Clark University is an American private research university located in Worcester, Massachusetts, the second largest city in New England. It is adjacent to University Park about 50 miles west of Boston.

Founded in 1887 with a large endowment from its namesake Jonas Gilman Clark, a prominent businessman, Clark was one of the first modern research universities in the United States. he university now offers 46 majors, minors, and concentrations in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering and allows students to design specialized majors and engage in pre-professional programs.

It is noted for its programs in the fields of psychology, geography, physics, biology, and entrepreneurship and is a member of the Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts which enables students to cross-register to attend courses at other area institutions including Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the College of the Holy Cross. As a liberal arts-based research university, Clark makes substantial research opportunities available to its students, notably at the undergraduate level through LEEP project funding, yet is also respected for its intimate environment as the second smallest university counted among the top 75 national universities by U.S. News & World Report and as one of 40 Colleges That Change Lives.

Clark was ranked no. 27 on the U.S. News list of Best Value Schools and no. 16 on the Forbes list of America’s most entrepreneurial universities.

The university competes intercollegiately in 17 NCAA Division III varsity sports as the Clark Cougars and is a part of the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference