Drake University
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, IA
Dare to Shape Tomorrow
The job you'll have in ten years hasn't been invented yet. Prepare at Drake.
Are you excited by the idea of doing way more than sitting in lectures?
At Drake, you’ll put your knowledge to the test solving real-world challenges like helping a client find their audience, designing and conducting new research, and serving patients. Drake commits that your experience will be marked by four key experiences that drive success—in whatever field you choose, even if it doesn’t exist quite yet.
Would you thrive in a medium-sized university with small classes and huge opportunities?
At Drake, that means small classes and professors who know you and actively connect you to incredible internships and research gigs. You’ll also benefit from the many choices that come from Drake’s more than 100 programs of study, 160 clubs, Division I Athletics program and a prime location in a vibrant capital city that’s a hub for politics, business, publishing, bioscience, arts and culture, and recreation. Even with all that, you won't get lost in the crowd.
Do you like being part of something special?
The Drake community is close, strong, and full of pride. This comes, in part, from our shared traditions and our Midwestern friendliness. But some is just our own, personal brand of quirk. And of course, Bulldogs—our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as those of the four-legged variety. Ultimately, it adds up to a school spirit you just can't beat.
Drake is a place where you’ll grow as a person, make life-long friendships, live in the center of a vibrant metro area, and graduate with skills that can put you on the leading edge of your chosen field. Recognized as one of the finest universities in the Midwest, Drake offers students the benefits and resources of a larger institution with the advantages of intimate class sizes and close personal relationships.
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#1 Private School in Iowa | The Wall Street Journal |
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#75 in Best Value Schools | U.S. News & World Report |
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Named a Best College in the Midwest 2024 | The Princeton Review |
Des Moines is a vibrant, fast-growing, diverse Midwestern metro area of over 500,000 that surprises most people who visit for the first time. Its restaurants, attractions, concerts (both large and small), trails, cultural events, and art scene—especially the sculpture park—all contribute to what makes our city so special. Plus, Des Moines is influential in business, government, healthcare, law and more. Drake is interwoven with it all.
History: Founded in 1881 and named for Civil War general Francis Marion Drake; 140+ years of proud history and traditions
Enrollment: Approximately 3,000 undergraduates and 1,600 graduate students from 45 states and more than 40 countries
Faculty: 300 full-time instructors and professors, 92% holding the highest degrees in their field
Programs of Study: More than 150 undergraduate majors, minors, and concentrations (options to combine majors or make your own); 20+ master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees
College and Schools:
• The College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
• John Dee Bright College
• School of Education
• School of Journalism and Mass Communication
• School of Law
• Zimpleman College of Business
Athletics: Drake Bulldogs competing in NCAA Division I athletics as members of the Missouri Valley Conference and Pioneer Football League; eight men’s and 10 women’s intercollegiate teams and many options for club sports, intramurals, and fitness
Accreditations: The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association; Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business; Iowa Department of Public Instruction; National Association of Schools of Art and Design; National Association of Schools of Music; American Chemical Society; Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism & Mass Communications; Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education; and the American Bar Association
