Introduction

The University of New Haven (UNH) is an independent, coeducational university in West Haven, CT, serving nearly 5,000 full- and part-time students. UNH prepares students to enter and excel in their chosen fields by offering classroom instruction, internships, work-study, extra-curricular activities, scholarships and career counseling
Established 358 years ago by English Puritans, New Haven eventually became home to people of many nationalities and ethnic groups, including Irish, Germans, Jews, Italians, African-Americans, Latinos and Asians. Today the city's neighborhoods, fairs, festivals and historical societies preserve the traditions and flavors of New Haven's broad cultural heritage.
In the summer of 1995, New Haven received international attention as the host of the Special Olympics World Games. In June 1996, the first annual International Festival of Arts and Ideas drew 60,000 people to the city. In June 1997, the second International Festival of Arts and Ideas attracted 82,000 people to its events.

History

The University of New Haven was founded in 1920 as the New Haven YMCA Junior College, a division of Northeastern University. The college became New Haven College in 1926 by an act of the Connecticut General Assembly. For nearly 40 years, the college held classes in space rented from Yale University.


New Haven College received full accreditation for its baccalaureate programs from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in 1966. In 1969, the college took a major step forward with the addition of the Graduate School. Initially offering programs in business administration and industrial engineering, the Graduate School expanded rapidly. Today, 30 master’s programs, along with a wide variety of graduate certificates, offer the approximately 1,900 graduate students many choices for post-baccalaureate study.

On the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the college, in 1970, New Haven College became the University of New Haven, reflecting the increased scope and the diversity of academic programs offered. Today, the university offers more than 70 undergraduate and 30 graduate degree programs in six schools: the College of Arts and Sciences; the School of Business; the School of Engineering and Applied Science; the Tagliatela School of Hospitality and Tourism; the School of Public Safety and Professional Studies; and the Graduate School.

Undergraduate and graduate courses and programs are offered on the main campus in West Haven as well as in New London and at other off-campus and in-plant sites. Graduate courses in selected fields are offered in New London, Stamford and Newington. The graduate forensic science, fire science and human nutrition programs are offered at satellite locations in California.

Special Achievements

• In 2001, the University was reaccredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) for a new period of ten years. This is the first time since the institution was first accredited in 1966 that our reaccredidation was achieved without conditions or reservations (a strong, clean reaccredidation).
• The School of Engineering and Applied Science carries national accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) in five degree programs (chemical, civil, electrical, industrial and mechanical). These programs were fully reaccredited in 2000. The Chemical Engineering program has been cited by U.S. News & World Report as one of the five best in the country.
• In the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the BS in computer science earned accreditation in 2000 from the Computer Science Accreditation Board (CSAB). This is a new, first-time accreditation.
• The Executive MBA program is Connecticut’s oldest and largest in terms of graduates—nearly 1500, more than 250 of whom are CEOs of their organizations. It celebrated its 25TH anniversary in 2000 and is stronger than ever.
• The Management of Sports Industries program (undergraduate) in 1998 was among the first ten programs of its kind accredited in the United States by the North American Society for Sport Management. Also, UNH is one of the few universities in the nation that offers the major within its School of Business.
• The Environmental Science program (undergraduate/graduate) in the College of Arts and Sciences, established in 1972, is the seventh oldest in the United States.
• The Criminal Justice program (undergraduate/graduate) in the School of Public Safety and Professional Studies, established in 1959, is the second oldest of its kind in New England and ninth in the United States. Through initiatives in the 1990’s, our program has become the second largest graduate program in the United States and is considered by some authorities to be the finest in the country.
• The Forensic Science program (undergraduate/graduate) in the School of Public Safety and Professional Studies is among the very best in the country. While there is no established ranking in place for this discipline yet, experts in the field rank our program among the “top five” in the United States. Most of the progress UNH has made in this discipline is the result of actions taken in the past several years.
• The Occupational Safety and Health program, first begun in 1946, offers programs at the BS and MS level and is widely recognized as superior in the Northeast in preparing students to assume safety management responsibilities in industry and government.