University of Delaware Reviews

"Lots of opportunities if you are proactive about it. Not the greatest area for social life."

"Pros: Very friendly, knowledgeable and supportive faculty and staff. There's a real push to publish, which is awesome, especially as an MA student just getting started. Academically, this is a solid program that's shifting to become more gender/sexuality oriented, which I really appreciate. I feel that I will learn a great deal from my mentors at UD. Cons: Of course, UD is centrally located in Newark, DE. Main Street is actually better than I had anticipated, but Newark still isn't a booming metropolis. However, Philly and Baltimore (and even DC or Pittsburgh, if you're willing to "go the extra mile") keep things interesting and trendy. I've also felt a slight lack of diversity on campus, although I don't have much to base this off of yet. Overall, I'd say that my experience has thus far been what I've expected of grad school. If you know what you're in for and you've done your research, you'll enjoy and value your time at UD."

"Faculty and staff are absolutely nice. You can really learn knowledge here, for it provides with solid education and teaching here. Transportation is not good, but very close to Philly, DC and NYC, so it's okay. It's a nice place to study in peace, the resemblance with Princeton is amazing"

"Great department, very supportive and helpful, passionate about grad students' success. The city isn't very lively but there are plenty of local shops located on the main street stretch."

"Everyone at UDel is incredibly helpful and supportive. The faculty cares so strongly about your success and they'll really push you to do your best work. The cohorts don't compete with each other, either. The program overall is wonderful. The administration (not the department, but really through the university) is a little all over the place and can be a little frustrating, but that's not something you deal with everyday. Newark is close to NY, Baltimore, and Philly, which is great because there's not a whole lot to do here. I strongly recommend the school if it seems like a good fit for you."

"My time at UD Sociology and CJ has, in general been great. Faculty have been very helpful to me, and most of the graduate students are very friendly and supportive as well. Some of the biggest blemishes right now are the system used for comprehensive exams, which will be improved for cohorts reading this post. There is a decidedly lower level of mentor ship by the time you reach the comp phase, as well. I personally have struggled to find good guidance for faculty on what I should/ shouldn't be doing in preparation for comps, but this isn't always the case. Another issue here is the lack of teaching opportunities. While the department provides a great deal of research experience, most students do not graduate with much, if any, teaching experience from within the department. Instead they need to "violate" their contracts by teaching at other departments, which is allowed but only unofficially. All this said, the department has been a wonderful resource to me and they have helped to shape me into a much better academic. I have and will continue to recommend it to others, just be sure that you will fit into the program's specializations, or you might find yourself feeling a bit directionless and unhappy, as has happened to some students in the past. ."

"This is only my first semester, so I cannot leave an in-depth review as of yet. Firstly, I love how active the faculty are in getting students comfortable and involved with the program. The students are really grateful for it, and they show it through helping you out as much as they can. It feels like an extended family here; everyone is supportive, and you know that they will be honest with you no matter what. The quality of education is fantastic. So far I haven't found anything wrong with the program!"

"I'm beyond pleased with my experience in the UD sociology and criminology department thus far. Because all students in the department are fully funded there is very little competition among peers. The faculty and students are extremely supportive, which creates for a friendly academic environment."

"My main concern is the expense of the graduate program."

"I really love it here, I just wish there were more opportunities for graduate students to get together and socialize."

"The Masters of Finance program was great. Heavy focus on theoretical derivations of financial theory and how that integrates with the business world. The staff was great and very supportive of any initiatives students wanted to pursue, whether academically or professionally. I had great experience in the program and would recommend it."

"Has some great professors, wished had more of an on-line option to there programs!"

"I have received a ton of support from various faculty in different disciplines but I did have to seek out a lot of that help. The funding package for grad students in the Social Sciences is meager and only extended to students for four years, but that may be a national trend rather than a flaw particular to the University of Delaware. I still cannot name anywhere else that I would rather be."

"Pros: The faculty are nice. I enjoy studying here. Cons: It is in a small town, so there is not very much entertainment here."

"Professors really motivate us to learn deeper into our area of interest. Projects are always assigned to find solutions to real-world issues. Library is fantastic."

"Wished they had better on-line program available."

"Pros: full stipend, close knit community, mostly accessible professors, wide variety of research opportunities. Cons: Professors rely heavily on grants, so unfortunately much of the time teaching comes second to research (not a 'teaching' university). The grad program can be longer than expected, standards for what constitutes a "thesis", or enough data for a thesis, are not clear."

"Pro: Love the program and staff Con: Needs to include the use of technology more"

"SPPA is a great program with an excellent in-state network, and enough DC connections for the ambitious student to use to their advantage. The program has been going through some major transitions due to changes in the larger University administration and to SPPA faculty changes, but engaged faculty, staff and students are actively working to clearly define the school's identity."

"The atmosphere of the program is that of diligence and perseverance. There is a high standard to be met and if pursued the rewards are plentiful."