Brown University

brown university online degree

A Sampling of Brown University Degree Programs Available

Brown University appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Colleges that Meet Significant Financial Need.

The undergraduate degree at Brown in Public Health focuses on population health and disease as well as health policy, cross-cultural and international aspects of health and social structures. The program focuses on methods that could solve the most pressing health problems today by concentrating on prevention, partnerships and collaborations. In addition to general education classes, courses required for the program include:

  • Environmental Health and Policy
  • Essentials of Data Analysis
  • Fundamentals of Epidemiology
  • Health, Healthcare Systems and Policy
  • Healthcare in the United States
  • Introduction to Public Health
  • Social and Behavioral Science for Prevention

Undergraduate in Urban Studies

The Urban Studies undergraduate degree at Brown University provides students with an understanding of city, urban life and urbanization. Instruction includes an understanding of where cities come from, how they grow, thrive and decline, as well as how they are organized. There is also instruction on how urban problems arise, how they have been addressed historically and how to plan future cities. The program is only available on campus.

  • 19th Century Architecture
  • American Political Development
  • Ancient Cities: From the Origins through Late Antiquity
  • Anthropology of Homelessness
  • Cities in Mind: Modern Urban Thought and Theory
  • City Politics
  • Environmental Stewardship
  • Essential Statistics
  • Introduction to Economics
  • Introduction to Environmental GIS
  • Introductory Statistics for Education Research and Policy Analysis
  • Introductory Statistics for Social Research
  • Methods of Social Research
  • Modernist Cities
  • Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation
  • Principles and Methods of Geographic Information Systems
  • Public Health Senior Seminar
  • Race and Inequality in the United States
  • Statistical Inference I & II
  • Statistical Methods
  • The City, the River and the Sea: Social and Environmental Change at the Water’s Edge
  • Theory and Practice of Engaged Scholarship
  • Transportation: An Urban Planning Perspective
  • Urban Agriculture: The Importance of Localized Food Systems
  • Urban Politics and Urban Public Policy
  • Urban Schools in Historical Perspective

Executive Master in Cybersecurity

Brown University offers an Executive Master in Cybersecurity that is available online, on-campus or a blended format. The degree is an 18-month program designed for professionals who want to enter the high-demand world of cybersecurity. Students gain an understanding of technology as it relates to security, including big data, cloud, mobile and the Internet of Things. They also gain an understanding of social trends, human factors, economic tradeoffs, risk management, policy, privacy and effective leadership. Courses required include:

  • Advanced Topics in Cybersecurity
  • Applied Cryptography and Data Privacy
  • Effective Leadership
  • Future of Cybersecurity: Technology and Policy
  • Global Cyber Challenges: Law, Policy and Governance
  • Human Factors: People and Software
  • Introduction to Computer Security
  • Management of IT Systems and Cybersecurity Risks
  • Privacy and Personal Data Protection

Students must also complete a Critical Challenge Project. This requires them to identify a critical cybersecurity challenge for an organization that they must draw from their own work experience. They then must analyze the challenge and develop a plan to address it.

About Brown University

Brown University began when a group of Baptist church leaders met in 1762 in Philadelphia where a motion was made to start a college in New England. Because Rhode Island was one of only a few colonies without an institute of higher learning and because there was a growing Baptist population, it was decided to locate the school there. A charter was granted in 1764 and the school opened as Rhode Island College and, despite being founded by Baptists, the charter required that no religious test be required for students to attend.

The Brown family were merchants who contributed to relocate the school to Providence. The four Brown brothers, Nicholas, Joseph, John and Moses were strong supporters of the school. The brothers, who were affectionately known as John, Josie, Nick and Mosie, contributed their time as well as financial support. In 1804, Nicholas donated $5,000 and, that same year, the trustees renamed the school Brown University.

During the Revolutionary War, the American Army garrisoned the school forcing its closure. It did not reopen until 1782. In 1863, the University became a land-grant institution, the first of its kind in Rhode Island. The school was given 120,000 acres of land in Kansas which it sold to establish programs in mechanical arts as well as agriculture. The Rhode Island legislature did not approve of the coursework designed for those programs and, after a long court battle, the land-grant title was transferred to the Rhode Island College for Agricultural and Mechanical Arts in 1894. This would later become the University of Rhode Island.

Brown University Accreditation Details

Brown University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. This means that that the University undergoes periodic review to confirm that programs offered meet the criteria set forth by the Association. In addition, any areas that are identified as needing improvement are addressed by the school as soon as possible. In addition, the following agencies accredited specific programs throughout the University:

  • ABET
  • American Chemical Society
  • American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation
  • Council on Education for Public Health
  • Liaison Committee on Medical Education

Brown University Application Requirements

In order to attend Brown University as an undergraduate, applicants must complete the Common Application and provide official high school transcript along with ACT or SAT scores. Some programs at Brown require additional application documents, including portfolios or auditions.

Transfer students must complete a transfer application. They must have completed at least one year of full-time study at an accredited college or university and must attend Brown for at least four semesters in order to graduate. Applicants must provide an official high school transcript as well as official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Applicants who have not earned credits equal to a two-year degree must also provide official ACT and SAT scores.

In order to attend graduate programs at Brown University, applicants must complete an online application and submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities. All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Three letters of recommendation, a personal statement and official GRE scores are also required.

Brown University Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate tuition is $52,281 per year while graduate tuition is $52,231 per year. Financial aid is available and students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to qualify. Brown awards more than $135 million in need-based scholarships and the average need-based award is $50,108. For the Class of 2022, 43 percent received need-based scholarships. In addition to scholarships, students may be eligible for grants, loans, and work-study programs.

Brown University offers online, on-campus and blended formats to allow working adults to achieve their higher education goals. In addition, the school offers dual degree programs in partnership with the Rhode Island School of Design for additional degree program options.