Dear Students:

Welcome to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), the Commonwealth's public liberal arts college. Located in the beautiful Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, MCLA's campus is in North Adams, a community known for its vibrant culture, art, and seemingly endless opportunities for natural recreation. This setting adds another dimension to the educational experience you will have at MCLA.

MCLA's engaged community produces transformative learning experiences fostered through a combination of classroom and hands-on learning. Our size and our focus on liberal arts will provide you with endless opportunities to learn from a dedicated and talented faculty who are invested in your success. In classes that are small and personalized, MCLA faculty will know your name and share your dreams.

The academic experience at MCLA empowers you and prepares you to deal with complex and diverse issues while pursuing in-depth achievement in a specific field of study. We provide a wide range of engagement opportunities both in and out of the classroom, including research projects, internships, service projects, and study abroad.

These experiences will strengthen and refine your critical thinking, communications, and leadership skills, a foundation crucial to success in the global economy and engaged citizenship.

Our MCLA community has achieved remarkable growth together. We have launched new majors in Health Science, Nursing, Radiologic Technology, and Music Industry and Production, while expanding Early College and Dual Enrollment programs to serve more students. We have also added men's and women's Ice Hockey and men's lacrosse programs and created a state-of-the-art fitness center and athletic training space to support our growing athletic offerings. MCLA has maintained its top 10 national ranking for a decade as a public liberal arts institution and earned recognition as a top national performer for Social Mobility. Nursing.

MCLA is an increasingly diverse and inclusive academic community committed to creating a campus climate as well as a culture that values, represents, and honors diversity in our society. We actively endeavor to recruit and retain diverse students, faculty, and staff.

At MCLA, we continue to innovate, affect change, and achieve success through the dedicated efforts and commitment of our entire campus community. That work is reflected in this catalog. You will find information here about programs that meet your interests and exceed your expectations. As an MCLA student, you should reference the information in the catalog guide as you continue your academic journey.

Welcome, again, to MCLA, where I am certain you will discover a supportive, enriching, challenging, and inclusive community — one dedicated to elevating lives!

Sincerely,

James F. Birge, Ph.D.
President