Office of the Registrar
Courses
Course Numbering System
- 0001-0999: Undergraduate level courses only (Extra graduate credit may applied for through the Graduate School)
- 1000-1999: Carries both Undergraduate and Graduate Credit
- 2000 - 2999: Graduate level courses (Students in The College who enroll in 2000 level courses do apply towards undergradate degree quantity requirements)
- 3000 or above: Medical level courses (these courses only count towards credit in the Alpert Medical School)
Choosing Courses
The Brown curriculum offers a robust and diverse set of course offerings from which students can choose. Of course the best way to decide upon courses is to discuss with your assigned academic/concentration advisor.
This officially managed application provides a view of what is offered in a given semester or the full academic year.
This application provides a complete inventory of all courses available at Brown as well as their place in the curriculum (i.e. concentration requirements)
Course Categories
Departmental Courses
Departmental courses are offered by academic departments and centers. These courses are indicated by a specific field of study or subject code such as BIOL (Biology) and so on.
University Courses (UNIV)
A UNIV course must be sponsored by an academic unit with sponsoring privileges. The UNIV subject listing is designed for courses that transcend standard disciplines at Brown or for co-curricular courses (e.g. UNIV 1801: Brown in Washington, D.C. Practicum). The following applies to all UNIV courses.
- Graded as mandatory S/NC only.
- The CCC reviews and confirms alignment with the designation and syllabus requirements.
- The Dean of the College receives the course evaluations.
- Approval is granted in five year intervals.
UNIV is not appropriate for courses that fall within standard disciplines, but that are simply outside of the sponsoring department, nor for course promotion. Questions about the UNIV subject listing can be sent to curriculum@brown.edu.
Departmental Independent Study Projects
Most academic departments offer students opportunities to work independently with one of its faculty members. Students may approach a professor, and request to do a departmental independent study which, if successfully arranged, takes place under the rubric of the sponsoring department’s course code (i.e. ECON 1970 or SOC 1970.)
Non-departmental Independent Study Project
When Departmental ISP's are not available the student may choose to propose an Independent Study Project (INDP) through the College Curriculum Council. Each course proposal must have the approval of a faculty sponsor who shall be responsible for the scrutiny of the proposal, the evaluation of the work done, and the assignment of a grade. The faculty sponsor is not expected to give regular tutorial instruction. For more information, please visit the Curricular Resource Center website.
Group Independent Study Project
Often referred to as a GISP, these are cooperative inquiries in which participating students bear major responsibility for both planning and conduct of the work. They provide an opportunity for academic pursuits which might not be available in regular courses. They carry course credit. Each Group Independent Study is sponsored by an instructor who holds a teaching appointment in Brown University and whose central functions are to assess the proposed study, to provide advice during the work, and to be responsible for the evaluation of each student’s work. A Teaching Assistant or Teaching Associate may sponsor a Group Independent Study if the department chair recommends that he or she be permitted to do so. For more information, please visit the Curricular Resource Center website.
Global Independent Study Project
Brown students studying abroad have the option of crafting a Global Independent Study Project (GLSP) with a Brown faculty member. Students accepted to this program work with faculty who have teaching or research experience in their proposed overseas study destination. Together, the student and the faculty member develop a project proposal that is an integral part of the student’s study abroad curriculum and that, where possible, is connected to the student’s concentration. For more information, please visit the Office of International Programs website.