Surrounded by Berkshire County’s vibrant arts scene and natural beauty, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts offers students the experience of a small, private college at a public cost . MCLA fosters a tightly knit campus community and classroom environments that encourage engaging discussions, while combining rigorous academic training with broad opportunities for learning outside the classroom.
College curriculum emphasizes the development of strong analytical and communication skills , which prepare students for the workforce. MCLA offers professional programs in computer science and information systems, business administration and education, as well as abundant research opportunities in programs such as biology, physics and psychology.
Based in the fine and performing arts with complementing business and communications classes, our new Bachelor of Arts degree program in Arts Management is preparing students to undertake the work of arts administration. Through our Berkshire Hills Internship Program ( B-HIP ), MCLA students – as well as those from across the Berkshire County – work at nearby cultural institutions such as North Adams’ Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art – MASS MoCA .
Our educational philosophy is that students learn best by actively participating in their own educational opportunities for independent study, service learning and study abroad.
Established as a teachers’ college as North Adams Normal School in 1894, MCLA continues a long history of preparing students for careers in education. Today, that preparation includes a variety of graduate curriculum, including our Master of Education degree program .