Biden School of Public Policy and Administration

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration

Other name	Biden School
Type	Public
Established	December 11, 2018;7 years ago (2018-12-11)
Parent institution	University of Delaware
Accreditation	NASPAA
Dean	Maria P. Aristigueta
Location	Newark , Delaware , United States
Website	bidenschool.udel.edu

The Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration (also branded as the Biden School) is the public policy school of the University of Delaware, located in Newark, Delaware. The school was announced in December 2018 and named after Joe Biden, later the 46th president of the United States. ^[1]

The school offers three undergraduate programs, ^[2] six master's programs, an online MPA program, ^[3] and four doctorate programs. ^{[4] [5]} The Master in Public Administration program is accredited ^[6] by the National Association of School of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and is also the only MPA program in the state of Delaware to be NASPAA-accredited. ^{[7] [8]}

History

On December 11, 2018, at the semi-annual meeting of the University of Delaware Board of Trustees, the university president Dennis Assanis announced the establishment of the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration. ^[9] Biden is an alumnus of the university, having graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1965. ^[10] The School is the second program on campus named for Biden. In 2017, he founded the university's Biden Institute, a research and policy center whose mission is to make an impact in the fields of women's and civil rights, criminal justice reform, environmental sustainability and economic reform. The Biden Institute will remain a part of the new Biden School. ^{[11] [12]}

The Biden School is one of seven schools of public affairs named for U.S. presidents. Funds have been raised for a building on campus to house the program. Some donors to the Biden Presidential Library. a separate entity, have urged that that a modest library be included rather than building a stand alone center. ^[13]

Centers

The Biden School has six research and public service centers. ^[14]

• The Biden Institute: In 2017, 46th U.S. President Joe Biden, launched the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware. Biden had said the university was particularly close to his heart and he had been thinking about what he wanted to do after he left office. He wanted to continue his work on female empowerment, civil liberties, economic opportunity for the middle class and other social issues, so his alma mater was a natural fit. ^[15] The Biden Institute, like the University of Pennsylvania's Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, will continue to remain active during Biden's presidency. ^[16]
• Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research (CADSR)
• Center for Community Research and Service (CCRS)
• Center for Energy and Environmental Policy (CEEP)
• Center for Historic Architecture and Design (CHAD)
• Disaster Research Center (DRC)
• Institute for Public Administration (IPA)
• Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca Initiative (SNF Ithaca)

References

1. UD renames School of Public Policy and Admin. for Joe Biden Tom Byrne. Delaware Public Media. December 11, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021
2. Bachelor's and Honors Degree Programs Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. University of Delaware. 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021
3. Master's Degrees - Areas of Study Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. University of Delaware. 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021
4. Doctoral Areas of Study Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. University of Delaware. 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021
5. About the Biden School of Public Policy & Administration Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. University of Delaware. 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021
6. Roster of Accredited Programs NASPAA. Retrieved January 23, 2021
7. Accreditation, Recognition, and Rankings Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. University of Delaware. 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021
8. University of Delaware. Master Of Public Administration NASPAA Accredited. Retrieved January 23, 2021
9. Bothum, Peter. "UD establishes Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration". www.udel.edu. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
10. University of Delaware names public policy school after Joe Biden WHYY. 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021
11. UD’s new School of Public Policy named in honor of Biden Delaware Business Now. December 12, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021
12. New Name, Familiar Face UD Daily. University of Delaware. 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021
13. Fahrenthold, David A. (December 13, 2025). "Biden Has Raised Little of What He Needs to Build a Presidential Library". The New York Times.
14. Research & Public Service Centers Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. University of Delaware. 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021
15. The Biden Institute at the University of Delaware: Written On His Heart PA Times Online. American Society for Public Administration. 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2021
16. Groups with Biden ties pose ethics quandary for his administration Theodoric Meyer. Politico. January 18, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021

External links

• Official website

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