Duke University

Duke University isn't a trading school, but it is capable of providing an in-depth experience that could be used to build a trading education. Duke, located in Durham, N.C., is ranked among the top undergraduate schools in the country and the business school is ranked among the top 11 in the country. The World University Rankings listed Duke at the 13th best university in the world.

Duke is known for its academics and research. You may even find a day trading class if you look hard enough. There are more than 6,000 undergraduate and almost 7,000 graduate students on campus. One of the school's strength is its Fuqua School of Business, which announced plans in 2008 to go global with a redesigned Cross Continent MBA.

More than a third of the Duke MBA student body is made up of non-US citizens, some who have been to trading school, others who have taken a daytrading course. Their presence ensures a multicultural environment designed to lift the lid on stereotypes and improve relationships between people of different lands.

Duke's Daytime MBA program is set up to provide the skills, knowledge and awareness needed to become a collaborative leader and manage efficiently in a global business environment. The breadth and depth of the faculty is one of the strengths at Duke, which has 101 professors, 89 electives and 10 concentrations in its MBA program.

The major functional areas in the business program include economics, quantitative analysis, statistics, accounting, finance, marketing, strategy, operations management, and management communications. As students go through the program they can design a program to suit their individual goals.

A weekend executive program is also available, with classes held on Friday and Saturday of alternate weeks. More than 200 students are enrolled in the program, which has been popular among older students (average age 34) who have already established their career goals. Among the electives: the ability to travel abroad and participate in an International Management Study.

Among notable Duke graduates are Richard M. Nixon, the 37th president of the United States, and former Senator Elizabeth Dole.