Advising

Dual Degree students are assigned an individual faculty advisor on each campus in keeping with the existing practices of each institution. For descriptions of advising programs, please consult the individual websites of each college. In addition to the full range of resources at Brown and RISD, the Dual Degree program also has staff who are dedicated to assisting students in developing their academic plans and workings jointly with both institutions on issues of relevance to students' academic and residential experiences. Students in the first and second year are also assigned a Brown|RISD Dual Degree Peer Advisor, and they have the option to continue working with a peer advisor in their third year.

The Brown|RISD Dual Degree program is governed by a joint committee comprised of faculty and staff from both schools. The committee is co-chaired by a high-level administrator at each institution.

Within the Brown | RISD Dual Degree Program, students are provided advisors for the unique experiences of attending our two institutions. Faculty from both Brown and RISD advise the student through the developmental needs of each year, while a BRDD peer advising structure also extends support, advice, and camaraderie from students who know the Program firsthand. 

Across the span of their academic careers, BRDD students can also solicit the advice of deans, faculty, and administrators at both Brown and RISD. There are a myriad of resources!

Because completion of the Dual Degree involves fulfilling the degree requirements for both Brown and RISD in an accelerated fashion, it is essential for students to work closely with their academic advisors on planning and scheduling issues from the very beginning of the Program. During their first year, students will be assigned a faculty advisor from the Experimental and Foundation Studies Program at RISD, a faculty advisor at Brown, and a Brown|RISD Dual Degree Peer Advising Family. In the middle of their second semester, students will make a "soft" declaration of their RISD major, which will afford them the resources of a student in this major but will not bind them to this decision. At the time of this soft declaration, students will be assigned a faculty advisor from their anticipated major, most often the Department Head. Students must solidify their RISD major in the spring of their second year. Students declare their Brown concentration in the fall of their third year, or Semester 5. After declaration at Brown, they will be advised by a concentration advisor as well. Finally, in their final years, as students begin the work for their Capstone Requirement, they will choose two capstone advisors, one from each campus. Throughout their course of study in the Program, all Dual Degree students are also advised by Dual Degree program staff. 

Advising within the Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
         
RISD Foundation Advisor        
         
  RISD Major Department Head or Faculty Advisor
         
Brown Pre-Concentration Advisor    
         
    Brown Concentration Advisor
         
Meiklejohn Peer Advisor        
         
Brown | RISD Dual Degree Peer Advisors and Mentors    
         
Brown | RISD Dual Degree program staff
         
        BRDD Capstone Advisors
         

BRDD Peer Advising Structure

After their first year in the Program, students may apply to train and participate as Peer Advisors. Primarily, the Peer Advisors support first, second, and third-year Dual Degree students by offering advice and connecting them with campus resources. Peer Advisors also advocate the student voice to campus administrators, represent the Program on our campuses, and organize community events for all Dual Degree students across the academic years.  Incoming first-year Dual Degree students are assigned a Peer Advising Family led by Peer Advisors in their second and third year of study and a Peer Mentor in their third or fourth year of study.  Second-year Dual Degree students have two designated Peer Advisors.

BRDD Program Staff

BRDD program staff work jointly with Brown and RISD on both academic and non-academic issues that affect Dual Degree students from the time of admission through graduation. They help students access resources on both campuses and work closely with each student to complete and revise a detailed Five-Year Plan. Program staff facilitate communication and sharing of information across institutions, work on ongoing programmatic issues, and work closely with the BRDD Peer Advisors.