
Delaware Valley University began in 1896 as the National Farm School, founded by Rabbi Joseph Krauskopf to provide practical agricultural education. Its roots help explain why agriculture, animal science, and environmental studies remain prominent alongside business, science, education, and other fields.
The institution later became Delaware Valley College and adopted the name Delaware Valley University in 2015. That change reflected its broader range of undergraduate and graduate programs; it did not replace its emphasis on learning through practical experience.
Delaware Valley University offers undergraduate and graduate study across agriculture, the sciences, business, humanities, and professional fields. Its academic range is broader than its original farm-school mission, although programs connected to animals, food, and the environment remain distinctive parts of the university.
Undergraduate options include animal science, agricultural business, environmental science, biology, criminal justice, and business administration. Graduate study includes education, business, and counseling-related fields. Applicants interested in a licensed profession should check the requirements of the specific program and the state where they intend to work; institutional accreditation alone does not establish professional licensure eligibility.
The university emphasizes experiential learning, which can include internships, research, fieldwork, and other supervised activities. Students comparing majors should ask what experience their particular degree requires, when it is completed, and whether placements involve travel or additional expenses.
Delaware Valley University is in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, in Bucks County. Its campus offers a less urban setting than a Philadelphia college while remaining within reach of the metropolitan area.
Doylestown has regional rail service, but the usefulness of public transportation depends on a student's destination and schedule. Commuters and students arranging internships should check travel times rather than assume that every off-campus opportunity is accessible without a car. Philadelphia International Airport is the principal major airport for longer-distance travel.
Delaware Valley University describes its educational purpose in terms of preparing students through academic study and experience-based learning. Its agricultural origins remain visible in that approach, even as its programs now extend well beyond agriculture.
The university's stated priorities are institutional aims, not evidence that every student has the same experience or outcome. For an applicant, the useful question is how those aims appear in a chosen program: for example, through required fieldwork, access to equipment or facilities, faculty supervision, and the support available for finding an internship.
Name of the institution
Delaware Valley UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
Suburb: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1896Delaware Valley University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of less than 1 year
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarshipData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.