Department of Biology
Study Away Programs Awarding Duke Credit
Duke University Marine Lab
All Duke students have the opportunity to study at the Duke University Marine Laboratory. Located in Beaufort, N.C., the Marine Lab is a modern teaching and research campus in marine and estuarine biology which provides direct access to open ocean, estuaries, and coastal ecosystems. The campus includes modern laboratories, vessels for coastal studies, and domestic and international travel courses with faculty. The Marine Lab sponsors a variety of courses in the Summer, as well as full semester programs in the Fall and Spring.
Duke in Australia
Biogeography in an Australian Context: BIOLOGY 288A/EOS 288A/ENVIRON 288A (NS, STS); 1 credit
The Duke in Australia summer Program introduces students to the ecology of the seasonally dry tropics of the Northern Territory, the cool and warm temperate climates of New South Wales, and the high and low elevation wet tropics and Great Barrier Reef of Queensland. Students learn common representative species of plants and animals in each of these environments, as determined by the interaction of geology, climate, evolutionary history, and culture. Special emphasis will be placed on the interaction between the Australian ecology and the Aboriginal Peoples.
Non-Duke Programs with Options for Coursework in the Biological Sciences
The U.K. & Australia
Study abroad programs in Britain and Australia are popular with science majors as courses from these countries often transfer easily back to Duke, including the lab courses. There are fewer options for science majors in continental Europe, but students should research some of the locations to identify possible appropriate matches to their academic needs. The DIS program in Denmark, for instance, is one example of a program on which students can study science courses in English and transfer credit back to Duke. Students are advised to check the departmental websites at each of these universities, as well as the Duke Global Education Office for Undergraduates (GEO-U)’s course approval database, to determine which courses will align most closely with their academic requirements.
Other Organizations
The Organization for Tropical Studies offers a program in African Ecology and Conservation in South Africa. Other organizations that offer programs focusing on field biology include the School for Field Studies (SFS) and the School for International Training (SIT), both of which have programs on the Duke-approved program list.
Explore programs by major here: https://globaled.duke.edu/student-experience/by-major
More Information on Study Abroad At Duke
For more information on programs, eligibility requirements, application procedures and deadlines visit the GEO-U website and this information page. It is wise to plan ahead and meet with your academic advisor as well as with a study abroad advisor to determine which options best suit your needs and timetable.
They also provide students with a course approval database for determining what types of courses they may be able to take on a particular study abroad program and how those courses can be used to fulfill academic requirements. The database allows students to search for study abroad programs according to their major and to see what courses other students have taken and how they transfer back to Duke. Please note that this list of courses is not exhaustive; courses not included in the database can be submitted to the Associate Director of Undergraduates Studies (DUS) for approval. Also, just because a course is listed in a database does not mean that it will be offered when you are at the program site. You should check with the local institution for an updated course schedule.