Brown University's Phd Student Selection Criteria Explained

Brown University offers a wide range of doctoral, master's, and medical degree programs, with a focus on providing innovative, student-centered academic training within a diverse and collaborative culture. The university is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive academic community and offers a guaranteed financial support package for incoming doctoral students, including a stipend, tuition remission, health services, and health and dental insurance. The application process for a Ph.D. at Brown University involves submitting transcripts, letters of recommendation, test scores, and a personal statement. The specific requirements vary depending on the chosen program, and each program sets its own admission criteria. The university encourages interdisciplinary research and provides opportunities for doctoral students to pursue a master's degree in a secondary field through its Open Graduate Education program.

Financial support

Brown University offers substantial financial support to doctoral students. All incoming PhD students are guaranteed five or six years of financial support, including a stipend, full tuition remission, a health-services fee, and health and dental insurance. This support also covers summers. Doctoral students in the Humanities and Social Sciences are guaranteed six years of support.

The Open Graduate Education program, launched in 2011 with a $2 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, allows select Brown doctoral students to pursue a master's degree in a secondary field. Doctoral students may apply for the program through UFunds (under Graduate School Distinctive Opportunities). Applications are typically due in February. Students may apply in any year during their doctoral program. Open Graduate Education students are eligible for two semesters of fellowship funding, and they have the opportunity to apply for an additional semester of fellowship funding.

All promises of student support are subject to students making satisfactory academic progress, as determined by their programs of study.

Application requirements

Brown University offers 51 doctoral programmes across the life and physical sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. The Brown PhD is primarily a research degree, and many departments require candidates to have prior teaching experience. The university awards more than 200 doctor of philosophy degrees annually.

General Requirements

The candidate must be formally admitted to their degree programme. They must also complete a residency requirement, which is usually the equivalent of three academic years of full-time study beyond a bachelor's degree.

Advancement to Candidacy

A student advances to candidacy for a PhD when they have completed all the requirements, departmental and general, to begin work on their dissertation. Most departments require a preliminary examination before advancing a student to candidacy, and many also require a final examination or defence of the dissertation.

Dissertation

The candidate must present a dissertation on a topic related to their area of specialisation, which presents the results of original research and gives evidence of excellent scholarship. The dissertation must be approved by the professor or committee under whose direction it is written and by the Graduate Council.

Application Process

Admission to the Graduate School is determined at the programme level with oversight by the Graduate School. Each programme sets its own admission criteria and evaluates applications independently. The admission decisions are final, and there is no appeals process.

Application Materials

The application for graduate study at Brown includes a personal statement, college transcripts, letters of recommendation and results for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Applicants are encouraged to submit a scanned image of their college transcript at the time of application, and a final, official transcript will be required of all admitted students.

Letters of Recommendation

The Graduate School requires three letters of recommendation from persons well qualified to speak about the applicant's potential for graduate study. All letters should comment on the applicant's ability to do research and perform in the programme's required coursework. At least two of these letters should be from faculty members at the applicant's current institution.

Language Proficiency

All international applicants whose native language is not English must submit their official score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Selection criteria

Brown University's Graduate School oversees the admission of PhD students, ensuring that they receive an outstanding graduate education that reflects the university's excellence in research and teaching. The school offers an innovative PhD360 Experience, which supports students in various aspects, including research, teaching, travel, leadership, career exploration, and skill development.

The selection criteria for PhD programs at Brown University are rigorous and comprehensive. The university awards more than 200 Doctor of Philosophy degrees annually across 51 doctoral programs. The specific admission criteria vary for each program, and each program sets its own criteria in consultation with the dean of the Graduate School. However, there are some general requirements and considerations that apply to all applicants.

Firstly, applicants are evaluated based on their previous academic records, test scores, and recommendations. Clear evidence of the ability to undertake advanced work of the highest quality is essential. The Graduate School requires three letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak about the applicant's potential for graduate study, with at least two letters coming from faculty members at the applicant's current or most recently attended institution. Additionally, applicants are typically required to submit a personal statement, college transcripts, and results from standardised tests like the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and language proficiency exams for international students.

Another important aspect of the selection criteria is the residency requirement. Normally, students are expected to complete the equivalent of three academic years of full-time study beyond their bachelor's degree. However, those who already hold a master's degree in a related field may have a reduced residency requirement of two academic years.

Furthermore, teaching experience is highly valued at Brown University, and many departments require PhD candidates to have prior teaching experience. The university also emphasises interdisciplinary research and collaboration across different areas of study. The Open Graduate Education program allows select doctoral students to pursue a master's degree in a secondary field, encouraging unique combinations of studies and the acquisition of expertise in multiple areas.

Overall, the selection criteria for PhD programs at Brown University are designed to identify candidates with exceptional academic credentials, strong recommendations, clear research interests, and a demonstrated ability to excel in advanced scholarly work. The university seeks individuals who align with its values of innovation, collaboration, and academic excellence.

Teaching and mentoring

Brown University's PhD360 Experience supports students both personally and professionally, providing opportunities to pursue research, teaching, travel and leadership, explore careers and develop the skills and aptitude to succeed in their chosen fields.

At Brown, graduate students become members of a teaching and learning community. Graduate students have opportunities to develop their own knowledge and understanding of teaching practices under the guidance of faculty who are committed to fuelling the curiosity, creativity and intellectual joy of their students.

Brown University offers more than 50 doctoral programs and over 3000 graduate and medical students, comprising approximately one quarter of the university's total student population. The university offers excellent academic training and mentoring within a supportive environment. The graduate school at Brown oversees admission and student support for the university's doctoral and MFA students, ensuring that they receive an outstanding graduate education that reflects the excellence in research and teaching for which Brown is known.

The Brown PhD is primarily a research degree. Teaching is an important part of many doctoral programs, and many departments require candidates for the PhD to have teaching experience. Brown's graduate programs lead students into many different and exciting career pathways within academic, government, nonprofit and private sectors.

The Open Graduate Education program allows select Brown doctoral students to pursue a master's degree in a secondary field. The program is designed to enable participating doctoral students to write unique dissertations, pursue research, and forge career pathways that require knowledge in more than one field. The overarching goal is to provide Brown doctoral students with the opportunity to broaden their intellectual and scholarly horizons, without sacrificing depth of study, as they prepare to launch their careers.

Interdisciplinary research

Brown University is known for its emphasis on collaboration across areas of study, defying traditional boundaries between disciplines. This philosophy is part of the PhD360 Experience, which supports students both personally and professionally, providing opportunities to pursue research, teaching, travel, and leadership.

The Graduate School at Brown University offers admission and support to doctoral students, ensuring they receive an outstanding education that reflects the university's excellence in research and teaching. The university awards more than 200 Doctor of Philosophy degrees annually, with substantial financial support provided to doctoral students.

The Division of Research at Brown supports students, faculty, investigators, and research teams at every stage of the research process, from defining a new research idea to securing funding, complying with regulations, managing awards, publicizing advances, and protecting intellectual property.

Brown offers various interdisciplinary opportunities for advanced graduate students in the humanities and social sciences. These opportunities allow students to engage with interdisciplinary centres and institutes at the university, embedding them in a community of scholars with professional development and research prospects.

Doctoral certificate programs are also available to enrolled PhD students, extending their expertise into interdisciplinary areas and certifying training beyond their primary discipline. The Open Graduate Education program allows select doctoral students to pursue a master's degree in a secondary field, free of any disciplinary barriers.

Overall, Brown University's approach to interdisciplinary research in PhD programs fosters collaboration, innovation, and the exploration of diverse academic interests.

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