BA in Independent Concentration in Providence United States | Brown University

An Independent Concentration (IC) allows students to create a customized academic focus in an area not currently available through Brown's standard programs, drawing from existing course offerings. Designing an IC encourages students to thoughtfully plan their educational path, examining how their selected courses will progressively build knowledge and the academic approaches they'll employ. ICs can lead to either an A.B. or Sc.B. degree, with distinct course requirements: 13 courses for A.B. and 20 for Sc.B. (Refer to this page for details on A.B. vs. Sc.B. IC differences.) Students may incorporate independent study courses (GISPs, ISPs, DISPs, AIs, or research) into their IC for concentration credit, subject to advisor approval. Additionally, combining an IC with a standard concentration is permitted, similar to pursuing two standard concentrations, including within the 5-year combined A.B./Sc.B. program where applicable.