Graduate Programs - Overview

As an internationally recognized leader in research and education, Duke's Computer Science's PhD and Master's Programs offer unparalleled opportunities with:

Eminent Faculty

  • Duke boasts world-class faculty devoted to research and education. While developing close relationships with students, faculty encourage and inspire them to explore creative solutions to top research problems.
  • Well-connected in their fields, faculty members are active in their respective research communities, attending top conferences and collaborating with other researchers around the world.
  • Many of our faculty have received prestigious awards such as the Sloan Fellowship, the National Science Foundation CAREER award, and induction as ACM fellows.

Support for Students

  • Full financial support for PhD students allows them to focus on research and professional development.
  • First-year PhD students ready to engage in research can take advantage of immediate summer funding incentives.
  • The first two years of PhD study are supported using departmental funding, so students still exploring areas of research have the chance do so without the stress of acquiring grant funding. 
  • Small classes and stimulating seminars foster interaction and personal attention.

Interdisciplinary Collaborations

  • Professors and students actively engage with a variety of programs around campus, including the Biology and Economics Departments and the Schools of Business, Medicine, and the Environment.
  • Through the inDuke program, students collaborate with external industry partners like IBM, Cisco, and Intel on various research efforts. Many students take advantage of summer research internships with these industry partners.
  • Students can pursue a specialization, such as nanoscience or cognitive neuroscience, through certificate programs within the Graduate School.
  • An MS degree may be earned in Computer Science, in Economics and Computation (MSEC), or in another discipline (i.e. Statistics or Economics) en route to a PhD.

Outstanding Student Community

  • Our multicultural student community is full of bright minds from around the world: 61% of current graduate students are international, representing 12 countries.
  • Our percentage of female students is consistently higher than the national average of over 200 universities within the Computing Research Association (CRA).
  • Alumni hold top jobs at competitive companies and respected universities.

Vibrant Research Triangle Location

  • With Research Triangle Park right next door, there is no better environment in which to collaborate with high-tech enterprises and other major universities.
  • Situated in Durham, North Carolina, between Raleigh and Chapel Hill, Duke is at the center of abundant indoor and outdoor activities, from art museums to rock climbing. There is always something to enjoy!