Six Duke Degrees Studying Human Behavior
Duke University appears on our list of 10 Tuition-Free Colleges Where You Can Earn Your Psychology Degree.
At the West Campus, the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences led by Dr. Valerie Ashby grants a 34-unit Psychology AB/BS for Blue Devils to study the mind while joining Psi Chi, attending the Visible Thinking Symposium, taking the Duke in France semester, and interning at NextStep. Chaired by Dr. Rick Hoyle, the Neuroscience AB/BS builds a 34-unit, SACS-accredited major that integrates Institute for Brain Sciences research and NeuroCare events with 200-level courses like Cellular Neurobiology. The Systems & Integrative Neuroscience Ph.D. advised by Dr. Christina Williams, a 2011 David & Janet Vaughan Brooks Distinguished Teaching Award recipient, spans five years with hands-on dissertation work in the 21,444-square-foot Genome Science Research Center.
Since 2010, the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. at Duke University has selectively admitted 34 post-grads into a six-year, APA-accredited sequence following the Boulder model under Dr. Tim Strauman with full-time internships, such as the Clarke Institute, McLean Hospital, and Western Psychiatric Institute. Directed by Dr. Michael Tomasello, the Developmental Psychology partners with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill for five years of courses like Biological Evolution plus CHILD Studies Group dissertations and a Brownbag Series. The Social Psychology Ph.D. plots a five-year track headed by Dr. James Shah to investigate interpersonal relationships with APA Division 8 membership for 100 percent placement at Miami, Louisville, Spelman, Dartmouth, Marquette, and more.
About Duke University
Duke University was born on December 11, 1924, when Duke Energy magnate James B. Duke donated $40 million to the Methodist Church for reopening the former Trinity College. In 1930, its West Campus was designed in the Gothic Revival style by Julian Francis Abele. In June 1937, President Richard Nixon graduated from its School of Law. The next year, Duke became the 34th elite member of the Association of American Universities. Desegregated in 1963, Duke hosted a famous speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Page Auditorium in 1964. In 1972, it merged with the Woman’s College for coed liberal arts instruction. By 1994, Duke University had unveiled its premier 314,000-square-foot Levine Science Research Center. In 1999, the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute followed.
Endowed for $8.5 billion, Duke University now employs 3,774 faculty teaching 6,994 undergrad and 8,898 post-grad Blue Devils from all 50 states online or at its 256-building Durham site with 400+ clubs like the Psychology Majors Union. In 2018, the West Campus won an American Society of Landscape Architects Excellence Award. In 2019, Duke received the NFHCA Division I National Academic Team Award. Duke University Hospital earned a $37.2 million Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grant for HIV work too. The Wall Street Journal placed Duke 18th globally. Business Insider applauded Duke as the seventh best U.S. institution. On Niche, Duke University boasts America’s sixth best professors, eighth top psychology degrees, and 51st best student life. The Academic Ranking of World Universities listed Duke 31st for life sciences. WalletHub also honored Duke for the 11th best career outcomes.
Duke University Accreditation Details
On May 21, 2015, Duke University properly submitted the Fifth-Year Periodic Review Report to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees to keep Level VI accreditation current through a 2020 site visit under its 10th president, Dr. Vincent E. Price, who notably earned the AAPOR Award of Recognition. Located six hours down Interstate 85 in Decatur, Georgia, this Piedmont Triad accreditor is authorized by the U.S. Education Department to evaluate Duke’s 70+ departments. Particularly, the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. has been accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA) since February 23, 1948. Duke University Hospital was reaccredited for Ph.D. internships at the Child & Family Study Center in 2019 too.
Duke University Application Requirements
Admission to the U.S. News & World Report’s 11th best psychology school is labeled “most selective” because the Fall 2018 acceptance rate was 10 percent of 37,300 applicants. Prospective Blue Devils joining the 1,726 Duke University freshmen had excelled academically in a high-quality secondary curriculum. The Psychology and Neuroscience AB/BS majors have no set minimum grades. The middle 50th percentile reported GPAs of 3.75-4.0 though. Admitted mid-range ACT marks were 32-35. On the 1600 scale, median SAT scores ranged from 1440-1530. The Honors Program selects sophomores and juniors with four prerequisites at GPAs above 3.4. Competitive Duke transfers typically have 3.8 GPAs or higher in challenging curricula. The Psychology Ph.D. tracks require an accredited four-year bachelor’s GPA over 3.5. In 2018, doctoral cohorts presented an average 158 Verbal, 164 Quantitative, and 4.5 Writing GRE score. If taken, GRE Psychology Subject Test marks should exceed 615.
Duke University requires Psychology AB/BS freshmen file by November 1st for Early Decision agreements or December 20th for priority Regular Decision review. Trinity College transfers must file by March 15th and reply by June 5th. Clinical and non-clinical Ph.D. tracks in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience close on December 1st yearly. The Summer Research Fellowship for Ph.D. students has a March 31st final deadline. Accordingly, send the Duke, Coalition, or Common Application online with an $85 fee paid by Visa or MasterCard. Forward official transcripts to Campus Box 90086 at 417 Chapel Drive in Durham, NC 27708. Supplemental items include the entrance exam scores, GRE Psychology Subject Test, three references, statement of purpose, research intent letter, and curriculum vitae. Learn more by contacting (919) 660-5781 or psychneuro@duke.edu.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, the Bursar’s Office listed full-time Trinity College of Arts & Sciences tuition of $26,880 each semester. Psychology AB/BS majors paid the first-time $100 registration fee. Other undergrad add-ons included the $134 activity fee, $275 services fee, $150 recreation fee, and $407 health fee. Fall term health insurance costs were $3,535. Post office box rentals were $32 each term. Residing at the Greater Raleigh campus’ dorms like Gilbert-Addoms House cost $3,699 to $5,750 by semester. Duke University meal plans for The Brodhead Center were $2,848 extra. Semester attendance equaled about $38,060 on-campus and $31,513 at home. The Graduate School billed Ph.D. tuition of $27,840 each term. Summer Session courses were $3,850 each. The 12-month Ph.D. total of $59,530 is typically covered with assistantships.
The National Center for Education Statistics reported that the Karsh Office of Financial Support at 2127 Campus Drive gets 53 percent of full-time Duke Blue Devils median aid of $44,351 for $160.7 million combined. University funds include the Robertson Leadership Scholarship, David Rubenstein Scholarship, Reginaldo Howard Memorial Scholarship, Trinity Scholarship, B.N. Duke Scholarship, Clem & Hayes Clement Scholarship, A.J. Tannenbaum Scholarship, Herman Bernard Scholarship, and Knight-Hennessy Scholarship. The Claire Hamilton Graduate Studies Conference Travel Award gifts $250 to Psychology PhD candidates. Dean’s Graduate Fellowship recipients get 12-month tuition coverage plus $5,500 stipends. The Triangle Community Foundation offers local programs, such as the Ann & Girard Tillery Scholarship, Carolyn Lemmond Winchester Scholarship, and Felicia Brewer Opportunity Scholarship. Federal aid resources, including low-interest Direct Loans, require FAFSA forms coded 002920. The North Carolina Legislative Tuition Grant also pays up to $1,950 yearly for private schools like Duke.
Keep exploring Duke University at the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience website.
