PhD Curriculum

Basic Degree Requirements 

Brown University requires a minimum of 24 tuition credits for the PhD degree, of which a maximum of eight can be transferred from other institutions. Students are also expected to participate in academic activities such as the Colloquia, Research Seminars, and Journal Clubs.

Within the Program, the major requirements for the PhD are:

  1. Completion of a program of courses covering core areas of required expertise
  2. Demonstration of proficiency in teaching
  3. Synthesis of a core body of knowledge, evaluated via written examination
  4. Demonstration of readiness to undertake original research, via oral presentation and defense of a written dissertation proposal (oral exam)
  5. Completion and oral defense of a dissertation that makes an original contribution in the chosen field of study.

The methods for meeting these requirements may differ depending on the individual program of study.

In each of the first three semesters, students will register for 4 tuition credits through a combination of coursework and graduate research. Beyond the first three semesters, students will fulfill this requirement primarily through their independent dissertation research, but students may also continue to register for courses that are related to their training throughout their time at Brown.

The student, in consultation with the Advisory Committee, will design an individualized curriculum, tailored to his or her unique interests. 
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