Colleges & Schools

No matter which of Drake’s seven colleges and schools you choose, you will find the same personal approach to learning and the same practical focus.

College of Arts & Sciences

With 42 majors in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and fine arts, the College of Arts and Sciences spans a vast territory of human knowledge and provides the foundation of the liberal arts at Drake. Your experience in the college will combine breadth and depth—exposure to an impressive range of ideas and thorough immersion in fascinating projects. Whatever your area of interest, you will learn to write well, to think critically and creatively, to pose powerful questions, and to search out the answers. You will also gain an exceptional preparation for future success, whether your plans lead you into graduate study, law or medical school, or directly to employment.

Zimpleman College of Business

In the Zimpleman College of Business you’ll learn from an exceptional faculty that combines scholarly achievement with real business experience. Whether you aspire to be a corporate leader, entrepreneur, or actuary, you’ll likely connect with a professor who has been there. Outside the classroom, the Zimpleman College of Business' extensive internship opportunities; special programs such as Executive in Residence, which brings internationally recognized business leaders to Drake to teach; and resources including the entrepreneurial centers all provide an extra dimension to your graduate education that can further accelerate your career.

John Dee Bright College

Bright College serves students who are determined, curious, and eager to succeed as learners and professionals. The distinctive learning experience focuses on problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, preparing students to thrive in the real world.

Bright College offers two full-time, two-year associates’ degrees. These programs guide students through a series of interdisciplinary, project-centered seminars and short courses that integrate subject-area learning with hands-on, real-world engagement.

School of Education

With a passionate commitment to quality, Drake’s School of Education will prepare you for success in a fulfilling and vitally important profession. Right from the start, you will gain experience in real classrooms in area school districts, while learning best practices and a range of teaching approaches in your coursework here. Today, teachers, counselors, and administrators with degrees from Drake’s School of Education are working successfully across Iowa and the nation, as well as in many other countries.

School of Journalism & Mass Communication

Focusing on one of the fastest-changing professions in the economy today, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication will prepare you for a future in print journalism, broadcasting, advertising, public relations, or electronic media. You will gain extensive experience through internships in the media hub of Des Moines and far beyond, through work in our campus television and radio studios and interactive media production labs, and through our nationally recognized student magazines.

Law School

Drake Law School provides you with impressive preparation to enter the competitive legal marketplace. You will find an acclaimed legal clinic and a trial practicum for first-year law students; internships and clerkships in the heart of the state capital's legal community; and centers of excellence in agricultural law, constitutional law, intellectual property, legislative practice, and children's rights—not to mention an excellent placement record.

College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

The programs of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences will prepare you for a range of careers across the healthcare industry, from work in clinical, research, and corporate settings to careers in health services management. As a student in the College, you will have the opportunity to engage in patient-care activities, assist faculty in research, and gain hands-on training in practice settings around the world.