College Programs in New Castle County, Delaware

Wesley College New Castle:
Wesley College New Castle is an accredited United Methodist institution of higher education offering adult education in New Castle, Delaware, approximately 6 miles south of Wilmington. Established in 1999, we offer non-traditional programs for adults who want to earn their undergraduate degree or graduate degree without sacrificing their career and personal responsibilities. We offer academic programs in the areas of business, liberal studies, nursing and teaching - ranging from associate's degree level to master's degree level for both US and international students.

Academic Programs - Undergraduate & Graduate Degrees:
Wesley College New Castle offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in business administration, education, nursing and liberal studies. While each program has specific entrance and graduation requirements, they are all designed to help you put your education immediately to work.

Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies:
This program provides a comprehensive education in Wesley's core curriculum and gives students the foundation for successfully completing their bachelor's degree at Wesley College New Castle. This program gives the student the ability to move seamlessly into any 4 year program upon completion.

Admission to Wesley's Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies program requires:

1. Proof of high school graduation or equivalent (GED)
2. A score of 550 or above on the TOEFL for applicants whose native language is not English

We also recommend a minimum age of 21 for the student to be able to complete the program most efficiently.

Graduation Requirements: 
1.Successful completion of a total of 64 semester credit hours, which must include 38 hours that satisfy the Wesley associate core curriculum and 26 credits in business
2. A minimum grade point average of 2.0
3. Payment of all tuition and fees

Associate of Science in Business:
With Wesley's Associate of Science in Business (ASB), students may earn their entire degree at Wesley College New Castle. This program can be completed in just over two years.

Admission to Wesley's Associate of Science with a Concentration in Business program requires:

1. Proof of high school graduation or equivalent (GED)
2. Two years of relevant work experience
3. A score of 550 or above on the TOEFL for applicants whose native language is not English

We also recommend a minimum age of 21 for the student to be able to complete the program most efficiently.

Graduation Requirements:
1. Successful completion of a total of 64 semester credit hours, which must include 38 hours that satisfy the Wesley associate core curriculum and 26 credits in business
2. A minimum grade point average of 2.0
3. Payment of all tuition and fees

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Administration:
Through Wesley College New Castle’s Bachelor of Business Administration degree, students will master business concepts and develop leadership skills that include training in organizational leadership and a capstone project that focuses on actual issues senior employees face.

Requirements
1. Completion of Associate of Science, Business Concentration of 64 credits
2. Completion of 24 specified major course credits
3. Completion of 18 credit hours in the Management concentration
4. Completion of 18 credit hours in general electives

Master of Business Administration (MBA):
This program is designed for professionals who want to combine a focus on business theory with practical business experiences. Students may select a concentration in either Executive Leadership or Sustainability. Wesley's 22-month Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is designed for professionals who want to combine a mastery of business theory with practical business experience. With this combination, our students enhance their professional skills and gain an advantage in the workplace.

Special Features:  
The MBA program balances case studies and quantitative analysis in a macro context of global business and international organizations with practical work-based projects.

- Faculty includes both full-time professors and practitioner-scholars who are active in their fields.
- Wesley MBA students come from a variety of backgrounds, which enhances the comprehensive character of class discussion.
- The Wesley MBA is offered in an accelerated format. Concentrations are available in Executive Leadership and Sustainability.
- The Executive Leadership concentration is designed for fully employed students with significant work experience

Master of Arts (MA) in Teaching:
Wesley's Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program provides a convenient way for working professionals with a baccalaureate degree to become certified teachers for grades 7-12. 

Special Features:
- Obtain initial certification in secondary education in any secondary education subject area.
- Upon graduation, candidates are eligible for teaching certification with the designation of "highly qualified" in Delaware. This, combined with the reputation of Wesley's education program, helps explain the success of the program—our placement rate is more than 90 percent.
- The program can be completed in three semesters and one summer (1 year and 3 months).
- Candidates gain thorough training in a classroom setting by completing a culminating 14-week supervised student-teaching placement.
- In class, you'll study with Wesley's full-time education faculty, whose experience as teachers and researchers ensures both the continuity and quality of the program and your learning.

To apply, you must submit:
1. Official copies of all undergraduate transcripts (a minimum grade point average of 3.00 is required)
2. Official copies of passing scores (for Delaware) on the PRAXIS I — Reading, Writing and Math
3. Official copies of passing scores (for Delaware) on the PRAXIS II in the content area for which you wish to become certified
4. Two letters of recommendation that can assess your professional aptitude for teaching
5. A completed application that includes a statement of professional goals and a current resume

MAT candidates for the New Castle program are admitted only in the summer or fall semesters because of course sequencing requirements for the methods block (ED 534 and ED 506 MUST precede ED 536 and ED 519)

Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction:
This program gives certified teachers the courses and training to develop as reflective practitioners while learning action research skills that will improve student learning in their own classroom.

Special Features:
- This program offers a thesis-based structure that leads to an MA.Ed. or a non-thesis-based structure that leads to an M.Ed.
- Candidates design a culminating project based on their professional interests and defend it before three department members. Past projects include creating a portfolio demonstrating progress toward personal goals, developing an extensive curriculum project, and designing a self-evaluation piece similar to part of a National Board Certification portfolio.
- Coursework in the program is specifically designed to develop knowledge and skills that meet NCATE and NSDC standards for effective teachers.
- Candidates are assigned a temporary advisor upon acceptance into the program who helps the student develop a set of goals for the program in the areas of planning, delivery, and assessment. Permanent advisors who share the student's interests are assigned later.
- In class, you'll study with Wesley's full-time education faculty, whose experience as teachers and researchers ensures both the continuity and quality of the program and your learning.
- All of Wesley's education programs are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the State of Delaware Department of Education.

To apply to this program, you must:

1. Have a minimum of one full year of teaching
2. Have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
3. Provide evidence of a professional teaching certificate
4. Submit a completed application and official transcripts from all colleges attended
5. Provide two letters of recommendation attesting to your prior professional experience in education
6. Submit a statement of your professional goals and a resume

Master of Science (MSc) in Nursing:
Combining elements of the RN to BSN program with master's level nursing studies, Wesley's RN to MSN program provides rigorous training that builds on—rather than repeats—your current knowledge and skills. The program prepares a clinical nurse specialist who is an advanced practice nurse in the speciality of community health awareness and health promotion.

Special Features:
- Wesley's program is fully accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
- The program follows a career-mobility model that emphasizes expert practice, research, and teaching, and is designed to meet your individual needs.
- Fourteen-week classes and initial summer courses give you time to process and apply your learning in healthcare settings.
- Evening classes meet once each week on the same night for the entire program.
- You'll have opportunities to study abroad, to choose practice in your areas of interest, and to write grants for funding of clinical and research work.
- Nurses with baccalaureate degrees in any field, nurses seeking a second master's degree, and international nurses may apply directly to the graduate component.
- Ninety percent of Wesley's graduate nursing faculty hold doctorates. All are experts in their specialty field and credentialed for certification in their practice areas.
- Faculty include current and former presidents of the Delaware Nurses Association and of the Delaware Board of Nursing, and a fellow in the Academy of Nursing Education. They've also been selected as Nursing Faculty of the Year and are certified educators by the National League for Nursing.
- Recent research projects of our faculty and students have included assessment of outcomes, simulation effectiveness, depression in women, and environmental health issues.

Career Opportunities:  
Graduates of Wesley's RN to MSN program are prepared for roles as clinical specialists, educators, consultants, and researchers in nursing and healthcare professions. They're also eligible to pursue their doctorate in nursing. In fact, many of our graduates are full-time faculty members at colleges and universities from Delaware to Alaska. One of our graduates became a nurse entrepreneur after graduating from the program and now owns more than six diagnostic sleep centers in Delaware.

Internships:  
Students must have a minimum of 500 hours of practicum experience to graduate from the program. Our students complete practice in hospitals, state agencies, and other healthcare environments across the Delmarva Peninsula.