Master of Arts in Political Science

at University of New Hampshire - Durham Campus USA

The non-thesis option is designed for UNH undergraduates who have a demonstrated capacity to engage in upper-level course work and desire hands-on practice and research training for an advanced degree.

Environmental engineers graduating with a B.S. EnvE degree will plan, design, and construct public and private facilities to minimize the impact of human activity on the environment and to protect human health. For example, environmental engineers design and build drinking water treatment systems, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants, solid waste management facilities, contaminated ground water remediation systems, and hazardous waste remediation facilities. These facilities must meet regulatory requirements, be cost effective to build and maintain, be safe to operate, and have minimal environmental impact. 

Chemical engineering is concerned with the analysis and design of processes that deal with the transfer and transformation of energy and material.

The practice of chemical engineering includes the conception, development, design, and application of physicochemical processes and their products; the development, design, construction, operation, control, and management of plants for these processes; and activities relating to public service, education, and research.

The curriculum prepares students for productive careers in industry or government and provides a foundation for graduate studies. The program emphasizes chemical engineering fundamentals while offering opportunities for focused study in energy, environmental, or bioengineering.

Traditional employment areas in the chemical process industries include industrial chemicals, petroleum and petrochemicals, plastics, pharmaceuticals, metals, textiles, and food. Chemical engineers also are working in increasing numbers in the areas of energy engineering, pollution abatement, and biochemical and biomedical engineering; in addition, they are employed by many government laboratories and agencies as well as private industries and institutions.

This option is designed for:

• Students interested in a traditional equine career, such as riding instruction, training, or stable management.
• Students interested in a career in equine business, such as competition management, sales, marketing, or equine business management.

Courses for this option include business classes and hands-on equine classes, such as teaching, training, stable management, and facility management.

This music degree option is tailored to students who wish to develop their talent in musical performance while also gaining a solid liberal arts education. You’ll be immersed in the study of music theory, history, literature and world music while honing your listening and performance skills by participating in training and various ensembles on campus. 

The major in neuroscience and behavior (NSB) offers an interdisciplinary approach to human and non-human behavior, focusing on the evolution and adaptiveness of certain behaviors, as well as their underlying neural mechanisms. Students who have always been fascinated by how the brain functions will be well served by this major, as will those who love wild animals and wish to better understand their behavior. The B.S. in neuroscience and behavior is based on a solid foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, and genetics (foundation courses). These are followed by a two-semester course sequence that covers the fundamentals of neuroscience and behavior. Students can then pick five or more electives focusing on areas of interest.

NSB students are encouraged to take advantage of research experiences in the laboratories of the psychology and biology faculty in the program. This provides valuable experience with cutting-edge equipment and techniques. Some students may share aspects of a larger project, whereas others may be relatively independent and design their own project under supervision. In either case, important skills are gained by the discipline of gathering data, analyzing and interpreting it, and presenting it to a broader audience.

The curriculum provides most of the requirements and recommended courses for students seeking admission to graduate school and to professional schools in medicine and veterinary medicine. Students who might choose not to go on to advanced degrees are well-prepared for employment as skilled technicians in research laboratories or, if their interests are in animal behavior, as field research assistants or animal trainers. With additional courses in education, the B.S. in NSB also qualifies graduates to teach at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels.

Faculty participating in the NSB major combine a love of teaching and student mentoring with a passion for research, and encourage student participation. Research facilities that students can use include the Integrative Animal Behavior and Ecoacoustics laboratory, the confocal imaging center, the Hubbard Center for Genomic Studies, and the many marine, freshwater, and estuarine laboratories associated with UNH programs. Students can also take summer courses at the Shoals Marine Laboratory.

Biology is one of the most popular science majors since it provides a broad background in the biological sciences while allowing flexibility and specialization within the major. It integrates theoretical and practical (hands-on laboratory and field work) courses in different aspects of the biology of multicellular life. It encompasses the study of structural and functional relationships of living organisms at the molecular, cellular, and organismal level, the interactions of living systems with the environment and with each other, and the evolutionary relationships of life. Our goal is to create an environment for those with a scholarly interest in the biological sciences, and to extend their understanding, awareness, and appreciation of the diversity inherent in the biological sciences. Our major is aimed at promoting an excellent education in biological sciences by involving undergraduate students in a strong interaction with faculty both in the classroom and in research laboratories.

The biology major prepares students for post graduate degrees in the biological and medical fields, and for job opportunities in industry (environmental, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological) and governmental research, and secondary school teaching. Completion of the four-year undergraduate program plus a fifth-year internship will be necessary for biology teaching certification. Students who plan to enter medical, dental, or related professional schools are advised to confer with their faculty adviser to work the requirements for these programs into their academic majors.

Core courses in the biology major are from departments that contribute to the biological sciences community at UNH. The core curriculum consists of introductory and upper-level science courses plus seven additional courses in the biological sciences; three of these must be selected from course lists in three broad categories.

While students are advised to declare the biology major as incoming first-year students to assure adequate program planning, transfer into this major at a later stage is also possible. Several of the other biological science majors share the same biology core curriculum. For the first to two years, it is quite easy to change to or from these other majors.

UNH’s Outdoor Leadership and Management (OLM) Program is designed for students who want to study and work in outdoor programs, parks, and public or commercial recreation settings. Our graduates are guides, leaders, directors, and managers of agencies that provide healthy outdoor activities for people across their lifespan. Our curriculum combines experiential learning in urban, rural, and backcountry landscapes with a classic liberal arts education. You’ll gain a solid foundation in the theories, philosophies, and methods of outdoor recreation leadership and management while gaining skills in outdoor activities, pursuits or disciplines such as climbing, canoeing, and backpacking. This program will prepare you for dynamic careers in outdoor education, adventure programming, outdoor recreation management, parks and protected areas management, youth and after-school programming, conservation, and other outdoor fields.   

The M.S. degree gives you an understanding of physics’ basic theoretical structures as preparation for conducting cutting-edge research. You will learn to apply advanced research methodologies and facilitate deeper student thinking in the areas of electromagnetic theory, quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, and advanced mathematical methods. The graduate program in physics includes a capstone experience, which can be a master's thesis or project. Graduates of this master’s program are equipped for successful careers in research and development in business, industry, government and education/academia, and are prepared for doctoral programs.

Candidates interested in passing on their love of theatre to future generations will find that the secondary theatre education option offers practical and theoretical training for teachers. As one of a few programs in the country, UNH’s Secondary Theatre Education option boasts a robust offering with six courses specifically focused on how to teach theatre. Through comprehensive course and laboratory work, students obtain hands-on theatre teaching experience, so that by the time they reach graduation, they have spent significant hours working with the K-12 age group. Students are provided with extensive training and practical teaching experience specifically geared towards the goal of being a theatre teacher, either in a traditional classroom or as a teaching artist. Whether pursuing the fifth year graduate certification program or entering the professional theatre education world directly after the undergraduate degree, students can expect to leave UNH prepared for the rigorous task of teaching.