DePaul University

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From the College

DePaul University is nationally recognized for providing students with a widely respected, immediately applicable education through small classes, highly interactive course work, and an integrated service-learning approach. More than 150 undergraduate degree programs combine practical expertise with classic, broad-based liberal studies, preparing students for both immediate and long-term success. Located in the heart of Chicago, DePaul University offers students unparalleled access to internships and learning opportunities with many of the nation’s top corporations and organizations as well as a rich array of cultural events and institutions. The only one of the nation’s ten largest private universities to make teaching its primary focus, DePaul provides an interactive learning environment through expert instruction and small class sizes. More than 98 percent of classes are taught by faculty members, not teaching assistants, while 97 percent of classes have fewer than 40 students.

In fall 2007, DePaul enrolled 23,401 students, retaining its place as the nation’s largest Catholic university. Of the 3,863 new undergraduates, 2,522 were first-time freshmen. The student body is diverse–about one third of all undergraduates are students of color. The incoming freshmen are also high caliber, with an average high school GPA of 3.4 and more than 20 percent graduating in the top 10 percent of their class.

With a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, students learn from each other through DePaul’s discussion- and project-oriented approach.

In addition to its baccalaureate programs, DePaul offers more than 130 graduate programs, including master’s degrees in accountancy, business, computer science, education, liberal arts and sciences, and music; the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in theater; the Juris Doctor (J.D.); the Master of Law in health law, intellectual property, and taxation; and doctoral programs in computer science, education, philosophy, and psychology.

Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of twenty-three universities nationwide whose service-learning programs lead to student success, DePaul takes full advantage of its Chicago location. Professors have long-lasting professional relationships with corporations, government agencies, cultural and civic organizations, and a wide array of nonprofits. Students tap into these connections for internships, mentors, class projects, professional contacts, and more. Of DePaul’s 130,000 alumni, more than 80,000 reside in the metropolitan area, providing students with a network locally and around the world.

DePaul sponsors nearly 200 student organizations that provide opportunities for leadership, service, professional development, socializing, sports, recreation, and special interests.

Students enjoy the excitement and pride of collegiate sports through the DePaul Blue Demons, who participate in NCAA Division I sports as part of the Big East Conference. Women’s sports include basketball, cross-country, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Men’s sports include basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field. Intramural sports programs, as well as club athletics, also are available throughout the year.

DePaul has six campuses in the Chicago metropolitan area and takes full advantage of its culturally and academically rich environment. The Loop Campus is just blocks from Chicago’s business district, the Art Institute, Orchestra Hall, Millennium Park, and Lake Michigan. The 40-acre Lincoln Park Campus provides a classic residential-college experience surrounded by an urban assortment of stores, theaters, restaurants, and music clubs. From either campus, a short walk or ride on public transit enables students to browse unique shops or visit museums, the zoo, ethnic neighborhoods, and professional sports arenas, such as Wrigley Field.

DePaul’s four suburban campuses (Naperville, Oak Forest, Rolling Meadows, and O’Hare/Des Plaines) provide convenient locations for adult and graduate students to pursue degree programs.

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Commerce, and Bachelor of Science in Education degrees are offered through eight undergraduate colleges. More than 150 undergraduate majors and another ninety-seven minors are available. Double majors and minors may be taken in many areas of study.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers programs in African and black diaspora studies; allied health technologies; American studies; anthropology; art; Asian American studies; biological sciences; Catholic studies; chemistry; Chinese studies; cities; community service studies; economics; English; environmental science; environmental studies; French; geographic information systems; geography; German; history; history of art and architecture; international studies; Irish studies; Islamic world studies; Italian; Japanese studies; Latin American and Latino studies; Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Transgender/Queer studies; mathematical sciences; mathematics and computer science; media and design; nursing (for registered nurses/B.S.N. completion only); peace, conflict, resolution, and social justice; philosophy; physics; political science; preprofessional studies (dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, osteopathy, veterinary medicine); professional writing; psychology; public policy (environmental studies, urban studies); religious studies; scientific data analysis and visualization; sociology; Spanish; and women’s and gender studies.

The College of Computing and Digital Media offers programs in animation, computer games development, computer graphics and motion technology, computer science, digital cinema, e-commerce technology, interactive media, information assurance and security engineering, information systems, information technology, math/computer science, and network technology.

The School of Education offers programs in early childhood education, elementary education, music education (joint program with the School of Music), physical education (sport and fitness management and teaching), secondary education (art, biology, chemistry, English, environmental science, history, mathematics, physics, social science), and world languages education (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish).

The College of Commerce offers programs in accountancy, business administration, e-business, economics, finance, management, management information systems, marketing, and real estate.

The College of Communication offers programs in communication and media, communication studies, public relations and advertising, media and cinema studies, and journalism.

The School of Music offers programs in composition, jazz studies, music education, music performance, performing arts management, and sound recording technology.

The Theatre School offers programs in acting, costume design, costume technology, dramaturgy/criticism, lighting design, playwriting, scenic design, sound design, stage management, theater arts, theater management, and theater technology.

The School for New Learning (SNL) offers customized degree programs for adults 24 years or older. Students are responsible for designing their own programs and may receive credit for work experience. SNL’s Chronic Illness Initiative Inside Track is offered to students ages 18–23 who have chronic illnesses, enabling them to earn a bachelor’s degree while managing their symptoms and special needs.

Students interested in pursuing engineering have the opportunity to complete a five-year joint program with the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). This dual-degree program includes three years of study at DePaul and two years at an accredited school of engineering.

Each college follows the liberal studies program, which has two components. The first, called the common core, emphasizes communication, quantitative skills, and intellectual abilities and introduces the University’s small-group, highly interactive educational approach. The second part, learning domains, focuses mainly on the subjects that make up the classic liberal arts and sciences curriculum. Breadth of learning is assured by requiring students to do course work in six learning domains: arts and literature; philosophical inquiry; religious dimensions; scientific inquiry; self, society, and the modern world; and understanding the past.

The liberal studies curriculum is integrated into each year of study at DePaul. Students complete a sophomore multiculturalism requirement, junior experiential learning requirement, and senior capstone requirement.

The academic year comprises three quarters. Incoming freshmen may enter with previously earned credit from Advanced Placement, CLEP, or International Baccalaureate. Incoming transfer students may combine earned credit through credit by exam and transferable credit hours from two-year institutions (up to 99 quarter hours/66 semester hours) and from four-year institutions (up to 132 quarter hours/88 semester hours). In some cases, degree requirements can be completed in three years. Advanced undergraduates may take graduate courses. Undergraduates in any college may apply to the Honors Program, which emphasizes cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspectives with a challenging curriculum that satisfies the required liberal studies core. (Program participation is noted on the students’ transcripts.) College-specific honors programs also are offered in accountancy, computer science, finance, and marketing.

DePaul University has study-abroad programs in numerous locations throughout the world. Students study in Australia, Belgium, China, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Spain, and Turkey–just to name a few. DePaul sponsors full-year and short-term study tours in order to accommodate students’ interests and academic program requirements.

The DePaul Center, a $70-million teaching, learning, research, and student services complex, is the cornerstone of the six-building Loop Campus. The CDM Center, home of the College of Computing and Digital Media, offers more than a dozen specialized labs as well as a new digital animation studio. The Merle Reskin Theatre provides a 1,400-seat performance space for the theater and music schools. Wireless networks and other technological upgrades have been implemented at most other academic facilities at all campuses.

All the academic and residential facilities on the 40-acre Lincoln Park Campus are either new or recently rehabbed. Notable buildings include the student center, Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center, Richardson Library, and Sullivan Athletic Center. A state-of-the-art $40-million science building is scheduled for completion in November 2008. McGowan South is the second science facility at DePaul names after Msgr. Andrew J. McGowan and is the future home of the Departments of Chemistry and Environmental Science. Students will begin classes in the new building in January 2009.

DePaul offers students cutting-edge technology resources, including computer labs, with more than 1,200 computers for student use, free e-mail and Internet access, online registration and tuition payment services, and in-class technology resources designed to enrich course offerings. Many courses use the University’s innovative Course OnLine technology, enabling students to study or make up missed classes by seeing and hearing everything that happened in the classroom.

For the 2008–09 academic year, full-time tuition for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Commerce, the College of Communication, and the School of Education is $25,490. Tuition for the College of Computing and Digital Media is $25,770. Tuition is $28,625 for the School of Music and the Theatre School–tuition for both schools is guaranteed for four years. Average room and board costs for 2008–09 are $10,200.

DePaul structures its financial aid program to assist as many students as possible. Scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities are awarded singly or, more commonly, are combined in a financial aid package to meet the demonstrated financial need of the student. About 70 percent of full-time DePaul undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid. Merit scholarships for freshmen and transfer students are based on academic and extracurricular accomplishments. Institutional competitive scholarships for freshmen, with values ranging from $4000 to $14,000 per year for four years, are based on consideration of class rank, grade point average, and SAT or ACT scores, without regard to need. Select freshmen admitted for the fall term are invited to apply upon admission for service and leadership scholarships with values ranging from $8500 to $14,000. Institutional scholarships for transfer students range from $2000 to $7000 and may be awarded to students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above and a minimum of 30 semester (44 quarter) hours of transferable credit before enrolling at DePaul. All other financial aid programs, except art, athletic, music, and theater talent awards, are based primarily on need.

Students who wish to apply for aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the DePaul application for admission. Application and notification of aid decisions are on a rolling basis. Students are encouraged to apply before March 1 to receive maximum consideration.

In the fall of 2007, about 88 percent of the full-time faculty members held a doctoral degree or terminal degree in their field. Faculty members are selected for their teaching ability and conduct 98 percent of all university classes. In addition to teaching, DePaul’s faculty members also consult with organizations throughout the metropolitan area and world, engage in research, publish in their fields of expertise, and participate in service.

Current high school students may be considered for admission on the basis of six or more semesters of high school work. However, by the time of enrollment the students must have graduated from an approved secondary school with a minimum of 16 high school units, including 14 of an academic nature. These should include 4 units in English, 3 in mathematics, 2 in laboratory science plus 1 additional science, 2 in social sciences, and 4 additional units of college preparatory subjects. Applicants should rank in the upper half of their class, have a solid GPA, and present strong ACT or SAT scores. Applicants must submit a high school counselor’s recommendation. The School of Music and the Theatre School require auditions or interviews for admission. Advanced placement and credit for dual enrollment while still in high school are available.

Transfer students are welcome. To be considered for admission, transfers must be in good academic standing at the last college/university attended and must have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (C) based on transferable credit. College of Commerce, School of Education, and School of Music applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better; registered nurses interested in the B.S.N. completion program must have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and licensure from the state of Illinois. Students who have completed fewer than 30 semester hours (44 quarter hours) of transferable credit need to submit an official high school transcript and ACT/SAT scores.

For freshman applicants, the early action deadline is November 15. To receive strongest consideration for merit scholarships, students should apply by November 15. Applicants who are admitted under the early action program receive their decision by January 15. The application deadline for regular notification is February 1 and students receive an admission decision by March 15. After February 1, applications are considered on a space-available basis.

Theatre School and School of Music applicants are not eligible to participate in the early action program. Application materials to the School of Music and the Theatre School must be received by January 15. Admission decisions are made by April 1.

Application deadlines for transfer students vary by start term: August 1 for fall (September), November 1 for winter (January), March 1 for spring (March), and May 1 for summer (June). Students who apply for admission after the deadlines will have their application considered on a space-available basis.

Campus visits and overnight stays are available for prospective students. Interested students and their families are encouraged to call the admission office to arrange a visit.

For further information, prospective students should contact: