Graduate Programs
Graduate Admissions
(Catalog pages 235-238)

Baccalaureate graduates of accredited colleges are eligible to apply to the University of Delaware for admission to a graduate program. Entrance requirements are established by the departments and are subject to approval by the University Faculty Senate Committee on Graduate Studies. To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the admission requirements stipulated in the Graduate Program Policy Statement of the academic unit to which the student is applying. Admission to graduate programs at the University of Delaware is selective and competitive based on the number of well-qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities. Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.

The University of Delaware reserves the right to refuse enrollment of any applicant. Applicants are encouraged to contact the academic department for specific admission requirements. (See the departmental sections of this catalog for more information about specific departmental admission requirements.)

Applicants for some Ph.D. degree programs may be required to complete the master's degree in the program, although the degree is not a prerequisite to admission. Students who have been admitted to a master's program and who receive their master's degree at the University are not necessarily eligible for a doctoral program. Applicants for the Ed.D. degree program are required to hold a master's degree and be currently employed either as educational administrators and supervisors or as school and community college personnel.

MATRICULATION INFORMATION

Admission to the University is granted to a student to begin graduate studies in a specified semester or summer session and is valid for that term only. (Graduate students may not start their graduate studies during the winter session.) The offer of admission is automatically cancelled if the Office of Graduate Studies is not notified of an applicant's desire to change the matriculation date. Applicants who are unable to begin graduate study in the term or semester specified may request a change by writing the Office of Graduate Studies. If approved, such an extension will not be granted beyond a one-year period.

Admission to graduate study does not guarantee admission to a particular course. The graduate student must meet all prerequisites as specified for each course. Courses offered at the graduate level are listed in the back of this catalog and online.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

Application Deadline: The University permits each department to establish their application deadline. Applicants should refer to the information given in the academic department segment of this catalog and/or check with the department to which they are applying for specific application deadlines and for other specific admission requirements. The University deadlines for application to a graduate degree program if not specified otherwise by a program is July 1 for fall semester, December 1 for spring semester, and April 1 for summer session. On-line applications are required at http://www.udel.edu/gradoffice/applicants/.

Applicants must submit all of the following items directly to the Office of Graduate Studies before admission can be considered:

  1. A $70 nonrefundable application fee must be submitted with the application. Credit card payment is accepted with the online application. Checks must be made payable to the University of Delaware. Applications received without the application fee will not be processed. Foreign students must use a check drawn on a U.S. bank or an International Postal Money Order.
  2. Applicants must submit essays to specific questions asked on the application; a resume; and for some programs, a personal statement. Some programs also have Supplemental Information Forms.
  3. Applicants must submit at least three letters of recommendation. All letters of recommendation should be mailed collectively to the Office of Graduate Studies. (Applicants are encouraged to seek an interview with the graduate coordinator of the program to which they are making application.)
  4. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) admission test scores are required by most departments and some departments also require subject test scores. Applicants for the Master of Business Administration or the Master of Science in Accounting program must submit Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores. Applicants should refer to the information given in the academic department segment of this catalog for specific admission test score requirements in each department. Applicants should request Education Testing Services (ETS) to report official test scores directly to the University of Delaware. The University of Delaware's institutional code for ETS is 5811. Applicants are encouraged to submit student copies of tests scores in their application packets.
  5. One official transcript of all U.S. colleges attended must be sent directly from the institution to the Office of Graduate Studies or be provided in a sealed envelope with the application packet. Students who have attended the University of Delaware need not supply a transcript from Delaware. If the rank of the student is not displayed on the transcript or diploma, departments may request an official letter of explanation and ranking from the institution where the degree was earned.
  6. One official transcript of all non-U.S. based college records is required. The transcript must list all classes taken and grades earned. If the transcript does not state that the degree has been awarded, send a degree certificate that states that the degree has been awarded. If the degree has not been awarded or the degree certificate has not been issued, evidence of the awarded degree must be provided prior to the first day of classes in the term of admission. For institutions that issue documents only in English, send the English original. For institutions that issue documents both in English and a foreign language, send both the English language original and the foreign language original. For institutions that issue documents only in a foreign language, send the foreign language original and a certified translation in English. The translation must be certified by an official of the issuing institution, a state- or court-appointed translator, or the Embassy of the issuing country in the United States. If it is necessary to send non-original documents:
    1. The documents must be original “attested copies,” officially attested to by the issuing institution or the Embassy of the issuing country in the United States; and
    2. Certified translations must be originals, no copies will be accepted.
  7. International student applicants must demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency in the English language if English is not the first language. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is offered by the Educational Testing Service in test centers throughout the world. The University requires an official paper-based TOEFL score of at least 550, at least 213 on the computer-based TOEFL, or at least 79 on the Internet-based TOEFL for an applicant to be considered for admission. In addition, departments may elect to require that the applicant provide a score from the TSE (Test of Spoken English). TOEFL scores and TSE/SPEAK scores more than two years old cannot be validated or considered official. International students applying for a teaching assistantship must report a paper-based TOEFL score of at least 600, at least 250 on the computer-based TOEFL, or at least 100 IBT and may be asked by the department to provide an official TSE/SPEAK score report. TOEFL and TSE/SPEAK scores more than two years old cannot be validated and cannot be considered official. In addition, international students who are awarded teaching assistantships must attend a month-long training program held in late July and through the 3rd week of August at the University of Delaware's English Language Institute. Eligibility of the international student to be appointed as a teaching assistant is determined by the student's TSE/SPEAK and UDIA (University of Delaware Instructional Assessment) scores at the conclusion of this session. The UDIA, a teaching test, supplements the TSE/SPEAK by assessing overall language, cultural, questioning, and basic teaching skills as the ITA (International Teaching Assistant) teaches to a group of students in his/her subject area. Students who do not achieve the appropriate scores may find that their funding in the department is terminated.

    International students must be offered admission to the University and provide evidence of adequate financial resources before a student visa will be issued. The University has been authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students. The University has more than 1000 international graduate students enrolled from more than 96 countries. International students are required to purchase the University-sponsored insurance plan or its equivalent.

    All first-time international students are required to attend the Orientation Day for new international students which takes place on the Friday before classes begin.
  8. Application procedures for senior citizens are the same as for other applicants. The admission application fee and tuition fees will be waived for senior citizen students 60 years of age and older who meet the Delaware residency requirement when admitted to a graduate program. Senior citizens who desire to enroll in graduate courses but who do not seek a degree should contact Professional and Continuing Studies or the Academy of Lifelong Learning for registration information.
  9. It is a Delaware State Board of Health regulation and a University of Delaware mandate that all graduate students with a birth date after January 1, 1957, be immunized for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Also, students may be required to provide evidence of PPD (Mantoux) Tuberculosis Screening Test within 6 months prior to beginning classes. Students who are admitted beginning January 2002 are required to show proof of vaccination against meningococcal disease unless granted a waiver. Students should refer to and complete the Student Health Service Immunization Documentation form upon admission.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR FELLOWSHIPS AND ASSISTANTSHIPS

Of the approximately 2,500 full-time graduate students, nearly 1,800 receive financial awards. Fellowships, tuition scholarships, assistantships, and internships are awarded on the basis of merit. Application for fellowship or assistantship awards is a part of the admission application form. U.S. applicants are strongly encouraged to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form. Applicants should apply by February 1st in most programs to be considered for financial awards. In some fields, funding from the University may be fully committed by March 15. Awarded financial aid is granted to full-time degree students with regular status who are in good academic standing. The award is valid for the term designated. Information on fellowships and assistantships may be obtained from the department to which the student is applying.

The application deadline for need-based financial assistance is March 1. Refer to the “Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships” chapter in this catalog for details about the various kinds of financial assistance available through various lending agencies.

CATEGORIES OF ADMISSION STATUS

REGULAR
Regular status is offered to students who meet all of the established entrance requirements, who have a record of high scholarship in their fields of specialization, and who have the ability, interest, and maturity necessary for successful study at the graduate level in a degree program.

Students who file an application during the final year of undergraduate or current graduate work and are unable to supply complete official transcripts showing the conferral of the degree will be admitted pending conferral of the degree if their records are otherwise satisfactory and complete. Failure to provide official documents showing degree conferral by the first day of classes will result in termination of the admission to the program until evidence of the degree is provided.

PROVISIONAL
Provisional status is offered to students who are seeking admission to a degree program but lack specific prerequisites needed in the major department. All provisional requirements must be met within the deadline given before regular status can be granted. Students admitted with provisional status to a degree program are generally not eligible for assistantships or fellowships. Applicants who apply too late to submit standardized admission test scores may be admitted as provisional students for one semester. Termination from graduate studies following the completion of one semester will be automatic if the student has not submitted satisfactory test scores and received approval from the department for a change of status from provisional status to regular status.

NONDEGREE STATUS
Applicants who are unable to achieve regular status because of the lack of openings in a given department or applicants who wish to earn graduate credit but do not intend to work for a degree may be admitted as nondegree graduate students. Admission with nondegree status implies no commitment by the University or the department about later admission as a regular student. Such applicants must submit official college transcripts. Such students are not required to follow course sequences, but they are held to the same work standards as are other graduate students. This status is valid for a stated limited time. If a student desires to change from nondegree status to regular status, the student must be recommended for a change of status by the major department and seek approval by the Office of Graduate Studies. Earned graduate credit may or may not be accepted if the student's classification is changed. In general, graduate credit must fit into an approved program of study and all credits must have been completed within the appropriate time limit. Non-degree admission is also offered to students who wish to transfer graduate credits to another institution. Visiting students must submit a letter from their graduate dean or registrar certifying that they are graduate students in good standing at another institution. Such letters will be accepted in lieu of the transcripts and GRE scores which are required of all other applicants.

DEGREES OFFERED

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
The University of Delaware offers the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in animal science, art history, biological sciences, biomechanics and movement science, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, criminology, economics, education, engineering (chemical, civil and environmental, electrical and computer, material science, and mechanical), English, entomology and wildlife ecology, geography, environmental and energy policy, geology, history, human development and family studies, linguistics, marine studies,mathematics and applied mathematics, ocean engineering, oceanography, operations research, physics, plant and soil sciences, political science and international relations, preservation studies, psychology, sociology, and urban affairs and public policy. In addition to the general requirements outlined in this section of the catalog, there is a section in the catalog for each instructional major which explains specific requirements for the degree in that department.

DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY
The degree of Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) is a professional program preparing students to deliver direct patient care in an integrated process that includes examination, evaluation, planning, supervision, and performance of treatment programs.

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
The degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in educational leadership is offered by the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy. In addition to the general requirements outlined in this section of the catalog, there is a section in the catalog explaining the special requirements for this degree.

EDUCATION SPECIALIST
The degree of Education Specialist (Ed.S.) is a professional degree to be awarded to students who hold the Master of Arts degree in School Psychology and who complete the additional 30 credit hour certification requirements as an educational specialist.

MASTER OF ARTS
The academic research degree of Master of Arts (MA) is offered in agricultural and technology education, art history, chemistry and biochemistry, communication, counseling in higher education, criminology, American material culture, economics, economics and entrepreneurship for educators, education, English, foreign languages and literatures, foreign languages and pedagogy, geography, history, liberal studies, linguistics and cognitive science, political science and international relations, psychology, school psychology, sociology, teaching English as a second language, and urban affairs and public policy.

MASTER OF SCIENCE
The academic research degree of Master of Science (M.S.) is offered in accounting, agriculture and resource economics, animal science, art conservation, biological sciences, biomechanics and movement science, bioresources engineering, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, economics, entomology, exercise science, fashion studies, finance, food science, geography, geology, health services administration, human development and family studies, human nutrition, information systems and technology management, marine studies, mathematics and applied mathematics, organizational effectiveness, development, and change, ocean engineering, operations research, physics, plant and soil sciences, public horticulture, statistics, and wildlife ecology.

MASTER OF APPLIED SCIENCES
The academic research degree of Master of Applied Sciences (MAS) may be earned in civil engineering.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION; MASTER OF ARTS IN ECONOMICS/MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The professional degree of Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) and the combined professional degree of Master of Arts in Economics/Master of Business Administration are offered as a combined degree program by the Lerner College of Business and Economics.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION; MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE OR MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGYMANAGEMENT
The professional degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the combined professional degree of Master of Science in Organizational Effectiveness, Development and Change or Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology Management are offered as combined degree programs by the Lerner College of Business and Economics.

MASTER OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, MASTER OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, MASTER OFMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING/MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
The academic research degrees in Engineering and the professional degree of Master of Business Administration are offered as combined degree programs by the College of Engineering and the Lerner College of Business and Economics.

MASTER OF EDUCATION
The programs leading to the professional degree of Master of Education (MEd) are designed particularly for teachers and administrators in the public schools. Majors are offered in reading, school leadership, higher education administration, exceptional children and youth, curriculum and instruction, and educational technology.

MASTER'S DEGREES IN ENGINEERING
The academic research degrees of Master of Chemical Engineering (MChE), Master of Civil Engineering (M.E), Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MS), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Master of Materials Science and Engineering (MMSE) are conferred under the direction of each of these departments in the College of Engineering. A nonthesis Master of Engineering: Mechanical (MEM) is available. In addition, the interdisciplinary MS is offered in Ocean Engineering.

MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY POLICY
The program leading to the Master of Environmental and Energy Policy (MEEP) is designed for students who wish to study environmental and energy policy issues. The program is administered by the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy in the College of Human Services, Education, and Public Policy.

MASTER OF FINE ARTS
The Department of Art and the Department of Theatre offer individually planned programs leading to the Master of Fine Arts (MFA). In art, a program with studio concentrations is offered to outstanding students preparing for professional careers in ceramics, printing, photography, printmaking, or sculpture. In theatre, exceptionally talented students pursue training that prepares them for a successful professional career in acting, stage management, or technical production.

MASTER OF INSTRUCTION
The Master of Instruction (MI) professional degree program is designed to help teachers improve the quality of instruction in their classrooms. Individualized programs may include studies in curriculum development and implementation, teaching strategies, assessing student achievement, and other areas related to teaching. The degree is under the supervision of the School of Education in the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy.

MASTER OF MARINE MANAGEMENT
The degree of Master of Marine Management (MMM) is a professional degree designed for mid-career individuals who work at state and federal environmental marine agencies. The non-thesis, multi-disciplinary degree can be completed in one year and is conferred under the supervision of the College of Marine and Earth Studies.

MASTER OF MARINE POLICY
The degree of Master of Marine Policy (MMP) is a professional degree designed for individuals seeking or continuing careers in government, business, or public interest organizations that are concerned about marine policy. It is conferred under the supervision of the College of Marine and Earth Studies utilizing the research facilities of the Center for the Study of Marine Policy.

MASTER OF MUSIC
The Master of Music (MM) degree program (with concentrations in conducting, performance or teaching) is designed to prepare students for careers in the field of music either as performers or as music educators.

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) professional degree program is designed for persons in or seeking to enter governmental service and related occupations. It is offered by the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy in conjunction with the Department of Political Science and International Relations.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is designed to prepare clinical nurse specialists, nurse administrators, and family nurse practitioners.