New Hampshire, the Granite State, established a state-wide public college system in 1963. The state university and college network today awards 53 percent of the state's bachelor's degrees and approximately 70 percent of the degrees in the fields of engineering, technology, liberal arts, education and science. More than 30,000 students attend the four main and extension branch campuses.
Keene State College
Keene State College was founded in 1909 as a teachers' college and operated under supervision of the New Hampshire State Board of Education until 1963. At that time, the college was incorporated into the statewide higher-education system and changed from a teachers' college to a state college. It now offers four undergraduate degrees, two associate degrees and almost 40 majors. Keene State College also has a master's of education degree and two post-master's certification programs. It is composed of the School of Arts and Humanities, the School of Professional and Graduate Studies and the School of Sciences and Social Sciences.
Plymouth State University
Plymouth opened originally as Holmes Plymouth Academy in 1808 and the building was offered as a home for the New Hampshire State Normal School in 1871. The school was transformed in 1963 into a state college at the same time as Keene State College. Its name was changed to Plymouth State University in 2003 by the state legislature, in acknowledgment of the range and depth of its program offerings. The university offers programs in 42 undergraduate majors and 62 minor areas of study. The school has programs in education, the humanities, arts, social sciences, business and natural sciences. It also features centers and institutes for environmental studies, meteorology and regional studies.
University of New Hampshire at Durham and Manchester
The University of New Hampshire originated in 1866 in Hanover as the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts. In 1893, it was relocated to Durham. The college changed its name to the University of New Hampshire in 1923 by state legislative decree. Today, the University consists of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, the Graduate School, Thompson School of Applied Science, Whittemore School of Business and Economics and the School of Law. The Manchester location was opened in 1985 and offers both associate and bachelor degrees as well as engineering and teacher education programs in conjunction with the Durham campus.
Granite State College and Branch Campuses
Granite State College offers online courses and degree programs and regional education centers host classes at locations in Claremont, Concord, Rochester and Conway. There are five academic sites that host classes and academic services on an appointment basis. These are located in Berlin and Littleton in the northern part of the state; Lebanon, in the central part of the state; and Portsmouth and Manchester in the lower quarter of the state. The system opened in 1972 and its first students graduated in 1974. The college campuses offer both two-year and four-year programs in the arts and sciences and a post-baccalaureate teaching certificate. Undergraduate majors at Granite locations include early childhood education, behavioral science, business managements, criminal justice and applied and individualized studies.
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