University of Massachusetts at Lowell

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Former names	Lowell Normal School Lowell State College
Type	Public
Established	1894 (1894)
Endowment	US$82.4 million (2015)
Chancellor	Jacqueline Moloney
Provost	Michael Vayda
Academic staff	1,112 (FT & PT) (2015)
Administrative staff	1,080 (FT & PT) (2015)
Students	18,058 (2016)
Location	Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S. 42°38′34″N 71°20′04″W / 42.642716°N 71.334530°W / 42.642716; -71.334530Coordinates: 42°38′34″N 71°20′04″W / 42.642716°N 71.334530°W / 42.642716; -71.334530
Campus	Urban 150 acres
Colors	Blue and Black
Athletics	NCAA Division I America East, Hockey East
Nickname	River Hawks
Affiliations	UMass System
Mascot	Rowdy the River Hawk
Website	www.uml.edu

The University of Massachusetts Lowell (also known as UMass Lowell) is a public metropolitan research university located in Lowell, Massachusetts. The campus is located 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Boston and is on both sides of 150 acres (0.61 km²) the Merrimack River.

The university is part of the University of Massachusetts system and has been regionally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges since 1975. With over 1,150 faculty members and over 18,000 students, it is the largest university in the Merrimack Valley and the second-largest public institution in the state.

The university offers 122 bachelor's, 43 master's and 36 doctoral degree programs, including nationally recognized programs in engineering, criminal justice, education, music, science and technology. The university is one of the few public universities in the United States to offer accredited undergraduate degrees in meteorology, sound recording technology, nuclear engineering, and plastics engineering. It was the first to offer a degree in music education. Academically, UMass Lowell is organized into six schools and colleges: the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Health Sciences; Kennedy College of Sciences; Francis College of Engineering; Graduate School of Education; and the Manning School of Business.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell owes its origins to two institutions founded in the 1890s: Lowell State College on the south side of the Merrimack River and Lowell Technological Institute on the north side. Each would follow its own path of expansion through the 20th century.