Brown | RISD Dual Degree Program

About

The Brown|RISD Dual Degree (BRDD) Program draws on the complementary strengths of two world-class institutions, offering students the opportunity to pursue collaborative and multidisciplinary work.

About

The Brown|RISD Dual Degree (BRDD) Program draws on the complementary strengths of two world-class institutions, offering students the opportunity to pursue collaborative and multidisciplinary work.

RISD and Brown offer different but complementary strengths: RISD offers intensive, specialized education in all categories of the arts and design; Brown offers comprehensive concentrations in the humanities, social sciences, physical, and life sciences. 

Brown|RISD Dual Degree (BRDD) students have combined Illustration with Literary Arts, Interior Architecture with Urban Studies, Sculpture with Geology, and Industrial Design with Economics. There are many possibilities – and some have yet to be explored!

Degree Combinations

Visit the Degree Combinations page to learn more about degree combination possibilities.

Explore Degree Combinations

Diverse Academic and Artistic Interests

During the five year program, students develop and integrate diverse spheres of academic and artistic interests.

Students will choose a major at RISD and a concentration at Brown and receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree from RISD and a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree or, with careful planning, a Bachelor of Science (Sc.B.) from Brown. 

Prospective students must apply to both institutions, which conduct separate evaluations before joint consideration for the Dual Degree Program.

Leadership and Program History

Leadership

Guided by collaborative leadership from both institutions, the Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program is supported by program administrators who advise all Dual Degree students.

History

The idea of a dual degree was conceived in 2003 and was prioritized in the Fall of 2006 under the governance of President Ruth Simmons of Brown and President Roger Mandle of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

Banner photo: “Bricked-Over Windows” by Naya Lee Chang (BRDD 2024), photo courtesy of the RISD Museum