History
The school was first established in 1920, as part of the drive for improved education which arose out of the March 1st Movement. Its founder was Cha Mirisa (차미리사, 1880-1955), an educator and leader of the Joseon Women's Education Society. At the time it was known as the Geunhwa Academy. Because the name Geunhwa (근화, 槿花) refers to the Korean national flower, it was changed to "Duksung" under pressure from Japanese authorities in 1938.
Duksung was officially founded as a college, on the site of the Unhyeongung palace, in 1950. During this same year, on May, 17 Duksung Woman's Junior College was established. As well as, the opening of a department of Korean literature and a department of domestic science. Dr. Song Geum-seon took the office as the 1st president of the school. It became a four-year college in 1952. In 1984, the main campus was moved to its present location in Dobong-gu. The college became a university in 1987.
Founder : Ms. Cha Mirisa
1880(Gojong 17) - 1955, a feminist and educator Ms. Cha Mirisa(1880-1955), a precursor of national educational movement of modern Korea, thought that to restore the independence of Korea, the independence movement through education is in need in the first place, especially the education for woman in desperate needs. Accordingly, Ms. Cha, following the resolutions for the independence in 3.1 independence movement, organized 'Joseon Society for Women's Education' in 1920 with a view to providing the educational opportunities to the women in Korea, lending a small chapel on 19th of April of the year to start to run a small night class to teach the alienated women out of education. In Oct. of 1921, she established "Geunhwa Women's School" with the contributions collected from some lectures, assuming the office as a schoolmistress. She frequently held the lectures, the musical concerts, the plays, and the bazaars to raise a fund to maintain and develop further the school with no supports from Joseon Government-general or the foreign missionaries.
In Feb. of 1934, she established a foundation named Geunhwa School, inaugurated as a chief director. And from the thought that a woman has to have some occupation to lead her life independently, she expanded and developed further "Geunhwa Woman's School" into "Geunhwa Woman's Vocational School." After this, due to the insistence of the Japanese imperialists that Geunhwa represents Korea's national flower of an althea, the name of the school had to be changed into "Duksung School." As the nation restored its independency in 1945, she moved forward with the plan to establish a higher educational institution for woman she had in mind for a long period of time, eventually establishing "Duksung Woman's Junior college"(presently "Duksung Woman's University). As mentioned above, she devoted herself to the education of and the right extension of the women who were alienated socially and economically. Ms. Cha Mirisa was conferred posthumous honors as a Meritorious Person for National Independence (the Order of Merit for National Foundation, National Medal) in 2002, the year of 57th anniversary of the restoration of national independency.
School History
Establishment of the school and development against suppressions from the Japanese Imperialists (1920-1944)
1920. Establishment of Geunhwa School (presently, Duksung School) by Ms. Cha Mirisa
1938. Change the name of "Geunhwa" into "Duksung"
1945. Reorganize Duksung Woman's Vocational School into Duksung Girls' Junior High and Senior High School Convert into an academic school (1945-1952)
1950. Establishment of Duksung Woman's Junior College. Opening a department of Korean literature a department of domestic science. Dr. Song Geum-seon took the office as the 1st president of the school
1951. Took Refuge in Busan, beginning a semester there
1953. Return to the School in Seoul along as the government returned to the capital Growth and Rapid Progress (1953-1980)
1955. Divide the school into a day college and a night college. Reorganize the day college into a department of Korean Literature, a department of English Literature, a department of Domestic Science, a department of Music, and a department of pharmacy. Newly establish a department of Korean Literature, a department of English Literature and a department of Domestic Science in the night college
1956. Hold the 1st commencement
1961. Establish a graduate school. Establish the master's courses in English and English Literature, l Domestic Science and Pharmacy. Dr. Song Geum-sun took the office as a dean of the graduate school
1980. Newly establish a department of German language and literature, a department of Japanese language and literature, a department of history, a department of trade, a department of mathematics and a department of chemistry. Increase the graduation quota to 980.
Period of Remarkable Prosperity (1981-1990)
1982. Completion of the building of fine art department (2,471.5 pyeong) in Ssangmun-dong Campus. Removal of a college of fine arts to SSangmun-dong Campus
1984. Opening a continuing education center in Uni-dong Campus
1988. Abolition of the night college, newly Establish a department of Chinese language and literature, a department of philosophy and a department of statistics New Education of a New Era (1991-2001)
1996. Completion of a grand lecture building (1,639 pyeong), the building for the department of early childhood education (643 pyeong), a power plant (439 pyeong), the front stands of the campus playground (172 pyeong), a dormitory building (1,083 pyeong, extended)
1997. Dr. Kim Yong-rae took the office as the 4th president. Introduction and enforcement of the faculty system. Newly establish art history major, anthropology major, economics major, social works major and politics major. Change the name of a department of library science into a department of library and information science. Reorganize the department of industrial art into an interior design major, a visual design major, and a dyeing and textile design major in the collage of art 1999. Getting an university accreditation (the colleges and graduate schools) at the general university evaluation in the academic year of 1998
1999. Reorganize a college of humanity and social science (a division of Humanity and Social science, a department of early childhood education) into a college of liberal arts (a division of liberal arts, a division of language and literature, a department of English and English literature), a college of social science (a division of economics and commerce, a division of social science, a department of early childhood education). Rename major in clothing and textile into major in clothing and design, and major in dyeing and textile design into major in textile arts.
New Take-off (2002 - )
2002. Ms. Cha Mirisa was selected as a Meritious Person for National Independence to be conferred posthumously the Order of Merit for National Foundation
2003. Dr. Shin Sangjeon took the office as the 6th president Ranked in a 3rd place in total scores among the universities with the enrolled students below 8,000 at a national university evaluation carried by Jungang Daily in 2003
2005. Completion of Chamirisa Memorial building equipped with cutting-edge facilities in computer science, language, and liberal education (4,310 pyeong, 4-story above ground, 1 underground)
2006. Inauguration of the former minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality, Eun-Hee Chi as the 7th president of the university.
2006. Completion of DukSung Language Center that offers multi-media language education and humanity education (6,307.49㎡, 6-story above ground, 1 underground) Selected by University News Network as the winner of grand prize in educational innovation division for 2006
2007. Establishment of Human Resources Development Institute Rewarded by Ministry of Education Science and Technology as Excellent in Education
2008. Selected as Best University in Early Childhood Education by Korean Educational Development Institute
2009. Ranked first place in faculty research and publications among women universities
2010. Construction of Duksung Hana Nuri Hall & Raon Center Celebration of 90th commencement
2011. Ground breaking ceremony for construction of College of Pharmacy
MOU agreement with UN women
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