Welcome to the University

A Message to Students

Welcome to the University of Delaware.

We are thrilled that you are pursuing your education at UD and committed to your success, both inside and outside the classroom.

UD has it all! We are heirs to a tradition of excellence dating back to 1743, when the Rev. Francis Alison founded a small private academy with a handful of students, three of whom went on to sign the Declaration of Independence. We have outstanding faculty; they are distinguished scholars, researchers and teachers who believe in the power of active and experiential learning. We have a dedicated staff whose hard work every day makes the UD experience possible. We have 175,000 loyal Blue Hen alumni around the world. We have one of the most beautiful campuses you’ll ever see, from the handsome Georgian buildings on The Green to modern facilities like the Harker ISE Lab, the STAR Campus and many others.  

And we have you – students who are committed to acquiring and advancing knowledge in the arts, humanities, science, engineering, health, education and economics.

In the pages of this catalog, you’ll read about the many courses available at UD; they are the essential bricks and mortar of your degree curriculum. But getting a true education also requires your active participation and your contributions. We need your endless curiosity and your diligent effort. We need you to explore and to seek a better understanding of the world beyond what you’ve known. We need you to apply your passions and skills in service to others.

At UD, you’ll be challenged by new ideas, exposed to new cultures and encouraged to see yourself and the world from new perspectives. That’s what it means to be a student!

Indeed, I believe we are all students here, engaged in this lifelong endeavor of learning and discovery. I look forward to sharing that adventure with you.

Dennis Assanis, President

University Trustees and Administration

A complete list of UD faculty and staff is available online. Specific URLs can be found under department and program descriptions in this catalog.

Board of Trustees

Trustees Emeriti

University Administration

Dennis Assanis, President
Domenico Grasso, Provost
Alan Brangman, Executive Vice President and University Treasurer
Dawn Thompson, Vice President for Student Life
Jeffrey Garland, Vice President and University Secretary
Jason Cash, Interim Vice President for Information Technologies
James Dicker, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
Glenn Carter, Vice President for Communications and Marketing
Laure Ergin, Vice President and General Counsel

College Deans and Senior Academic Officers

Domenico Grasso, Provost
Lynn Okagaki, Deputy Provost
Estella Atekwana, Dean, College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment
Kathleen S. Matt, Dean, College of Health Sciences
Babatunde Ogunnaike, Dean, College of Engineering
Mark Reiger, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
George H. Watson, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Bruce Weber, Dean, Lerner College of Business and Economics
Carol Vukelich, Dean, College of Education and Human Development
Ann Ardis, Senior Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education
Trevor Dawes, Vice Provost for Libraries and Museums
Chris Lucier, Vice President for Enrollment
Charles Riordan, Vice President for Research, Scholarship, and Innovation
Dawn Thompson, Vice President for Student Life

University Academic Calendar

2017-2018 Academic Year Calendar  

Questions regarding the calendar: Email Registrar@udel.edu.

* The academic calendar is posted on-line a year prior to the start of the fall semester. The calendar is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Any changes to the academic calendar will be posted to the on-line calendar version as they occur.

The University follows a semester plan. In addition to two semesters, Winter and Summer sessions are also offered. Other specific programs may follow alternative schedules. Information regarding class meeting times and credit hours can be found at http://www.udel.edu/registrar/policies-procedures/classtimes.html.

The University

Tradition and Innovation - Our History and Our Future

The University of Delaware has a great tradition of excellence, from our roots extending back to a small private academy started in 1743, to the research-intensive, technologically advanced institution of today.

Our alumni tell our story of achievement, from our first class, which included three signers of the Declaration of Independence and one signer of the U.S. Constitution, to the more than 154,000 living Blue Hens who are making vital contributions to the world. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his wife, Jill, are both UD alumni.

The University received its charter from the State of Delaware in 1833 and was designated one of the nation’s historic Land Grant colleges in 1867. Today, UD is a Land Grant, Sea Grant and Space Grant institution. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies UD as a research university with very high research activity-a designation accorded less than three percent of U.S. colleges and universities. UD ranks among the nation’s top 100 universities in federal R&D support for science and engineering.

A state-assisted, privately governed institution, UD offers a broad range of degree programs: three associate programs, 147 bachelor’s programs, 119 master’s programs, 54 doctoral programs, and 15 dual graduate programs through our seven colleges and in collaboration with more than 70 research centers. Our student body encompasses more than 17,000 undergraduates, more than 3,600 graduate students and nearly 800 students in professional and continuing studies from across the country and around the globe.

Our distinguished faculty includes internationally known authors, scientists and artists, among them a Nobel laureate, Guggenheim and Fulbright fellows, and members of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

State-of-the-art facilities support UD’s academic and public service activities. Our 146-foot coastal research vessel, Hugh R. Sharp-the most advanced in the U.S.-helps scientists across the region explore the sea. World-class figure skaters train at our High Performance Figure Skating Center. Partnerships with Nemours/A. I. du Pont Hospital for Children, Christiana Care and Thomas Jefferson University; the U.S. Army; Winterthur; Longwood Gardens and Hagley Museum offer unparalleled experiences in health sciences, defense research, art conservation, horticulture and history. The University is now transforming a 272-acre parcel, the site of a former auto assembly plant, into the Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus.

Distinguished speaker series, symposia, 21 intercollegiate athletics programs and numerous intramural and club sports, more than 300 student organizations, concerts, exhibits and other arts and cultural activities enrich campus life.

Thomas Jefferson once described Delaware as a “jewel” among states due to its strategic location on the East Coast, halfway between Washington, D.C., and New York City. Today, however, the location of Delaware’s flagship university increasingly is invoked as “halfway between Los Angeles and London.”

In addition to our Georgian-inspired main campus in Newark, Del., UD has locations across the state–in Wilmington, Dover, Georgetown and Lewes. A thriving study-abroad program and expanding international partnerships further enhance our students’ education as global citizens.

Mission Statement

The University of Delaware exists to cultivate learning, develop knowledge, and foster the free exchange of ideas. State-assisted yet privately governed, the University has a strong tradition of distinguished scholarship, research, teaching, and service that is grounded in a commitment to increasing and disseminating scientific, humanistic, and social knowledge for the benefit of the larger society. Founded in 1743 and chartered by the state in 1833, the University of Delaware today is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant, and urban-grant university.

The University of Delaware is a major research university with extensive graduate programs that is also dedicated to outstanding undergraduate and professional education. UD faculty are committed to the intellectual, cultural, and ethical development of students as citizens, scholars, and professionals. UD graduates are prepared to contribute to a global and diverse society that requires leaders with creativity, integrity, and a dedication to service.

The University of Delaware promotes an environment in which all people are inspired to learn, and encourages intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, free inquiry, and respect for the views and values of an increasingly diverse population.

An institution engaged in addressing the critical needs of the state, nation, and global community, the University of Delaware carries out its mission with the support of alumni who span the globe and in partnership with public, private, and nonprofit institutions in Delaware and beyond.

Statement Of Responsibility

The University of Delaware community values both personal and academic freedom. All members of the campus community have the personal responsibility to promote an atmosphere of civility in which the free exchange of ideas and opinions can flourish. We do so by learning from individual and collective differences and by respecting every human being.

A Commitment To Diversity

The fundamental mission of the University is the dissemination and creation of new knowledge that helps to address some of the pressing social issues of our time.  As such, it is imperative that the educational experiences of new generations of citizens prepare them to live and work in an increasingly diverse and global world. We expect students, faculty, and staff to be part of a campus community where the intellectual environment embraces inclusive excellence and inspires diverse thought, an appreciation and recognition of all human difference, and a respect for interconnectedness that fosters a value for the common good.  Its benefits to our academic community are transformative. Innovation and creativity are fostered in diverse learning environments, and such environments enhance critical thinking, promote civic responsibility, and enrich formal and informal exchanges among individuals in our academic community by creating a learning environment that mirrors the real world in which we live and work.

To this end, the Vice Provost for Diversity, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, and the Center for the Study for Diversity work collaboratively to lead diversity efforts on our campus that connect diversity practices to the educational mission and learning goals at UD. The Office of Admissions has specific pre-college programs and activities that assist us in meeting our goals for the recruitment and enrollment of students from Historically Underserved Groups (HUGs), including racial and ethnic minorities, first-generation and low income students. These programs include FAME-UD, the Christina Readiness Summer Institute, and Upward Bound, among others. Once on campus, the NUCLEUS Program, the Student Support Services Program, the Center for Black Culture, and the UD Scholars Program provide academic and co-curricular support for students from Historically Underserved Groups.

Diverse Colleges And Extensive Degree Programs

Academic degree programs are administered by seven colleges at the University including: Agriculture and Natural Resources; Arts and Sciences; Business and Economics; Engineering; Health Sciences; Education and Human Development; and Earth, Ocean, and Environment. All seven colleges offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees. See a complete list of the University’s extensive undergraduate degree programs .  To see the graduate degree programs, please navigate to the corresponding Graduate Catalog. 

Through the Associate in Arts Program, a special partnership between the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical & Community College (DTCC), students can earn their Associate in Arts degree at UD academic centers on the campuses of DTCC in Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown. The Division of Professional and Continuing Studies extends the opportunities of the University to students throughout the state and beyond.

Since 1921, the University has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Professional accreditation also is held in Accounting, Athletic Training, Business Administration, Chemistry, Clinical Psychology, Dietetics, Disability Studies, Early Childhood, Education, Engineering, Food Science, Foreign Language and Pedagogy, Health and Physical Education, Medical Technology, Music, Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Public Administration.

Academic Semesters

The University of Delaware follows a semester plan. The fall semester usually begins in September and ends in mid-December. The spring semester begins in February and ends in late May. During winter and summer sessions (described below), students may participate in off-campus field experiences, special projects for credit and a number of non-credit activities-as well as regular academic courses. Classes are offered from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For more information on fall and spring semesters, call the Registrar’s Office at (302) 831-2131.

The summer program begins in early June and features two consecutive five-week sessions, as well as some classes that meet for 7-1/2 weeks. The winter session is held in January through early February.

During winter and summer sessions, students may earn up to seven credits to accelerate progress toward a degree, to focus on a single subject, or to synchronize their course schedule with the sequence of fall and spring course offerings.

Besides on-campus courses, the Winter and Summer sessions offer travel study programs both abroad and within the U.S. Learn more about Study Abroad Programs in the Opportunities to Enrich Your Undergraduate Education  section. Special sessions also allow students to complete popular courses that may be in high demand during regular semesters. The Library, Student Centers, Housing and Dining Services, Carpenter Sports Building, and other support services are active during special sessions. Cultural activities including films, concerts, bus excursions, and lectures are also available.

Before the registration period for each special session, students receive booklets containing detailed information and course listings. Winter session booklets are available on the first day of fall classes, and registration begins early November. Summer session registration typically begins in early April. For more information, call the Special Sessions Office, (302) 831-2853 or visit: http://www.udel.edu/fanjoy/special-sessn.html.

Students Are Our Focus

Students are the focus of the University’s academic programs. In fall 2014, 22,680 students were enrolled, including 18,222 undergraduate students, 3,729 graduate students, and 729 students in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies. Of the undergraduate total, 810 were enrolled in the University’s Associate in Arts degree program.

Entering 2014 freshmen typically ranked in the top quarter of their high-school graduating classes. Their average SAT verbal and mathematics scores were well above the national average for college-bound students.

Many members of the faculty, including distinguished professors, teach introductory courses, ensuring that students have early contact with eminent scholars. At the same time, the presence of able graduate students enhances undergraduate programs by providing educational models for students aspiring to advanced degrees.

Our Unique Research Opportunities

While some institutions provide only limited research opportunities for undergraduates, a long-standing tradition at the University of Delaware encourages hands-on experience in research laboratories, libraries, and field work for students. Each year, an increasing number of undergraduates collaborate with faculty on research projects of mutual interest. Many hold summer research fellowships, prepare senior theses, and make professional presentations. In 2011, for example, the Undergraduate Research Program served over 1000 undergraduates, who tackled projects ranging from bone cancer to nanoparticles, from multilateral treaties to the preservation of outdoor community murals. Be sure to read more about the Undergraduate Research Program in the Opportunities to Enrich Your Undergraduate Education  section.

Graduate students at Delaware make a major contribution to the University’s objectives of creating, synthesizing, and disseminating knowledge. Through formal courses, seminars, independent studies, and research projects, students are introduced to existing knowledge in their fields and are provided with the principles and techniques for independent thinking and research. Some graduate students are supported under faculty research grants from outside agencies.

Campus-wide, the University conducts a wide variety of basic and applied research. Additionally, because the University cooperates with other research institutions, industry, major laboratories, and neighboring museums, students have access to an even wider range of advanced research facilities. Research funding is provided by federal grants, state and industrial contracts, foundation grants, University funds and other sources. The University of Delaware Research Foundation (UDRF), a nonprofit foundation chartered in 1955 to support University research, awards grants in science and engineering to young faculty investigating promising ideas.

The University Of Delaware Press, a nationally recognized scholarly press, publishes the work of authors in many fields, including that of faculty members at this University.

Read more about research opportunities in the corresponding Graduate Catalog’s section on research centers, institutes, and special facilities.

Cooperative Programs With Other Institutions

Academic Common Market

The University of Delaware participates in the Academic Common Market, an agreement among 16 member states of the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB). The agreement enables students to pursue unique majors offered at publicly-funded institutions in the SREB states while paying in-state tuition. For more information on program benefits and participating states and institutions, contact the Southern Regional Educational Board, 592 10th St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318-5776; Phone: 404-875-9211; Fax: 404-872-1477; http://www.sreb.org/.

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Hagley Museum and Library, Longwood Gardens

The University of Delaware and the College of Arts and Sciences collaborates with Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library and Hagley Museum & Library in providing graduate education and study in art conservation, American material culture, economic, technological, and business history. Graduate students in the American Culture and Art Conservation programs study at Winterthur that contains one of the world’s largest collections of American decorative art, including furniture, ceramics, textiles, folk art, silver, glass, and paintings. In the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, a graduate program in public horticulture was initiated in September 1967 in cooperation with Longwood Gardens.

ORAU

Since 1980, students and faculty of the University of Delaware have benefited from its membership in Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). ORAU is a consortium of 98 doctoral-granting members located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ORAU works with its member institutions to help their students and faculty gain access to federal research facilities throughout the country; to keep its members informed about opportunities for fellowship, scholarship, and research appointments; and to organize research alliances among its members.

For more information about ORAU and its programs, please visit http://www.orau.org/.

Keeping Informed And Involved

Office of Development and Alumni Relations

Office of Development and Alumni Relations

The Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) engages donors, alumni, friends, parents, faculty, staff, and students in a lifelong relationship and fosters a tradition of philanthropy to strengthen the University of Delaware’s legacy as one of the great public institutions of higher education in America. DAR initiatives and programs include:

• Alumni Engagement: DAR extends and enriches the UD experience by providing networking opportunities, programs, activities, and services that celebrate our alumni and the University. We strive to instill pride in the University by fostering traditions and strong connections among alumni, students, faculty, staff, and UD friends. DAR conducts programs and activities for diverse constituencies, including regional club events, virtual networking events, and Alumni Weekend.
• Annual Giving to UD: Although the University of Delaware is known as a public institution, only a portion of operating funds comes from the state. Less than 13 percent of annual revenue is provided by the state of Delaware. A common misconception is that tuition alone covers the cost of educating our students. In fact, tuition and fees make up just a fraction of that cost. The remaining costs must come from other sources such as gifts from alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends. Gifts made to the University of Delaware, a not-for-profit institution, are tax-deductible, as allowed by law. To learn more about ways to give back to UD, visit www.udel.edu/giving.
• UD Student Alumni Ambassadors (UDSAA): The UD Student Alumni Ambassadors are a group of students selected to foster connections between alumni and students by interacting with alumni and encouraging students to consider their role as future alumni. The UDSAAs created the UD Bucket List to encourage Blue Hens to take part in many of the traditions unique to the University of Delaware. #UDBucketList consists of 60 items- 17 gold items and 43 blue items to reflect UD’s founding year of 1743.
• Senior Class Gift: The Senior Class Gift program gives graduating seniors the opportunity to begin a tradition of giving back to the University by making a monetary gift to one or more of 2,200 unique UD funds such as their college, department, student club, or in honor of a mentor or professor. This program helps foster student and alumni engagement for years to come.
• UD Alumni Association: All University of Delaware graduates are automatically granted membership in the UD Alumni Association (UDAA) upon graduation and are inducted with a pinning ceremony at Commencement. The UDAA is proudly dedicated to engaging the entire alumni community by fostering a tradition of lifelong loyalty and commitment to the University of Delaware. The UDAA provides exceptional value and ongoing support to alumni worldwide by expanding benefits available to alumni, supporting regional and affinity club events, recognizing alumni and their accomplishments, and more.
• Parents Fund: The Parents Fund creates a community of parents activity and philanthropically engaged in their students’ college experience.  The fund provides valuable resources for services and programs that promote student learning, encourage personal development, facilitate strong bonds among students and enhance their identity with the University.  For more information, contact (302) 831-2104 or email parentsfund@udel.edu.

Non-Discrimination Statement

(updated June 2017)

The University of Delaware does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, disability, religion, age, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in its employment, educational programs and activities, admissions policies, and scholarship and loan programs as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and University policies.  The University of Delaware also prohibits unlawful harassment including sexual harassment and sexual violence. 

For inquiries or complaints related to non-discrimination policies, please contact: 

For complaints related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact:

OR contact the U.S. Department of Education - Office for Civil Rights (https://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm).