Brandeis University

Brandeis University is a community of scholars and students united by their commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and its transmission from generation to generation. As a research university, Brandeis is dedicated to the advancement of the humanities, arts and social, natural and physical sciences. As a liberal arts college, Brandeis affirms the importance of a broad and critical education in enriching the lives of students and preparing them for full participation in a changing society, capable of promoting their own welfare, yet remaining deeply concerned about the welfare of others.

In a world of challenging social and technological transformations, Brandeis remains a center of open inquiry and teaching, cherishing its independence from any doctrine or government. It strives to reflect the heterogeneity of the United States and of the world community whose ideas and concerns it shares. In the belief that the most important learning derives from the personal encounter and joint work of teacher and students, Brandeis encourages undergraduates and postgraduates to participate with distinguished faculty in research, scholarship and artistic activities.

Brandeis was founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian university under the sponsorship of the American Jewish community to embody its highest ethical and cultural values and to express its gratitude to the United States through the traditional Jewish commitment to education. By being a nonsectarian university that welcomes students, teachers and staff of every nationality, religion and orientation, Brandeis renews the American heritage of cultural diversity, equal access to opportunity and freedom of expression.

The university that carries the name of the justice who stood for the rights of individuals must be distinguished by academic excellence, by truth pursued wherever it may lead and by awareness of the power and responsibilities that come with knowledge.

Brandeis University was founded in 1948 by the American Jewish community at a time when Jews and other ethnic and racial minorities, and women, faced discrimination in higher education.Brandeis’ visionary founders established a nonsectarian research university that welcomed talented faculty and students of all backgrounds and beliefs. From the outset, Brandeis focused on undergraduate education, while building a pioneering research enterprise.

The university was named for Louis Dembitz Brandeis (1856-1941), the first Jewish justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.One of the greatest minds to serve on the high court, Justice Brandeis made an indelible mark on modern jurisprudence by shaping free speech, the right to privacy and the rights of ordinary citizens. He exemplified the values of the new university through his dedication to open inquiry and the pursuit of truth, insistence on critical thinking, and his commitment to helping the common man.

Brandeis University opened on the site of the former Middlesex University in Waltham, Massachusetts, with 107 students and 13 faculty members. Under the leadership of founding president Abram L. Sachar, Brandeis grew quickly in size and scholarly influence, joining the ranks of the most respected research institutions while still very young.

Since its early days, Brandeis has been a top tier university with global reach, attracting students and faculty from around the world to pursue learning and scholarship at the highest levels. Ours is a community rooted in purpose, guided by our founding values, poised to lead in education and research in the 21st century.

There is no other place like Brandeis. As a medium-sized private research university with global reach, we are dedicated to first-rate undergraduate education while making groundbreaking discoveries.Our 235-acre campus is located in the suburbs of Boston, a global hub for higher education and innovation.Our faculty are leaders in their fields, as passionate about teaching and mentorship as they are about pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Our students are motivated, compassionate, curious and open to exploring new and challenging experiences.At Brandeis, you will discover a community rooted in purpose, guided by our founding values, poised to lead in education and research in the 21st century.

Find yourself. Lose yourself. Get your answers questioned and your questions answered. A Brandeis education is a vigorous exploration in critical analysis, creativity and self-expression. Our faculty combine innovative teaching with groundbreaking research and scholarship. Immerse yourself in the liberal arts and sciences, and engage in research that excites you, with faculty leaders in their fields.

As an undergraduate in the College of Arts and Sciences, you can pick from among 43 majors and 47 minors in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and creative arts. No need to settle on just one major, or even a major and a minor. Almost half our students double major and some even minor in a third discipline.Students in Brandeis’ 40 master’s and 17 doctoral programs learn from and conduct research with many of the best and brightest scholars in their fields.Learn more about our four graduate business programs, our undergraduate business major and minor, and the 5-year BA/MA program. The Heller School has master’s degree and doctoral programs focusing on policy creation and implementation.Professors offer their students a chance to get down and dirty at an archaeological dig site that seeks to uncover clues about a farm’s former inhabitants, from Native Americans to German prisoners of war.