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About Us

Excellence in Education, Since 1840

For more than 184 years, Bridgewater State University has been transforming lives, helping all of our students get an outstanding education, begin rewarding careers and lift up their families. BSU is a safe, diverse, inclusive, welcoming community where all students and employees can find a home.

As the 10th largest university, public or private, in Massachusetts, Bridgewater provides a wide range of academic programs and innovative learning experiences inside and outside the classroom. The University grants approximately 2,500 degrees and certificates each year.

Bridgewater has one of the top-ranked undergraduate research programs in the nation and has more than 250 study abroad programs. Each year, more than 1,600 students participate in internships to discover the work they love as they earn academic credit. BSU is ranked as the second leading university in Massachusetts for advancing the social mobility of students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds and ninth in the nation for graduation rates for undergraduate Black students. Bridgewater continues to expand its reach and deepen its service to the community through early college and senior college initiatives.

The University recently launched its first engineering programs in photonics and optical engineering and is building the state’s most sophisticated cybersecurity training facility. BSU graduate students have among the highest first-time CPA exam pass rates of any university in Massachusetts. Founded as a school for teachers in 1840, Bridgewater still graduates more teachers and STEM educators than any institution in Massachusetts.

Bridgewater State University provides all these opportunities while continuing to offer one of the most affordable degrees in all of New England.

1840

year founded

10th

largest four-year academic institution in Massachusetts

9,727

undergrad and grad students

94%

full-time faculty holding doctorates or other terminal degrees

Student works overseas with children

Since our founding, Bridgewater State has been committed to empowering individuals and instilling in our students and faculty a deep appreciation for advancing the public good.

Representative speaks during a Minnock Center event

Our academic centers and institutes — representing a wide array of interests, scholarship and expertise — support the mission and goals of the university by enhancing research and scholarship and by fostering community outreach.

 

European colonists, a Native American woman, and a Black Civil War soldier
BSU is a regional catalyst for promoting civic responsibility and engagement for residents of Massachusetts and beyond.
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BSU Stories

More BSU Stories >
Cybersecurity
An intern works at computers in the Security Operations Center
‘Thinking About the Future’

Security Operations Center opens and is a boon to region and students

online learning
Connections Near and Far

COIL exposes faculty and students to other cultures, without ever leaving the classroom

student walking in DMF
A New Standard

Forward-looking approaches help ensure all students stay enrolled and succeed

Dr. Uma Shama, professor of mathematics
Class Acts

Data-driven practices in the classroom promote success for all students

Sustainability
Women stand in a greenhouse next to plants
Natural Affinity

Students celebrate Earth Day and campus sustainability efforts

Gwen Gacek, ’27, left, cleaning up the grounds of Common Ground Relief Nursery in New Orleans to make room for raised beds to aid in the survival of the surrounding trees and plants.
‘Eye Opener’

Student reflects on recent service trip to New Orleans