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General Information
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DELAWAREANS: START YOUR DEGREE PROGRAM CLOSE TO HOME
The University of Delaware, in partnership with Delaware Technical & Community College, offers to all qualified applicants who are residents of the State of Delaware the opportunity to pursue a two-year liberal arts program leading to the Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree. The Associate in Arts Program builds on the strengths of the former Parallel Program, which it replaces. The Associate in Arts Program is offered at UD academic centers on Delaware Tech campuses in Wilmington, Dover and Georgetown.
The Associate in Arts program is designed to enable students to complete sixty credits for the Associate in Arts degree in two years, and then to move to the UD main campus in Newark to complete a bachelor’s degree. All of the sixty credits required for the Associate in Arts will apply toward a B.A. degree offered through the University’s College of Arts and Sciences.
THE UNIVERSITY – DELAWARE TECH PARTNERSHIP
The Associate in Arts Program is offered as the result of a
unique partnership between the University and Delaware Tech.
Delaware Tech provides classrooms and other facilities to enable the
University to bring its teaching resources to locations throughout the
state. The Associate in Arts degree is a UD degree, and the courses
for the Associate in Arts degree are UD courses which appear on a
UD transcript, but the physical location of the classrooms is at
Delaware Tech. UD instructors provide the course instruction. UD
and Delaware Tech together provide academic support, including on-site
academic advisement, tutoring, skills enhancement, and other
services. The goal is to bring the best of both institutions to serve the
educational needs of Delaware residents.
Associate in Arts students receive UD identification cards and UD computer accounts, enabling them to use UD academic, cultural, and recreational privileges. For example, Associate in Arts students can use the Morris Library or the Bob Carpenter Sports Center in Newark; they can join UD’s registered student organizations; and they qualify for student rates at UD theatre, music, or art events. At the same time, Associate in Arts students carry Delaware Tech identification cards, entitling them to use Delaware Tech facilities and participate in Delaware Tech events.
Because of NCAA requirements, Associate in Arts students who qualify for participation in intercollegiate sports may do so through Delaware Tech but not through UD – NCAA rules forbid dual eligibility.
BENEFITS OF THE ASSOCIATE IN ARTS PROGRAM
The Associate in Arts Program has been designed to prepare
students for the completion of a rigorous academic program, by
building academic strengths and skills in a supportive small-campus
environment. Program participants will receive academic advisement
and assistance from faculty advisors and professional advisors at their
campus, the Academic Enrichment Center, the Writing Center, and
the Preparatory Math Lab. Academic advisors at the Associate in
Arts locations and in Newark will assist the transition of Associate in
Arts students to the Newark campus for completion of a bachelor’s
degree.
The distinctive features of the Associate in Arts Program are:
- Small class sizes
- Close faculty contact
- Enhanced academic support
- Curriculum structured to support decisions about appropriate majors
- Focus on the traditional liberal arts (history, English, geography, and other related areas) – the broad education most in demand by employers
- Learning community concept with students clustered in their courses
- Freshman Seminar in the first semester, assisted by peer mentors (juniors and seniors) from the Newark campus
- Tuition substantially lower than UD Newark campus tuition
ADMISSION TO THE ASSOCIATE IN ARTS PROGRAM
Prospective students apply for admission to the Associate in Arts
Program through the UD Office of Admissions as part of the regular
application procedure. Applications may be found online at
www.udel.edu/apply. Students who apply after January 15 will be
considered on a “space available” basis. Applicants must demonstrate
scholastic aptitude, motivation for academic achievement, and
adequate preparation for degree completion. All Delawareans who
demonstrate the capacity to succeed will be admitted to the Program.
Financial aid, including SEED grants, will be available through the standard admissions process. SEED grants, which cover the full cost of Associate in Arts tuition, are made available through the State of Delaware to students who meet eligibility requirements established by the State; see http://seedscholarship.delaware.gov/ for eligibility guidelines. Students applying for UD financial aid, including SEED grants, must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
Applicants must be graduates of accredited secondary schools or have equivalent credentials, and must have completed coursework at the high school level appropriate for continued academic achievement and learning; a complete list of expected high school courses is listed on the Freshman Application for Undergraduate Admission. All applicants must submit SAT and/or ACT scores.
All Delawareans who apply to the University of Delaware, but are not admissible to the Newark campus, will automatically be considered for and may be placed in the Associate in Arts Program. Transfer students who have earned more than 28 credits in the liberal arts are not eligible for admission to the Associate in Arts Program.
THE ASSOCIATE IN ARTS CURRICULUM
The Associate in Arts curriculum is designed to provide students
with broad skills important for future success, including critical
thinking, reading, reasoning and analysis, mathematics, and
elementary foreign language skills. The curriculum enables students
to explore the various traditional disciplines of the liberal arts,
leading to an eventual choice of a major from within these
disciplines. The Associate in Arts courses serve three purposes at
once: the courses fulfill the requirements of the Associate in Arts
degree (see p. 87 for specific requirements); the courses fulfill the
majority of the General Education requirements for the B.A. degree
(see p. 86); and the courses serve as the entry-level courses for the
most popular B.A. majors.
All students in the Associate in Arts program are classified as “University Studies” students, meaning that they do not have a declared major during the time that they are in the Associate in Arts Program. A formal major is declared upon relocation to the Newark campus at the beginning of the junior year.
In the first year, all Associate in Arts students will be part of a learning community, a group of students co-enrolled in the same courses, including a Freshman Seminar designed to enhance the students’ teamwork skills through hands-on projects related to the academic course work. In the second year, students choose academic courses from among the Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Foreign Languages. The courses have been carefully chosen to serve as the springboard for entry into one of the B.A. majors associated with the Program.
The Associate in Arts degree requires the successful completion of 60 credit hours of approved academic work with a minimum grade point index of 2.0. Courses leading to the Associate in Arts are offered at the UD academic centers on Delaware Tech campuses in Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown and admitted students may enroll in approved courses at any of these sites. Students may pursue the degree part-time or full-time. The Associate in Arts program is non-residential – campus housing is not provided and most students elect to live with their families.
CONTINUING TOWARD THE B.A. IN NEWARK
Students who complete the required courses for the Associate in
Arts with a minimum GPA of 2.0 are guaranteed admission into a
B.A. major on the Newark campus. A formal transfer of credit
application is not required for Associate in Arts recipients – they are
already UD students, and need merely to declare their intention of
continuing toward B.A. study in Newark.
Semester-by-semester course plans are available for the most popular B.A. majors, to help students complete their studies in a timely fashion, and the Associate in Arts Program has been specially designed with these majors in mind. See www.udel.edu/associateinarts for complete list.
Other majors may also be possible from among the 90 combinations of majors and concentrations available within the B.A., but students should note that some majors in Newark have competitive entry requirements, with selection through an internal application process that applies to all students, including those who complete the Associate in Arts.
Students admitted to the Associate in Arts Program are required to complete the entire two-year, sixty-credit sequence before moving to Newark to complete a bachelor’s degree. If a student wishes to move to Newark prior to completion of the Associate in Arts degree, a formal request for an exception to policy will be necessary, and applicants will be judged against rigorous criteria.
DIRECT START OPTION – FOR STUDENTS READY TO ENROLL DIRECTLY IN A FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM
Some Delaware-resident students may know what major they
want, and be academically prepared to enter a four-year program
directly from high school, but may wish, for personal, financial, or
other reasons, to start their studies close to home instead of in
Newark. Such students should apply directly to their major of choice
and should indicate Dover, Georgetown, or Wilmington as their
location of choice on the admission application. If accepted into the
chosen major, students will have the opportunity to work with an
academic advisor to determine the feasibility of taking early
coursework with the Associate in Arts Program in Dover,
Georgetown, or Wilmington. The advisor will help the “direct-start”
student map course selections and develop a timetable for moving to
the Newark campus. Courses for a particular major may not be
available at all locations.
Students who enroll in four-year programs, whether on the Newark campus or at one of the University’s Academic Centers, must pay the full Newark campus tuition. The Associate in Arts Program is designed for students we believe can succeed at the University of Delaware, but only if they first strengthen their academic skills through the program’s small classes, individualized attention, and structured curriculum. As an incentive to enroll these students, the University subsidizes their tuition, and the State of Delaware provides SEED grants that cover the remaining tuition. The lower tuition and the eligibility for a SEED grant apply only to students who enroll in the Associate in Arts Program. Therefore, if you take advantage of the lower tuition or a SEED grant, please realize that you must be willing to spend two full years in the program and to complete an Associate Degree before you will be permitted to enroll on the Newark campus.
FOUR-YEAR DEGREES IN SOUTHERN DELAWARE
Selected four-year degree programs may be completed in their
entirety in Southern Delaware. This alternative includes majors in
Criminal Justice; Elementary Teacher Education (in conjunction with
the Professional Development School in the Milford School District);
Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management through UD Online;
and Agricultural and Natural Resources. Students must meet the
admission requirements for these particular majors and space may be
limited in some programs. An academic advisor can assist admitted
students to determine how this option might work for them.
CONNECTED DEGREES – ANOTHER OPTION
Depending on the student’s choice of major, a Connected
Degree might be a better choice than the Associate in Arts Program.
Connected Degrees with Delaware Tech are currently available in
Biology; Biotechnology; Chemistry; Criminal Justice; Early
Childhood Education; Electrical Engineering; Hotel, Restaurant, and
Institutional Management; Human Services; Secondary Mathematics
Education; Medical Technology; and Nursing. The Connected
Degree program is growing, with new agreements in several other
areas currently in negotiation. A complete and up-to-date list is
available at www.dtcc.edu/connecteddegree.
A Connected Degree is a formal, program-to-program transfer agreement between Delaware Tech and the University. In a Connected Degree, the student earns an Associate Degree in Technology from Delaware Tech, and then applies to transfer to UD with junior status, to complete a bachelor’s degree in the related UD major. Students who complete the Delaware Tech degree with the minimal criteria as stated for each major are guaranteed admission to the matching major at UD, and the credits earned at Delaware Tech are applied toward the completion of the bachelor’s degree at UD.
The main difference between starting in a Connected Degree as opposed to the Associate in Arts Program is which institution awards the two-year degree: in a Connected Degree, the first half of the degree is awarded by Delaware Tech, while the Associate in Arts is awarded by UD. However, the programs are similar in their location: in both a Connected Degree and in the Associate in Arts Program, the student would begin studies at a Delaware Tech campus.
Students who wish to pursue a Connected Degree should apply for initial (freshman) admission to Delaware Tech, and should work closely with a Delaware Tech advisor to complete the process for continuing toward completion at UD. Not all majors are available at all Delaware Tech campuses; see the list at www.dtcc.edu/connecteddegree for location information.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The Associate in Arts Program is administered through the
University’s Office of Undergraduate Studies and the University
Advisement Center, both located in Elliott Hall on Main Street in
Newark, telephone 302-831-0628. See www.udel.edu/associateinarts
for more information.
FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS ABOUND IN PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING STUDIES
The Division of Professional and Continuing Studies extends the University of Delaware’s academic resources to citizens throughout the state and beyond through credit courses, certificate programs, nondegree short courses, public lectures, cultural events, distance learning, institutes, travel programs and conferences. Programs are offered in the fall and spring semesters as well as during the winter and summer sessions. Programs are taught or conducted by University faculty members and by outstanding professionals in their particular subject areas.
The Division offers the following programs:
- Business Communications Certificate
- Composite Materials Graduate Certificate
- Dietetics Internship Program
- Financial Planning Certificate
- Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate
- Paralegal Certificate
- Performance Management Certificate
- Project Management Certificate
- Socially Responsible and Sustainable Apparel Business Certificate
- Supervision and Leadership Certificate
In addition, the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies provides customized, on-site training to area businesses, government agencies, and professional associations to help meet their educational and professional development needs. The Adult Center for Continuing Education Student Services (ACCESS) provides career counseling, educational planning, academic advisement and administrative assistance to current and potential Continuing Studies students. (See the "Resources for Students" chapter.)
For more information call (302) 831-2741 or see: www.continuingstudies.udel.edu.
PART-TIME STUDY TO FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE
Undergraduate students are classified as part-time if they register for fewer than 12 credit hours in the fall or spring semester. Part-time students may be either matriculated (i.e., accepted into a specific degree program) or non-matriculated. Non-matriculated students may enroll through the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies for credit courses to provide personal enrichment, or to keep up to date in their professions. Both day and evening courses are available to Continuing Studies students. Through UD Online, courses are also available via the Internet.
Matriculated students can earn degrees through part-time evening study by completing classes that fit their schedules. In Wilmington and in Newark, undergraduate degrees available through part-time study include: Chemistry, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Engineering Technology, English, History, Psychology, Sociology, and Women’s Studies. In southern Delaware, part-time students can earn Bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice, and Agriculture and Natural Resources. Distance learning students may complete an Associate in Arts, a Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management, or a Baccalaureate for Registered Nurses entirely online. Students must apply for admission to these programs through the Office of Admissions or can begin taking courses without formal admission as a Continuing Education student.
For more information on degree programs for part-time
undergraduate students, contact the Division of Professional and
Continuing Studies, (302) 831-2741 or see
www.continuingstudies.udel.edu.
DISTANCE LEARNING BRINGS THE CAMPUS TO YOU
UD Online/distance learning provides non-traditional students with greater access to credit courses and degree programs at the University of Delaware. UD Online allows students the freedom to pursue their degree even if their schedule or geographic location prevents them from attending class on campus. Courses are delivered via the Internet and examinations are proctored at designated sites throughout the United States, internationally, and at various University locations. Videostreamed class lectures, videoclips, guided readings, interactive Web activities and threaded discussions are just some of the creative tools used to enhance the learning experience and keep students and professors in touch with each other throughout the semester.
Course requirements for UD Online courses are the same as for on-campus courses and UD Online’s academic calendar matches the University campus schedule. Participation in a UD Online course or degree program does not affect a student’s classification, and there is no distinction on student transcripts or diplomas between on-campus and UD Online courses and programs.
The following degree programs are available via state-of-the-art distance learning technology:
- Associates in Arts, (AA)
- Bachelor of Science, Nursing (BSN) for students with associate degrees or nursing diplomas,
- Bachelor of Science, Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management
- Master of Science in Nursing (RN to MSN, or BSN to MSN)
- Master of Science in Nursing, Health Services Administration major
- Master of Science in Nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Master of Science in Health Services Administration
- Master of Engineering, Mechanical
- Master of Electrical Engineering
In addition, UD Online courses can help meet degree
requirements in other majors, or can be transferred to other college
degree programs. Certificate and noncredit distance courses also are
available for the purpose of career enhancement or personal
enrichment. For complete program information and up-to-date course
listings, students are encouraged to call 800-597-1444 or visit
www.continuingstudies.udel.edu/udonline
LEARNING SHOULD LAST A LIFETIME
The Academy of Lifelong Learning, sponsored by the Division
of Professional and Continuing Studies, provides more than 200
college-level, noncredit courses each semester, as well as seminars,
travel, cultural and social events, and other learning and enrichment
activities for individuals 50 and over. Academy activities are planned
and taught by Academy members. The northern Academy is located
in Arsht Hall on the Wilmington campus, the southern Academy in
Lewes, Del. For more information, please see:
www.continuingstudies.udel.edu.
THE COLLEGE ENROLLMENT PROGRAM FOR ADVANCED PRE-COLLEGE STUDENTS The FAME/UNITE/MERIT/UD THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR EXCELLENCE UD SUMMER COLLEGE THE CLASSIC UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM THE UPWARD BOUND MATH/SCIENCE PROGRAMCOMPETITIVE STUDENTS CAN START EARLY
