Duke University Pratt School of Engineering: A Launchpad for Innovation and Impact
Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering has established itself as a pioneering institution, offering diverse and rigorous graduate programs designed to cultivate innovators and problem-solvers. With a history dating back to 1939, Pratt Engineering combines academic rigor with hands-on research and community engagement, preparing graduates to make significant contributions to society. Audacious, hungry, and fearless - these words describe the graduates of Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering.
A Legacy of Excellence
The school was created by the Board of Trustees at Duke University as the College of Engineering in 1939. The precursor to the school of engineering dates back to 1851, when Duke was known as Normal College and located in Randolph County, North Carolina. At that time, engineering was included in a classical course for seniors. A course in engineering was introduced in 1887, eventually becoming a regular course offering in 1903. At that time, engineering courses were limited to such fields as architecture and surveying until 1924, when Trinity College was renamed Duke University. Engineering was taught in the new separate departments of civil and electrical engineering. In 1931, a mechanical engineering department was created. Duke's Board of Trustees created the College of Engineering in 1939, with William H. The College of Engineering graduated its first female graduates in 1946. The next year, the three departments moved from East Campus to West Campus. It became the Duke School of Engineering in 1966. Two years later the school's first black students graduated. In 1997, the Master of Engineering Management was established. The school was renamed the Edmund T. Pratt Jr. School of Engineering in 1999, in honor of Edmund T. Pratt Jr.
Since its founding in 1966, the school has positioned itself to be a pioneer of diverse and rigorous graduate programmes, promising an all-encompassing education near-impossible to find elsewhere. With this, students transform into innovators who turn ideas into solutions. Some routinely receive national awards celebrating the impact of their research and win competitions at home and abroad. Others set themselves on trajectories that positively impact society. Whatever success they achieve, they do it with the in-depth theoretical exploration, community-based learning, and hands-on experience they gained from their Duke Engineering degree.
Duke University has a long history of regional, national and international successes. Although the school isn’t located in a big city, you’ll find it still attracts attention from top scholars. It’s consistently held the top position for graduate outcomes according to the Wall Street Journal and always does well in the rankings. News & World Report Engineering Grad Schools. Pratt Engineering offers all of these successes combined with hands-on research and off-campus living to a select group of graduate students. News & World Report engineering grad school ranking list, individual departments also find themselves highly regarded.
Rankings and Recognition
Pratt School of Engineering consistently receives high rankings from reputable sources:
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- #7 best university in the US (US News & World Report)
- #13 most innovative schools (US News & World Report)
- #23 best engineering school (US News & World Report)
- Top 10 most popular graduate engineering programme for women
These rankings reflect the school's commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and creating a welcoming environment for all students.
Master's Programs: Accelerating Careers
Pratt School of Engineering offers a range of career-accelerating master’s programmes, including but not limited to:
- Game Design, Development, & Innovation
- Climate & Sustainability Engineering
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Engineering Management
These programs are research-backed and industry-linked, providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their chosen fields. Selecting a major is picking a road from which a huge number of multidisciplinary paths branch off.
Experiential Learning and Research Opportunities
Duke Engineering emphasizes hands-on experience and research opportunities. Students can engage in community-based learning, tackle societally critical challenges, and invent machines that improve lives.
IDEAS Program
Through our IDEAS: Interdisciplinary Engineering & Applied Science program, you explore a topic important to you.
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First-Year Experience
You’ll never forget that August morning when you first entered a Duke Engineering maker space. I could make anything with all these tools. But where to start? Start here: EGR 101, or First-Year Design. EGR 101 is just one part of our intentionally designed First-Year Experience. FYE equips you with the essential skills you’ll use daily at Duke. And, yes, there are laser cutters and mechatronics, too. We’ll help you land that summer research experience abroad. Or you can take advantage of programs that place you alongside our world-class faculty. In recent years, Duke has designed global experiences in Costa Rica, Germany, Italy and Spain expressly for our engineering students. Great endings start with solid beginnings. At Duke, you’ll be surrounded by 360 degrees of support from a network of people you can lean on-especially during your first year. The transition to college life is critical, and our undergraduates receive mentorship from caring faculty, staff and experienced students. Your first year as a Duke engineering student is more than a course schedule. You’re about to receive what we call the Duke Engineering Signature Experience. You’ll gain key skills over the fall and spring, including critical thinking and effective academic writing. You’ll build up stores of grit and resilience. No one goes through our First Year Experience alone. Far from it. At the end of your first year, you’ll be proud (and a little amazed) of all you’ve accomplished. The Lawrence Lenihan Design Pod is a 5,000-square-foot maker space specially built for Duke’s First-Year Design course.
Research and Societal Impact
Students take on societally critical challenges in biology and health care, including the design of medical technology. Integrate computing and electronic knowledge with design skill to create new devices and software. Invent machines that improve lives, in fields as varied as health care, manufacturing, energy and transportation.
Career Services and Outcomes
The Pratt School of Engineering has its own Career Services department offering dedicated assistance to engineering students. You can take advantage of one-on-one career advising appointments, drop-in sessions for a quick look at your resume or to answer specific questions and a number of workshops covering job search strategies and specific skills.
With the world’s largest research park near Duke’s campus, it’s also possible to visit various companies to gain an idea of opportunities available in the area. At Duke University, you’ll have several opportunities to interact with potential employers.
The Pratt School of Engineering is a co-host of the 2 TechConnect events hosted annually (fall and spring semesters). Slightly less formal than career fairs, its a chance for engineering master’s students to network with roughly 50 to 75 companies and hand over resumes. And, the Tech Connect events are just the beginning. At Duke, you’ll find the Fall Career Fair as well as the Career & Summer Opportunities Fair which are open to all Duke students. Grad students have their own North Carolina recruitment fair. There are also virtual career fairs, including one aimed at students wishing to work in the Asia-Pacific region.
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Pratt’s latest engineering grads: by the numbers
- 92% Biomedical students employed 6 months after grad
- $109,100 Average salary for ECE grads
- 292 2018 Engineering masters grads working in NC
- 85% 2018 MEM grads working in the US
Student Perspectives
Students consistently praise the program for its entrepreneurial spirit, access to top people in the industry, and the development of valuable life skills.
- Georgia Richter, United States, Master of Engineering in Engineering Management: “The network that I built up from Duke has helped my career, from getting in touch with different types of coaches I might not have been exposed to before to landing several jobs and expanding my network."
- Omar Al Mulhem, Saudi Arabia, Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity: “My Duke degree has significantly enhanced my ability to tackle complex cybersecurity challenges. The advanced technical courses provided me with up-to-date knowledge of the latest security threats and defense mechanisms, especially in ICS/OT and cloud environments. The programme’s leadership and project management components equipped me with the skills to lead cross-functional teams effectively and manage large-scale security projects.”
- João Cardoso, Portugal, Master of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence: “I enjoyed being surrounded by really smart people. Everyone has an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset. For me, the technology and having the opportunity to be surrounded by top people in the industry is what convinced me to apply and eventually join Duke.”
Campus Life and Accommodation
Durham, North Carolina isn’t a big city. That’s good news for international students on tight budgets; from room and board to transportation, you’ll find prices are substantially lower than those in major metropoles.
As a general rule, graduate level students don’t live on campus at Duke University. You might be able to find a spot if you have special circumstances, otherwise, you’ll need to look off-campus for your accommodation. Fortunately, Duke makes it easy for you to find affordable off-campus accommodation - and a roommate, if you’re looking for one. Check out Near Duke or Durham Grad Housing for more information. International students can also reach out to International House for a list of other international students looking for accommodation.
Students can expect to pay from $800 to $1000 for a 1-bedroom apartment within walking distance. While those prices might include appliances, furniture and utilities, these expenses aren’t always included; it’s your responsibility to check.
Living in an apartment or shared house implies that you’ll prepare most of your meals at home, but there are dining plans available for campus cafeterias and restaurants if you want to avoid packing a lunch or heading home between classes. Indeed, Duke Dining is among the best university food systems within the US and students with food allergies or restricted diets will find plenty of information about what’s in each meal.
The university bus service is very useful for getting around campus and town (and there are night vans available to ensure you make it home safely after working late on-campus). You can also participate in the campus Enterprise car sharing programme which allows you to rent vehicles by the hour or the day. It’s a perfect way to explore other corners of North Carolina - as long as you have a US driver’s license; speak to the International House for more information on getting your NC driver’s license while studying at Duke Pratt.
Admissions Information
At the undergraduate level, Duke university is exceptionally competitive, with an acceptance rate around 6% across all schools. These stats, however often you see them, shouldn’t deter international master’s engineering applicants.
At the Pratt School of Engineering, there were 3082 applications submitted for engineering masters programmes last year. Of those, 1295 were accepted (for an acceptance rate of 42%). In case you’re wondering, 490 admits enrolled in the programme.
When you apply to Pratt Engineering, you’ll want to remember that the school focuses heavily on research and critical thinking at every level. Demonstrate the research and work you’re interested in and why Duke is the right vehicle for your success for a strong chance of admission.
Of course, you’ll also need to strive for strong GRE scores (though there aren’t any specified minimums for GRE or GPA scores). Take time to address any shortfalls in your Statement of Purpose (SoP) essay to avoid leaving holes that might be questioned by the admissions teams. You may also want to keep these figures in mind as you draft your SoP:
- Average undergrad GPA: 3.52
- Average GRE scores: 155 verbal, 166 quantitative, 3.7 analytical writing
- Mean TOEFL score: 105 iBT
Key Admissions Details
- Spring admission deadline: Spring admission is only available for MEng degrees, the Mechanical and Computer Engineering MEng degrees don’t support spring admissions
- Fall admission deadline: varies by department
- Application fee: $90
- SOP essay: 1-2 pages, single-spaced
- Recommendations: 3, completed online
- GRE test: required, no min score specified
- GPA: converted to the US 4.0 scale
- Language test: required for non-native English speakers; some waivers given for undergrad study in English; TOEFL and IELTS are accepted; min scores may vary by department
- Min TOEFL score: 90 iBT
- Min IELTS score: 7
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid
Pratt engineering master’s CoA for the 2019/ 2020 academic year
- Tuition: $55,680
- Health fee: $834
- Transcript fee: $40
- Activity fee: $37
- Graduate student service fee: $20
- Recreation fee: $316
- Health insurance: $3535
- Books and supplies: $666
- Housing: $9855
- Board: $3420
- Local transportation: $1854
- Personal and miscellaneous: $3573
- Total CoA for 1 year: $79,830
Masters-level students at Pratt Engineering are expected to self-fund their degree and the majority of students (both US and international) take student loans to pay for their studies. Duke Pratt does offer a limited number of merit scholarships for highly-qualified students and offers links to external scholarship opportunities. Applicants to the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) masters programmes may also qualify for departmental scholarships ranging from $20,000 to $30,000.
Faculty and Academics
The Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University (Pratt) has 163 full-time faculty on staff. Its tuition is full-time: $65,980 per year and part-time: $3,780 per credit. The 2024 Ph.D. student-faculty ratio is 4.8:1.
Course/program offerings:
- Program
- Graduate courses
- Master's Degree
- Doctoral Degree
- Biomedical / Bioengineering
- Electrical / Electronic / Communications
- Environmental / Environmental Health
- Full-time faculty (tenured or tenure-track)
- Ph.D.
Metrics
- Citations per publication: 15.5
- Field weighted citation impact: 1.5
- Publications Cited in top 5% of Most Cited Journals: 29.6%
- Publications Cited in top 25% of Most Cited Journals: 72.6%
A Transformative Experience
At Duke, you’ll be surrounded by 360 degrees of support from a network of people you can lean on-especially during your first year.
Duke Engineering education leads to lives of purpose and integrity that are as rewarding as they are impactful. Whether it’s a passion for discovery or invention or saving lives or anything else that impacts the world, Duke will help grow that spark into a blazing fire that lasts a lifetime. Over your time at Duke, you’ll build skills, gain knowledge and grow in confidence. You’ll have transformative experiences. You could travel to Bolivia and build a bridge for a remote village.
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