Duke University

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Duke University Computer Science Degree Programs Available

Duke University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Master’s in Computer Science Degree Programs.

Duke University offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science that is internationally recognized. The program is taught by renowned faculty and participants are able to engage in cutting-edge research. Students are provided an understanding of a rich and growing field. Students can choose from two concentrations – Software Systems and Data Science. Prerequisites required for the program include:

  • Foundations of Data Science
  • Interdisciplinary Introduction to Computer Science
  • Introduction to Computer Science
  • Introductory Calculus I & II

All students, regardless of concentration, may be required to complete:

  • Advanced Computer Architecture
  • Computer Network Architecture
  • Computer Networks and Distributed Systems
  • Computer Organization and Programming
  • Computer Security
  • Data Structures and Algorithms
  • Digital Systems
  • Discrete Math for Computer Science
  • Introduction to Databases
  • Introduction to Operating Systems
  • Introduction to the Design & Analysis of Algorithms

Students who wish to add the Software Systems Concentration may be required to add the following courses:

  • Advanced Computer Security
  • Advanced Software Design and Implementation
  • Compiler Construction
  • Computer Network Architecture
  • Computer Networks and Distributed Systems
  • Computer Security
  • Distributed Systems
  • Introduction to Databases
  • Software Design and Implementation

Those who choose the concentration in Data Science may need to add must also have completed Probability, Linear Algebra and Statistics before applying for the concentration. They may need to add the following courses as well:

  • Algorithmic Foundations of Data Science
  • Algorithms in the Real World
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Bayesian Inference
  • Computer Vision
  • Elements of Machine Learning
  • Everything Data
  • Introduction to Databases
  • Machine Learning
  • Machine Learning and Data Mining
  • Reinforcement Learning
  • Topics on Data Science Competition

The Department of Computer Science also offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in computer science. The Master of Science in Computer Science offers both a coursework–only option (30 credits) or a thesis/project option.  The Masters of Science in Economics and Computation (MSEC) is a course-only program; there is no thesis track.  The Ph.D. is a research- and teaching- heavy program that results in a doctoral dissertation.

Although Computer Science programs at Duke University are not offered fully online, some of the classes required are available in an online format. Introduction to Machine Learning, Programming Fundamentals and other computer-related courses are available at Duke Online.

About Duke University

Duke University began in 1838 when families who belonged to the Methodist and Quaker religion who had settled in Randolph County hired Brantley York as a teacher for a subscription school. Using Brown’s Schoolhouse, York grew the small school into Union Institute. Quaker families, however, started their own school in Guilford County, leaving Union Institute financially strapped. Then-principal Braxton Craven reached out to the state of North Carolina for help and the school was rechartered in 1851 as Normal College.

The public school system in North Carolina was emerging and Craven reached out to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, to keep the school operational. In exchange for free tuition for Methodist preachers, the church agreed to financially support the school. In 1859, the school was renamed Trinity College. Although the school continued to struggle financially, they managed to keep their doors open throughout the Civil War.

In 1887, under the direction of John Crowell, the curriculum was revamped into a German university model which emphasized research over recitation. The first campus-wide research library was established and the trustees agreed that the college would have a better future in an urban setting where more students could be attracted. In 1892, the school moved to Durham, a move made possible through the generosity of Washington Duke and Julian S. Carr who were respected Methodists who had built their wealth in the tobacco industry. Duke offered three gifts of $100,000 each as an endowment with the stipulation that women be admitted on equal footing with men. The college agreed and women began attending in 1897.

Trinity College’s trustees wanted to shift to a university and William Few, then president of the college, shared that dream with James Duke. In 1924, James Duke formalized a $40 million trust fund, the Duke Endowment. The Endowment was to be used to assist hospitals, orphanages, the Methodist Church, three colleges and to build a university around Trinity College. In honor of this donation, the school was renamed Duke University.

Today, almost 7,000 undergraduate and nearly 9,000 graduate students attend Duke University. James Duke’s $40 million donation is valued today at $8.5 billion.

Duke University Accreditation Details

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools regionally accredits Duke University. Regional accreditation lets parents, students, and employers know that graduates are well-prepared for positions in their field of study. It also indicates that the University has the resources necessary to meet their goals and objectives. In addition, programs throughout the University are accredited by the following organizations:

  • ABET
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Accreditation Commission for Education and Nursing
  • Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant
  • American Bar Association
  • American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
  • American Psychological Association
  • Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc, Accreditation Commission
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
  • Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
  • Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
  • Liaison Committee on Medical Education
  • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
  • Society of American Foresters

Duke University Admission Requirements

Admission to Duke University is highly competitive and based on the student’s academic rigor, performance, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activity, essay, and standardized test scores. In order to apply, applicants must complete either the Coalition or Common Application. They must provide a school report, high school transcript, two teacher recommendations along with official SAT or ACT scores. Applicants who have earned college credit after high school graduation must also submit official college transcripts along with a college official’s report.

Graduate applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. They must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, resume, and official GRE scores. Applicants should have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0.

Duke University Tuition & Financial Aid

Full-time tuition for undergraduate study at Duke University is $55,695 per year and full-time graduate tuition is $55,695 per year. Duke University works to ensure that financial aid is distributed based on financial need and academics. In order to be considered for financial aid, students must complete both the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile. Aid is determined based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculated by the FAFSA and Profile.

Students may be eligible for grants and loans which do not need to be repaid after graduation. They may also be offered work-study, assistantships or fellowships to offset the cost of education. Loans may also be offered but they must be repaid upon graduation.

Duke University has been providing an outstanding education for over 150 years. Today, Duke University is a respected research university offering world-renowned academics.

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