University of Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa
The University of Dubuque is a private University affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It was founded in 1852 by Dutch immigrant Adrian Van Vliet to educate German-speaking ministers who could communicate with incoming immigrants. In 1902, new programs emerged to form what is now the University of Dubuque.
The University is continually expanding in order to adapt to the world’s ever-changing social, economic, and academic challenges. In line with its new, strategic mission, the University of Dubuque has kickstarted a variety of initiatives to help increase enrollment, improve academic programs, and beautify the campus with contemporary building projects. Over the past 20 years, the University has invested over $250 million in new campus construction and renovations. During this period, UD’s enrollment has grown by over 400% from about 550 students to nearly 2,300. Representing 43 states and 22 countries, its student population puts UD on the map as one of the most diverse private colleges in Iowa.
Get to know University of Dubuque
Benefits
Student Activities
- Campus Ministries
- Choral groups
- Concert band
- Dance
- Drama/theatre
- International Student Organization
- Jazz band
- Music ensembles
- Musical theatre
- Pep band
- Student government
- Student newspaper
- Yearbook
High-Impact Practices
- First-Year Seminars and Experiences
- Common Intellectual Experiences
- Learning Communities
- Writing-Intensive Courses
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Undergraduate Research
- Diversity/Global Learning
- Service-Learning, Community-Based Learning
- Internships/Coops/Practicums
- Capstone Courses and Projects/Senior Experience
College Highlights
The University of Dubuque offers 31 areas of study as well as graduate programs in business, communication, physician assistant, and theology. The most popular programs at the University include Aviation, Natural and Applied Sciences, Business Administration and Marketing, Education, and Health Wellness and Sport Marketing Management.
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS
The Joseph and Linda Chlapaty Summer Research Fellowship and Butler Fellowship are two examples of the research opportunities available to UD students. These fellowships help prepare undergraduate students for their postgraduate pursuits, no matter their discipline of study. Each year, over 30 upperclassmen are awarded a fellowship to conduct research over the course of a summer. The University of Dubuque works hard to ensure that these awards cover the costs of research supplies and travel, giving students free reign to explore and inquire within their area of study.
WORLD VIEW SEMINAR
The University’s World View Seminars (WVS) are a series of four courses that challenge students to better understand a world of various cultures. Students work together to discuss what is means to live lives of purpose, analyzing how faith and values contribute to today’s diverse society.
OTHER SERVICES
The University of Dubuque commits to helping each student, regardless of need, feel comfortable and at home. For example, Disability Services provides the necessary accommodations to differently abled students so that they may live comfortably throughout UD’s campus. Additionally, the TRIO/Student Support Services facility brings students from disadvantaged backgrounds in touch with federal programs that provide multiple services and opportunities to help them thrive.
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 5%
Hispanic/Latinx: 9%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 15%
White, non-Hispanic: 63%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 3%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 3%
THE DIAMOND EDUCATION MODEL.
The University of Dubuque developed Diamond—an education model that focuses all classroom learning around four key principles: Academics, Stewardship, Vocation, and Community and Character. These features of Diamond set the standards for committed faculty and staff involvement, exciting and relevant course content, and inspirational spiritual guidance. Diamond helps students reach their full potential by promoting an environment that is student centered and individually focused. Students are prepared to manage change by building confidence, developing flexibility, and encouraging critical thinking.
FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE
The University of Dubuque’s First-Year Experience eases students’ transitions into collegiate academics and expectations. The first-year curriculum orients students to the rigor of upper-level coursework, all while building a community of new friends by way of the experiences they share with their peers. With the support of an enthusiastic community, new UD students are challenged to further build upon their gifts through academic inquiry, their social interactions, and spiritual exploration as they discover their place within a diverse campus community.
To kick off the First-Year Experience, the Bridge Program is designed to assist new students who need additional assistance transitioning to college life. This program bolsters students’ success with study-skills classes, bi-weekly study labs, online tutoring, and peer mentoring.
SPECIAL STUDY OPTIONS
Programs available at this institution.
Accelerated program
Cross-registration
Distance learning
Double major
Dual enrollment
Honors Program
Independent study
Internships
Student-designed major
Study abroad
Teacher certification program
CAMPUS LIFE
The University of Dubuque’s campus is home to approximately 2,300 students from 43 states and 22 countries. Its faculty and staff strive to create a learning environment that is just as welcoming as it is challenging. Students have the opportunity to participate in more than 60 student organizations and clubs, approximately 25 intramural sports, and 23 varsity athletic teams. They may also take on an ample selection of volunteer opportunities and attend multiple Chapel services during the week.
STUDENT HOUSING AND FACILITIES
Comfortable living is a given at the University of Dubuque. Three modern, ecologically sustainable dorms cater specifically to first-year students, providing an extra platform for new friendships to form twenty-four hours a day. These dorms, among other residence halls, apartments, and townhomes, become bedrocks for community. Each on-campus residence hall acts as a base for close-knit relationships and activities.
UD’s housing options aren’t the only notable buildings on campus; since 1998, the University has invested over $250 million into construction and renovations that integrate contemporary green spaces in with the the city’s historic architecture.
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 88%
Undergraduates: 45%
Campus housing options.
Coed Dorms
Apartments for married students
Apartments for single students
Special housing for disabled students
SMALL TOWN SETTING. BIG TOWN FEEL.
Nestled along the scenic Mississippi River, Dubuque is home to the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, the Dubuque Museum of Art, a variety of shops and restaurants, event venues, and more. The city of nearly 60,000 boasts miles of trails for walking, hiking, biking, and many Mississippi waterway and byway activities.
SCHOOL LOCATION
UD is located in Iowa’s oldest city, Dubuque, which is located along the scenic Mississippi River at the intersection of the Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin borders. This central location puts UD students within easy driving distance of cities such as Chicago, IL; Des Moines, IA; Madison, WI; and Rochester, MN.
ATHLETICS
The University of Dubuque is a member of NCAA Division III, a prestigious bracket of more than 180,000 student-athletes from 450 institutions. Today, the University supports 23 teams and numerous intramural sports. Sparty the Spartan is UD’s mascot.
STUDENT SERVICES
Through the University’s Academic Support and Success Center, students can work with an Academic Success Coach to help identify and conquer any barriers that may be affecting their academic performance. The Center also provides peer and professional tutors in business, economics, science, math, aviation regulations, and technology through its “Be Smart” tutor program. Additionally, the UD Writing Center is open to equip students at all skill levels with strategies to engage in the most efficient writing processes possible.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES
UD students are challenged with special programs that enrich, enhance, and extend their academic experiences. A few of the special opportunities students have include single-course, experiential study throughout the abbreviated January Term (J-Term), long- and short-term study abroad, and the prestigious Scholar-Leader Honors Program. Through this Honors Program, driven students are pushed to sharpen their communication, leadership, and critical-thinking skills, training them to develop attributes that are highly valued in the professional world.
ACADEMIC ADVISING
The University provides academic advising services that empower students to make informed decisions about their academic and professional aspirations. Right at the beginning of their first year, each student is assigned a Director of Advising who helps them plan their course schedules and enter the University with a platform for success.
The University’s Center for Vocation and Civic Engagement helps students direct their strengths to real-world experiences outside of the college setting. The Center’s staff guides students to discover their unique strengths and gifts, providing them with insight into their chosen vocation and directing them toward appropriate internships, potential employers, and possible graduate schools.
Admission
ADMISSIONS FACTORS
Very Important
Academic GPA
Important
Standardized test scores | Application Essay | Recommendation(s)
Considered
Rigor of secondary school record | Class rank | Interview
Talent/ability | Character/personal qualities
TEST SCORES
Optional
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 420 | 75th Percentile: 530
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 408 | 75th Percentile: 540
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 17 | 75th Percentile: 23
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 16 | 75th Percentile: 24
ACT English
25th Percentile: 14 | 75th Percentile: 22
Tuition & Cost
Tuition: $35,060
Fees: $1,550
Room: $5,070
Board: $5,060
Contact University of Dubuque
Contact Admissions
Campus Location
2000 University Avenue
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 589-3000