« Introduction
What makes the University of New Hampshire (UNH) an outstanding institution? Every day, brilliant, dedicated, inventive, hard-working people come together to teach, learn, and discover, always with an entrepreneurial spirit that has made many of our academic and research programs world-class. Faculty and students alike are motivated by passion, by a spirit of inquiry, and by a desire to make a difference in the world.
What makes UNH the "best of both worlds" for undergraduate education? We offer students the living and learning environment of a classic New England liberal arts college with the breadth, spirit of discovery, and civic commitment of a major research university. This is rare among American institutions of higher education, and students and faculty will tell you it is our greatest asset.
The University Today
Founded in 1866 as one of the first land-grant colleges in the nation, the University of New Hampshire today remains true to its original land-grant mission as one of only eight universities in the U.S. to hold land-, sea-, and space-grant charters.
The University comprises the following academic units: the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences; the College of Health and Human Services; the College of Liberal Arts; the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, which includes the Thompson School of Applied Science; the Whittemore School of Business and Economics; University of New Hampshire at Manchester; the Graduate School, and the University of New Hampshire School of Law in Concord. UNH serves more than 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students in 100 undergraduate and 70 graduate programs of study.
A comprehensive research university, UNH received more than $120 million in grants in fiscal year 2010. The University has a unique commitment to undergraduate research, and has an endowed undergraduate research program that provides students from all disciplines with faculty mentoring and financial support to pursue independent research and scholarship.
The University of New Hampshire is at the forefront of developing nationwide university best practices to address climate change. Through its EcoLine project, UNH became the first university in the U.S. to use renewable landfill gas as its primary energy source, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. UNH also developed the first University greenhouse gas inventory tool, which is now used by more than 300 universities, and established the first endowed University-wide program to integrate sustainability principles into University curriculum, operation, research, and engagement.
A Powerful Linking of Teaching and Research
Where the University of New Hampshire has linked teaching and research programs with the practical realities of life, it has set the international standard with centers and institutes whose names have become synonymous with excellence in such fields as sustainability, computer interoperability, ocean mapping, child study and development, and experiential education.
Such research power translates into exceptional educational opportunities for our talented students. The University prides itself on graduating students who have undertaken significant research. In recent years, hundreds of students from all disciplines have experienced the thrill of designing their own research projects, collaborating with faculty, and presenting their findings in a public forum. Robust undergraduate research programs enable students to conduct research year-round on campus and around the world.
The University’s international research opportunities program is among the largest of its kind and serves as a model for others nationwide. Today the internationalization of the University is an accomplished fact. The study abroad program and international affairs major are strong and growing. Faculty are in demand as visiting professors at universities around the globe (many as Fulbright Fellows), and bring their experiences back to Durham.
Mission
UNH offers a broad array of undergraduate, graduate, professional, and research programs. Nearly 90 percent of the full-time faculty hold doctoral or terminal degrees, and many have earned national and international reputations.
The University of New Hampshire has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service.
Teaching. All undergraduate programs of instruction at the University are built on a program of general education. The objectives of general education carry through the undergraduate subject major, as students refine and apply their skills and discover the relationships among fields of study. At every level, students enjoy close contact with individual faculty members who are dedicated to research and scholarship; this is an advantage for students, because active scholars and researchers teach by sharing their own learning.
Research. The activity of research embraces all the arts and sciences at the University: it is an integral part of both undergraduate and graduate programs. In doctoral study and in many master’s programs, thesis research is a primary mode of learning. As a land-, sea-, and space-grant institution, the University of New Hampshire has a special obligation to conduct applied research in the areas of agriculture, marine sciences, and engineering, and to disseminate the findings to the state and nation.
Public Service. The University fulfills its special responsibility for the welfare of the state through UNH Cooperative Extension, and through research and consultation on particular needs of New Hampshire citizens. The University is dedicated to collaborative learning inside and outside the classroom.
The UNH Library
The UNH Library consists of the main Dimond Library and four science libraries specializing in biological sciences, chemistry, physics and computer science, mathematics, and engineering. The Dimond Library offers three quiet study reading rooms, seating for 1,200, Zeke’s café, and the Dimond Academic Commons (DAC), a "one-stop shop" for information needs, including reference assistance, IT help, and media equipment (including video and audio equipment to borrow). Collaborative work spaces, computer workstations, WiFi, and laptop ports are available throughout the building.
The Biological Sciences Library (Kendall Hall), the Chemistry Library (in recently renovated Parsons Hall), the Engineering/Mathematics/Computer Science Library (Kingsbury Hall), and the Physics Library (DeMeritt Hall) offer customized service for the UNH scientific and engineering communities. Each science library offers specialized reference assistance, reserve materials, reference and circulating collections, periodicals, and electronic resources specific to their fields. All science libraries provide WiFi and laptop ports, laptops and computer workstations, as well as other equipment. Parsons, DeMeritt and Kingsbury Libraries have group meeting rooms that students may reserve; all have collaborative as well as quiet areas.
In addition to more than 2 million volumes and 50,000 periodical subscriptions, the library has an extensive government documents collection, maps, sound recordings, CDs, videos, DVDs, and a Special Collections and Archives section with rare books, manuscripts, and University publications and papers. The UNH Library offers extensive electronic resources including e-books, digital collections, indexes in many subject areas, statistical data sets and databases supplying full-text periodical and newspaper articles. Library faculty and staff provide expert service to people seeking information or research assistance in all five libraries.
As members of the elite Boston Library Consortium (BLC), UNH community members may visit any of the other 17 well-known research institutions (including MIT, Tufts, Williams, and Wellesley) or borrow from a combined collection totaling more than 34 million volumes. In addition, journal articles and books not available onsite or through the BLC can be delivered quickly through interlibrary loan.
For more information on Dimond and the science libraries, visit
www.library.unh.edu <>.
The Campus
The home of the main campus of the University is Durham—one of the oldest towns in northern New England—near the picturesque seacoast of New Hampshire. The 200-acre campus is surrounded by more than 2,400 acres of fields, farms, and woodlands owned by the University. College Woods, on the edge of campus, includes five miles of well-kept paths through 260 acres of forest.
Recent major building and renovation projects have revitalized the UNH campus while maintaining its traditions. In 2002, the University celebrated the completion of Mills Hall, its newest and very beautiful residence hall; 2003 saw completion of the new Holloway Dining Commons. Renovations of Murkland and Congreve Halls have also been completed. The recent Kingsbury Hall expansion gives science and engineering students new project space, a modern lab wing, and high-tech classrooms. In 2007, DeMeritt Hall was torn down and rebuilt in the same location, reusing approximately 95 percent of the original materials to create a state-of-the-art physics building. In 2010, a two-year renovation of James Hall was completed, resulting in an energy-efficient, green-restored building. This past year, a Flow Physics Facility was completed with a federal research grant. It is one of the largest wind turbine facilities of its kind in the world. New construction for the Paul College of Business and Economics began this past spring 2011 with a planned completion date of December 2012.
Accreditation
The University of New Hampshire is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., which accredits schools and colleges in the six New England states. Accreditation by the association indicates that the institution has been carefully evaluated and found to meet standards agreed upon by qualified educators. Specialized programs of study are also accredited by various professional organizations.
Veterans and their eligible dependents may apply for educational benefits before the start of each semester. For information, contact Lonn Sattler, e-mail UNH.Veterans@unh.edu, UNHveterans coordinator, or call (603) 862-1595.
The University supports the efforts of secondary school officials and governing bodies to have their schools achieve regional accredited status to provide reliable assurance of the quality of the educational preparation of its applicants for admission.
