Welcome to the UNH Graduate School!
Thank you for considering the University of New Hampshire Graduate School for the next stage in your education, career, and life.
I’m new to UNH myself, having joined in July 2024 after 21 years as a faculty member, researcher, and graduate administrator at the University of Montana. What brought me here, and what excites me about this opportunity, is exactly what I think will excite you: UNH’s community is full of people who bring their talent, compassion, creativity, and support for one another to all aspects of their work.
In our graduate programs, you will find brilliant and creative researchers and educators who are passionate about helping you develop your talent, contribute to meaningful innovation, and set you on a path to success beyond the degree, whatever that looks like! You will also find staff, both in your program and here at the Graduate School, who support all aspects of your development: as a scholar, a professional, and a whole person.
Through applied research and professional certification, UNH faculty and students are making a significant impact on major issues in our society, including environmental sustainability, coastal resilience, social justice, and health and human wellness. At UNH, we value the spirit of open inquiry, and encourage everyone to pursue vital new areas of interdisciplinary research, pushing past the conventional boundaries of knowledge.
UNH faculty and graduate students are always seeking innovation in their research, teaching, and community impact. UNH is classified by the Carnegie Foundation in both Community Engagement and Very High Research Activity (or R-1). There are very few institutions that can make that claim, and even fewer that can add a Platinum Sustainability rating. We’re proud of these recognitions, but they don’t drive our ambitions: our faculty, staff, and students bring these values to their work every day in pursuit of a better world.
The Graduate School staff is comprised of intelligent, thoughtful and creative people from a variety of backgrounds and interests. We provide programming and support for you to grow and develop. We love to hear from our graduate students, who bring new ideas on their educational journeys and are eager to contribute to the Graduate School’s mission of creating a vital intellectual community based on a culture of respect, openness, curiosity, and ambition.
Let us know how we can help. We know navigating the admissions process to degree completion can be challenging, especially if you are the first in your family to attend college (and congratulations to you if that is the case!). We aim to make the process as transparent as possible, so if you have a question at any stage, please reach out.
We look forward to helping you take the next step toward a new level of achievement and success!
With encouragement,
Ashby Kinch
Vice Provost and Dean, The Graduate School
Blueprint for the Future, UNH in 2020 Strategic Plan
Mission
The mission of the Graduate School is to provide innovative, responsive and accessible master’s, doctoral and certificate programs of the highest quality in line with the university’s “Blueprint for the Future, UNH in 2020." Graduate programs foster a close interdependence between research and classroom teaching and enhance the undergraduate experience at the university. The graduate faculty and students work together to creatively generate and communicate new knowledge, solutions and insights. The Graduate School is a source of intellectual capital for the University, the region and the nation.
Vision
The Graduate School distinguishes UNH as a premier research university. Master’s and doctoral programs, in both research and professional areas, further enhance the university’s public land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant mission, which challenges us to find new solutions and generate disruptive ideas. The Graduate School provides leadership to support the scholarly and creative efforts of the faculty and students, advances the principles of ethical conduct of research and scholarship, articulates and champions an institutional perspective on graduate education, promotes interdisciplinary scholarship and ensures that its graduates are prepared to become leaders in the 21st century.
Goals
In order to accomplish this vision, the Graduate School works to:
- Increase the visibility of graduate education on the campus, in the state, the nation and the world.
- Maintain a strong relationship between research and professional education to best align the academic and research programs of the University for the future.
- Enhance and support diversity and inclusion for our students and faculty.
- Provide competitive compensation packages for our graduate assistants.
- Increase the support for graduate students through competitive fellowships and scholarships, professional development programs and community activities.
- Maintain and grow Ph.D. enrollment and graduation rates at levels appropriate to the University’s position as a high research activity institution.
- Ensure that all graduate programs are of the highest quality through a sustained process of program review.
- Support and encourage the development of new graduate programs that build on the strengths of our faculty.
- Foster the development of international and business collaborations and dual degree programs as appropriate.
- Support the development of program delivery models, including on-line and hybrid learning opportunities to further enhance our graduate programs to meet the changing nature of today’s students and world.
- Develop high quality academic and research programs with the UNH School of Law.
Measuring Success
The Graduate School is an essential partner and valuable resource to the campus. Success is measured by the effectiveness of the Graduate School and Dean’s advocacy for graduate education through collaborative efforts with the college deans, the research office, the Graduate Council, the Graduate Student Senate, Graduate Coordinators, graduate faculty and program staff at UNH.
