About Duke Engineering

Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering is a vibrant teaching and research institution dedicated to educating engineering leaders and pursuing research in high-impact fields to address the world's grand challenges

Mission

Our mission is to provide a rigorous engineering education for both undergraduate and graduate students, enabling them to lead productive, rewarding and ethical lives for the betterment of society.

It is our vision that Duke Engineering students and faculty will be catalysts for generating and integrating knowledge across the disciplines required to address complex issues facing a global society.

We are committed to upholding the mission of Duke University and its guiding principles of trustworthiness, respect, diversity, learning and teamwork.

Learn more about

Educational Programs

At Duke, we are one of two undergraduate schools, and one of seven graduate and professional schools.

Duke Engineering offers undergraduate, master's and doctoral study in engineering.

For working professionals, we also offer graduate certificates in high-demand topics and online learning opportunities.

Degree Programs

Graduate Certificates, Online Learning & Short Courses

Through our Institute for Enterprise Engineering, we offer master's degrees and professional credentials in topics including:

AI and machine learning
Blockchain and cryptocurrency
Business fundamentals for engineers
Computing fundamentals
Game Design & Development
Design thinking & technological innovation

Browse certificate programs, online credentials and short courses »

Academic Departments

Duke's engineering degree programs are offered through:

Plus, with Duke's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, we participate in the PhD- and Master of Science-granting Duke University Program in Materials Science & Engineering.

Research

External Research Funding

Duke Engineering's research expenditures exceed $96 million per year, with faculty winning more than $100 million in new awards in FY 2022.

Research funding from external sources has grown by 47 percent over the last decade and 30 percent in the past five years.

Our research enterprise includes:

PreMiEr — a five-year, $26 million Engineering Research Center supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF)
Multidisciplinary University Research Initiatives (MURI)

Browse Duke Engineering research centers and institutes »

Research Themes

Data Science, Advanced Computing & Intelligent Systems
Materials Discovery & Development
Personal, Environmental & Population Health
Resilient Systems & the Environment

More about Duke Engineering research »

Collaborations

We maintain extensive research collaborations with Duke's graduate and professional schools of arts, natural sciences, business, law, public policy—and especially the Duke University School of Medicine.

Rankings

Academics

U.S. News & World Report

#7 Engineering Management online master's degree
#16 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs:
- #3 Biomedical Engineering
- #12 Environmental Engineering
#22 Best Graduate Engineering School:
- #5 Biomedical Engineering
- #12 Environmental Engineering
- #16 Electrical Engineering
- #18 Computer Engineering
- #25 Mechanical Engineering

Gizmodo/Statista

Top 25 US Cybersecurity Program ("Degrees of the Future 2022")

Research and Faculty

Academic Analytics Faculty Scholarly Productivity

(v.2022)

#17 overall, among U.S. engineering schools
#8 in Computer Engineering
#11 in Biomedical Engineering
#17 in Electrical Engineering
#19 in Civil Engineering
#21 in Environmental Engineering

Academic Ranking of World Universities (ShanghaiRanking)

#6 in the U.S./#11 in the world in environmental science & engineering

Per Faculty Research Funding

#9 in per-faculty research funding among the Top 25 U.S. engineering schools (U.S. News data; average $925,000/faculty member)

Student Life

Bronze Award and Exemplar—American Society for Engineering Education Diversity Recognition Program
Top 10 Graduate Engineering Program Popular with Women—U.S. News & World Report

Student Outcomes

Top 10 Best School for Engineering Majors by Salary Potential ($78,400 median pay with 0-5 years of work experience)—Payscale.com
Top 15 US college that pays off the most for engineering students—CNBC

The Duke Engineering Community
1,289 
undergraduate students
943 
master’s students
603
 PhD students
230 
 staff
171
 faculty
17,000+
 alumni

Students

Undergraduates

1,289 undergraduate students
37 percent identify as female (National avg.: 24 percent)
289 members of the undergraduate Class of 2022

Class of 2022 Senior Survey

92 percent had jobs, job offers, or planned to attend grad school, at the time of graduation
84 percent participated in an internship in the U.S.
53 percent had an intensive research experience with a faculty member
16 percent participated in a study-abroad program
16 percent published or presented a research paper off-campus
14 percent took a service-learning course that included outreach to the community

Survey response rate: 65 percent

Master's Students

327 Master of Engineering Management (MEM), online and on-campus
259 Master of Science (MS)
357 Master of Engineering (MEng)
339 master's degree graduates in the Class of 2022

PhD Students

603 PhD students
4.6 PhD students per tenure-track faculty member
16 percent of eligible current PhD students received NSF or major fellowship awards
102 PhD graduates in the Class of 2022

Total graduate student enrollment has grown 90 percent over the past 10 years

Faculty

171 total faculty (all tracks)
124 tenure-track faculty
10 members of the National Academy of Engineering

Total faculty count has grown 28 percent over the past 10 years

Faculty Entrepreneurship

In fiscal 2022

76 new invention disclosures
46 patents issued
7 new spin-off companies, based on Duke Engineering discoveries
$20 million revenue resulting from Duke Engineering technologies

Meet our faculty »

Alumni

Our network of more than 17,000 engineering alumni are noted for contributions in engineering, finance, entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, teaching, medicine and other fields.

Through the Duke Engineering Alumni Council, our graduates make direct impacts on current students through mentorship, project and organization funding, intern sponsorship and more.

Among their many recongitions, more than two dozen Duke alumnihave been elected members of the National Academy of Engineering.

Learn more about our alumni »

Facilities and Location

Duke Engineering occupies 404,126 square feet of educational, research and administrative space in 18 buildings on and near the Duke campus in Durham, North Carolina.

Our latest—the innovative Wilkinson Building—contributes 81,000 net square feet of state-of-the-science laboratory and learning spaces for advanced research, design education and entrepreneurship.

Our engineering campus adjacent to Duke University Medical Center gives Duke's engineering researchers and students uncommon collaborative opportunities with world-leading clinicians.

We are just miles from Research Triangle Park—the largest research park in the United States and home to 200-plus leading firms in advanced computing, pharmaceuticals, financial services and more.

Regional Advantages

Energetic economy and community—The #2 Best Place to Live in the United States and a top-ranked region for STEM jobs (U.S. News & World Report; STEM Job Growth Index)
Sunny climate—220 sunny days a year; average daily high temperature of 70.2°F (21.2°C)
Affordability—Living costs in Duke's region are 61% lower than in New York City, half that of California's Bay Area, and 39% lower than in Boston (Bankrate.com)

More about our campus »

Updated June 15, 2023