University Programs
University Programs
The Triangle Region is a hub for exceptional talent due to the region’s academic institutions. The region is home to three tier 1 research universities – North Carolina State University in Raleigh, Duke University in Durham and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – plus 7 other colleges and universities and 7 community colleges. The academic institutions work closely with local economic developers and businesses to ensure course offerings align with industry needs and prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow. Our highly educated workforce is one of many reasons so many businesses come to the Triangle Region.
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University was founded in 1887 as the state’s land-grant institution, grounded in agriculture and engineering. Today, NC State serves as a powerhouse in science, agriculture, engineering, and natural resources management with more than 35,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, NC State is home to one of the world’s most respected colleges of veterinary medicine. Collectively, more than 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered through 65 departments.
NC State University
Plant Sciences Initiative
NC State University’s Plant Science Initiative (PSI) brings the brightest minds in academia, government and industry together to drive innovation that increases yields, creates new varieties, extends growing seasons, enhances agricultural and environmental sustainability and produces new and improved technology. Breaking ground in September 2019, the $160 million state-of-the-art Plant Science Building, located on NC State’s Centennial Campus, will merge North Carolina’s expansive agriculture community with the regions’s thriving biotechnology industry. The building is expected to be complete in 2021.
NC State University
Veterinary Medicine
The NC State College of Veterinary Medicine is a driving force in veterinary research and training and ranked the 4th best veterinary schools in the country (US News 2019). The 250 acre campus is located on Centennial Biomedical Campus in Raleigh, providing opportunities for industry and government researchers, entrepreneurs, clinical trial companies, as well as collaborations with other universities to work side by side with faculty and students.
Its mission is to advance the veterinary profession and animal health through ongoing discovery and medical innovation; provide animals and their owners with extraordinary, compassionate medical care; and prepare the next generation of veterinarians and veterinary research scientists.
The world-leading faculty and clinicians are at the forefront of interdisciplinary biomedical innovation are conducting solution-driven research that defines the interconnections between animal and human health.
NC State University
NC Food Innovation Lab
The NC Food Innovation Lab is the nation’s only facility with cGMP capabilities dedicated to supporting the plant-based food innovators of tomorrow.
NCFIL brings together the latest in food processing equipment, expert food scientists and partners from across the state to help food companies and entrepreneurs get their products to market quickly and effectively. The lab is managed by NC State University.
Services include:
NC State University
Food Animal Initiative
NC State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Science has partnered with the College of Veterinary Medicine to help current and future students acquire the essential skills for success in animal agriculture, the life sciences and veterinary medicine. The result: unique opportunities on campus and in the real world for our students and graduates, and well-trained professionals to support the largest segment of the state’s agricultural economy.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina was the first public university in the nation, founded in 1789. It is home to approximately 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and is ranked 1st in the country for its School of Medicine’s primary care program, according to US News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools” 2019 edition. UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health is ranked as the number 1 public school of public health in the US, and 100 NC counties have been reached by Gillings students and faculty.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Department of Nutrition
The Gillings School of Public Health is ranked the top public school of public health in the nation and placed second among all public health schools (US News & World Report 2020 Edition). It is the only nutrition department in the United States situated in both a school of public health and a school of medicine. It engages in innovative work that capitalizes on both these schools’ approaches to health, and thus our department has an unusual breadth of scientific and policy approaches. The faculty expertise spans from cell to society and moves from discovery to delivery.
Duke University
Duke University was created in 1924 by James B. Duke, and was founded from the former Trinity College, which was moved to Durham in 1892. Today, Duke is home to approximately 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and offers many diverse schools. These include divinity, business, law, engineering, environment, and public policy. Additionally, Duke’s School of Medicine includes a variety of Health Education programs, including Doctor of Medicine, Clinical Research, Biomedical Sciences, and Population Health Sciences.
Duke University
Global Health Institute
At the heart of the Duke Global Health Institute is the phrase ‘global is local.’ Global health faculty and students at Duke understand that health disparities not only exist internationally, but also here at home. Partnering with a variety of health organizations and U.S.-based universities, more than two dozen DGHI faculty lead studies in North Carolina and across the U.S. spanning a variety of topics, from clergy health and the HIV/AIDS crisis in the Deep South to obesity and mental health.
Duke University
World Food Policy Center
Duke University’s World Food Policy Center develops coordinated and inclusive food policies. Its approach bridges key areas of food policies and systems to improve human wellbeing, environmental health, and equity. At the heart of this work, we learn from and connect unique voices—including people most affected by food system challenges. The center is designed to work at the intersection of key areas of food policy: food insecurity; obesity and chronic disease; agriculture and environment; and food safety and defense. We aim to make new connections across these areas, create a rich network of collaborations, and focus on innovation as both process and outcome. The World Food Policy Center will be global in scope, but will also work hard on local and regional food policies and practices.
Duke University
Consortium for Canine Comparative Oncology
The Consortium for Canine Comparative Oncology (C3O) is a collaboration between the Duke Cancer Institute and North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Duke and NC State have joined forces to further explore new cancer therapies offering better efficacy and less toxicity for both humans and canines. Researchers at both institutions are studying naturally occurring cancers in humans and canines and this collaboration will allow investigators to leverage research and resources to benefit both species, ensuring better treatments and outcomes.
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University was founded in 1909, serves over 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and offers 81 different degrees. It is ranked among the nation’s top 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities based on 2019 rankings released from US News & World Report. The University has two state-of-the-art biotechnology research facilities, the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), and, The Golden Leaf Foundation Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), which collaborate with pharmacy and biotech companies in nearby Research Triangle Park.
Schools and Colleges:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
- School of Business
- School of Education
- School of Law
- School of Library and Information Sciences
- School of Graduate Studies
North Carolina Central University
Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI)
BBRI conducts multidisciplinary and inter-institutional research focused on health issues that disproportionately affect minority and underserved populations while providing students with research experiences that will enhance their access to careers in the biomedical sciences.
Research Programs:
- Cardiovascular Metabolic Research
- Cancer Research
- Neuroscience Research
- Human Nutrition Research
NC Community Colleges
The North Carolina Community College System is a statewide network of 58 public community colleges. The System enrolls over 735,000 students annually (approximately 1:9 residents 18 and older), and is the third largest community college system in the nation. Every North Carolina citizen is in a 30-minute drive from a community college. There are seven community colleges in the Research Triangle Region:
- Central Carolina Community College, Chatham & Lee Counties
- Durham Technical Community College, Durham County
- Johnston Community College, Johnston County
- Piedmont Community College, Person County
- Wake Tech Community College, Wake County
- Wilson Community College, Wilson County
- Vance-Granville Community College, Franklin, Granville & Warren Counties
Piedmont Community College
Agribusiness Technology Program
The Associate in Applied Science degree program in Agribusiness Technology is based on the Caswell County Campus, but serves both Caswell County and Person County communities. Agribusiness Technology will prepare students for employment in a variety of agribusiness jobs such as store management, farm operations, wholesale and retail produce management, and environmental and agricultural education. Students will learn the fundamentals of agriculture, with emphasis placed on entrepreneurial and field training, as well as the basics of our economic system and government policies and programs relating to agriculture.
Programs:
- Agricultural Maintenance
- Plant Science
Central Carolina Community College
Sustainability Technologies Program
Sustainability Technologies at Central Carolina Community College opens the door to a variety of careers in the growing green economy. The new Associate in Applied Science in Sustainability Technologies degree builds on the college’s long experience in training workers and entrepreneurs for fields that are both Earth-and consumer-friendly. Certificates and diplomas are also available. The degree focuses on sustainability issues, Alternative Energy and Green Building. Core classes cover the major policy and development issues in sustainability metrics and practices. Students learn how to measure sustainability indicators, skills necessary for improving financial, social and environmental impacts.