Duke University
Get to know Duke University
School Profile
Urban campus setting
6,543 undergraduate students
10,612 graduate students
1,739 first-year students
Students hail from 50 U.S. states and territories and 100 countries
Academics
52 majors, 52 minors and 23 certificates
Student-to-faculty ratio 8:1
70% of classes have fewer than 15 students
Introduction to Duke University
Duke is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, one of the nation’s best cities to learn, eat, play, and live. With a thriving high-tech community, a flourishing art scene, and a food culture rivaling major metropolitan areas, Durham is a great home for Duke University and its students.
The majority of undergraduate students live on campus and all first-year students live together on Duke’s historic East Campus, which fosters a particularly close-knit community. As a part of this community, Duke students have performed over 1 million hours of community service, created over 400 student clubs and more than 100 arts organizations, received 49 Rhodes Scholarships, and won 174 ACC championships and 17 NCAA team national championships.
At Duke, interdisciplinary study is central to the academic experience. The most popular majors at Duke are Computer Science, Public Policy, Biology, Economics, and Psychology. In addition to an extensive range of majors, minors, and concentrations, the university offers Program II, an innovative curriculum that gives you flexibility and empowers you to design your own learning experience through research and exploration.
All undergraduates participate in research during their time at Duke, and 53% of undergraduates will participate in an additional faculty research study. Duke’s Innovation Co-Lab is a creativity incubator that uses new and emerging technologies to reshape the research, academic and service missions of the university. DukeEngage provides funding for students who wish to pursue an immersive, 8-week service experience by meeting a community need locally, domestically, or internationally. Students participate in civic engagement activities such as environmental advocacy, global health, social justice, and education.
Did you know? The cities of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill are known as North Carolina’s Research Triangle, as it boasts one of the largest concentrations of PhD’s, MD’s, and engineers in the world.
83% of students go beyond their major to earn at least another major, minor, or certificate.
Duke students have an 86% medical school acceptance rate, which is twice the national average. Students have a 98% law school acceptance rate and a 99% business school admit rate.