University of Delaware

university of delaware accreditation

University of Delaware Degree Programs Available

The University of Delaware appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Affordable Accelerated MBA Programs Online.

Earning a college degree is one of the best ways to advance in a current career or move into a new career path. The University of Delaware offers a wide range of programs that prepare graduates for leadership roles in their chosen field.

The University of Delaware offers eight colleges with more than 300 programs designed to inspire and challenge students. Colleges at the University include:

  • Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics
  • College of Agricultural and Natural Resources
  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • College of Earth, Ocean and Environment
  • College of Education and Human Development
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Health Sciences
  • Graduate College

Through the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, the University of Delaware offers a Master of Business Administration that is available both on campus and online. The program provides students with the knowledge that will help them solve today’s business problems while giving them a solid foundation in business expertise, building industry knowledge and facing today’s challenges. Students are able to emphasize their study in the following areas:

  • Business Analytics
  • Finance
  • Healthcare Management
  • International Business
  • Strategic Leadership

Students may also combine two or more concentrations to further individualize their degree.

Through the College of Agricultural and Natural Resources, students are able to complete an undergraduate program in Landscape Architecture. The program provides students with an understanding of landscape architecture including plants and ecosystems as well as site and engineering design. The program provides instruction in planning and management as well as public policy and regulations. Students gain an understanding of history, theory, criticism, professional practice, art, creative problem solving and more. The program is only available on campus.

The Biden School of Public Policy and Administration, under the College of Arts and Sciences, offers a Master of Public Policy designed to teach advanced analytic and substantive knowledge of public policy. The program trains students to analyze policy components in order to create policy that is well-crafted and implemented effectively in order to address complex issues of today. The degree draws from several fields of study, including economics, political science, sociology, psychology, education, law, history, and public health. There is a focus on the Delaware Model for public affairs education, using hands-on, real-world experiences. The program is available both on campus and fully online.

The College of Earth, Ocean and Environment offers a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and Climatology designed for those who wish to learn more about weather and climate. Students gain an understanding of meteorology, the science of the atmosphere, which provides information on events felt throughout the world. In addition, the program covers climatology which studies weather conditions over long periods of time. Students learn land-ocean-atmosphere interactions and the role the sun along with other astronomical forces play in the weather. The program is only available on campus.

The Master of Education in Teacher Leadership, offered through the College of Education and Human Development, offers students an understanding of the rapidly changing world of education. It creates leaders who are aware of the need for teachers who foster collaboration within the school and community as well as the ability to implement policies that will impact students in K-12 classrooms. The degree is for current teachers who wish to move into leadership roles, such as department chair, curriculum coordinator or instructional coach. It is available both on campus and fully online.

The College of Engineering offers a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering helps students master skills in the industry as well as provide them with the knowledge necessary to secure, protect and implement systems they create. One of the first online programs of its kind, the degree prepares students to lead the development of complicated engineering solutions designed to repel cyber threats. Students gain an understanding of information processing concepts and applications with a focus on cybersecurity.

The Bachelor of Science in Nutrition available through the College of Health Sciences allows for the joint study of nutrition with other subject areas, including health and wellness, public health, psychology or business. The program includes 30 credits in electives in addition to 12 nutrition-specific electives to individualize their degree. Courses required may include Macronutrients, Nutrition in the Lifespan, General Psychology and Biology for Health Sciences.

About University of Delaware

Originally founded in 1743 in New London, Pennsylvania, as the Free School, the initial purpose of the school was to educate clergymen for the Presbytery of Lewes. Classes were originally held in the home of Francis Alison, a Presbyterian minister for the Philadelphia Synod. Among the first graduates of the school were George Read, Thomas McKean, and James Smith, all signers of the Declaration of Independence. The school changed its name and location several times before moving to Newark, Delaware, in 1765.

After moving to Delaware, the school received a charter from the colonial Penn government to operate as the Academy of Newark. In 1781, the school petitioned to become a college, but no action was ever taken on the request. In 1818, the Delaware legislature authorized the Newark Academy to operate a lottery in order to raise funds in order to establish a college. This did not occur until 1825 due to reluctance by Presbyterian ministers acting as trustees who opposed a lottery on religious grounds.

In 1832, a site was selected for the college and construction began on the first building. In 1833, the Delaware legislature incorporated Newark College, authorizing the school to offer instruction in languages, arts, and sciences. Eventually, the college absorbed Newark Academy which became a preparatory school for the college.

The name of the college was changed in 1843 to Delaware College and supported by a state-authorized lottery until 1845. When the lottery ended, the school as faced with financial problems until a scholarship program was established to increase enrollment. This led to additional financial difficulties and, in 1858, when an incident resulted in the death of a student, the college was closed although the academy continued to operate.

The Civil War delayed the reopening of the college until 1867 when college trustees lobbied the legislature to establish the school as the land-grant college for Delaware under the Morrill Act. Under the act, the state was granted one-half interest in the property of the college and authorized to appoint half the board of trustees. The federal government gave the state 90,000 acres in Montana which was sold and the profits invested in bonds to use to support the school. Delaware College reopened in 1870.

A separate college for women opened on an adjoining campus. In 1921, the school became the University of Delaware and became coeducational when it merged with the Women’s College of Delaware in 1945.

In 2009, the university purchased a 272-acre parcel of land that had previously been a Chrysler automotive plant that was located next to the Newark campus. It was redeveloped for use as the Science, Technology and Advanced Research Campus as well as for business and research use.

Today, there are over 23,000 students enrolled at the University of Delaware.

University of Delaware Accreditation Details

The University of Delaware is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Accreditation indicates that the school offers programs that are of the highest quality and that the Commission periodically reviews programs to confirm that they continue to meet the criteria established by the Commission. In addition, programs throughout the school are accredited by the following organizations:

  • ABET
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
  • American Physical Therapy Association
  • American Psychological Association
  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
  • Council for Standards in Human Services Education
  • National Association of Schools of Music
  • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
  • Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration
  • Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System

University of Delaware Application Requirements

In order to apply to undergraduate programs at the University of Delaware, applicants must provide official high school transcripts as well as official SAT or ACT scores. Two letters of recommendation and an essay are also required. Applicants who live in Delaware are given priority and 90 percent of those who apply are accepted to the school.

Applicants to graduate programs at the University of Delaware must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university and must provide official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended. Official GRE or GMAT scores are also required along with a personal essay, current resume and three letters of recommendation.

Applicants to the Master of Business Administration online program must hold a bachelor’s degree in an accredited college or university. The degree can be in any discipline, but applicants must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.8. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, official GRE or GMAT scores and two years of work experience are also required.

The University of Delaware Tuition and Financial Aid

Full-time undergraduate tuition at the University of Delaware is $27,198 for Delaware residents and $46,618 for non-residents each year. The tuition for the online MBA program is $900 per credit hour. Adding concentrations can increase the total cost of the degree.

Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to qualify for any financial assistance at the University of Delaware. The University of Delaware may ask students to borrow up to 25 percent of their education costs but try to provide grants, scholarships and work-study programs to cover the remaining 75 percent of tuition.

The University of Delaware is a diverse institution that cultivates learning, develops knowledge and fosters the free exchange of ideas.