Duke University

duke university accreditation

Degrees Offered at Duke University

Duke University appears in our ranking of 30 Affordable Colleges with the Best Study Abroad Programs.

Students who attend Duke University will choose one of two paths when they enroll in an undergraduate program. Those paths include majors within the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering. When applying to the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, students will choose from 48 majors and join 80 percent of the overall student population at the university. Remaining applicants who choose programs within the Pratt School of Engineering will join 1,200 other undergraduates who receive instruction from nearly 125 faculty members. Students who enroll in engineering and related programs will spend their first year engaged in study abroad, research opportunities, and internships.

The majority of students who attend Duke University choose a minor or certificate program to pursue alongside their major program. Areas of study from the liberal arts school are available in interesting areas like Evolutionary Anthropology, Classical Civilization, French Studies, Linguistics, and Statistical Science. Certificates available to students include those in Sustainability Engagement, Child Policy Research, Jewish Studies, and Documentary Studies. Certificate programs are described by the university as interdisciplinary programs that are very similar to minors in their requirements. The university recommends that students pursue multiple majors, minors, and certificates when they enroll, and students frequently choose a major and minor or a major and certificate to earn concurrently.

For students who choose the engineering path, some of the areas of study available include those in Creative Writing, Earth & Ocean Sciences, French Studies, Brazilian & Global Portuguese Studies, and Global Health. Certificates a student can pursue include Markets & Management Studies, Study of Ethics, Marxism & Society, and Aerospace Engineering. While enrolled in these and other programs, students will have access to a wealth of research opportunities since Duke is the fifth largest research university in the entire country. The university also encourages civic and global engagement in its students with many opportunities to work for local organizations and companies.

Students who choose the online route at Duke University can enroll in degrees from the Duke University School of Nursing, the Pratt School of Engineering, the Fuqua School of Business, and the Duke Divinity School. Available programs include the Doctor of Nursing Practice, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), a Distributed Master of Engineering Management, the Global Executive MBA, and the graduate program in Health Analytics. Students can also pursue a Master of Arts in Christian Practice or a Doctor of Ministry if they want to advance their theological knowledge and career opportunities in the church.

About Duke University

Duke University was founded in 1838 by a group of Quakers and Methodists and was known as Brown School. Over the next several decades, the school would undergo several name changes until a wealthy benefactor named James Buchanan Duke gave the school a large sum of money. To honor his donation, the school changed its name to Duke University. The large campus covers more than 8,600 acres in Durham, North Carolina, and around 15,800 students attend classes at the school’s three contiguous campuses. The official colors of the school are white and Duke blue, and the school’s teams are nicknamed the Blue Devils when they play in NCAA Division I games. The university has graduated several Turing Award winners and Nobel laureates.

Duke University Accreditation Details

Regional accreditation for Duke University is granted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and this accreditation allows the university to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees, as well as professional degrees. The school underwent reaffirmation in 2009 to affirm its accredited status. Programs with programmatic accreditation include the law program, which is accredited by the American Bar Association’s Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar and the physical therapy professional program, which is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. The clinical psychology doctoral program is accredited by the American Psychological Association’s Commission on Accreditation, and the health services administration program at the graduate level is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

Duke University Application Requirements

To begin the application process to Duke University, students will complete the Coalition Application or the Common Application. Duke University requires that students submit standardized test scores from the Act or SAT, as well as a one-page personal essay that is part of the official application document. Also, Duke requires that students complete two questions tailored specifically to the student’s college expectations and goals. Students must also pay an application fee but may qualify for a fee waiver if they can demonstrate financial need. Students will apply to the Pratt School of Engineering or the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and indicate their preferred major at the time of application.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Duke University is a private university and charges the same tuition rate for all students based on their level of study rather than their place of residence. The estimated cost of attendance for Duke University is $75,370, which includes tuition and fees of $55,960, room costs of $8,706, and board charges of $7,238. The university also expects students to pay approximately $3,466 for books, supplies, and personal expenses and that students who don’t live near Duke University will pay extra for transportation costs associated with driving or flying. Meanwhile, the university estimates that graduate students will pay $81,537 a year to attend Duke, which includes tuition of $27,840 each semester, a health fee, and estimated living expenses. Doctoral students are estimated to pay $90,906 per year to attend the university with $59,530 devoted to tuition and the remaining costs devoted to books, supplies, living expenses, and various fees.

Students may apply for financial aid to help with costs associated with attending Duke University, and there are many opportunities to receive financial aid through the university, as well as through federal student loan funding. Not only can students receive grants and scholarships associated with their financial need, but they can also receive money based on their program of choice and their level of study. Scholarships and opportunities a student may qualify for include the Chancellor’s Scholarship, the Dean’s Graduate Fellowship, and the James B. Duke Fellowship. Prospective applicants to any of the programs offered by Duke University should explore the institutional and external scholarships available to reduce the cost of attending the university.