MCLA was founded in 1894 as "North Adams Normal School", and it offered first instruction at post-secondary level three years later.

[1] In 2004, President Mary Grant led in the creation of the Berkshire Compact for Higher Education and MCLA Gallery 51.

[6] MCLA also is the lead partner in the Berkshire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Pipeline Network.

In 2008, the Massachusetts Higher Education Bond Bill included $54.5 million for a new Center for Science and Innovation at MCLA.

Although Greg Summers was initially named the new president, he later withdrew his acceptance, citing family health concerns.

MCLA accepts transfer students with grade-point average requirements or with an associate degree.

The college Honors Program[12] includes ten percent of the student body for whom it offers special interdisciplinary courses in such topics as "The Mathematics of Fairness," "Ethics and Animals" or "The Romantic Movement."

The college is authorized by the state to grant the distinction "Commonwealth Scholar" to students who complete the honors program with a capstone thesis.

Active intercollegiate female teams are basketball, volleyball, tennis, cross country, soccer, softball, and lacrosse; while active intercollegiate male teams are baseball, basketball, golf, cross country, tennis and soccer.

The academic governance body, All College Committee, meets an average of nine times each year.

The school has two student publications: The Beacon,[17] a weekly newspaper, and Spires, a literary magazine published each year.