The graduate student body is growing.

This fall, UD welcomed 1,177 new graduate students to campus—a nearly 4 percent increase from last year—bringing the current graduate enrollment to 3,473 students. The University is projected to receive more than 5,000 applications for graduate student admission during the current academic year.

“The University offers programs of excellence that are designed to prepare our graduate students for leading positions in research, teaching and public service,” Carolyn Thoroughgood, vice provost for research and graduate studies, says. “The depth and quality of these programs attract students from across the United States and overseas.”

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies UD as a research university with very high research activity, a designation accorded to fewer than 3 percent of the more than 4,300 degree-granting institutions in the United States.

UD offers 43 doctoral and 110 master’s degree programs and, in 2006, produced 232 doctoral graduates and awarded 690 master’s degrees.

The newest graduate students, generally expected to complete their degrees within two years for the master’s degree and within four to five years for the doctorate, not only will increase their knowledge and expertise in their chosen field, but also will make important contributions to the University’s research and scholarship missions while they are here, according to Thoroughgood.

“As these students conduct original research in pursuit of their degrees, they will play a critical role in the process of discovery and invention, which enhances the energy and innovation of the entire institution,” she says. “The University is committed to providing our graduate students with a first-class education. They are a vital part of our UD family, and exciting opportunities lie ahead.”

Of the 1,177 new graduate students, 772 are master’s students, 86 are students in special master’s-level outreach programs, and 319 are doctoral students. Eight hundred fifty-eight of the students are U.S. citizens, and the international students represent 54 different countries.

According to Mary Martin, UD assistant provost for graduate studies, the largest representation of international applicants this year is from China (43 percent), followed by India (27 percent) and Korea (5 percent).

“We have a very diverse graduate student population at UD,” Martin says. “A slight majority are women, and nearly one-third are Delaware residents. More than 10 percent of our graduate students are from minority groups, and international students comprise about one-quarter of our graduate enrollment.”

For more information on graduate programs, visit [www.udel.edu/gradoffice].