General Information
The University
(Catalog pages 1-4)

One of the oldest institutions of higher education in the country, the University of Delaware combines tradition and innovation, offering students a rich heritage along with the latest in instructional and research technology.

The University traces its origin to a small school in New London, Pa., opened in 1743 by the distinguished Colonial scholar, the Rev. Dr. Francis Alison. By 1765, the school had been moved to Newark, Delaware, where it received a charter as the Academy of Newark from Thomas and Richard Penn in 1769. The State of Delaware chartered the school in 1833, and the institution was renamed Delaware College in 1843. AWomen’s College was opened in 1914, and in 1921, the two coordinate colleges were officially named the University of Delaware.

Graduate programs leading to a master’s degree have been available since before the turn of the century. Doctoral programs have been offered since the 1940s. Currently, the University offers 130 bachelor’s, 79 master’s, and 39 doctoral degree programs through 46 departments in the seven instructional colleges. In the 2006-07 academic year, over 3,400 bachelor’s degrees, 773 master’s degrees and 224 doctoral degrees were conferred.

Today, there are more than 135,000 active University of Delaware alumni who live in every state of the U.S. and more than 75 foreign countries.

A state-assisted, privately governed institution, the University of Delaware joined the ranks of historic land-grant colleges in 1867. Today, it is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant and urban-grant Carnegie Doctoral/Research Extensive university. Midway between Philadelphia and Baltimore, the main campus is located in Newark, Delaware, a suburban community of 30,000. But, courses are offered statewide, at locations including Wilmington, Dover, Milford, Georgetown, and Lewes. In addition to full-time and part-time educational opportunities, the University offers a rich array of public lectures, exhibitions, performances, service programs and athletic competitions. UD also is home to a unique training program for world-class figure skaters.

The campus is a place of great beauty. In recent years, special enhancements have included renovations to classrooms, laboratories and virtually every building on campus. The University recently opened Jastak-Burgess Hall, a newly renovated facility for the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, and recently renovated Mechanical Hall, which houses the Paul R. Jones collection, one of the oldest, largest and most complete holdings of African-American art in the world. The University recently completed three new state-of-the-art buildings in a 1,000-bed residence hall complex. Also, the new Center for the Arts, inaugurated in the fall of 2006, provides new performance spaces for music and theatre, plus an indoor practice venue for UD’s Marching Band. In addition to new construction, the University has an ongoing commitment to the restoration and renovation of historic buildings that are a special part of the central campus–a commitment recognized and praised by several external organizations.

The University works cooperatively with the area’s unique cultural and technical institutions, and it provides the finest library facilities in the state. The University has been honored as a national model for its exemplary campus-wide technology network, incorporating video, data and voice, and for the use of that network to enhance teaching, learning, research, administration, and community service.

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 urbangrant 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 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 University is committed to creating an educational community that is intellectually, culturally and socially diverse, enriched by the contributions and full participation of persons from many different backgrounds. As part of that effort, two special commissions have been assembled to promote gender equity and racial diversity: The Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission to Promote Racial and Cultural Diversity. Composed of students, faculty, and professional and salaried staff, these commissions work to create a climate that encourages all members of the University community to respect and appreciate individual and cultural differences, to promote equity for people of different backgrounds in all areas of University life, and to enhance the curriculum by including the perspectives of different races, cultures and genders. The commissions, members of which are appointed by the President, also identify problem areas and make recommendations for positive changes. In addition, the University Council on Student Diversity and Success was created recently as part of a new initiative to enhance diversity among students and to support their academic success, intellectual, cultural, and ethical development as citizens, scholars, and professionals.

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; Human Services, Education and Public Policy; and Marine and Earth Studies. All seven colleges offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees. A complete list of the University’s extensive undergraduate and graduate degree programs is presented on pages vi-xii of this 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, Engineering Technology, Food Science, Foreign Language and Pedagogy, Health and Physical Education, Medical Technology, Music, Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Public Administration.

OUR ACADEMIC CALENDAR OFFERS FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

The University of Delaware follows a semester plan. 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. During preregistration, students may indicate preferred class times. 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. Winter Session is held in January and 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. (Read more about Study Abroad Programs in the "Opportunities to Enrich Your Undergraduate Education" chapter.) 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 in mid October. 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.

TEACHERS WHO TEACH

Among more than 1,100 faculty members at the University of Delaware, over 80 percent hold the doctoral or terminal degree in their field. They hold office in national and international professional associations, they serve on scholarly editorial boards, including the board of the University of Delaware Press, and they are invited to lecture at institutions around the world. In any given year, faculty honors may include the Beckman Foundation Young Investigator award, National Academy of Education Spencer Post-doctoral fellowships, Guggenheim fellowships, Alexander von Humboldt- Stiftung and Bessel Research awards, Fulbright fellowships, National Science Foundation (NSF) Director’s Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars, Faculty Early Career Development Program Award, and other NSF awards, and election to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Academy of Sciences.

Delaware faculty constantly strive to improve their performance as teaching scholars. The University’s Center for Teaching Effectiveness encourages professional development by annually awarding grants to faculty members who propose innovative strategies, such as incorporating new multi-media teaching technologies and the use of new learning techniques.

STUDENTS ARE OUR FOCUS

Students are the focus of the University’s academic programs. In fall 2007, 20,342 students were enrolled, including 15,983 undergraduate students, 3,405 graduate students, and 954 students in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies. Of the undergraduate total, 619 were enrolled in the University’s Associate in Arts degree program.

Entering 2007 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 collegebound students.

Although Delaware class size can range from a minimum of one student (in independent study) to a large lecture class of 200, twothirds of class sections have fewer than 30 students. Many members of the faculty, including distinguished professors, teach freshmanlevel 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 2007, for example, the Undergraduate Research Program served about 700 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” chapter.)

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 chapter "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 publically-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, ELEUTHERIAN MILLS-HAGLEY MUSEUM AND LIBRARY, LONGWOOD GARDENS
The College of Arts and Sciences cooperates with the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum and the Eleutherian Mills- Hagley Museum and Library in providing graduate study in art conservation, early American culture, and American economic, technological, and business history. In the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, a program in ornamental horticulture was initiated in September 1967 in cooperation with Longwood Gardens.

Graduate students in the Early American Culture program work in the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, which contains one of the largest collections of American art, including furniture, ceramics, textiles, folk art, silver, glass, and paintings. The Museum is open to Winterthur Fellows for museum training and to both fellows and staff for research.

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 96 doctoral-granting members and 13 associate 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/.

SURA
The University of Delaware is a member of Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA), a consortium of over 60 universities across the U.S.. The organization’s purpose is to serve as an entity through which colleges, universities, and other organizations may cooperate with one another and with government and other organizations in acquiring, developing, and using laboratories, machines, and other research facilities and in furthering knowledge in the physical, biological, and other natural sciences and engineering. Further information about SURA can be found on the World-Wide Web at: http://www.sura.org.

KEEPING INFORMED AND INVOLVED

The Office of Alumni Relations serves as the liaison to the more than 135,000 alumni worldwide and to the Alumni Association and its board of directors.

The Office of Alumni Relations strives to engage and connect undergraduate and graduate alumni in meaningful relationships with the University, students, faculty, and with each other. Towards this end, the office conducts programs and activities for diverse constituencies and coordinates a number of activities including Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, Alumni Spring Luncheon for Gold Guard members (50+ years) and alumni commencement delegates at Spring Commencement, class and affinity group activities and programs, a regional alumni club program, and recognition ceremonies and awards such as the Alumni Wall of Fame, Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement and Outstanding Alumni Awards. In addition, Alumni Relations manages an online community (www.UDconnection.com) for all alumni.