University Overview

The University of Maine is one of the nation’s major public institutions of higher education, and the state’s center for research and graduate education. UMaine enrolls about 8,900 undergraduate students and approximately 2,300 graduate students seeking master’s or doctoral degrees and certificates. In addition to its more than 90 majors and academic programs, UMaine offers 75 master’s and 30 doctoral programs that attract students from around the world. The research and scholarship of more than 860 UMaine faculty members and graduate students greatly enrich the undergraduate experience. As a research university, UMaine offers undergraduate students opportunities to be active participants in research.

The University of Maine is located on the banks of the Stillwater River, in the heart of the nation’s most heavily forested state. UMaine is 10 minutes from Maine’s third largest city, Bangor, and an international airport. The university is only an hour from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, and within an easy drive of several major ski resorts.

The Maine legislature established the University of Maine in 1865 under the provisions of the land grant act signed by President Abraham Lincoln. That law gave federal lands to each state to establish what was then a new kind of educational institution dedicated to agriculture and the mechanic arts.

Since its founding, the University of Maine has grown far beyond its original academic focus. Two of its colleges — the College of Engineering and the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture —still embody elements of the original land grant mission, but feature many more fields — from electrical and computer engineering to biomedical sciences — to meet the needs of the 21st century. Three other colleges — the College of Education and Human Development, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the College of Business, Public Policy and Health — offer programs undreamed of in 1865: studio art, computer science, business administration, new media, child development, psychology — and the list goes on. In addition, UMaine’s Honors College offers one of the oldest honors programs in the country.

UMaine also remains true to its land grant heritage in its commitment to public service and to improving the quality of human life. Its faculty, staff, and undergraduate and graduate students all contribute to improving society through research, education and community service. UMaine students are dedicated to working for a better, more just and tolerant society. The UMaine community celebrates the arts, treasures the truth, defends freedom of thought and expression, and cherishes diversity.

The University of Maine is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., the oldest regional accrediting association in the United States. Many professional societies also confer accreditation or approval on specific UMaine programs.