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Inspiring Engineers
What does tomorrow’s engineer need to know? What strengths will shape the future? At Duke Engineering, we’re thinking hard about these questions, and preparing creative engineers who are inspired & equipped to solve complex societal problems.
Duke Engineering's signature educational experience immerses students in hands-on design, data science, computing, research and entrepreneurship from the very beginning—and engages them in teamwork on real projects with real clients throughout their engineering education.
Engineering is exciting—and we believe giving students the experience of how engineers can make a difference will not only give them a sense of purpose and motivation to pursue this challenging path, but ultimately help them gain:
- Ability to generate creative solutions to complex, open-ended problems
- Rigorous research, analytical, quantitative and critical-thinking skills
- Comfort with design, data and computational tools
- Experience working in diverse teams
- Excellent communication skills
- Entrepreneurial confidence
We see these qualities as the hallmarks of a Duke Engineer—complementing the strong interdisciplinary research engagement and educational breadth that Duke University is known for, and preparing our students for high-potential paths in industry, academia, entrepreneurship and public service.
Foundational Experiences

Real-World Design
Every Duke Engineering student get their hands busy with real-world design in the very first semester.

Data & Decision Sciences
By teaching students to leverage statistical analysis to glean useful insights from complex, real-world datasets, a new course aims to make data competency a signature strength of every Duke Engineering undergraduate

Computational Thinking
By weaving in real-world projects, Duke Engineering is piloting a new approach to introductory computing that seeks to give students not only a strong foundation in programming skills, but a vision of coding as a creative tool

Mentored Research
Duke Engineering offers students unparalleled opportunities to conduct original research with faculty advisors. Almost 70 percent of our undergraduates engage in intensive research, with one in five either publishing or presenting a paper off campus before graduating.

Entrepreneurial Confidence
From a “Founder’s Workshop” course to a $20,000 Innovation Grant competition, Duke Engineering is investing in new initiatives to help undergraduates turn their ideas into impactful solutions