DURHAM, N.H. - Viewers of C-SPAN will have a chance to learn more about the New Hampshire Presidential Primary with the broadcast of a class in the University of New Hampshire's one-of-a-kind course on the topic this weekend on C-SPAN 3.

The class, which focuses on the history of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, is taught by Andrew Smith, associate professor of political science and director of the UNH Survey Center. The course is offered once every four years in the fall and focuses on the presidential nomination process.

The show, "Lectures in History: New Hampshire Presidential Primary," airs at 8 p.m. and midnight, Saturday, Sept. 24, and 1 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011. A preview of the class is available online.

UNH's New Hampshire presidential primary class looks at the primary as it unfolds and explores the unique qualities of its first-in-the-nation status and the process of campaigning. The class combines lectures, discussions, and visits from practitioners of the political trade.

"Every four years, New Hampshire college students have a front-row seat to the presidential election process because of New Hampshire's prominence in the primary schedule. This class gives them an even more intimate look at this important political process by allowing them to hear from those who are closely involved with it," Smith said.

C-SPAN visited UNH to record the class in early September as part of its American History TV series.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

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