NRESS Student Resources

Students currently enrolled in the NRESS Ph.D. program range from 55-60, making NRESS one of the largest Ph.D. programs at UNH.  The NRESS program offers a wide variety of academic, research, funding, career and professional development, and social resources to support our students.

Academic Resources

Year Timeline/Forms Coursework Exams
1st year Full-time students:

1. Preliminary Course Approval Form to Program Coordinator (does not require committee signatures)

2. Guidance Committee Form to Program Coordinator

Required Core Courses:

1. Natural Sciences: 3-4 cr.
2. Ethics, Policy & Law: 3-4 cr.
3. Methods: 3-4 cr.
4. NRES 997: 1 cr.
5. Seminar: interactive; ≥ 1 cr.
 

 
2nd year Part-time students:

1. Preliminary Course Approval Form to Program Coordinator (does not require committee signatures)

2. Guidance Committee Form to Program Coordinator

Core courses must be taken after enrolling in the NRESS program, and be 800 level or above.
 

Additional Coursework:
As determined by guidance committee
All coursework must be completed prior to advancing to candidacy.

 
3rd/4th year

1. Finalized Course Approval Form with guidance committee signatures to Program Coordinator

2. Candidacy Form to Program Coordinator

 

Comprehensive Exam
Advisor to notify Program Coordinator of date and outcome in writing

Proposal Exam
Advisor to notify Program Coordinator of date and outcome in writing

Order in which student takes the Proposal Exam and the Comprehensive Exam is determined at discretion of advisor

  End of 4th Year - Advance to Candidacy    
7th year Student files Intent to Graduate Form with Graduate School (check deadline) and copy to NRESS   Complete and Defend Dissertation
Advisor to notify Program Coordinator when student passes

 

Year Timeline/Forms Coursework Exams
1st year Full-time students:

1. Preliminary Course Approval Form to Program Coordinator (does not require committee signatures)

2. Guidance Committee Form to Program Coordinator

Required Core Courses:

1. Natural Sciences: 3-4 cr.
2. Ethics, Policy & Law: 3-4 cr.
3. Methods: 3-4 cr.
4. NRES 997: 1 cr.
5. Seminar: interactive; ≥ 1 cr.

Core courses must be taken after enrolling in program and must be 800 level or above.

 
2nd year Part-time students:

1. Preliminary Course Approval Form to Program Coordinator (does not require committee signatures)

2. Guidance Committee Form to Program Coordinator

Additional Coursework:
As determined by guidance committee

Minimum of 36 Credits for 
Students Entering Without a Master’s Degree

Credit transfer with approvals: 12 from UNH or 8 from other institution
Cannot be taken while enrolled in another program

All coursework must be completed prior to advancing to candidacy.

 
4th/5th year

1. Finalized Course Approval Form with guidance committee signatures to Program Coordinator

2. Candidacy Form to Program Coordinator

Comprehensive Exam
Advisor to notify Program Coordinator of date and outcome in writing

Proposal Exam
Advisor to notify Program Coordinator of date and outcome in writing

Order in which student takes the Proposal Exam and the Comprehensive Exam is determined at discretion of advisor.

  End of 5th Year - Advance to Candidacy    
8th year Student files Intent to Graduate Form with Graduate School (check deadline) and copy to NRESS   Complete and Defend Dissertation
Advisor to notify Program Coordinator when student passes

 

STATUS DEFINITIONS
Full-Time Students -
Graduate students registered for 9 or more credits, Master's Continuing Research (Grad 900), or Doctoral Research (999) are classified as full-time students. Students holding assistantship appointments are also considered full time and must register for a minimum of 6 credits, Master's Continuing Research (Grad 900), or Doctoral Research (999) each semester.
Three-Quarter-Time Students - Graduate students not on an assistantship and registered for 7 or 8 credits are classified as three-quarter-time students.
Half-Time Students - Graduate students not on an assistantship and registered for 5 or 6 credits are classified as half-time students.
Maximum Load - The maximum graduate load allowed is 16 credits (12 credits for a student on a full assistantship).

Registration map

 

All Doctoral candidates must register for Doctoral Research (999) each semester after advancement to candidacy until their degree is conferred, even if the minimum requirement (two semesters) has been met.

NRESS Student Resources

Clarice Perryman research

The NRESS Ph.D. Program is pleased to offer current students awards to fund travel and research expenses.  The NRESS Student Support Funds total $10,000 annually and are awarded to selected students for travel to conferences to present their research, for equipment purchases and supplies to assist with research, and for supporting lab analysis or field work sampling.  Awards are disbursed in increments of $500 for travel and up to $800 for research expenses.  Each request must include a letter of support from the student's advisor.

Apply for NRESS Student Support Funds

Current NRESS students are encouraged to apply for Student Support Funds early in the Fall semester.  Requests for funds will be reviewed and awarded on a continuing basis until the funds are exhausted. Awards must be spent by mid-May of the current academic year. Preference will be given to those who have not received funding in previous years.  Students who are awarded funds are asked to complete the standard UNH form to recover expenditures.

The NRESS Student Network aims to foster community across the highly interdisciplinary NRESS student body. The Student Network coordinates professional and career development activities and provides student support, guidance, and mentoring through monthly student-sponsored lunches and morning coffee meetings, student talks, seminars, and annual social events.

Learn more about NRESS Student Network

Other Resources

There are many additional resources available through the grad school, such as graduate school deadlines, how to enroll in courses, brushing up on policy and procedure and links to many of our other graduate student services.

view all our graduate student resources