Bentley University

What is the history of Bentley University?

Bentley University began in Boston in 1917 as the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance. Its founder, Harry C. Bentley, established it to teach accounting and related business subjects. That professional focus remains visible in the university's programs, although its academic offerings now extend well beyond accounting.

The institution moved to its present campus in Waltham in 1968 and later expanded its undergraduate and graduate programs. It adopted the Bentley University name in 2008. These changes help explain its current identity: a university organized around business education that also teaches the arts, sciences, mathematics and technology.

What are the faculties and departments at Bentley University?

Bentley University organizes its teaching primarily through its business school and its arts and sciences faculty. Undergraduate students can study fields such as accounting, finance, management, marketing, economics, computer information systems and data-related disciplines, alongside subjects including communication, mathematics, psychology and the humanities.

Its undergraduate curriculum combines a business foundation with broader academic study; students should check the current catalog for the requirements of a particular major or minor. Bentley also offers graduate business programs, including an MBA and specialized master's degrees. Graduate admission and degree requirements differ from undergraduate requirements, so a prospective student should use the catalog for the credential they intend to pursue.

What is the location of Bentley University?

Bentley University is in Waltham, Massachusetts, a suburb west of Boston. Its campus offers a suburban setting while placing students within reach of employers, cultural institutions and other colleges in the Greater Boston area.

Waltham has commuter-rail and bus connections, but the usefulness of public transit depends on a student's schedule and destination; travel into Boston is not the same as walking from a downtown campus. Commuters should also check campus parking rules. Boston Logan International Airport serves the region and is relevant for students traveling from farther away.

What is the mission and vision of Bentley University?

Bentley University describes its educational purpose as combining business education with the arts and sciences to develop knowledgeable, ethical leaders. Its stated priorities include responsible decision-making, the use of technology and learning across disciplinary boundaries.

Those are institutional aims, not measurable outcomes for every student. Applicants can assess how the approach fits them by looking at their intended major's requirements, opportunities to study outside that major and the practical experiences available within it. Bentley is not a religiously affiliated institution.