UD College of Arts and Sciences
The University of Delaware College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is the largest and oldest college within the University of Delaware, a land-grant institution located in Newark, Delaware. Established in its current form during the early twentieth century, the college serves thousands of undergraduate and graduate students across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics. As a fundamental component of the University of Delaware's educational mission, the College of Arts and Sciences combines teaching, research, and public service while maintaining accreditation standards set by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college operates multiple academic departments and programs spread across the Newark campus, contributing significantly to both regional and national scholarly discourse.[1]
History
The roots of the University of Delaware, and consequently the College of Arts and Sciences, trace back to 1743 when the Newark Academy was founded as a preparatory institution. The school evolved throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, eventually incorporating as the University of Delaware in 1921, consolidating various academic programs that had existed under different institutional arrangements. The College of Arts and Sciences emerged as the primary liberal arts division of the university, housing the foundational academic disciplines that formed the core of a comprehensive university education. During the mid-twentieth century, the college underwent substantial expansion, reflecting national trends in higher education enrollment and the diversification of academic fields.
The college's development accelerated significantly after World War II, when federal support for higher education increased through mechanisms such as the GI Bill and later research funding initiatives. New departments were created, existing programs were strengthened, and faculty research activities expanded considerably. The 1960s and 1970s witnessed further evolution as the college adapted to changing educational priorities, including the expansion of social sciences programs, the integration of interdisciplinary studies, and increased focus on graduate education. By the late twentieth century, the College of Arts and Sciences had established itself as a comprehensive academic unit offering programs from the introductory level through doctoral degrees in numerous fields.[2]
Academic Structure
The College of Arts and Sciences comprises numerous departments and programs organized around major disciplinary areas. The natural sciences division includes departments such as Chemistry and Biochemistry, Physics and Astronomy, Biology, and Mathematical Sciences, which maintain active research laboratories and support undergraduate majors and minors in their respective fields. The humanities division encompasses English, Foreign Languages and Literatures, Philosophy, and Classics, among others, maintaining strong traditions in literary study, language instruction, and cultural analysis. The social sciences division includes departments such as History, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, and Economics, which engage in scholarly research while supporting degree programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
These academic units collaborate through various interdisciplinary initiatives and coordinate course offerings to ensure comprehensive coverage of their respective fields. The college operates research centers and institutes that bring together faculty and students from multiple departments to address complex scholarly questions and societal challenges. Graduate programs within the college range from master's degrees to doctoral degrees (PhDs), with research funding supporting both faculty investigators and student scholars. The college maintains high standards for scholarship and teaching, with faculty members engaged in active research programs while maintaining teaching responsibilities across undergraduate and graduate curricula.[3]
Research and Scholarly Contributions
The College of Arts and Sciences maintains a substantial commitment to research and scholarly inquiry across its academic disciplines. Faculty members secure external funding from federal agencies, foundations, and private sources to support investigations ranging from fundamental scientific research to humanistic scholarship and social scientific inquiry. The college operates several research centers and institutes, including facilities dedicated to environmental science, materials research, and other specialized areas that transcend individual departmental boundaries. These research activities contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their respective fields while providing educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students through research assistantships and collaborative projects.
Graduate students within the college participate extensively in research activities, with many pursuing thesis or dissertation research projects that constitute major components of their degree programs. The college supports graduate education through assistantships that provide funding while enabling students to contribute to faculty research initiatives. Undergraduate students also engage in research through various mechanisms, including summer research programs, independent study courses, and honors thesis projects. The college's research productivity contributes to the University of Delaware's recognition as a research-active institution and enhances the educational experience by integrating scholarly inquiry into academic programs. Publication and presentation of research findings in peer-reviewed venues constitutes a standard expectation for faculty members in most college disciplines.
Student Life and Resources
Students within the College of Arts and Sciences benefit from numerous academic support services, including writing centers, tutoring programs, and academic advising resources designed to promote student success. The college maintains relationships with student organizations affiliated with various academic disciplines and interests, enabling students to engage with their fields of study outside formal classroom settings. Career development services assist students in transitioning from academic study to professional employment or further graduate education. Library resources, including the Morris Library which serves as the main repository for the university's collections, provide essential support for student research and coursework across all college disciplines.
The college operates various honors programs and specialized academic pathways designed to serve students with different academic backgrounds and goals. Undergraduate honors students may pursue thesis projects that provide intensive mentoring from faculty advisors and opportunities for independent scholarly work. Professional development opportunities, including conferences, workshops, and seminars, enable students to engage with practitioners and scholars in their fields. The college's diverse student body brings varied perspectives and experiences to academic discussions and classroom environments, enriching the educational experience for all participants. International student populations add additional perspectives while creating opportunities for cross-cultural learning and academic exchange.
Location and Campus Integration
The College of Arts and Sciences occupies multiple buildings and facilities distributed across the Newark campus of the University of Delaware. Many departmental offices and classrooms are housed in academic buildings located in the central campus area, including structures such as Ewing Hall and Gore Hall which serve as focal points for various programs within the college. Research laboratories and specialized facilities supporting natural sciences education and research are located in buildings such as the Bartol Research Institute and various science centers that provide modern equipment and infrastructure. The college's physical presence on campus reflects its substantial enrollment and its central role in the university's overall mission and operations.
The college maintains close relationships with other universities and research institutions throughout Delaware and the broader region, facilitating collaborative research and educational programs. Partnerships with institutions in Philadelphia and elsewhere in the Mid-Atlantic region enable joint research initiatives and provide expanded opportunities for students and faculty. The college participates in regional educational consortia that facilitate course sharing and resource cooperation among institutions. Newark's location in northern Delaware, proximate to Philadelphia and Baltimore, provides students and faculty with access to cultural, educational, and professional resources extending beyond the university itself.