Economy

Durham is a global economic player driven by knowledge-based enterprises—including everything from software and information technology to film and TV production. It is also home to Research Triangle Park (RTP), one of the oldest and largest science parks in the U.S., where companies are turning data into powerful decision tools. The 150+ companies based there range from Fortune 100 multinationals to start-ups. SAS® software was born here and has grown into the largest independent business intelligence vendor in the world. The innovation ecosystem that fostered SAS has drawn nearly every company in the informatics business, from IBM, NetApp, and Cisco to Ipreo Holdings and Evaluserve.

Having RTP so close to Fuqua means we’re able invite influential local speakers, connect businesses with student clubs, and tap our more than 3,000 local Fuqua alumni as mentors for students.

Culture

Vogue recently named Durham the “hippest” city in North Carolina, with a creative culinary scene as well as noteworthy arts and entertainment venues. Durham eateries run the gamut, from laid-back Carolina BBQ joints to decadent ice cream shops to sushi and tapas restaurants. With a huge focus on farm to table, even in our trendy microbreweries, Durham was voted America’s foodiest small town by Bon Appetit. You’ll also enjoy offbeat shopping, sports venues, arts festivals, houses of worship, and the great North Carolina outdoors here. 

Within just a few hours’ drive from campus are the Blue Ridge Mountains for hiking and mountain activities, and the Atlantic coast for beaches and water sports. Washington, D.C. is just 4 hours by car—or hop a 1-hour flight to New York City or a direct flight to most places in the world.

Activities

The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center opened in 1949, attracting millions of visitors from around the world. The U.S. astronauts for Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions, including the astronauts who walked on the Moon, all trained in part at this facility.

The NC Science Festival is a 2-week long celebration of the educational, cultural, and financial impact of science in North Carolina. The idea behind the Festival is to celebrate what we value, and value what we celebrate: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The Museum of Life and Science hosts adult programs such as Tinkering & Drinkering happy hours where attendees use museum tools and technology to create stuff, and Museum after-hours events where you can absorb a beer while absorbing awesome science like Science of Beer, Science of Wine, and Science of Eats.

The Triangle Sci-Tech Expo, hosted by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, assembles scientists and technical professionals from universities and industries to engage visitors through hands-on exhibits, games, crafts and activities, and presentations.

While Durham offers great ways to spend your free time, there are also amazing things to do right on campus—including many time-tested Duke traditions. You’ll want to make time to experience all the cultural activities, sports events, and popular sites that Duke University has to offer.

Duke Chapel

An iconic symbol of the university, the chapel was built in 1932 and stands at the center of the Gothic West Campus. It features three pipe organs, a 210-foot tower, a 50-bell carillon, 77 stained-glass windows, and can seat 1,600 people.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens

The 55 acres of landscaped and woodland gardens in the heart of Duke's West Campus are open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. Each year more than 300,000 visitors enjoy the gardens' five miles of walkways and more than 8,000 species and varieties of plants.

Duke Forest

Covering more than 7,000 acres in the north-central Piedmont, Duke Forest serves as a natural outdoor laboratory for Duke and neighboring universities, and its trails are popular with local walkers and runners.

Cameron Indoor Stadium

This stadium is considered the crown jewel of college basketball. Originally conceived on the back of a matchbook cover in 1935, Cameron has become the celebrated home of the Duke Blue Devils.

Page Auditorium

Duke's largest theater, with a capacity of 1,200 seats, has been the site of thousands of performances and lectures since its opening in 1930, including speeches by Sen. John F. Kennedy in 1959 and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1964.

The Duke Lemur Center

The only university-based facility in the world devoted to the study of prosimian primates, the Lemur Center is home to the world's largest colony of endangered primates.

The Duke Smart Home

Completed in 2006, the Duke Smart Home is a 6000-square-foot residence and live-in research laboratory. The program encourages students from different academic disciplines to form teams and explore smart ways to use technology in the home.

Your MQM: Business Analytics classes take place on Fuqua’s campus. Our main building is 500,000 square feet of classrooms with horseshoe-shaped stadium seating, team rooms equipped with computers, outdoor gathering areas, auditoriums, offices, and meeting spaces for any need. Each has been specifically designed to enhance student learning and encourage collaboration.

Fuqua’s campus also reflects our commitment to sustainability. We’ve installed energy-efficient lighting and HVAC units, as well as water-saving devices, and implemented an energy-saving temperature control policy. Our staff, faculty, and students contribute to lowering our carbon footprint through the use of efficient transportation options, single-stream recycling, composting, and reusable and compostable utensils and food containers.

Fox Center

The Fox Student Center is the center of the Fuqua complex and the hub of student life. It has a student lounge, dining facilities with an impressive variety of cuisine, a spacious indoor winter garden area, outdoor terraces, changing rooms with lockers and showers, a student communications center, and additional office space.

Ford Library

Ford Library provides a serene, comfortable environment for quiet, focused study in a relaxed atmosphere. The library is designed for reader comfort with abundant natural light, comfortable seating, and generous display space. All students are encouraged to tour the library to learn about the resources available to you. Librarians will offer tours during your orientation and can provide database instruction throughout your program.

It’s easy to make your home here. In fact, the Durham area is touted as one of the best places to live in the country in part due to the affordable standard of living. While housing options are plentiful in Durham, there is limited graduate student housing on Duke’s campus—so Fuqua students typically find off-campus housing.

Our Off-Campus Housing site is a searchable database of houses, apartments, and rooms for rent. It’s just one of the resources available to help you find accommodations and roommates.