How to Apply to the Dean's Scholar Program

A student interested in becoming a Dean's Scholar in the College of Arts and Sciences will meet first with Program Director to discuss the student's general questions concerning the Dean's Scholar Program. At the meeting, the student's specific educational goals and their relationship to existing academic curricula and programs will be discussed. If the discussion indicates that the student's needs will, indeed, be best met through an individual plan of study, the student will then be referred to one or more faculty members at the University who would be appropriate advisors to guide the student's proposal development and work with the student in independent studies, graduate course work, research, foreign experience, internships and other discovery-learning experiences as appropriate.

 Dean's Scholar advisors are faculty whose research and professional expertise enable them to further the particular student's intellectual, academic and professional goals. They usually come from more than one academic department or even college and each provides a perspective needed for the proposed plan of study. At least one faculty advisor must come from the academic department whose discipline most closely relates to the student's desired program.

It is expected that the development of the proposal will involve substantial interaction between the student and these advisors. In consultation with the advisors, the candidate will formally apply to the program by submitting an application which includes a detailed proposal of the course of study and the names of at least three faculty who each agree to serve as the applicant's Dean's Scholar Program advisors. Each of these faculty members must submit a Dean's Scholar Advisor agreement.

The proposal should present, clearly and cogently: 

1. A statement of the focal question, issue, and/or goals driving the student's plan; 
2. an evaluation of why existing options are insufficient in addressing this issue and an explanation of the choice of courses listed in (3); 
3. a detailed outline of specific courses, independent study, research projects, internships, etc. that will constitute the proposed plan of study; and 
4. an explanation of the role of each individual faculty advisor in the applicant's Dean's Scholar program.

Please note: If the applicant expects to earn a major or the "spirit" of a major, a supporting letter from the chair of the department must be included.

College of Arts and Sciences applicants must also submit a transcript and expect to be interviewed by the College's Dean's Scholar Committee.

Proposals and all supporting material, when complete, should be sent as attachments to:  Chantelle Batson​, Dean's Office, College of Arts and Sciences, via cbatson@udel.edu.

Application deadlines and review - Candidates will be interviewed. Successful proposals will be approved by the Dean's Scholar Committee. Deadlines for receipt of all materials in the Dean's Office are October 15 and March 15. 

Download and print application materials:​

• Dean's Scholar Program Application.doc
• Dean's Scholar Program Faculty Agreement.doc