•AVERAGE: 69
Duke University is a private research university ranked among the best in the nation. The university traces its roots back to 1838 when Trinity College was first established. In 1924 James Buchanan Duke, a member of the Duke family that built a global financial empire in the manufacture of tobacco products and electricity production, created The Duke Endowment which allowed Trinity College to expand and change its name to Duke University in honor of Duke’s deceased father, Washington Duke. Located on a beautiful 9,000 acre campus in Durham, North Carolina, Duke boasts a number of beautiful and impressive campus features including the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, a 55 acre plot of landscaped and woodland gardens in the heart of Duke’s West Campus, and Duke Chapel which features an impressive 210-foot tower and a 50-bell carillon which is played at the end of every workday.
Academic Programs
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1895, Duke awards both baccalaureate and graduate-level degrees through their seven colleges and schools. Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, Pratt School of Engineering, Sanford School of Public Policy, and Nicholas School of the Environment grant undergraduate degrees, while Duke’s School of Law, Divinity School, Graduate School, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and Fuqua School of Business provide graduate and professional study programs. Duke’s top five undergraduate majors are Public Policy, Economics, Biology, Biomedical Engineering, and Psychology and the university’s graduate and professional schools are listed among leaders in their fields.Duke University embraces “openness in the pursuit of knowledge” and views education as both a gateway towards personal development as well as a means for improving society. Duke is active internationally through a number of research and education programs across the world and encourages students to be involved in service outreaches at home and abroad. Approximately 75% of students pursue service-learning opportunities in Durham and beyond through DukeEngage and other programs.
Student Life
Nearly 16,000 students are enrolled at Duke University, including over 6,000 undergraduates. Undergraduate students are required to live on campus for the first three years of study, with the exception of a small number of second semester juniors who may be exempted through a lottery system. 85% of undergraduates live on campus and freshmen are housed in one of the school’s several residence halls. Over 400 student-led clubs and organizations exist on campus including numerous student government, special interest, service organizations and cultural groups. Duke’s campus offers several recreational, cultural and performing art facilities including museums and the Page Auditorium which holds the majority of the professional performing arts events that Duke hosts each year.An NCAA Division I-A school, Duke is also part of the Athletic Coast Conference and sponsors over 25 varsity sports teams. Nicknamed the “Blue Devils”, Duke has won numerous national championships in men’s basketball, lacrosse and soccer and women’s golf and tennis. Duke also boasts the Cameron Indoor Stadium, which is considered to be the crown jewel of college basketball.