Academics

Educational Innovation

A Brown education pushes students to be creative thinkers, intellectual risk-takers and entrepreneurial problem-solvers. You’ll have the freedom to study what you choose and the flexibility to discover what you love.

Faculty at Brown see students as the center of academic life. Not only are they experts in their fields, professors are dedicated to high-quality, innovative teaching and learning. Perhaps most importantly, they are mentors and guides who are deeply invested in the success and growth of Brown’s undergraduates.

  • 7:1

    student-to-faculty ratio

  • 2,000+

    courses

    offered each year

  • 635

    Brown Fulbright Scholars

    have taught or done research around the world

The Open Curriculum

At most universities, students must complete a set of core courses. At Brown, you'll develop your own personalized course of study. You’ll sample courses in a wide range of subjects before immersing yourself in one of 80+ academic concentrations (what you might call a major) for in-depth, focused study.

Undergraduate Concentrations
More about the Open Curriculum

Beyond the Classroom

Brown students learn to confront, address and solve problems facing society, the nation and the world. This dedication to making a real impact touches every part of the academic experience.

The accomplishments of Brown students are numerous and varied and include:

  • Decoding the secrets of a manuscript from Timbuktu
  • Synthesizing compounds to fight tuberculosis
  • Inventing new musical instruments 
  • Taking part in a United Nations convention on climate change

Graduates leave Brown prepared to thrive as independent, innovative leaders, no matter what path they choose.