Class of 2029 to Arrive, the First to Navigate New Trinity Curriculum

Be prepared for a new academic year as students return to campus for the beginning of the fall semester on Aug. 29.

Most of the more than 1,730 new first-year students arriving this weekend at Duke will take part in an unprecedented academic journey.

Incoming Duke students entering the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences will be the first to navigate all four years of the college’s new curriculum, designed to enhance the first-year experience and encourage exploration across academic disciplines. It is a change that, in part, puts a renewed emphasis on language studies, writing, arts and humanities.

“The world — and today’s students — have changed significantly since Trinity College last updated its curriculum 25 years ago,” said Trinity Dean Gary Bennett. “The new Arts & Sciences curriculum creates dynamic learning environments that prepare students not only to thrive at Duke and beyond, but also to engage deeply and broadly with the most pressing issues of our time.”

Most of Duke’s expected 1,731 first-year students – 1,343 – enter Duke within Trinity, while the balance will be Pratt School of Engineering undergraduates.

Representing 49 U.S. states

This new class of first-year students represents 49 U.S. states and 55 foreign countries. About 17 percent of the class – 236 students – are North Carolinians, and 51 more hail from South Carolina. 

First-year students move in Saturday, August 16.

A prominent feature of the new curriculum is Constellations, year-long, multidisciplinary experiences designed to build communities among first-year students. They comprise interconnected courses that explore a topic from multiple perspectives and feature small-group learning. Each Constellation will also offer at least one experiential component per semester. 

One goal of the new curriculum is to slow the learning process for a generation accustomed to the rapid-fire consumption of bite-sized tidbits of information.

Slower, reflective engagement in new Arts & Sciences curriculum

“This generation has grown up in a digital-first world — immersed in instant answers, fast-paced communication and constant change,” Bennett said. “The curriculum recognizes the unique strengths of this context while also creating space for intellectual disruption through slower, more reflective engagement. It offers students the opportunity to develop and extend essential skills in debate, discourse and critical thinking — especially through encounters with diverse perspectives.”

Duke’s newest students will be busy as soon as they arrive in Durham. Their introduction to campus includes experiential orientation, a 4-year-old program that introduces new students to immersive engagement, teamwork and the greater community through a series of team-based week-long projects. The program aims to give students an immediate community to lean on to ease the transition to college. 

“Every voice matters, every question counts, and every perspective adds value.”

Jenny Wood-Crowley, Vice Provost of Intellectual Community

“Duke wants new students to feel like they belong here — not just as individuals but as part of the larger community that learns and grows together,” said Jenny Wood-Crowley, vice provost of intellectual community in Duke’s Undergraduate Education office. “Every voice matters, every question counts, and every perspective adds value. Students flourish when they engage with a community that values many paths to learning and personal growth.”