Drake University is recognized as one of the finest institutions of higher learning in the Midwest. A midsized, private university in Des Moines, Iowa, we offer the benefits and resources of a larger institution along with the advantages of intimate class sizes and close personal relationships.
University Leadership
Under the guidance of an experienced leadership team, we provide an exceptional learning environment that prepares students for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishments, and responsible global citizenship. We do this by fostering collaborative learning among students, faculty, and staff and by integrating the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation.
Academic Programs
Drake enrolls more than 3,300 undergraduates and 1,700 graduate students from 40 states and more than 40 countries. These students choose from more than 70 majors, minors, and concentrations and 20 graduate degrees offered through six colleges and schools. In addition, we offer a range of continuing education programs serving working professionals, community members, and area businesses.
Special Opportunities
The Drake Curriculum provides the foundation for undergraduate education, ensuring exposure to a broad selection of areas of inquiry. Other hallmarks of a Drake education include the Honors Program, First-Year Seminars, and World Languages and Cultures. Students also have extensive opportunities to study abroad, complete internships, and take part in independent research.
Extracurricular highlights include more than 160 active student organizations and a thriving Division I athletics program. Among co-curricular opportunities, students take advantage of many options for developing leadership abilities and engaging in service-learning.
Campus-wide Research
The University sponsors an active program of research and outreach. Influential centers and institutes range from The Constitutional Law Center to The National Rehabilitation Institute, and the investigations of individual faculty span an equally broad spectrum.
Drake and Des Moines
Drake students, faculty, and staff take full advantage of the wealth of cultural, recreational, and business opportunities found in Des Moines. In return, Drake enriches the city through its own cultural offerings, its considerable economic impact, and many endeavors in service-learning that channel the talent and energy of the Drake community toward meeting the needs of our neighbors.
Drake's mission is to provide an exceptional learning environment that prepares students for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishments, and responsible global citizenship. The Drake experience is distinguished by collaborative learning among students, faculty, and staff and by the integration of the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation.
Our Inspiration is that together we transform lives and strengthen communities.
