Life after Duke
More than a quarter of Duke graduates continue their educations in master’s, Ph.D., or professional degree programs. Of the more than 60 percent who get jobs straight out of college, many return to business schools a few years later for the additional credential of an MBA. Duke offers an array of advising services for students for whom a BA or a BS is not the last stop on their educational journeys.
Trinity College offers specialized advising for students considering careers in the health professions, in law, and in business/management. Associate and assistant deans counsel students in these areas during the junior and senior years, assisting them in applying to graduate and professional programs and providing information on career opportunities and the requirements for advanced study.
There are many paths to professional schools in law, health, and business and even where specific course requirements exist (as in the health professions), course sequences and combinations can and should be tailored for each student.
Preprofessional students may want to join the appropriate undergraduate preprofessional organizations, which sponsor speakers and activities designed to give undergraduates a sense of life within the profession.
Advising for undergraduates interested in graduate school is also tailored to the needs of each student. Graduate school is not simply an advanced undergraduate experience, but rather is individualized and essentially course-free after the second year, when thesis research fills the student's time. Thus, obtaining a Ph.D. degree requires self-direction, self-discipline and a high level of interest in scholarship. Pregraduate students, therefore, are encouraged to prepare themselves broadly and deeply in their primary areas of intellectual interest in order to develop their skills, knowledge base, and creativity.