The National Research Council ranked UD's doctoral programs in biomechanics and movement science, chemical engineering, linguistics and cognitive science, materials science and engineering, and mathematics among the top in their fields overall. In the category of student support/outcomes, which includes such aspects as financial aid, UD's doctoral programs in chemical engineering, English, human development and family studies, oceanography, plant and soil sciences, political science and international relations, and urban affairs and public policy stood in the top tier. In diversity of the academic environment, which considered percentages of female, minority, or international faculty and students, UD's doctoral programs in animal science, art history, biological sciences, linguistics and cognitive science, oceanography, political science and international relations, and urban affairs and public policy won high marks.