Graduate School

Initiatives in Doctoral Education and Student Support

Financial, Quality of Life & Other Doctoral Student Support

Improved Financial Support for Doctoral Students

  • 56% increase in base stipend for doctoral students (AY 2017-18 compared with 2004-05)
    Rose in 12 out of 13 years
    Annual gain ranges from 2.5% to 6.25%
  • Began offering five-year guarantee in 2006 (stipend, tuition remission, a health-services fee, and a health-insurance subsidy)
  • Transitional stipend for incoming doctoral students (fall 2018)
  • 4 summers of support since Fall 2010, up from three summers
  • New summer support approach for doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences results in 84% increase in Graduate School summer stipend in 2017-18, compared with 2016-17.
  • 5th summer of support added for all humanities and social science students receiving 6th year support (Summer 2015)
  • Began offering a six-year guarantee for students in the humanities and social sciences (Fall 2022)
  • 6th-year financial support available for doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences who need additional time beyond the guarantee, are in good standing, and are recommended by the graduate program. 

    New Dental Insurance Support

    Began offering no-cost dental insurance for doctoral students with health insurance and stipends (2015-16), regardless of appointment

    New Parental Relief Policy

    Enables eligible students to select a full semester or summer for parental relief (July 2016)

    Enhanced Quality-of-Life Support

    • Completed $2 million construction of graduate student study center in the Rockefeller Library (Fall 2016)
    • Created strategic indicators and measurements in Campus Life reports
    • Increased frequency of Campus Climate Survey for graduate students, making them annual, and tailored surveys for graduate, master’s and MFA students (2013-14)
    • Added opportunities for graduate students to interact with Corporation Campus Life Committee 
    • Funded renovation of Graduate Student Council Lounge (2013)

    Improved New Student Preparation and Graduate School Orientation

    • Offered new outreach on Brown’s historical links to slavery (2016)
    • Added Title IX training to Orientation (2015) and Title IX online training course (2017)
    • Expanded International Orientation to two days from one (2014)
    • Added Graduate Student of Color Orientation (2017)
    • Instituted improved online training course to convey and reinforce Brown’s academic and student conduct codes (2011/2017) and made the course mandatory (2012)
    • Created advising and mentoring guidelines  (2010)
    • Began surveying new students, using feedback to improve Orientation (2008)

      Expanded Student Development

      Opportunities or Programs Created to Foster Research, Teaching, and Professional Development Skills

      People, Programs & Systems

      • Assistant Provost for Global Engagement (October 2016)
      • Associate Dean of Student Support role created as full-time position (July 2016)
      • Associate Dean of Diversity Initiatives expanded to full-time position (2015-16)
      • Associate Dean of Master’s Education created in 2013-14 and upgraded to full-time position in 2015-16, enabling other deans to better serve doctoral students
      • Associate Dean of Student Development came on board (2014)
      • Deputy Title IX Coordinator housed in Graduate School (2014-15)
      • Program Director for International Student Experience (2017)

      Expanded ELL Services

      • Two English Language Learning staff members are available, up from one (Fall 2016)

      New Doctoral Programs Since 2004

      • Computer Music and Multimedia
      • Ancient History (Classics)
      • Ancient History (History)
      • Health Services Research
      • Biological & Computational Biology
      • Computer Science & Computational Biology
      • Africana Studies
      • Behavioral and Social Health Sciences

      Doctoral Certificates Created 

      • Africana Studies (2016-17)
      • Collaborative Humanities (2016-17)
      • Data Science (2016-17)
      • Gender and Sexuality Studies (2016-17)
      • Latin American and Caribbean Studies (2016-17)
      • Public Humanities (2016-17)
      • Science and Technologies Studies (2016-2017)
      • Spatial Analysis (2016-17) 

      Graduate Student Information Management (GSIM) system

      • GSIM tracks standing and progress of current students, funding commitments, and significant student events.