Located in historic Providence, Rhode Island and founded in 1764, Brown University is the seventh-oldest college in the United States. Brown is an independent, coeducational Ivy League institution comprising undergraduate and graduate programs, plus the Alpert Medical School, School of Public Health, School of Engineering, and the School of Professional Studies.
With its talented and motivated student body and accomplished faculty, Brown is a leading research university that maintains a particular commitment to exceptional undergraduate instruction.Brown’s vibrant, diverse community consists of about 6,580 undergraduates, 2,255 graduate students, 545 medical school students, more than 6,000 summer, visiting, and online students, and more than 700 faculty members. Brown students come from all 50 states and more than 115 countries.
Undergraduates pursue bachelor’s degrees in 81 concentrations, ranging from Egyptology to cognitive neuroscience. Anything’s possible at Brown—the university’s commitment to undergraduate freedom means students must take responsibility as architects of their courses of study.Brown University has 51 doctoral programs and 32 master’s programs. The broad scope of options vary from interdisciplinary opportunities in molecular pharmacology and physiology to a master’s program in acting and directing through the Brown/Trinity Repertory Consortium.Additional programs include the Undergraduate Summer Session and Pre-College Programs for high school students — on campus, online, and abroad.Brown is frequently recognized for its global reach, many cultural events, numerous campus groups and activities, active community service programs, highly competitive athletics, and beautiful facilities located in a richly historic urban setting.
Offering approximately 2,000 courses each year in more than 40 academic departments, Brown attracts, challenges, and cultivates independent thinkers with the power and drive to create personally meaningful lives.Undergraduates at Brown are responsible for designing individualized programs of study across multiple departments. A strong advising network helps students engage fully with the Brown curriculum.Brown’s Graduate School offers 51 doctoral programs and 28 master’s programs, including those of the School of Engineering, the School of Public Health, and the School of Professional Studies. The Warren Alpert Medical School awards some 90 medical degrees per year, and, along with its 7 affiliated teaching hospitals, is a hub of research.Graduate students at Brown work side-by-side with faculty who are leaders in their fields. The Open Graduate Programs project allows select Brown doctoral students to pursue a master’s degree in a secondary field.Brown students are active learners. A large number of centers and institutes fuel their research. Study abroad programs and international collaborations reflect Brown’s commitment to promoting global learning.
Students passionate about public service turn to the Swearer Center for ways to take constructive action locally and around the world.
Learning is supported by a library system housing 6.8 million print items, plus a multitude of electronic resources and expanding digital archives.The Career Development Center helps students plan for futures that make productive use of their academic achievements.Other programs include Pre-College Programs for high school students; and Undergraduate Summer Session, open to Brown and visiting undergraduates.Brown also offers free, non-credit, online courses open to learners from around the world. These courses, offered in partnership with EdX, develop students' knowledge and understanding of the liberal arts and sciences while providing a window into Brown's exceptional learning environment.Open learning follows in the spirit of the Brown mission to “serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating, and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of free inquiry.”Guided by the Plan for Academic Enrichment, Brown continues to set new goals for distinction in education. The July 2010 formation of the School of Engineering and the launch of a School of Public Health in 2013 are direct results of these efforts.
Known internationally for excellence in academics and innovative research, Brown offers a wide range of undergraduate concentrations, master's programs and doctoral degrees.The 6,000 undergraduates, 2,000 graduate students, 400 medical school students, and nearly 700 faculty members at Brown hail from every U.S. state and more than 100 foreign countries. Together, the members of the Brown community create a dynamic living and learning environment on a picturesque urban campus in historic Providence, Rhode Island.The university’s financial aid resources and policies ensure that Brown is affordable for all admitted undergraduates.
Brown is a research university that regards the creation of knowledge as one of its fundamental missions. Our faculty and students work at the cutting edge of research in their fields and collaborate with colleagues across disciplines and around the world to address society's biggest challenges.
The Office of the Vice President for Research advances the research enterprise at Brown by supporting our faculty and students in all aspects of their research activities from the conception of new ideas through the dissemination of the knowledge they create. We help fund new funding opportunities, prepare proposals, comply with regulations, manage awards, and commercialize research discoveries.
Brown students are curious and engaged; active involvement outside the classroom is central to Brown’s culture.A huge variety of student organizations, activities and events, athletics, exhibitions and performances, and educational opportunities keep campus lively. Each day brings new experiences that allow students to engage their passions.
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For the most part, Brown students are intellectually curious, hard working, and accomplished individuals. A good number of Brown students are valedictorians and salutatorians of their high schools. In fact, 50% of students who got accepted for the Class 2015 are valedictorians/salutatorians. Indeed, many are from privileged and wealthy backgrounds and it will be hard for you not to come across someone who did not attend a college preparatory or private high school. With that being said, keep in mind that this "elitist" characteristic is just as prevalent in other Ivies. Nevertheless, Brown prides itself in TRYING to foster a socioeconomically diverse student body so it's quite likely that you will find students from all walks of life.
By King (Aug, 2012) |
Like the professors at any highly-selective institution, our professors are all amazingly qualified, and almost overwhelmingly brilliant people. By the end of freshman year, it seems like basically everyone has taken a class from someone who's either a Nobel laureate, former government advisor, or some other intimidating qualification. What I think is special about Brown teachers however, is that these are teachers who have elected to teach here not because of our admittedly smaller graduate program - they're not here to do research with graduate students or to further their own ideas - but to work with undergraduates. They are dedicated to the undergraduate experience, and nearly all of their research or similar positions are filled by undergraduates. As early as freshman year many are working on projects outside of class with teachers. Furthermore, I believe Brown teachers are given special amounts of freedom to design their own curriculum in innovative ways, in order to approach traditional topics in new ways.
By Thomas (Jul, 2012) |
Acedemics - This may be one of Brown's strongest offerings. Professors are world-renown--and accessible! Very few classes are run by teaching assistants. Many professors will get to know you personally. You can take nearly any class you want! Getting around pre-requisites is really not as hard as it sounds. There are so many "must-take" classes that you're only really limited by your own time. If what you're interested in isn't offered, start up your own class, or your own major for that matter. Students are not competitive, only hard working.
By Jimmy Engineering (Jun, 2012) |
The open curriculum is FANTASTIC. I have felt no pressure to take any classes that didn't interest me. All of my professors in my smaller courses (20 students or fewer) have known my name. In my lecture courses, the TAs will often get to know the students, depending on if sections are discussion-based or simply times to hand in homework. Students study hard during the day (often on weekends, too), but at night the campus comes alive with shows, concerts, lectures, and parties.
By Michelle (Mar, 2012) |
Academics at Brown are challenging and fast-paced. Every class is relevant, and students must be responsible about attending class and doing assignments to succeed. There are serious discrepancies between the Humanities and Science course grading policies. The Humanities at Brown have much greater grade inflation, where the sciences do not curve, but generally are more competitive. Professors are easily contacted at Brown, as the school focuses largely on its undergraduates. Professors always give students opportunities to meet with them by appointment and during their office hours, and generally do a good job responding to their emails. Class participation in large lecture classes is less common, but there are a very large amount of small seminars for students offered in every department, and discussion is strongly encouraged in those courses. I am currently pursuing a degree in Biology, and the department has been very supportive of me.
By Solomon (Feb, 2012) |
I couldn't be happier to be at Brown. At the same time, I understand that it might not be the perfect school for everyone. I'm really glad to have the opportunity to take classes outside of my concentration—I'm basically able to build my own "core" curriculum by taking classes from many departments (I've taken courses in over 10 departments in just 3 semesters, and I'm in good shape for my concentration). More importantly, I think Brown is a student-focused atmosphere: the university tends to treat students fairly and put undergrads first. Professors are actually available and pretty much all classes (except low-level math) are taught by professors. So overall, I love it here.
By Nick (Sep, 2011) |
Brown students are some of the most passionate people you will ever meet. Every student had a different passion such as Euclidean geometry, topoisomerase inhibitors, the media in Greece, economic inequality in the inner city, emerging markets, or Hawthorne. But most students here are bright and will amaze you. Just remember that if they let you in, you're smart and amazing too. You may just not realize it yet.
By Jonathan (Mar, 2011) |
Brown is a diverse place. I'd like to think that no type of student could find themselves entirely out of place here. However, students tend to be liberal, accepting of diversity, and focused on education for its own sake.
By Ana (Jan, 2011) |
I love Brown! One of my favorite parts is, of course, its open curriculum and how easy it is to take classes and explore topics beyond your concentration. And of course, the students. For the most part, everyone is very accepting, open, and incredibly interesting. Everyone is driven but generally not openly competitive or obnoxious. While I wouldn't necessarily say I could not be anywhere else, I feel incredibly lucky to be able to attend Brown.
By Katherine (Aug, 2010) |
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Brown University has been a transformative journey for my daughter, with its outstanding faculty and a vibrant learning atmosphere that truly fosters student growth.
By Michael King (Feb, 2024) |