Undergraduate Information

The most pressing matters of our time — migration, climate change, conflict, human rights, economic globalization, democratization and epidemics — transcend national boundaries and require a global response. The International Affairs (IA) program at UNH equips students to take on these global challenges through rigorous, interdisciplinary coursework, second language study and cultural immersion in another country. 

Students interested in adding this international dimension to their primary major have two options:

The IA Dual Major

  • Pairs with ANY major on campus
  • Requires seven courses, plus second language courses through the intermediate (504) level
  • Many courses can double-count for Discovery requirements and other minor requirements
  • An International Experience — study abroad, directed research, internship or service/volunteer
    experience — of at least eight weeks
  • A capstone research project drawing on the international experience, typically presented at the UNH Undergraduate Research Conference
  • Does NOT require more than the usual 128 credits to graduate, as distinguished from a dual degree

 The IA Minor

  • Pairs with and complements ANY major on campus
  • Requires four courses, plus second language courses through the elementary (402) level
  • Many courses can double-count for Discovery requirements and other minor requirements
  • Includes an international experience — study abroad, directed research, internship or
    service/volunteer experience — of at least three weeks or four credits

Knowledgeable advisors work one-on-one with studens to craft an individualized plan of study. This strong advising component makes it possible to fit IA — including the international experience — into the student's regular curriculum at UNH, along with primary major and Discovery requirements

Why IA?

As a result of their participation, IA graduates:

  • Demonstrate an awareness of global issues and an ability to think critically about these issues and their own position in — and responsibility for — the world
  • Communicate effectively in both English and another language
  • Exhibit the capacity to think from the perspectives of others, develop sensitivity to cultural differences and learn strategies for adapting to new cultural contexts
  • Enter a competitive job market with tangible, sought-after skills and capacities in a second language, inter-cultural awareness, research and public speaking
  • Demonstrate to future employers a willingness to take risks and adapt to new contexts and challenges
  • Join the IA alumni network, which offers professional connections with a group of highly successful graduates in the U.S. and abroad

Click here to hear three students from COLA, CHHS and Paul College give their perspectives on the value of the IA program.

IA Capstone Research and the Undergraduate Research Conference

One of the IA Dual Major’s many highlights is participation in the Undergraduate Research Conference. Examples of recent capstone research topics presented there include:

“Examining the Structure of Relationships between Transnational Corporations, Governments and Environmental Policy:? The Case of Texaco in the Ecuadorian Amazon”?
   — Student in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

“Ethnicity and Education in Ghana”  
    Student in the College of Liberal Arts 

“Aid Influx to Madagascar: the United States Sanctions Effect”  
    Student in the College of Health and Human Services  

“German Employee Benefits and Their Effect on Corporate Culture” 
    Student in Paul College of Business and Economics 

“Tourism and 'Authentic' Culture in France”
    Student in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture

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