Graduate Schools in Raleigh, NC

Two early examples include St. Mary’s School for Women (1842), and Shaw University (1865). Shaw University was the first coed college for African-Americans in the nation. Later, the nation’s first school for blind and deaf African-Americans was also opened in Raleigh (1869).ⁱⁱⁱ

Today, with an estimated metro population of 458,880, Raleigh still represents with education as a strong industry, along with health care and technology.^iv Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in October 2017, Raleigh had 75,600 jobs in education and health services.^v

Raleigh’s Awards and Mentions

Earn your graduate degree in a city praised for different reasons. Raleigh has received several accolades for its quality of life and business climate that the City of Raleigh is eager to point out. Apart from its status as a great city for beer lovers, budget travel, adventure, driving, and compassion, here are a few honorable mentions for this great city. ^vi

• 1st place in the “Best Tasting Water” (NC AWWA-WEA) Annual Conference (2017)^vii
• 14^th fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. per the Census Bureau (2017)^viii
• 2^nd most educated city in the U.S. (Forbes, 2017)^ix

Plus, recent reports indicate that workers in the Raleigh Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average hourly salary of $24.23 in May 2016. This is about 2 percent above the nationwide average of $23.86, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.^x

What Things Are There to Do in Raleigh?

Whether you are a cyclist, artist or foodist, Raleigh has a mix of things to do, places to see and events to attend. Here are seven things you might enjoy as a graduate student in Raleigh, NC.

1. Listen to Live Music. Big bands, small bands, slow bands, fast bands, hard rock and soft ballads. Large-scale arenas, smaller concert halls, mom-and-pop playhouses and only-the-locals-know-about dives are some of the many music venues for the live-music lover.
2. Festivals and Events. Take your taste buds to Triangle Restaurant Week in January. Take the Krispy Kreme Challenge in February. Run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Half Marathon and 5k in April. Get out to Brewgaloo for N.C.’s largest craft beer festival. Celebrate fine visual art at Artsplosure – The Raleigh Arts Festival. There is always something worth getting out of the library for.
3. Food Trucks. You could find them outside museums, breweries, art galleries, music venues, office buildings, parks and anywhere else you can think of where hungry people get together. As an FYI, Pho Nomenal Dumplings was named “Best Food Truck in America” in 2015.^xi
4. See some art. Check out the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM), North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) just to name drop a few. The NCMA has one of the largest art parks in the country. xii For performance art you go to The Duke Center for the Performing Arts.
5. Catch a game. Raleigh gets four seasons of sports. It has also hosted the PGA a few times.
6. Get outside. The City of Raleigh has a downloadable bicycle commuter guide, just to give you a sense of how bike friendly it is. Also, the Capital Area Greenway System, which is a network of public open spaces and recreational trails provides a lot of options. Here you could walk, jog, hike, study nature, fish and breathe fresh air. If you have time for a day trip, cross the bridge and get to Topsail Island Bridge Beach
7. Have a Hot Chocolate. Bring your laptop and head to Videri Chocolate Factory, located in the trendy Warehouse District downtown. It’s a bean to bar factory with a coffee counter. Then explore the shops and restaurants in the area.

What Food Is Raleigh Known For?

The food scene in Raleigh supports local farmers so you could find lots of farm to table fare. Also, Mac-n-cheese. BBQ wars (Lexington vs Eastern style) with a side of hush puppies. Sunday Brunch. Deviled eggs. Local chocolate from Videri. Chicken fried steak. Seafood. Laotian food is trendy here but American classics like a great burger or slice of pizza are too.

If you enjoy liquor, you could have girls/guys night out at a local American Whisky Bar. There are also breweries, wineries, distilleries and coffee roasters. Raleigh Beer Garden is trying for the “operational beer tap” world record. It offers 366 separate varieties daily with a focus on N.C. craft beer and local brewing companies.

What Is the Weather Like in Raleigh, NC?

If you head to university in Fall, you may need an umbrella. Winters tend to be short and cool with averages in the low 40s and you might want to bring boots that could stand up to some snow. Spring is sometimes similar to fall, but by summer it could be hot and humid and in the 80s.

Where to Live in Raleigh, North Carolina?

Graduate schools in Raleigh may provide housing or be a source of information for prospective students. Below are a few noteworthy neighborhoods.^xiii

• Oakwood – A historic district east of downtown where you will find styles such as Victorian homes built in the late 1800s and modest bungalows from the 1920s.
• Stonehenge – This North Raleigh neighborhood is reputed as tight-knit. There are newer, modest single-family homes and townhouses, built in the early 1980s and later.
• Brier Creek – In northwest Raleigh is where you will find single-family homes, townhomes and condos as well as high-priced estates. It is also really close to Research Triangle Park.
• Five Points – So named because it is centered on a major intersection just northwest of downtown, Five Points has an urban vibe with funky restaurants, pockets of boutiques, bars, and an independent movie theatre. Also a draw are its tree-lined streets and easy access to downtown and North Raleigh.
• North Hills – This area was a further out suburb, but is now an area with townhouses, apartments, and garden homes. Some call North Hills the city’s new Midtown.
• Downtown – Home to historic buildings, the City Market, Warehouse, Fayetteville Street, and Glenwood South Districts.

There are a wide variety of Graduate Programs in Raleigh that might be of interest, especially in the STEM fields. Tap into the sense of research this area is known for, and study in a university that may attract recruiters.

Master of Engineering (MEng) Programs in Raleigh

Earn a Master of Engineering degree in Raleigh. Duke, a partner school, offers a MEng degree through the Pratt School of Engineering. Students generally pair technical classes with a core in business leadership and management. Then, they complete their degree with an internship or a project.

Interested students could earn a Master of Engineering at Duke in a path that aligns with their interests. Degree requirements might include 30 course credits, 1 seminar and a required internship.

The following are some potential areas of emphasis.

Biomedical Engineering: Students who pursue a MEng in Biomedical Engineering typically could take electives in areas such as neural engineering, biomaterials, biotechnology and immune engineering.

Civil Engineering: A MEng in Civil Engineering could include focused technical studies in computational engineering, systems engineering, optimization and geo-systems.

Computational Mechanics: A Master of Engineering in Computational Mechanics and Scientific Computing could zoom in on the use of modern computational algorithms for model-based simulation and design.

Electrical and Computer Engineering: A MEng in Electrical and Computer Engineering could offer electives in areas such as photonics, micro-nano systems, big data, sensing and waves.

Environmental Engineering: Students who study to earn a MEng in Environmental Engineering might take a broad set of courses in applied mathematics, chemistry, biosciences and modeling. More defined areas could include public policy, environmental fluid dynamics and process engineering.

Materials Science: A MEng in Materials Science and Engineering could require coursework in solid and soft materials, general materials science and characterization.

Mechanical Engineering: Students who pursue a MEng in Mechanical Engineering could choose a technical focus in aerospace, materials science, mechanics, robotics, and thermal fluids.

Photonics: Students who pursue a MEng in Photonics and Optical Sciences might take courses n quantum electronics, nano-photonics and biomedical optical diagnostics among others. Active research at the Fitzpatrick Institute of Photonics (FIP) include eight initiative areas. Among them are systems modeling and novel spectroscopies.

Risk Engineering: A MEng in Risk Engineering could highlight the use of statistical decision theory to assess the potential for extreme events, their costs, benefits and consequences. Enrolled students could pursue a focus in environment and population health, materials and structure, or energy and climate systems.

Masters in Bioethics Programs in Raleigh

Study Bioethics in Raleigh. A Master of Arts (MA) in Bioethics and Science Policy program could help students learn how to identify, analyze and propose solutions to complex issues at the crossroads of science, technology, ethics and policy.

Students who pursue their MA in Bioethics at Duke (partner school) could take a broad array of courses intended to discuss the ethical, legal and social policy concerns that arise from advances in science and technology.

Curriculums could be divided into 4 core courses, 5 electives, an optional concentration and a practicum or thesis. Core courses could include topics such as the examples below.

• Current Issues in Bioethics
• Clinical Bioethics and Health Policy
• Bioethics and Law
• Law, Research and Bioethics

While students might collaborate with a faculty member to choose a custom concentration, there are several areas of emphasis to explore.

Genomics: A focus in genomics could survey the ethical, legal and social issues that surround the rise of genomic technologies.

Neuroscience: Students might examine the human brain to discuss criminal intent, the decision process, social behavior and free will.

Public Impact and Engagement: A focus in public impact might explore the tools of investigative journalism, humanities scholarship and community engagement as they relate to ethical and policy questions.

Full-time students may complete the program in one full year. Students without a background in bioethics may be encouraged to complete the degree in one and a half to two years so that they could take a wide selection of foundation courses and have time to take part in more advanced study.

Duke also offers a joint JD/MA program. It allows students to work towards both a JD through Duke Law School and an MA in Bioethics & Science Policy in three years and one summer. Aside from the compulsory bioethics courses, students may be required to select electives from a list of approved Law School topics.

Choose a University in Raleigh, NC

It’s fast and easy to choose a graduate school and graduate program in Raleigh, North Carolina. Set some filters such as degree level to compare sponsored graduate schools in Raleigh. Then, use the on-page form to contact your matches right away.

[i] uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/ip-motion/north-carolinas-research-triangle | [ii] bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/businessemploymentdynamics_northcarolina.htm | [iii] raleighnc.gov/government/content/PubAffairs/Articles/Historic.html | [iv] census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/raleighcitynorthcarolina/POP060210 | [v] bls.gov/eag/eag.nc_raleigh_msa.htm | [vi] raleighnc.gov/home/content/PubAffairs/Articles/AccoladesRaleigh.html | [vii] raleighnc.gov/home/news/content/CorNews/Articles/RaleighBestTastingWater.html | [viii] census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2017/cb17-44.html | [ix] forbes.com/pictures/fjle45iglg/the-10-most-and-least-ed/#e593dfc70b36 | [x] bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/occupationalemploymentandwages_raleigh.htm |[xi] visitraleigh.com/foodie/food-trucks/ | [xii] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raleigh,_North_Carolina#Cultural_resources | [xiii] greatamericancountry.com/places/local-life/great-neighborhoods-in-raleigh