Loading...

Director: Kathy Weilerstein
612 Goodell Building, (413) 545-6218

In addition to the personalized academic advising and dean’s services available to all students who have not declared a major, the Undergraduate Advising & Learning Communities staff offer specific academic programs and events to enhance the experience of first-year students and support their discovery of appropriate options. During this exploratory period, students gather information, sharpen their academic focus, follow an academic plan, and benefit from the resources that are available to aid them in their decision making and degree progress.

The opportunities offered through UA&LC activities spotlight the goals and benefits of UMass Amherst's General Education curriculum - a set of academic requirements that form the foundation for all its undergraduate degree programs. This curriculum is especially helpful to first-year students who want to explore their interests and abilities before making a commitment to a major.

Many students, regardless of their major status, choose to participate in a Residential Academic Program (RAP), an academic learning community that includes General Education classes. Students join a program based on an area of interest, enroll in associated classes and live together in a first-year residence hall. Complete program information including specific classes and residential locations can be found on the RAP website: rap.umass.edu.