Academic Possibilities

Curriculum for the Curious

There’s no right or wrong way to navigate the Duke academic experience within our two undergraduate schools—Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and Pratt School of Engineering. You can combine disciplines or delve into a specialized study. You can research, write, act, compete, create, calculate, or champion—because at Duke, we believe that growth comes from exploration.

Academic Pillars

The Duke Way of Thinking

Thinking creatively to solve problems is both a gift and a learned skill. Duke’s academic philosophy helps develop innovation by encouraging you to shape your own experience, to think way outside the box, to practice what you’re learning outside the classroom, all over the world.

students walking across West Campus in the fall — Students make their way through West Campus during an afternoon class change.

Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

AN EDUCATION DESIGNED FOR EXPLORATION

Every Duke undergraduate student takes classes in Trinity College—it serves as Duke’s liberal arts core. Trinity College classes span the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences to encourage you to think deeply within disciplines and broadly across them, with a healthy balance of tradition and innovation.

Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

students collaborating with professor in a classroom — Patrick Douthit, aka 9th Wonder, teaches *Introduction to Hip-Hop Production*.

female students holding a ballet bar in a dance studio — Dance class in The Ark on East Campus.

students observing cacti in the Duke greenhouse — Duke undergraduate students in Bio 202 tour the Duke greenhouses.

Pratt School of Engineering

ENGINEERS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As an engineer at Duke, you will learn to solve problems by combining all the best knowledge of every academic discipline. Most importantly, you will be inspired and equipped to make a difference in the world by generating creative solutions to complex problems.

Pratt School of Engineering

two students racing in a self-built motor car — Two Duke students race in a self-build motor car.

Academic Paths

Majors, Minors & Certificates

Duke University offers 53 majors, 52 minors and 23 certificates. With the ability to create combinations of the three, you have 437,989 unique academic combinations available.

Majors

African & African American Studies
Art History
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Biology
Biomedical Engineering*
Biophysics
Brazilian and Global Portuguese Studies
Chemistry
Civil Engineering*
Classical Civilization
Classical Languages
Computer Science
Cultural Anthropology
Dance
Earth and Climate Sciences
Economics
Electrical and Computer Engineering*
English
Environmental Engineering*
Environmental Sciences
Environmental Sciences and Policy
Evolutionary Anthropology
French Studies
Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies
German
Global Cultural Studies
Global Health**
History
Interdepartmental Major
Interdisciplinary Engineering & Applied Science (IDEAS)
International Comparative Studies
Italian & European Studies
Linguistics
Marine Science & Conservation
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering*
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Music
Neuroscience
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Program II (self-designed degree, BA or BS)
Psychology
Public Policy Studies
Religious Studies
Romance Studies
Russian
Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Sociology
Spanish, Latin American, and Latino/a Studies
Statistical Science
Theater Studies
Visual Arts
Visual and Media Studies

**Only available as a second major.

Minors

African & African American Studies
Art History
Asian American & Diaspora Studies
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Biology
Brazilian and Global Portuguese Studies
Chemistry
Cinematic Arts
Classical Archaeology
Classical Civilization
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Computer Science
Creative Writing
Cultural Anthropology
Dance
Earth and Climate Sciences
Economics
Education
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Energy Engineering*
English
Environmental Sciences and Policy
Evolutionary Anthropology
Finance
French Studies
Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies
German
Global Cultural Studies
Global Health
Greek
History
Inequality Studies
Italian Studies
Latin
Linguistics
Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
Marine Science & Conservation
Mathematics
Medical Sociology
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Music
Musical Theater
Neuroscience
Philosophy
Photography
Physics
Polish Culture and Language
Political Science
Psychology
Religious Studies
Russian and East European Literatures in Translation
Russian Culture and Language
Sociology
Spanish Studies
Statistical Science
Theater Studies
Visual Arts
Visual and Media Studies

Certificates

A certificate is an interdisciplinary program of study similar in its requirements to a minor.

Aerospace Engineering*
Architectural Engineering*
Child Policy Research
Decision Sciences
Digital Intelligence
Documentary Studies
East Asian Studies
Energy and the Environment
Ethics & Society
Global Development Engineering*
Health Policy
Human Rights
Information Science + Information Studies
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Islamic Studies
Jewish Studies
Latin American Studies
Latino / Latina Studies in the Global South
Markets & Management
Materials Science & Engineering
Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Policy Journalism and Media Studies
Robotics & Automation*
Science & the Public
Sustainability Engagement

*Only offered to students pursuing an engineering degree from the Pratt School of Engineering.

Academic Possibilities

83%

of Duke students pursue more than one major

Create Your Own Degree Program

Program II

an individualized degree program where students design their major

Learn More

Undergraduate Research

A COMMUNITY THAT NEVER STOPS QUESTIONING

As one of the country’s premier research institutions, Duke encourages original inquiry and independent thought. In fact, our undergraduate students have made major research discoveries and pioneered new directions of thought across disciplines—from art history to economics to biology. As an undergraduate, research can complement your coursework, help you explore career options, and allow you to establish meaningful relationships with faculty and peers.

Research Opportunities

53%

undergraduates graduate with research experience

Research Funding

$800

million spent on Duke research each year

International Opportunities

DUKE IN THE WORLD

With 200+ programs to choose from across every subject area, more than half of Duke students study away before they graduate. Others go global for service, research, and interdisciplinary investigation through programs like DukeEngage, Duke Immerse, Bass Connections, and Duke Engineers for International Development. Our Global Education Office advisors are here to help you plan and prepare for an international experiential education.

Service

393

DukeEngage participants in 2019

Global Learning

43

Duke-In programs taught by Duke faculty

Research

249

Bass Connections partnerships across 33 countries