University of Delaware

Health Sciences at the University of Delaware

At UD, we do more than study the future of health care—we create it, every day. The College of Health Sciences (CHS) is home to 14 majors and 13 minors, each impacting how health care is delivered to those who need it. We innovate to improve health outcomes and enhance the patient experience.

Our majors include Behavioral Health, Dietetics, Exercise Science, Medical and Molecular Sciences, Nursing, Nutrition, and Sports Health. We also offer graduate programs in Epidemiology, Physical Therapy, and Speech Pathology. We are uniquely positioned to give you opportunities to learn and train with health professionals in all of these disciplines, researching in our simulation lab and gaining clinical experiences on campus. Our faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for their research and teaching expertise, preparing you to not only become part of the health care workforce but lead it.

Learning through experience
So how do we make sure you get the firsthand experience that will set you apart, develop your skills, and enhance your knowledge in a real-world setting? There are too many opportunities at UD to list here, but below are just a few of the ways that students engage in the real work of health care:

• At the STAR Campus, students work in labs such as the Innovation, Health, and Design Lab, where they work with the community on designing clothing for children and adults with special needs and designing wearable technology to enhance health and well-being.
• At three public health clinics at STAR (Primary Care, Speech-Language-Hearing, and Physical Therapy), you can use your skills in a real-life setting. You will see firsthand how cutting-edge research is translated into patient care. UD is home to the #1 graduate Physical Therapy program in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. 
• Internships and research opportunities with world-class faculty studying cancer, infant mobility, stroke rehabilitation, Parkinson’s disease, concussions, brain injuries, and cardiovascular health put you on the front lines of discovery.
• Simulation exercises like disaster drills and labor and delivery scenarios use teams of people from all health care disciplines, in addition to state-of-the-art equipment, to mimic experiences you will have in the workforce. Our Healthcare Theatre gives health care students opportunities to bring these scenarios to life.
• First Step Experience provides mentorship for students from all disciplines who identify an important health-related, societal, or environmental problem and work to develop an innovative solution.

What is special about the University of Delaware?
At the University of Delaware, we challenge students to work toward the advancement of knowledge, making innovations that will ensure a better future. Our students and faculty don’t just spend their time in the classroom—they get into the lab, the library, and the community to make their ideas a reality, advancing cancer research, drafting health care policies, uncovering history—making history.

UD Honors Program
At UD, we offer an Honors Program that combines small class sizes with rigorous coursework to prepare you to become a scholar capable of tackling the toughest challenges of our day. Honors students also enjoy additional funding opportunities for field research and travel and are provided the chance to live in a collaborative honors community.

A focus on success
According to MSNBC, UD is ranked a top 25 US public college that “Pays Off the Most.” In fact, 94% of our CHS students are either employed or pursuing additional education within six months of graduation. (See udel.edu/outcomes for more details.) Plus, they are prepared to enter the workforce right away—for example, 96% of our Nursing graduates passed the National Council Licensure Exam for Nurses the first time they took it. The University of Delaware is far more than a school, far more than a university; it’s an institution that challenges you to dream up your own big ideas and pushes you to use those ideas to shape a world whose future is brighter because you have engaged in the fight to make it so.