Two-year degree program earns praise
ON THE GREEN | The Associate in Arts Program, UD’s two-year degree program in which most students move on to a bachelor’s degree, has won accolades as one of the most innovative initiatives in the Philadelphia area.
Talent Greater Philly recognized the program in its 2013 Regional Challenge, awarding UD the higher education honor. The challenge highlights institutions working to improve college access and degree completion. It noted that the Associate in Arts Program’s substantially reduced tuition makes it possible for many students to begin their journey toward a bachelor’s degree with a lesser financial burden.
Courses in the program are taught by UD faculty on the campuses of Delaware Technical Community College in Wilmington, Dover and Georgetown.
Students who complete the required coursework earn an associate degree. Courses taken are recorded on the student’s University transcript and count toward completion of a UD bachelor’s degree. The program’s success is notable, far exceeding national degree completion rates. Sixty-four percent of AAP enrollees graduate.
“It’s a two-year liberal arts degree meant to be a gateway to a four-year degree,” says George Watson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
