the development of sustainable technologies and communities through its teaching, research, scholarship and engagement.
Overview
Located in the historic industrial city of Lowell, 25 miles northwest of Boston, the campus spans more than 125 acres along the Merrimack River. More than 12,000 resident and commuter students of all backgrounds pursue bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees as well as professional certificates in the arts, humanities and sciences; education; engineering; health and environment; and management.
Academics
We offer more than 14,000 students more than 120 degree choices, internships, bachelor’s to master’s programs and doctoral studies in the colleges of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Sciences, Engineering and Management, the School of Health and Environment, and the Graduate School of Education.
Diversity
The UMass Lowell community is culturally, socially and academically diverse. Faculty, staff, students and members of the surrounding community have many ways to come together on campus through wide-ranging opportunities to learn about and celebrate out differences.
The Council on Diversity and Pluralism draws its membership from faculty, student and staff in all colleges. The Council supports initiatives, grant programs and events that encourage an inclusive and accepting environment on campus.
Academic approaches to diversity are integrated into research and classroom themes across the curriculum. One goal of UMass Lowell’s General Education requirements is for students to demonstrate the ability to understand diverse groups of people, cultures, and views. The Center for Family, Work and Community, the Center for Women and Work and the Roots Project conduct multiple research projects on diversity-related topics, but there are similar projects scattered across many departments and research centers.
Student clubs and organizations focused on cultural diversity have been created for Hispanic, African American, Southeast Asian and many other ethnic groups. Each holds educational programs and holiday celebrations throughout the academic year.
History
For more than a century, the University of Massachusetts Lowell has been educating students to work in the real-world, solve real problems and help real people. The University began as the Lowell Normal School, founded in 1894 to prepare students to become teachers, and the Lowell Textile School, founded in 1895 to train technicians and managers for the textile industry. Over the next 75 years, both institutions extended their offerings to meet the growing needs of the region. Lowell State and Lowell Tech, as they were then known, merged in 1975 to form the University of Lowell. In 1991, the campus became part of the University of Massachusetts system.
Student Life
Athletics
UMass Lowell Athletics is an NCAA Division II program with Division I ice hockey. UMass Lowell River Hawks sponsors 16 varsity sports, competes in Hockey East and the Northeast 10 Athletic Conference.
Spiritual Life
The UMass Lowell community is rich in its diversity of faiths and celebrates the tapestry of religious and spiritual traditions that our students represent. While many students connect with religious and spiritual communities here on campus, others find meaningful connections throughout the city of Lowell and surrounding communities.