Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts at the University of New Hampshire. What distinguishes our College is the people, the mission and the place. The Liberal Arts are central to the mission of UNH, a public flagship land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant university. Our faculty members produce world-class research and practice transformational teaching. They are committed to inclusion, sustainability and interdisciplinary work. They are stewards of the beautiful Seacoast region of New Hampshire and the world beyond. The Liberal Arts at UNH are engaged in responding to the grand challenges of today and tomorrow. Through rigorous coursework, experiential learning and our Office of Career and Professional Success, COLA prepares students for fulfilling careers and flourishing lives.
The Liberal Arts at UNH are engaged. Every area of the College engages with the wider community, whether it’s teaching leadership lessons to youth, bringing the fine and performing arts to New Hampshire and the world, educating tomorrow’s teachers and leaders, exploring the relationship between humans and the Earth, studying the political landscape, preparing students linguistically and culturally for a diverse global context, bringing the past to life or illuminating human behavior in society. At UNH we know that underlying the greatest questions of our age are issues central to the Liberal Arts: Who are we? And how can we live well together?
The Liberal Arts at UNH are relevant. The College of Liberal Arts equips students to face the challenges of today and tomorrow, in the workplace and the community. Our focus on Career and Professional Success shines a light on the many pathways available to Liberal Arts majors. At UNH, COLA students conduct research, study abroad and complete internships. They develop skills in critical thinking, complex problem-solving and communication — abilities that three out of four employers say they seek when hiring. Following graduation, they pursue rewarding careers, including the English major turned Hollywood screenwriter, the geography alum who is now a city planner, the history major who thrives in finance, the communication student turned restaurateur, the art major who now owns a marketing firm, the psychology alum who is a university professor and the sociology major who is now a designer. UNH will prepare you not just for a job, but for a life of meaningful work. Whatever your path, the Liberal Arts can take you there.
The Liberal Arts at UNH are innovative. Although virtually every university, and especially every College of Liberal Arts, claims to pursue innovation and interdisciplinarity, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of New Hampshire makes these goals a reality. We are home to entrepreneurial programs such as Prevention Innovations, an internationally renowned intervention program to end sexual violence, and PowerPlay, a UNH-sponsored business that uses interactive theatre to foster personal and institutional development. Our faculty members regularly collaborate across disciplinary boundaries. And we offer interdisciplinary degree programs ranging from neuroscience and behavior to women’s and gender studies. Thanks to its home within a vibrant research university, the College of Liberal Arts at UNH offers a deep, multifaceted education that spans disciplines and opens horizons.
Whether you are still considering joining us or are already part of our community, we encourage you to explore the world of opportunities available to you in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of New Hampshire.
