Brown + RISD

As neighbors on College Hill, RISD and Brown University enjoy a longstanding relationship. Students at each institution benefit by cross-registering for classes at no extra cost. As a student here you can take classes at Brown in the areas of math, science, foreign language and more.

Likewise, many Brown students take studios and tap into RISD’s creative expertise. Throughout, RISD and Brown students gain from mutual exchange and interact both academically and socially.

RISD/Brown cross-registration

The RISD Registrar’s Office offers support for RISD students who wish to elect courses at Brown, as well as Brown students registering for RISD courses. Registration is on a space-available basis and subject to permission from the course instructor and the host school’s registrar.

Brown|RISD Dual Degree and Master of Arts in Design Engineering students do not elect courses at either institution via cross-registration.

Cross-registration details

Shared resources and opportunities

Students with a RISD or Brown ID can access opportunities on both campuses. In addition to taking courses at Brown, RISD students enjoy use of Brown's libraries and athletic facilities—including a pool, an ice skating rink, gyms, tracks and courts.

Other events at Brown—from lectures and concerts to exhibitions and theater—are open to the RISD community. Overall, RISD’s connections with Brown greatly enrich the student experience.

Academic partnerships

Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program (BRDD)

The BRDD invites students to merge diverse spheres of academic work, leading to both a Bachelor of Arts (AB) from Brown and a bachelor’s degree from RISD. The program also offers access to the combined resources and faculty of both institutions. It is the first in the US to build on the complementary strengths of two world-class institutions, letting students major in such combinations as Apparel Design and Environmental Studies, Furniture Design and Mechanical Engineering, and many more.

a student working inside a Design Engineering makers-ace

Master of Arts in Design Engineering (MADE)

Fostering innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration, this partnership between RISD’s Architecture + Design division and Brown's School of Engineering supports students in discovering new frameworks to address urgent issues. Through intentional, iterative making and testing, students in the MADE program develop socially impactful solutions according to real-world needs.

Graduate-level research opportunities

Given RISD’s connections with Brown, graduate students often consider the campus up the hill as an extension of RISD’s own. Students with a RISD ID card have full access to Brown’s research libraries. These include the main Rockefeller Library, the historic John Hay Library and the Orwig Music Library, among others.

Grad students may also enroll in courses at Brown at no extra cost and often do research alongside Brown students. RISD and Brown students co-design solar housing, explore STEAM connections and climate change, and tackle other real-world issues. RISD grad students also enjoy expanding their learning through lectures, symposia and cultural activities available at Brown.