IC Open Hours
During the academic year, the IC Coordinators hold regular office hours at the CRC (Campus Center, Room 228) to talk to students about all stages of the Independent Concentration process. Whether you're just starting to consider an IC or are developing your proposal, the coordinators are excited to talk with you!
You can email us to schedule an appointment beyond those hours at independentconcentrations@brown.edu
What is an Independent Concentration?
IC Guidelines
*THE FOLLOWING RULES ARE THE MOST CURRENT AND UP TO DATE REQUIREMENTS*
The IC sub-committee of the College Curriculum Council, a committee of faculty, deans and students, will only review applications from students who have satisfied both requirements below:
(1) IC applicants ***must submit their first IC proposal by the end of their 5th semester***.
All proposals must receive FINAL approval by the end of the 6th semester. Keep in mind that the committee only reviews proposals three times each semester.
(2) IC applicants must meet with at least one of the IC Coordinators before submitting their proposal. This should be done well in advance of the first submission to allow time for thoughtful revisions.
Quick Links
Students interested in learning more about Independent Concentrations should consult the following resources:
- The IC Application provides a straightforward outline for the IC proposal. PLEASE PROOFREAD AND EDIT YOUR PROPOSAL FOR SPELLING, GRAMMAR, AND CONTENT BEFORE SUBMITTING. A PDF version is available for your reference, if you prefer. We recommend working in the Word template (fillable) and then saving the final product as a PDF for submission.
- The IC Rubric outlines the criteria which the Committee uses to evaluate proposals.
- The IC Database contains a list of all past ICs. To request digital copies of past ICs, please email your request (year, name, concentration title) to independentconcentrations@brown.edu. Twenty years of paper copies of ICs are also available at the CRC.
- The Faculty Advisor Info Sheet provides additional information about IC advising and facuty advisor expectations.
- The Requirements for the A.B. and Sc.B. highlights the differences between expectations for A.B. and Sc.B. IC proposals.
- ICers are eligible for the Engaged Scholars Program (ESP) as an option, and proposal writers should indicate an interest in this in their proposal. For more information, please visit the Swearer Center website.
- NOTE: Approved IC proposals must include a statement about how the student plans to fulfill the writing requirement during their 5th-7th (or penultimate semester) when they upload their approved proposal in ASK.
- Navigating Your Time at Brown: We want to help you reflect on your educational goals for your time at Brown, then help you figure out the best way to achieve those goals — whether it's with an IC or not.
- Navigating the IC Process: We want to help you understand and navigate the steps of the IC process.