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    Explore the College of Liberal Arts

    There are a million reasons why you should choose UNH’s College of Liberal Arts. Find out why you belong here.

  • students with professor

    Undecided on a major?

    No problem. Our faculty and staff will help you discover the path that’s perfect for you. Learn more about resources for undeclared students.

  • student in front of Murkland

    Join Your Passion to Purpose

    Mel Nagashima ‘22 pursued his passion for supporting diversity by interning at a Boston organization that empowers Asians and new immigrants to thrive. Watch video.

  • alumnus Katie Bouton in her office

    Discover Your Possibilities

    Alumna Katie Bouton ’96 was an English and women’s studies major who is now the co-founder and CEO of an executive search firm. COLA taught her to think big for what her life could be. Watch video.

College of Liberal Arts

SOCIAL SCIENCES   •    HUMANITIES   •   FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS   •   EDUCATION

Bring your imagination to life at the College of Liberal Arts (COLA) at the University of New Hampshire. Explore your passions and create your very own path from dozens of majors, minors and graduate programs in the social sciences, humanities, fine and performing arts and education. Immerse yourself in an engaged, innovative community of academic excellence with some of the world’s best faculty leading the way.

Think it sounds amazing? It is.

 

Programs of Study

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SEE COMPLETE LIST OF PROGRAMS

 

DEPARTMENTS

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Find your Future in the College of Liberal Arts

In COLA, you will learn deeply and explore boldly within a collaborative, caring community of thinkers, creators and doers. You’ll connect the dots and put things into a larger context while developing skills that employers want — like critical thinking, complex problem solving and communication. You’ll learn to be creative, nimble and ready to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Get the Facts

Top 10%
best schools for communication, journalism and Music
College Factual
Top 15%
best schools for psychology, drama and theatre arts, and visual and performing arts
College Factual
Top 20%
best colleges for communication
niche
Top 25
Justice Studies, Music and neuroscience Programs by earnings one year out of college
GradReports
Top 100
history and sociology graduate programs
U.S. News and World Report
95%
Recent COLA alumni employed or enrolled in further education
First Destination Survey
63%
Recent COLA alumni who participated in at least one internship at UNH
First Destination Survey

Student Spotlights

  • photo of Bryson Badeau
    Bryson Badeau ‘22
    Secondary Theatre Education and Design & Theatre Technology Major
    Hometown: Dedham, Mass. What made you choose UNH? I was looking for schools that had a secondary theatre education major and when I visited UNH I fell in love with the campus! I found a place where I could pursue a career in theatre education and, hopefully someday, become a professional theatre...
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    Bryson Badeau ‘22
    Secondary Theatre Education and Design & Theatre Technology Major
    Hometown: Dedham, Mass. What made you choose UNH? I was looking for schools that had a secondary theatre education major and when I visited UNH I fell in love with the campus! I found a place where I could pursue a career in theatre education and, hopefully someday, become a professional theatre...
    Learn More
  • photo of Nikki Harnett
    Nikki Harnett ‘23
    Sociology Major
    Hometown: Plymouth, Minn. What made you choose UNH? I play on the Women’s Ice Hockey team here at UNH, so recruitment was a big part of my choosing process. I stepped onto the UNH campus when I was 15, and it just felt like home. I knew I was going to spend my college years here. Durham is awesome...
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    Nikki Harnett ‘23
    Sociology Major
    Hometown: Plymouth, Minn. What made you choose UNH? I play on the Women’s Ice Hockey team here at UNH, so recruitment was a big part of my choosing process. I stepped onto the UNH campus when I was 15, and it just felt like home. I knew I was going to spend my college years here. Durham is awesome...
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  • man with trombone
    Maxwell Lalos '25
    Music Education Major
    Why did you choose UNH? I chose UNH because it was a school I felt very comfortable with. There was so much vibrant energy when I first visited UNH, and it helped me fall in love with the program. As well, I loved that I could get involved in anything and everything. It feels like there is a club...
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    Maxwell Lalos '25
    Music Education Major
    Why did you choose UNH? I chose UNH because it was a school I felt very comfortable with. There was so much vibrant energy when I first visited UNH, and it helped me fall in love with the program. As well, I loved that I could get involved in anything and everything. It feels like there is a club...
    Learn More
  • headshot
    Thomas McDonough '22
    Political Science and International Affairs Majors
    Originally from Lowell, Mass., Tom McDonough selected UNH for its inviting sense of community. A political science and international affairs major, he will also be pursuing a master’s degree in political science at UNH. “I decided to study political science and international affairs because they...
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    Thomas McDonough '22
    Political Science and International Affairs Majors
    Originally from Lowell, Mass., Tom McDonough selected UNH for its inviting sense of community. A political science and international affairs major, he will also be pursuing a master’s degree in political science at UNH. “I decided to study political science and international affairs because they...
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  • headshot
    Kasey Birth '22
    History Major
    During her time in COLA, Kasey Birth has parlayed her passion for World War II history into a multi-year internship, fascinating research opportunities, academic recognition and more. The history major interned for a full year at the Wright Museum of World War II in Wolfeboro, N.H., her hometown....
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    Kasey Birth '22
    History Major
    During her time in COLA, Kasey Birth has parlayed her passion for World War II history into a multi-year internship, fascinating research opportunities, academic recognition and more. The history major interned for a full year at the Wright Museum of World War II in Wolfeboro, N.H., her hometown....
    Learn More

View All Featured Spotlights

View all student spotlights

Alumni Spotlights

  • Lori Robinson among service colleagues
    Alumni
    Lori Robinson '81
    English Major | Retired U.S. Military General
    Following in her father’s footsteps, General Lori Robinson ‘81 came to the University of New Hampshire and developed newfound confidence and lifelong connections. Watch Video.
    Learn More
    Alumni
    Lori Robinson '81
    English Major | Retired U.S. Military General
    Following in her father’s footsteps, General Lori Robinson ‘81 came to the University of New Hampshire and developed newfound confidence and lifelong connections. Watch Video.
    Learn More
  • picture of Eric Thomson
    Alumni
    Eric Thomson '93
    Philosophy Major | Bioinformatics Scientist at NIH
    Why did you major in philosophy? I majored in philosophy because it was the only discipline where we could explicitly tackle certain meta-level questions that don’t get addressed elsewhere. For instance, what is science and how do we differentiate it from other disciplines? Why is quantum mechanics...
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    Alumni
    Eric Thomson '93
    Philosophy Major | Bioinformatics Scientist at NIH
    Why did you major in philosophy? I majored in philosophy because it was the only discipline where we could explicitly tackle certain meta-level questions that don’t get addressed elsewhere. For instance, what is science and how do we differentiate it from other disciplines? Why is quantum mechanics...
    Learn More
  • headshot
    Alumni
    Bridget Keaveney '19
    Communication: Media Practices Major | Content Coordinator, Vimeo
    I'm currently working as the content studio coordinator on the social team at Vimeo, a SaaS video company and platform based in NYC. (Well, we're a global company. But that's where our headquarters is located!) My job is to manage and execute the social media strategy for all of Vimeo's core and...
    Learn More
    Alumni
    Bridget Keaveney '19
    Communication: Media Practices Major | Content Coordinator, Vimeo
    I'm currently working as the content studio coordinator on the social team at Vimeo, a SaaS video company and platform based in NYC. (Well, we're a global company. But that's where our headquarters is located!) My job is to manage and execute the social media strategy for all of Vimeo's core and...
    Learn More
  • headshot
    Alumni
    Jake Lamontagne '14
    Geography Major | Aerospace Research Analyst
    What are you currently doing for work and how did you get to this point? I'm a research analyst at MinebeaMitsumi Aerospace. I perform research activities for one of the largest manufacturers of aerospace bearings in the world. These activities include compiling monthly reports for 9 factories in 5...
    Learn More
    Alumni
    Jake Lamontagne '14
    Geography Major | Aerospace Research Analyst
    What are you currently doing for work and how did you get to this point? I'm a research analyst at MinebeaMitsumi Aerospace. I perform research activities for one of the largest manufacturers of aerospace bearings in the world. These activities include compiling monthly reports for 9 factories in 5...
    Learn More
  • Blair Rowlett
    Alumni
    Blair Rowlett '05
    Psychology and Justice Studies Majors | Director of the Mental Health Community Supervision Programs
    What were you doing 1 year out of college? One year out of college I was working as a correctional officer at the Strafford County House of Corrections. I had been working on campus while I attended classes, but when I graduated I had no prospective job offers in my field. I was aiming higher than...
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    Alumni
    Blair Rowlett '05
    Psychology and Justice Studies Majors | Director of the Mental Health Community Supervision Programs
    What were you doing 1 year out of college? One year out of college I was working as a correctional officer at the Strafford County House of Corrections. I had been working on campus while I attended classes, but when I graduated I had no prospective job offers in my field. I was aiming higher than...
    Learn More

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Recent Stories

Student holding peppers in a field

CSA Project Lets UNH Students Put Food on Community Tables

CSA Project Lets UNH Students Put Food on Community Tables

Extension of COLSA's Farm to You NH program has successful debut summer...

Article
Faculty Excellence 2023 Honors Outstanding UNH Educators

Faculty Excellence 2023 Honors Outstanding UNH Educators

Faculty Excellence 2023 Honors Outstanding UNH Educators

Annual awards celebrate professors on all campuses...

Article
Blair Rowlett

Former Correctional Officer Forges Career Helping Inmates Find Support

Former Correctional Officer Forges Career Helping Inmates Find Support

Alumni profile of Blair Rowlett ’05...

Article
View All Stories

Upcoming Events

Dec
02

University Prize Plays Workshop Performance

 Written, directed and performed by students.DATE: 12/2/23 at 7pmLOCATION: Hennessy Theatre, Paul Creative Arts CenterPRICE: $5The John C. Edwards University Prize Plays Workshop (UPPW) is a 2-wee ...
Dec
03

UNH Department of Music Seasonal Spectacular

The UNH Department of Music is excited to welcome in the holiday season with our second annual Seasonal Spectacular concert. This concert will feature selections from the UNH Symphony Orchestra, W ...
Dec
04

DIY Professional Headshot Photo Booth Drop-In Hours

DIY Professional Headshot Photo Booth Drop-In Hours image. Does your professional headshot need a refresh?You're in luck! CaPS is launching our new Professional Headshot Photo Booth!Located on the second floor of Hood House, this new offering helps you t ...
Dec
05

DIY Professional Headshot Photo Booth Drop-In Hours

DIY Professional Headshot Photo Booth Drop-In Hours image. Does your professional headshot need a refresh?You're in luck! CaPS is launching our new Professional Headshot Photo Booth!Located on the second floor of Hood House, this new offering helps you t ...
Dec
05

Musical Theatre Cabaret

 The culmination of our students' hard work is presented in the form of a showcase performance open to the public at the end of each semester. Come join us and share our students' enthusiasm and e ...
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