Duke University

Duke University
Latin: Universitas Dukiana
Former names
Brown School (1838–1841)
Union Institute (1841–1851)
Normal College (1851–1859)
Trinity College (1859–1924)
MottoEruditio et Religio (Latin)
Motto in English
"Knowledge and Religion"
TypePrivate research university
Established1838 (1838)
AccreditationSACS
Religious affiliation
Nonsectarian; historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church
Academic affiliations
Endowment$11.9 billion (2024) (The university is also the primary beneficiary (32%) of the independent $3.69 billion Duke Endowment)
Budget$7.7 billion (FY 2022)
PresidentVincent Edward Price
ProvostAlec Gallimore
Academic staff
3,982 (fall 2021)
Administrative staff
  • 8,498 campus employees
  • 43,108 total campus & health system employees (July 2021)
Students16,780 (fall 2021)
Undergraduates6,640 (fall 2022)
Postgraduates9,991 (fall 2021)
Location, ,
United States

36°00′05″N 78°56′18″W / 36.00139°N 78.93833°W / 36.00139; -78.93833
CampusLarge city, 8,693 acres (35.18 km2)
Other campuses
NewspaperThe Chronicle
ColorsDuke blue and white
   
NicknameBlue Devils
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division I FBSACC
MascotBlue Devil
Websiteduke.edu

Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James Buchanan Duke established the Duke Endowment and the institution changed its name to honor his deceased father, Washington Duke.

The campus spans over 8,600 acres (3,500 hectares) on three contiguous sub-campuses in Durham, and a marine lab in Beaufort. The West Campus—designed largely by architect Julian Abele—incorporates Gothic architecture with the 210-foot (64-meter) Duke Chapel at the campus' center and highest point of elevation, is adjacent to the Medical Center. East Campus, 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) away, home to all first-years, contains Georgian-style architecture. The university also administers two concurrent schools in Asia, Duke–NUS Medical School in Singapore (established in 2005) and Duke Kunshan University in Kunshan, China (established in 2013).

Duke forms one of the corners of the Research Triangle region together with North Carolina State University in Raleigh and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2019, Duke spent more than $1.2 billion on research. Its endowment is $11.9 billion, making it the twelfth-wealthiest private academic institution in the United States. Duke's athletic teams are known as the Blue Devils and compete in 27 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports. Duke is a charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and has won 17 NCAA team championships and 24 individual national championships.