A distinctive undergraduate campus within the University of Minnesota system, Morris combines a rigorous, student-centered residential liberal arts education with access to the resources and opportunities of one of the nation's largest universities. A founding member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), Morris provides students with a rigorous academic experience, preparing them to be global citizens who value and pursue intellectual growth, civic engagement, intercultural competence, and environmental stewardship. The student body of nearly 1700 is supported by 130 faculty members, a student/faculty ratio of 13:1. The Morris campus is the most ethnically diverse in the University of Minnesota system, with 20 percent American Indian students, 10 percent U.S. students of color, and 12 percent international students. 

Morris is highly ranked by national publications -- U.S. News & World Report as a top-ten public liberal arts college; Forbes as one of the best colleges and universities in the nation; and Fiske Guide to Colleges includes Morris in its list of “the best and most interesting” schools in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom. Morris students consistently win national awards – in 2017-2018, Morris was the only public baccalaureate institution among the top student Fulbright award producers. Among University of Minnesota campuses, Morris has the highest proportion of faculty in the University’s Academy of Distinguished Teaching. The campus is also a national leader in sustainability, evidenced by receipt of the inaugural Excellence in Sustainability award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers and an Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education STARS Gold rating.