Emerson College, a nonprofit educational institution, draws independent minds from diverse backgrounds around the world through its highly regarded academic programs in communication, the arts, and the liberal arts.

Energized by engagement with the creative life of Boston, Los Angeles, and the Netherlands, our students are thinkers and doers who develop daring ideas and bring innovation, depth, and diversity to their disciplines.

Community Impact

The College’s students, faculty, and staff implement and facilitate a number of public programs that provide students with hands-on learning experiences. In the School of the Arts, students, staff, and faculty execute a season of theatrical productions every semester through Emerson Stage; host Bright Lights, a series of free film screenings; and more. In the School of Communication, a number of Emersonians run Emerson Polling, a nationally known polling organization; and Emerson community members work at an on-campus clinic, the Robbins Center, to help patients overcome communication challenges.

The Social Justice Collaborative at Emerson is a hub for advancing social justice, both on campus and in the broader community. Housed in the Collaborative is the Elma Lewis Center, which develops and strengthens authentic relationships with community-based organizations and movements that center community voices and organize at the grassroots for transformational healing and change. The Center is dedicated to helping individuals and communities share their own stories in their own ways.

Additionally, the College is committed to making higher education more accessible to people who are incarcerated in Massachusetts. The mission of the Emerson Prison Initiative is to democratize access to college education for those who are marginalized. Students enrolled in the program obtain a bachelor’s degree in Media, Literature, and Culture.

Shaping Culture in the 21st Century

Emerson alumni populate theaters, newsrooms, movie sets, comedy clubs, start-ups, and schools worldwide. They’ve emerged as leaders in a variety of communication and arts fields, pursuing daring ideas that shape our culture in the 21st century. They find innovative ways to report local news, act on stage and screen, run political campaigns, edit consumer magazines, found businesses, help people with communication disorders, and direct short films. Wherever people collaborate to inspire progress in their communities and make a positive impact on society, you will find Emersonians.

Fast Facts

  • 1880

    The year Emerson College was founded

  • 4147

    Undergraduate students

  • 1729

    Graduate students

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History & Preservation

Since our founding in 1880, Emerson has evolved from a small New England school of oratory to a multifaceted college with an international reputation, all while reviving and transforming our beloved downtown Boston.