Independent Concentration

The Independent Concentration program is for exceptionally dedicated students who are willing to spend extra time and effort creating an interdisciplinary concentration, representing a coherent field of study that Brown does not offer and that cannot be studied cohesively within a standard concentration. Such fields may include emerging fields in the academy, such as "Educational Neuroscience," or broader interdisciplinary areas, such as "Migration Studies." The proposal process consists of: (1) Meeting with the Curricular Resource Center's IC Peer Coordinators; (2) Completing a draft IC Application and soliciting feedback from the Peer Coordinators; (3) Identifying an approved Faculty Sponsor (an advisor) and obtaining a letter of support; and (4) Submitting the application and letter of support by one of the six deadlines during the academic year. (Optional: Students interested in pursuing honors should read the IC Honors Thesis Guidelines).

Deadlines: The IC subcommittee of the College Curriculum Council reviews proposals six times per year; applicants must have satisfied two requirements: (1) submission of their first IC proposal by the end of their 5th semester; (2) meeting with at least one of the IC Peer Co-Coordinators before submitting their proposal.

Independent Concentration proposals are reviewed and approved by the College Curriculum Council.