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FOCUS PROGRAM

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Focus students in NY

 

The Focus Program (FOCUS) is an exciting opportunity for first-semester Duke students to be exposed to ideas from the vantage point of different disciplines across the Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. We offer 19 multidisciplinary clusters that nurture your intellectual curiosity and sense of academic adventure. Each cluster provides a range of interrelated seminars and features a community element while fulfilling your Duke curriculum requirements.

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Listen to the Focus Program Anthem and learn more about how the Anthem and Video were created.

Contact Us

Dr. Edna Andrews, Director of FOCUS
Phone: (919) 660-3142, or
(919) 660-3140
eda@duke.edu

Dr. Yana Lowry, Assistant Director of FOCUS
Phone: (919) 684-9371
yana.lowry@duke.edu

Whitney Bronson, MDiv, MA, Senior Program Coordinator
Phone: (919) 684-9370
whitney.bronson@duke.edu

For Students

Your first year at Duke will include many experiences. To help you navigate through these, we offer a number of signature opportunities that promote active inquiry and engagement. The Focus Program is one such opportunity.

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For Parents

Our program is an excellent way for incoming students to get acclimated to campus life, explore a variety of disciplines, experience in- and outside-of-classroom learning, engage with faculty, and position themselves for future success.

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For Faculty

Duke Faculty find that teaching in the Focus Program is a rewarding experience. If you would like to be a part of this innovative program, or you would like to teach in a particular cluster, we would like to hear from you.

Learn More

The Duke FOCUS Application Process - A Step-by-Step Guide

Computer icon.
Visit our website (focus.duke.edu) before May 25th and click on the Apply Now button! 
finger on bullseye
Select 4 clusters to apply to and enter your information, including your student ID number 
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Write an essay for each cluster. Focus on it being an accurate reflection of you! 
check mark icon
Submit application and receive a confirmation email.*

(*if you don't receive your confirmation email, check your spam folder!) 
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Receive your FOCUS placement within 2 weeks

For more detailed information, visit How to Apply. And if you have any questions, email us at focus@duke.edu.

Alumni Stories

Ibrahim Maali
Ibrahim Maali, Power of Ideas and Muslim Cultures, Class of 2012
"Coming into Duke, I was unsure about how the Focus Program would affect my transition to college life. It was easily the best decision I made in my career thus far. I loved having all of my classmates living with me in the same dorm and being…
read more about Ibrahim Maali, Power of Ideas and Muslim Cultures, Class of 2012 »
Lauren Jarvis
Lauren Jarvis, Humanitarian Challenges, Class of 2005
"As a freshman arriving at Duke in 2001, I simply could not know how significant my experiences in the *Humanitarian Challenges at Home and Abroad* FOCUS Cluster would be for my future academic and career choices."
read more about Lauren Jarvis, Humanitarian Challenges, Class of 2005 »
Carolyn Chen.
Carolyn Chen, Cognitive Neuroscience and Law, Class of 2026
I am confident to say that the FOCUS program was one of the major factors that made my freshman year at Duke incredible...
read more about Carolyn Chen, Cognitive Neuroscience and Law, Class of 2026 »
Carter Zenke
Carter Zenke, Knowledge in the Service of Society, Class of 2020
FOCUS has empowered me to pursue meaningful questions while building lifelong relationships. Analyzing educational inequities alongside the students in my cluster (Knowledge in the Service of Society) moved me to examine how similar issues might be…
read more about Carter Zenke, Knowledge in the Service of Society, Class of 2020 »
Naemma Hopkins-Kotb.
Naemma Hopkins-Kotb, Genetics & Genomics, Class of 2021
"In many ways, my FOCUS experience formed the foundation for my Duke career..."
read more about Naemma Hopkins-Kotb, Genetics & Genomics, Class of 2021 »
Bailey Sincox
Bailey Sincox, Medieval and Renaissance Worlds, Class of 2015
I wouldn’t be in my current profession without the inspiration and training FOCUS provided in my first year at Duke. My career path began in the Medieval and Renaissance FOCUS Cluster: classes on Shakespeare, Renaissance women’s writing, and…
read more about Bailey Sincox, Medieval and Renaissance Worlds, Class of 2015 »
Anne Crabill.
Anne Crabill, Science and the Public, Class of 2023
"I came into Duke with a strong interest in healthcare, biology, and the government and struggled to reconcile my seemingly disparate interests. The Science and the Public cluster helped me broaden my interests and celebrate the interdisciplinary…
read more about Anne Crabill, Science and the Public, Class of 2023 »
Rebecca Richards
Rebecca Richards, Power of Language, Class of 2015
"Being a part of such a community (FOCUS) allowed me to transition into Duke with great enthusiasm for the academic, social, and extra-curricular opportunities that were in store for me. It equipped me with the confidence in the classroom necessary…
read more about Rebecca Richards, Power of Language, Class of 2015 »
Kavi Freyaldenhoven.
Kavi Freyaldenhoven, Modeling in Economic and Social Sciences, Class of 2024
"FOCUS is absolutely incredible… in every way you can imagine and then some more..."
read more about Kavi Freyaldenhoven, Modeling in Economic and Social Sciences, Class of 2024 »
Sally Liu
Sally Liu, Arts and Contemporary Society Marshall Scholar, Class of 2009
"FOCUS broadened my understanding of a completely new area: the arts. As a PreMed student and Biology major, I was more comfortable with cell cultures than with creative writing. Being in FOCUS stretched me and challenged me, providing me with…
read more about Sally Liu, Arts and Contemporary Society Marshall Scholar, Class of 2009 »
Seva Castleberry.
Seva Castleberry, Cognitive Neuroscience and Law, Class of 2021
"FOCUS was electrifying. Thinking back on my time at Duke, FOCUS remains the strongest catalyzing force of my success..."
read more about Seva Castleberry, Cognitive Neuroscience and Law, Class of 2021 »
Abhi Sanka
Abhi Sanka, Genomes in Our Lives, Class of 2016
"I wanted a university where I could explore my interests, test my values, and chart a course for a future after college. With a strong public policy program, renowned science departments, and distinct interdisciplinary spirit captured by programs…
read more about Abhi Sanka, Genomes in Our Lives, Class of 2016 »
Rebecca Holmes
Rebecca Holmes, Knowledge in Service of Society, Class of 2015
"My FOCUS classes opened my eyes to a whole new perspective on the world and how we use our knowledge and education to give back to society. Being a part of FOCUS means that you will take classes with amazing professors and because of the small size…
read more about Rebecca Holmes, Knowledge in Service of Society, Class of 2015 »
Hadeel Hamoud.
Hadeel Hamoud, Middle East & Islam in Global Contexts, Class of 2022
"The Middle East & Islam in Global Contexts FOCUS cluster unequivocally shaped my Duke experience in profound ways..."
read more about Hadeel Hamoud, Middle East & Islam in Global Contexts, Class of 2022 »
Alejandra Gomez.
Alejandra Gomez, Knowledge in Service of Society, Class of 2021
"The KISS program motivated and supported me in my passion for teaching and educational equity my very first semester at Duke..."
read more about Alejandra Gomez, Knowledge in Service of Society, Class of 2021 »

See All Alumni Stories

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FOCUS Program

204C East Duke
Campus Box 90769
Durham, NC 27708

[p] 919.684.9371
[f] 919.613.9193
focus@duke.edu

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  • 2025 Clusters & Courses
    • Cognitive Neuroscience and Law
    • Exploration of Genetics and Genomics
    • Free For All: Freedom, Justice, and Citizenship
    • Geopolitics & Culture
    • Global Energy: Past, Present, and Future
    • Global Health: Problems and Paradigms
    • Humanitarian Challenges
    • Implications of Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models
    • It’s Not Too Late to Build a Better World
    • Knowledge in the Service of Society
    • Medicine, Ethics, and Health Policy
    • Modeling in Economic and Social Sciences
    • Science and Religion in Public Life
    • Science and the Public
    • Science, Invention, and Imagination in the Renaissance
    • The American Experiences
    • Thinking through Music and the Arts
    • Virtual Realities, Fictional Worlds, and Games
    • Visions of Freedom
  • For Students & Parents
    • For Prospective FOCUS Students
      • FOCUS Schedule
      • Living with FOCUS
      • Course Registration
      • How to Apply
      • Available Resources
      • After FOCUS
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Focus Brochure
      • Focus Quick Facts
    • For Parents
    • For Current Duke Students
      • Student Volunteer Opportunities
      • Staying Involved
    • Alumni Stories
  • For Faculty
    • New Clusters
    • Interdisciplinary Discussion Course (IDC)
    • Best Practices
    • Educational Enhancements
    • Advising Information
  • Alumni Stories
  • FOCUS at a GLANCE
  • About FOCUS
  • News
  • Support FOCUS