There are eight colleges and universities in Delaware. These institutions include two research universities, one master's university, one baccalaureate college, two associates colleges, and two special-focus institutions. Five of Delaware's post-secondary institutions are private and three are public.
Delaware's oldest post-secondary institution is the University of Delaware, which was chartered by the Delaware General Assembly as a degree-granting college in 1833. [note 1] The University of Delaware is also the state's largest institution of higher learning in terms of enrollment, with 25,903 students as of 2022. [3] The Delaware College of Art and Design is the state's smallest institution of higher learning with an enrollment of 111. [3] Wilmington University is Delaware's largest private post-secondary institution, with an enrollment of 19,295. [3]
Delaware has two land-grant universities: Delaware State University and the University of Delaware. [4] The University of Delaware is also the state's sole participant in the National Sea Grant College Program and the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. [5] [6] In addition, Delaware State University is the one historically black college and university in the state, and is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. [7] [8] Delaware previously had two private post-secondary institutions for men and women respectively: St. Mary's College and Wesleyan Female College respectively. [9] [10]
The state does not have a medical school, but the Delaware Institute of Medical Education and Research reserves spaces for Delaware students at two medical schools in Philadelphia. [11] Delaware has one law school, Widener University Delaware Law School. [12] All eight of Delaware's post-secondary institutions are institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. [13]
Institution | Location(s) | Control | Type [note 2] | Enrollment (2022) [note 3] |
Founded |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Delaware College of Art and Design | Wilmington | Private | Associate's college | 111 | 1997 [15] |
Delaware State University | Dover | Public | Master's university | 5,770 | 1891 [16] |
Delaware Technical Community College | Dover, Georgetown, Stanton, and Wilmington | Public | Associate's college | 15,960 | 1967 [17] |
Goldey–Beacom College | Pike Creek Valley | Private | Master's university | 1,303 | 1886 [18] |
University of Delaware | Newark | Public | Research university | 25,903 | 1833 [note 1] |
Widener University Delaware Law School | Wilmington | Private | Law school | 515 [19] | 1975 [20] |
Wilmington University | New Castle | Private | Research university | 19,295 | 1968 [21] |
Institution | Location(s) | Control | Founded | Closed | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brandywine Junior College | Wilmington [22] | Private [22] | 1966 [22] | 1991 [22] | Entered into a merger with Widener University in 1976 and graduated its final class in 1991. Campus now serves as Widener University Delaware Law School. [22] |
St. Mary's College | Wilmington [9] | Private [9] | 1841 [9] | 1866 [9] | Catholic institution closed in 1866 following the American Civil War. [23] |
Wesley College | Dover [10] | Private [10] | 1873 [10] | 2021 [10] | Acquired by Delaware State University in 2021. [24] |
Wesleyan Female College | Wilmington [10] | Private [10] | 1837 [10] | 1885 [10] | Methodist institution for women. Following its closing, no college for women existed in Delaware until the Women's College of Delaware opened in 1914. [25] |
Women's College of Delaware | Newark [26] | Public [26] | 1914 [26] | 1945 [26] | Merged into the University of Delaware in 1945. [26] |
Explanatory notes
Citations