DRAKE DRAKE DRAKE
open
to better understanding to mentorship to field experience to personal growth to connection to making a real world of difference to reaching your full potential
Choosing Drake University is choosing access.
In Iowa’s capital city, you’ll be immersed in a national hub for politics, insurance, healthcare, fi ne arts, and more.
Top 100 Best Colleges in the US
by Wall Street Journal.
With 85+ majors to choose from, your only limit is your ambition.
Every single one of our students receives a scholarship, which places Drake among the best in the nation in terms of value.
Professors know you by name because there are no TA’s between you and the experts. The tight connections you make with faculty and friends will open up a world of opportunity.
For students who are open to a brilliant future, Drake is open to you.
97.3 % #1
Drake gives you the confidence the insight to navigate any issue— This is an education that endures. give you a compass. When you learn what to know, your education opens #1 in Iowa among bachelors-degree granting institutions for median salary 10 years after enrolling.
92.7 %
97.3% of Drake undergraduates who earned a bachelor’s degree in 2023 were employed, enrolled in graduate school or professional school, or involved in an activity related to their professional goals (94.5% knowledge rate).
US Department of Education College Scorecard
92.7% of Drake undergraduate students reported having an internship or other practical experience.
26
150+ to tackle any obstacle and issue— even if it doesn’t exist yet. endures. It’s what happens when courses learn how to think instead of opens up to a life of learning.
100 %
Bulldogs come from everywhere: Our student body is currently from 26 countries.
100% of our full-time undergraduate students receive a scholarship.
Explore more than 150 undergraduate programs spanning across 7 colleges and schools on campus.
10:1 A student-faculty ratio of 10:1 ensures a personal experience.
A major di erence, starting day one.
Starting in year one, you can take classes in your chosen program—no matter which major you choose. Undecided? Then you’ll be opened up to explore areas of interest immediately. This means you’ll have the flexibility to double major or change your
major entirely and still graduate on time, along with the 86% of students who began and completed their bachelor’s degree at Drake. Plus, Drake’s strong liberal arts education and professional preparation ensures you’re ready for tomorrow’s emerging fields.
World travelers love Drake! Starting your sophomore year, Drake students can participate in J-Term courses on campus or abroad with no extra tuition cost. Where will Drake take you?
Our location opens you up to an abundance of opportunities for internships, experiences, networking, and jobs. Des Moines offers everything from Fortune 500 companies to energetic start-ups.
College of Arts & Sciences
With more than 40 majors ranging from Artificial Intelligence and Politics to Psychology and Fine Arts, you can discover the natural world, learn how humans interact, and why we seek to creatively express ourselves.
Zimpleman College of Business
Are you open to leading positive change? With 13 undergraduate majors o ered, you can start taking business classes right away in Accounting, International Business, and more. Plus, Drake’s location in Des Moines (a major business hub) gives you opportunities for hands-on experiences and internships that will give you the edge.
School of Education
Prepare for a lifetime of opening minds by choosing from 2 majors and 13 endorsements. Teaching practicums and experiences are built into every year of the curriculum enabling you to build your skills at urban, rural, and suburban schools. With Drake’s new Three and Teach model, undergraduate students are able to complete their education and endorsement requirements in their fi rst 3 years and spend their fourth in the classroom working as a certified, paid teacher.
School of Journalism & Mass Communication
With 8 majors to choose from our nationally accredited program and various real-world experiences through internships and nationally recognized campus publications, you’ll be ready to thrive in the constantly evolving worlds of print, broadcast, public relations, and digital media.
96.8% of Arts & Sciences undergrads launch their career or begin grad school within 6 months after graduation.
The average starting salary for Zimpleman graduates is $63,591.
Our Three & Teach program enables you to earn your degree on an accelerated timeline.
Our student-run Drake Magazine is one of the nation’s most decorated collegiate publications.
College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Our program works to better you, your patients, your community, and your profession. With 7 majors and pre-professional programs available, including accelerated programs to earn an advanced degree, you’ll have opportunities to deliver patient care, assist in research, and gain hands-on training in practice settings locally and globally.
96.8% of students are employed or pursuing advanced education within 6 months of graduation.
John Dee Bright College
Drake has reinvented the 2-year degree. Choose between two associate degree options, and if you’d like to pursue a bachelor’s degree when you graduate, you receive automatic admission into Drake’s 4-year undergraduate programs. Bright students gain hands-on experience and benefit from a consolidated schedule to maximize their career momentum.
Law School
Drake Law School sets you on a path to success. Undergraduate students can enroll in our accelerated 3+3/Law program, which allows them to earn both an undergraduate and law degree from Drake in only six years. Students gain experience starting their fi rst year of law school by observing a federal trial. Plus the legal clinic allows students to serve clients in areas such as wrongful convictions, immigration law, children’s rights, and more.
Opening up a whole new pathway to higher education.
1,000 cases are handled each year by the Drake Legal Clinic.
Learn more about the programs in each of our colleges and schools at drake.edu/academics .
Nurture your passions or open yourself to new ones.
Whether you enjoy performing on stage, playing sports, or creative writing, Drake makes it easy to find your place and your people with more than 170 clubs and organizations waiting for you to join.
Clubs for everyone, including you.
From fine arts and Student Senate, to professional and social fraternity and sorority life, cultural organizations, and more. There’s even a hammock club! Can’t find a group that aligns with your passions? Feel free to start your own.
Feel the rush of intramural victory.
Bring your friends or prepare to make new ones by joining one of Drake’s 20 intramural teams or clubs. Choose from basketball, pickleball, innertube water polo, and just about everything in between.
Strong bodies make strong minds.
Drake Recreational Services gives students many ways to stay active including hip hop, yoga, and spin classes. Plus, students have free access to two fitness centers offering a pool, weight rooms, cardio equipment, and recreational courts.
Everyone’s creativity can shine.
Every student at Drake—regardless of major—can take part in the arts. Join a theatrical production, audition to sing in one of the choirs, participate in marching band, or bring the noise in the pep band.
Settling in nicely.
Living city life fully.
Downtown Des Moines is just a few minutes by bike or bus from campus, giving you access to big city cultural celebrations, music festivals, political events, and the nation’s largest skate park—all with a friendly neighborhood feel.
Settle into student life in one of Drake’s five on-campus residence halls. Take a virtual room tour of each residence hall by visiting our YouTube channel.
Dining in easily.
Hungry for dining options? At Drake, you’ll have plenty. Enjoy the freedom to choose when, where, and how you want to eat in our multi-option dining hall, The Hubb. You can also stop by the full-service Starbucks in Olmsted, pick up a study snack at Cowles Library’s Coffee Shop, or grab a bite in Spike’s Convenience Store. You’re never far away from a snack or meal when hunger strikes. Plus, Drake has an on-site dietician who can assist you with special dietary needs.
Expanding your taste buds.
Des Moines’s thriving city offers vibrant culinary adventures ranging from unique fusion restaurants to classic diners. Students can easily get off-campus to enjoy laid-back favorites like Zombie Burger, elegant date nights at Americana, or eccentric options like Fong’s Pizza. Just steps from campus, Drake students can find a global array including Mexican, Mediterranean, Japanese, Ethiopian, artisanal ice cream, and more.
The Drake Relays
Welcome to the iconic Blue Oval. For more than 115 years, athletes and Olympians from around the world have competed in track and field events hosted on Drake’s campus. Get ready for the week-long tradition of fun that includes the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, street painting, an outdoor concert, the Drake Road Races, and Griff Gives Back. Students get a preview of the full Relays schedule at Blitz Day. year to cheer on competitors. @drakerelays
Back-to-back NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball Missouri Valley Conference Champions
Run with the big dogs
Drake earned the coveted Missouri Valley Conference All-Sports Championship in 2024. We offer 17 intercollegiate programs for men and women.
Brave. Bold. BuzzerBeating. Blue.
Eye-opening, heart-pounding fun.
Dress in blue and join mascots Spike and Griff II to cheer on all your Bulldogs at Drake’s state-of-the-art home team arenas, fields, and stadium. It’s all on campus and free with your Drake ID.
68 miles of paved trails and 19 miles of soft trails in the Des Moines metro.
Drake’s hometown, in the capital city of Des Moines, is a big deal. With a population of nearly 700,000, Drake is in one of the fastest-growing metros in the Midwest and Des Moines is consistently ranked one of the best places to live—especially for young professionals.
Open to being in the
From its status as a political epicenter, to art that deserves a standing ovation, to the largest skatepark in the nation, Des Moines knows how to mix fun, culture, and professional opportunities. Whether you want to attend concerts, get outdoors, or feed late-night cravings, Drake is the right place for you .
Des Moines, Named a Best City for Young Professionals (policygenius.com, 2022)
Top 5 Best Farmers’ Market in the United States (The Getaway, 2024)
#3 Best Market for Recent College Graduates (Zillow, 2023)
center of it all.
#4 Best Place to Live in the Midwest in 2023-2024
(U.S. News & World Report, 2023)
Des Moines kicks off the election cycle every 4 years, and presidential candidates come to Drake for the Iowa caucuses.
Traditions waiting for your personal (paw) print.
Hubbelling
We may be the only University to make its dining hall a verb. On the first major snowfall of the year, students head to the Quads, grab an old Hubbell Dining Hall food tray, and sled down nearby hills. Starbucks® hot chocolate provided by the Student Alumni Association is ready and waiting for you at Olmsted!
Painted Street (and paint fights)
Bulldogs are known for brightening the world, and we celebrate it with our most colorful tradition—Painted Street when student clubs and organizations paint a square to kick off Relays Week. Somewhere along the line a paint fight began and we embraced the fun.
Kissing Rock
This boulder represents the historic campus elm tree where founders declared they would build a great university in 1881. Now, it’s a popular spot for sweethearts and the annual Kissing Rock event with live music, food, and contests hosted by the Student Alumni Association.
Sweetheart Sing
Fraternities and sororities partner to perform original skits and heartfelt songs. Acting and singing skills not required— Bulldogs get points for bravery.
Fall Carnival
Every fall, our Student Activities Board turns Helmick Commons into a carnival, complete with inflatable obstacle courses, snacks, lawn games, live music, a caricature artist, and of course, Griff II.
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
INTERDISCIPLINARY
and Organizational
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Education Studies Minor Elementary Teacher Education (K–6) Leadership Education and Development Minor Secondary Teacher Education (5–12) Social Justice in Urban Education Concentration Adult Learning and Talent Development
ZIMPLEMAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM & MASS
Open Journalism Public Relations Public Relations (100% Online) Strategic Political Communication
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY & HEALTH SCIENCES
Athletic Training (apply after completing Pre-Athletic Training)
Diabetes Concentration
Health Sciences
Nursing
Occupational Therapy (OTD—apply after completing Pre-Occupational Therapy)
Pharmacy (PharmD—apply after completing Pre-Pharmacy)
Global and Comparative
Public Health Concentration
PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
Pre-Athletic Training
Pre-Dentistry
Pre-Engineering
Pre-Law
Pre-Medicine
Pre-Nursing
Pre-Occupational Therapy
Pre-Pharmacy
Pre-Veterinary Medicine
CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
Global Ambassador
LAW SCHOOL
Joint 3+3 degrees with Arts & Sciences, Business, Journalism, and Health Sciences
Open yourself to more.
your brightest with dynamic academic opportunities. Find your place and your people by joining student organizations. Make connections with faculty mentors who are leaders in their field. Build a powerful network of community leaders in a variety of industries.
so much more to Drake than what
in this
