
Assumption University is a private Catholic institution founded in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1904 by the Augustinians of the Assumption. It began as Assumption College, serving a community with strong French-Canadian ties, and adopted the name Assumption University in 2020.
A tornado destroyed much of the college's original campus in 1953. The institution subsequently developed its present campus on Salisbury Street. Its later expansion into professional and graduate education helps explain the breadth of programs now offered alongside its liberal arts curriculum. The change to university status did not alter its Assumptionist Catholic affiliation.
Assumption University offers undergraduate liberal arts, sciences, business, nursing, and other professional programs, as well as graduate study. Its academic organization includes the D'Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Grenon School of Business, and the Froelich School of Nursing.
Undergraduates can explore fields such as biology, psychology, education, computer science, communication, accounting, and marketing. Graduate offerings serve students seeking advanced study or professional preparation. Program availability, admission rules, and clinical or fieldwork requirements vary; a student considering a licensed profession should check the requirements of both the specific program and the state where they intend to practice.
Assumption reports an 11-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio. That institution-wide measure describes staffing relative to enrollment, not the size of every class or the availability of a particular course.
Assumption University's main campus is on Salisbury Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. Worcester is a midsize city, and the campus offers a residential setting rather than a downtown location.
Students can reach internships, employers, health-care facilities, and cultural venues in the Worcester area, although travel time depends on the destination and available transportation. The campus is also within the broader central Massachusetts region, with rail and bus connections from Worcester to other cities. Worcester Regional Airport is nearby, but students planning flights should compare its schedules with those of larger regional airports.
Transportation matters especially for students who commute or arrange off-campus placements. First-year students are not permitted to register or park a car on campus under the reported parking policy, so they should confirm current rules before relying on a personal vehicle.
Assumption University describes its mission in Catholic and Assumptionist terms: education of the whole person through intellectual development, ethical reflection, and concern for the common good. Its stated approach connects liberal learning with preparation for work and civic life.
The university's religious identity is relevant to its curriculum and campus activities, but students need not assume that every course or organization is religious in character. Applicants who want to understand the role of Catholic teaching in their education can examine the current core curriculum, campus ministry activities, and requirements of their intended major. The mission expresses the institution's aims; it is not, by itself, evidence of any particular student outcome.
Name of the institution
Assumption UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: MidsizeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Religious affiliation
Catholic (Roman Catholic Church)School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1904Assumption University is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificateData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.