» http://www.thompsonschool.unh.edu/
Director: Regina A. Smick-Attisano
Assistant Director: Deborah Pack (TSAS Admissions) , Cynthia Giguère
Introduction
The Thompson School of Applied Science (TSAS), established in 1895, is a division of the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA) offering the associate in applied science degree and 15 program concentrations. Curricula comprise a balance of professional, science-related, and general education courses that prepare students to meet the specific demands of a technical or applied profession, continuing education, and the general demands of life.
Thompson School of Applied Science Overview
Faculty members at the Thompson School have significant work experience in industry and business; extensive and up-to-date knowledge of their specialties; ongoing contacts with practicing professionals; dedication to students and to excellence in teaching; and a commitment to practical, science-based education. They work closely with students, providing academic advising, career counseling, and special assistance, even outside the classroom, when needed.
Located at the western entrance to campus, the Thompson School's classrooms, laboratories, and working enterprises are designed for career-related experiences.
Barton Hall contains an animal science lab, a food preparation lab, a state-of-the-art grooming facility, several classrooms (one of which is a high-tech classroom), faculty offices, and a student lounge.
Cole Hall includes a 150-seat lecture auditorium, a commercial kitchen and restaurant, a student study and lounge area, a computer laboratory (which serves as a GIS lab), classrooms, and administrative offices.
Putnam Hall houses an architecture laboratory, a surveying and mapping laboratory, a geographic information system (GIS) laboratory, a computer-aided design (CAD) laboratory, an agricultural mechanization shop (welding, engines), forestry and multiuse classrooms, and staff and faculty offices.
More detailed information on our various program areas and concentrations follow.
- Whether the specialty is dairy, equine, small animals, or veterinary technology, students in applied animal science utilize professional facilities both on and off campus. On-campus facilities include the Thomas P. Fairchild Dairy Teaching and Research Center, UNH's Organic Dairy, UNH's equine facilities, and the Thompson School Grooming Shop. Our small animal care and vet tech programs partner with the New Hampshire SPCA (Stratham, N.H.) and Cocheco Valley Humane Society (Dover, N.H.).
- Applied business management students enjoy the combination of academic and industry-based education and training in all aspects of managing and/or owning small to medium-sized businesses and organizations. Students may also pursue restaurant management as a concentration within Applied Business Management. Restaurant management focuses on business courses with a few culinary arts and nutrition classes included within the curriculum. The N.H. Seacoast area business community serves as our working laboratory for students, who observe operations, conduct interviews, and perform a wide variety of business analyses with local merchants, entrepreneurs, and other community leaders.
- Civil technology students have a variety of classroom experiences, ranging from an in-lab materials testing facility to two civil technology computer facilities with 24-hour, 7-day access that feature the latest software for surveying and mapping, architectural building design (REVIT), building information management (BIM), and construction project management software. GPS (global positioning system) software is also available. The civil technology suite of spaces (labs and classrooms) provides ready access to learning and development.
- Students majoring in community leadership gain enriching experiences working with organizations such as Families First, the N.H. Housing Partnership, the Red Cross, New Hampshire Public Television, and on-campus groups. Students are involved with creating, operating, and evaluating these service-learning activities.
- Culinary arts students are engaged in a carefully designed curriculum combining theory with more than 700 hours of practical application of culinary techniques in modern production kitchens located on UNH's campus. Students also are required to complete a summer work experience of a minimum of 400 hours at a pre-approved establishment between their first and second years of study.
- Dietetic technology students utilize skills gained in the classroom by applying them in local hospitals and long-term care facilities and in community programs such as UNH Cooperative Extension Nutrition Connections and NH Food Bank Cooking Matters. Students complete a minimum of 450 practice hours under the supervision of preceptors who have expertise in their fields; they mentor students as they provide patient care as part of a hospital's nutrition care team, teach nutrition and healthy cooking classes in community programs, and design and prepare healthy recipes for our on-site restaurant.
- Forest technology students integrate all aspects of forest management as they complete projects on more than 3,000 acres of University land. Using the school's sawmill and harvesting equipment, they contribute to the sustainable management of UNH lands. In the classroom and the forest they develop skills (including GIS and GPS) and techniques in boundary surveying, mapping, forest inventory, forest planning, reforestation, and forest land protection.
- Horticultural technology students have the use of the Thompson School horticultural facilities (glass and poly covered greenhouses used for propagation and cultivation of a wide selection of ornamental plant material), refrigerated compartments, display gardens (public and private), and the campus arboretum as well as a wide variety of landscaping tools and equipment. Students design, install, and maintain landscaping components on the grounds of the University and with local organizations and homeowners in surrounding communities.
Associate in Applied Science
To graduate with an associate in applied science degree, a student must complete specified coursework in general education, technical concentration, and general electives (see the following section), with an overall grade-point average of no less than 2.0. In addition, students must earn the minimum number of total credits required for their degree, no fewer than 64.
General Education
In addition to curriculum-specific coursework, the associate in applied science degree includes a general education component that is designed to educate and to enlighten students about the world around them. General education courses develop each student's ability to think and communicate effectively; to better understand the many social, cultural, and environmental issues and challenges of the world; to become problem solvers; and to make positive contributions to society. This is achieved through a combination of coursework in the sciences, including mathematics, arts and humanities, and the social sciences. A minimum of 20 credits are dedicated to this component of the degree.
In this area a student must complete:
- courses in the sciences, including mathematics (minimum of three credit hours) and technology;
- courses in arts and humanities, to include COM 209, Expository Writing and Reading;
- courses in the social sciences, to include either SSCI 201, Human Relations, or SSCI 202, Social Issues.
The remaining eight to nine credits (at least two additional courses) of the minimum 20 needed to fulfill the general education component of the associate in applied science degree needs to be taken from two of the three named areas. A maximum of eight credits may be double counted as a required course within your program area.
Specific Requirements for General Education for the Associate of Applied Science degree at the Thompson School:
Arts & Humanities, including communication
COM 2094 credits
Social Sciences
SSCI 20X4 credits
Science, including math and technology
Math 202, Math 203, or higher 3 credits
Technical Concentration
These are courses designed to develop the necessary scientific knowledge, technical skills, and practical experience required for employment in a professional discipline. Each student must complete all technical courses specified in the selected program of study.
See the following Programs of Study sections for course requirements and descriptions.
General Electives
This component of the degree program allows the individual to pursue courses of personal or professional interest. In this area, a student may choose a number of courses in each program of study specified as electives. These may be chosen from courses offered by the Thompson School or from other selected University undergraduate courses with adviser and administrative approval.
