Duke in New York-Summer
Being and Becoming New York
Being and Becoming New York
Apply NowYou’ve heard the popular saying, “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere!” As catchy and lovely as it sounds, the slogan does neither reflects real life nor the guiding principles of this course. “Being and Becoming New York” is an immersive, five-week learning experience centered around the idea that New York is not just anywhere, and that it attracts and nurtures residents that are anything but ordinary. We will learn to appreciate what the model, cultural influencer and quintessential New York scenester Quentin Crisp meant when he amended the popular adage to say, “If you make it in New York, you’ll fail everywhere else!”
PROGRAM FAST FACTS
Location: New York City, NY, USA
Term: Summer l
Dates: May 17, 2025 - June 15, 2025
Application Deadline: February 1
Academic Theme(s): Memoir, Literature, Performing Arts, Representation, NYC in the 1960s, 70s, 80s
Credit Type: Duke Credit
Eligibility: Open to students from all majors. Non-Duke students and DKU students are not eligible for this program. 3.0 GPA with exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Duke Affiliation: English
Housing: Residence Hall
Primary Contact: Taylor Black
Events and Tours of the City
Beyond the course specific field trips the program will include additional trips to augment the course content by exposing students to a number of specific historic narratives and cultural productions.
Program Location
The program will be based in the borough of Manhattan in New York. This location provides central access to the entire city through the subway lines. In addition, the island of Manhattan is in itself a remarkable cultural milieu packed with museums, performance venues and innumerable historic sites.
The Staff
Enthusiastic, caring Duke professors look out for your safety and curate New York for you during the summer. We also have an energetic New York-based assistant who will help ease your way.
ACADEMICS
All students enroll in one course for one Duke credit. Neither pass/fail nor auditing is permitted.
- COURSES
COURSES
ENGLISH 390A/JAM 390A-01/SOCIOL 390A/VMS 390A
Being and Becoming New York
(ALP, CCI)
1.0 Credit
Focusing on a selection of iconoclastic artists, activists, writers, and trendsetters who called New York City home, this course will help students see what makes New York so much like itself and so unlike anywhere else in the nation or on earth. Our readings and discussions will have a historical focus, emphasizing NYC during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, but we will keep an eye on the present and near future as we consider ourselves as producers of the NYC-to come. In addition to keeping up with weekly readings, events, and in-class discussions, students will spend their time curating a creative project telling their own “Being and Becoming New York” story.
Our experiences will happen in the classroom and out on the streets; our lessons will be taught in the pages of books, on the walls of galleries, and on stage at cultural events happening across town. “Being and Becoming New York” will be a happening, a way to learn about others who came to New York before you and found themselves there and an invitation for you to see the person you want to be reflected to you in the city’s rich artistic, political, intellectual, and social scenes. By learning about a handful of fabulous New Yorkers from the past, students in this course will come to know about New York City’s nearly magical ability to help its residents change the world by becoming more and more like themselves!
HOUSING & MEALS
Students will live in double shared rooms with two twin beds, a closet, and two desks and chairs. The apartment includes a kitchen and an ensuite bathroom. https://www.foundstudy.com/midtowneast
Most meals will be at the student's own expense. Some group meals are included in the cost of the program.
ESTIMATED COSTS
Summer 2025
These costs are estimated based on previous years’ programs and the current exchange rate. All costs are subject to change.
| Duke Students | |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $2,970 |
| Program Fee | $5,400 |
| Transcript Fee | N/A |
| Other Costs | $1,960 |
| TOTAL (Estimated) | $10,450 |
Costs FAQs
The program fee for this program includes:
- Accommodations
- 30-day unlimited subway passes for duration of program
- Program-sponsored activities and excursions
- Orientation program
Use the following list to assist with budgeting for expenses outside the program fee. This list contains common examples but should not be considered exhaustive.
The program fee does not include:
- Airfare
- Airport transportation to/from program site
- Meal Plan
- On-site accident and health insurance policy
- Out-of-pocket medical expenses
- Immunizations
- Textbooks and class materials
- Mobile phone
- Laundry
- Independent travel and entertainment
- Items of a personal nature
- Incidentals
Personal expenses can fluctuate greatly depending upon habits and preferences of the individual. It’s also wise to budget for unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies.
Step 1: Upon acceptance to the program, you must submit the Summer Participation Agreement found in your MyGlobalEd application to confirm your enrollment. A parent/guardian’s co-signature is required. This form takes the place of a deposit.
NOTE: If you withdraw after March 15, you will be charged a cancellation fee for voluntary withdrawal. Fees range from $2,000-3,000.
Step 2: Summer invoices will be sent via email to your Duke email address and home email address. Remit payment to the Bursar per due date and address indicated on your online statement. Consult the Duke Bursar's office billing schedule for payment due dates.
Financial Aid
Duke students receiving institutional need-based grant aid are eligible for aid for this program; work-study funds are converted to grants. Students are individually responsible for making the necessary arrangements with the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support and the Duke Bursar’s Office.
Scholarships
Duke Undergraduate Research – Creative Arts Grants
The Duke Undergraduate Research Support Office lists several opportunities for awards related to the arts.
Alex Cohen Awards
The Alex Cohen Awards, funded by the Alex Cohen Endowment and the Department of Theater Studies, support students' individual or group projects that have both educational value and artistic merit.
Deans' Summer Research Fellowship
The Deans' Summer Fellowship Program supports undergraduate research and inquiry in the arts and sciences. Trinity students may receive up to $3,000 for a proposed summer research project.
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowships
The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowships for current sophomores and juniors include stipends and allowances up to $5,250 for summer research support.
Forlines Family Theater Studies Grant
The Forlines Family Theater Studies fund supports internships for undergraduates in professional theater settings and other co-curricular experiences for theater students. The combination of academic coursework and hands-on learning is a hallmark of Duke’s approach to theater studies. Submit (1) an application form, (2) a project description and statement of goals, and (3) a letter of recommendation from theater faculty.
DATES
Summer 2025
Attendance is required at all classes, excursions, and group events. Given the intense nature of this program, late arrival and/or early departure is not permitted.
- Arrival: May 17, 2025
- Departure: June 15, 2025
Flights
You will make your own travel arrangements to and from the program site. You are expected to arrive on the arrival date cited above.
Housing Before/After
You will need to make your own housing arrangements if you will be arriving before the program start date or leaving later than the program end date.
CONTACT US
The program faculty director can assist with questions related to program academics, admissions, on-site needs, etc. For all other inquiries, please contact the GEO representative listed.
ADMISSIONS
Deadline: February 1
This program has rolling admission. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis until the program fills; after that, qualified students are added to a waitlist and notified of openings. Applications must be received by the deadline to be considered. Application opens November 1.
Minimum GPA: 3.0 GPA with exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Non-Duke students: Non-Duke students are not eligible for this program.
GEO policy for graduating seniors who wish to apply for a Duke summer study abroad/away program:
Students must be active, matriculated students in order to participate in any Duke-in summer programs, including Duke’s domestic summer programs. All program courses must be taken for graded credit. If seniors plan to graduate in May of the year they plan to study abroad in the summer, they will not be eligible to participate on any of our summer programs unless they receive approval from their academic dean at Duke to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended.
Duke students who defer their graduation to participate in study abroad should consult with their financial aid advisor in the Duke Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid to determine whether they are eligible for a summer aid package and/or a GEO summer scholarship.
Physical Requirements
Before applying to this program, you should assess and determine if you are physically or emotionally able to participate in the following physical demands required by some of this program’s activities:
- Walking approximately a mile in a day, sometimes for two or more days in a row, sometimes on hilly, uneven, or cobbled terrain
- Climbing and descending stairs
- Using public transportation, including sometimes crowded buses or trains
- Standing during tours and site visits
- Entering into older buildings with narrow and sometimes steep staircases, at times with limited or no access to elevators
- The possibility of warm/hot temperatures while residing in locations without air conditioning
If you have questions or are concerned about these or any other program activities, please contact the Duke Office of Global Health and Safety (oghs@duke.edu)
Duke in New York Program
The Duke in New York program is a year-round academic experience offered exclusively to Duke students. The program consists of three separate tracks, each of which has a distinct theme and requires a separate application. Duke students can elect to enroll in just one track, or multiple. Currently, Duke in New York includes the following tracks:
- Fall Creative Industries
- Spring Financial Markets & Institutions
- Summer Culture, Politics, and Identity
Information specific to each track, such as housing, coursework, and cost, is on the track-specific website.
APPLY
Start your application early to ensure that it is complete by the deadline! Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to the program directors for consideration.
Submit the following items using MyGlobalEd:
- Online application
- Unofficial Duke transcript. First-year students should wait for fall semester grades to be posted before submitting their transcript.
- Personal statement, no longer than one page, explaining why you would like to participate on this program.
GEO ADVISING IS HERE FOR YOU
Get advice on choosing a program, exploring courses and credits, and covering the costs of study away when you engage the Global Education Office's advising network.