Southern New Hampshire University founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) began as a two-room business school above a nondescript storefront in downtown Manchester, NH. Originally named the New Hampshire Accounting and Secretarial School, the tiny enterprise enrolled fewer than 10-day students and 35 evening students in bookkeeping, accounting, and secretarial courses. The program appealed to both traditional college-aged students and working adults. Students could begin coursework on any Monday of the year, in a day or night class, and would advance to a higher-level course only after mastering a subject. The flexible format was well received, because it opened up educational opportunities to students unable to attend traditional day classes. Students also appreciated learning from college-educated faculty with workplace experience, a rarity in higher education at the time.
Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 3,000 on campus students, over 90,000 online students and an alumni network of over 100,000, making it one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. Since its founding in 1932, the University has transformed from a school of accounting and secretarial science into an institution offering over 200 programs, from certificates to doctoral level degrees including business, education, liberal arts, social sciences and STEM. By reinventing higher education to fit the needs of today’s students and workforce, SNHU ensures that students are keeping pace with new technologies and professional requirements. SNHU provides unparalleled support and service to help students achieve their dreams and transform their lives and the lives of those around them. SNHU is proud to offer you an exceptional student experience with nationally recognized academic programs.
The mission has always driven the university to focus on the future. So, we’ve committed to pioneering pathways to education that don’t yet exist—so we can help solve problems that do. From reinventing college for working adults in 1932, to putting learning online in 1995, to creating groundbreaking competency-based education programs in 2013, our history is a story of innovation.
As a university built for people, not for profit, we invest in our learners and their communities. You’ll find us on soccer fields, military bases and in underserved neighborhoods in NH and across the globe, because we believe in using the power of education as a force for social good. And all of us – alumni, students, faculty and staff – play a part in making it happen.
Today, we continue to be recognized as an agent of change in higher education—developing custom workforce learning solutions, community-based learning for the next generation of learners and exploring radical new ways to make high-quality education more affordable, accessible and achievable. For all learners, at home and across the globe. Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as well as several other accrediting bodies.
Location
New Hampshire (USA)
SNHU has great academic programs, a continuing dedication to career development, and countless opportunities to get involved in sports, internships, student organizations, and more. We also have a beautiful campus located just five minutes from downtown Manchester, NH, with 300 wooded acres to explore. We’ve got new, comfortable residence halls, state-of-the-art academic buildings, and plenty of space to live, play, and learn.
- Main Campus, New Hampshire (USA)
SNHU’s 300-acre campus is located just minutes from downtown Manchester, NH. It’s also situated in a region that meets a variety of interests of our students, with the mountains to the north, the ocean to the east and Boston to the south.
- Nashua Campus, New Hampshire (USA)
In 2017, SNHU acquired facilities at Nashua Airport, which includes a flight center, tower building and hangar. In partnership with Air Direct Airways (ADA), the College of Engineering, Technology and Aviation (CETA) offers hands-on instruction for our aeronautical and aviation programs here.
- Salem Campus, New Hampshire (USA)
Earn your AA in Liberal Arts in a small, campus setting at a discounted tuition rate when you enroll in SNHU’s Advantage program at our Salem location. Learn more about the Advantage program today.
School & Faculty
- Accounting & Finance
- Aeronautics & Aviation
- Art & Design
- Business & MBA
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Engineering
- Healthcare
- Liberal Arts
- Math & Science
- Nursing
- Psychology & Counseling
- Social Sciences
- Technology
