Professor Claudia Gunsch with graduate students in lab

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PhD Programs

At Duke Engineering, we have created a thriving, rigorous, supportive and interdisciplinary environment in which we cultivate engineering leaders

Members of our faculty are recognized leaders in areas of engineering research within the disciplines of:

Members of our faculty also participate in the PhD program of Duke's University Program in Materials Science and Engineering.

Our record of accomplishment includes more than 30 Duke alumni and faculty elected into the National Academy of Engineering »

Earn your engineering PhD at Duke.

HOW TO APPLY


Duke Cultivates Engineering Leaders

Mentorship From Day One

Our PhD students receive exceptional technical training and mentorship from our world-class faculty.

In our laboratories, PhD students become true collaborators, where they co-invent new solutions and develop entrepreneurial skills. 

Visit Duke Engineering Entrepreneurship (EngEn) »

Authentic Opportunities to Learn Mentorship Through Mentoring

In preparation for your role as a research mentor, Duke Engineering actively encourages and supports efforts by its PhD students to mentor undergraduates in research work.

Our PhD students can register to serve as a mentor and post a research project to a university-wide directory of research opportunities for undergraduates: Muser.

As mentors, our PhD students build professional mentoring relationships with undergraduates, while increasing undergraduate involvement in research—one of the hallmarks of a Duke Engineering education.

Outstanding Student Support

At Duke, you'll have the advantage of programs that build your communication and other professional skills. 

Preparation for a Great Career

About half our PhD graduates join industry—often with leading global companies. Nearly 40 percent start academic careers, many at the world's leading research institutions.

Where our PhD grads go »


Browse Our Doctoral Programs

Biomedical Engineering

Research Areas

  • Bioelectric Engineering
  • Biomaterials
  • Biomechanics and Mechanobiology
  • Biomedical Imaging and Biophotonics
  • Biomedical and Health Data Sciences
  • Biomedicial Imaging and Biophotonics
  • Biosensors and Bioinstrumentation
  • Computational Modeling of Biological Systems
  • Drug and Gene Delivery
  • Immune Engineering
  • Neural Engineering
  • Synthetic and Systems Biology
  • Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

More at bme.duke.edu

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Areas

  • Computational Mechanics & Scientific Computing
  • Environmental Health Engineering
  • Geomechanics & Geophysics for Energy and the Environment
  • Hydrology & Fluid Dynamics
  • Risk & Resilient Systems

More at cee.duke.edu

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research Areas

  • AI / Machine Learning
  • Metamaterials
  • Quantum Computing
  • Nanoelectronic Materials & Devices
  • Sensing & Imaging
  • Trustworthy Computing

more at ece.duke.edu

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Areas

  • Aerodynamics & Aeroelasticity
  • Autonomous Systems
  • Biomechanics & Biomaterials
  • Computation & Artificial Intelligence
  • Energy Systems & Materials
  • Soft Matter & Nanoscale Materials

More at mems.duke.edu

Duke University Program in Materials Science and Engineering

Research Areas

  • Soft Matter and Biomaterials
  • Computational Materials Science
  • Metamaterials
  • Energy Materials
  • Electronic, Photonic and Quantum Materials
  • Sustainable Materials

This university-wide degree program is uniquely multidisciplinary—and built upon Duke's strengths in materials science and engineering.

PhD students are admitted through selected Duke academic departments in engineering and the natural sciences.

More at dmi.duke.edu