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Declaring a Concentration

All Brown students must declare a concentration no later than the middle of their fourth semester, before pre-registering for semester five (usually spring semester of sophomore year).  For suggestions on how to decide which concentration is right for you, click on the Choosing a Concentration button at left.  This document explains the steps involved in the declaration process.

  1. Obtain a copy of your internal academic record at Brown and a copy of your transcript from your previous school.  Review the courses you have taken, and list those that you think might count toward your concentration.  Map out the additional courses you need to take to complete your proposed concentration.  Past issues of Brown’s Course Announcement Bulletin are a good reference; they can be found in the archives of the John Hay Library.
  2. Speak to your concentration advisor.  The department that houses your concentration will have at least one faculty member who counsels concentrators.  If you have not done so already, make an appointment with this person to discuss the department's concentration requirements.  Take a tentative list of the courses in your concentration to this meeting.  If you will be seeking concentration approval for courses transferred from your previous institution, ask what materials you need to bring to the meeting for approval of these courses.  Other issues you may want to address include foreign study credits and departmental requirements for the concentration honors program.
  3. Fill out the "Revision of Previously Approved Transfer Credits" Form.  Download this form from the Registrar's website or pick it up at the Registrar's Office.  If you completed courses at your previous institution that you would like to count toward your concentration, collect course descriptions, syllabi, and graded assignments from these courses.  Take these materials to your meeting with the concentration advisor, who must sign the form.  You may also need departmental approval to receive credit equivalent to a specific Brown course.  Once you have obtained the necessary signatures, file the transfer credit form with the Registrar's Office.
  4. Fill out the concentration forms.  Concentration forms (3 pages) may be picked up at the Registrar's Office.  Two pages of detailed instructions are included with the form.  The most important steps in the form-filing procedure are explained below.

    1. List the courses you have already completed within your concentration and the ones you plan to take in the future.  These lists are rough guides for you and your concentration advisor.  Every department has some courses you must take; aside from these requirements, you aren't obligated to take every course you list on your forms.
    2. Write the concentration essay.  Like the course list, the essay part of the concentration is a guide for your advisor, as well as an opportunity for you to articulate your interest in that field.  The more thoughtfully you write about why you want to enter a particular concentration, the more meaningful and helpful your work with your advisor will be.
    3. Get the proper signatures.  All of your forms must be signed by you and your concentration advisor.  You then file the white and yellow copies of the forms with the Registrar's Office and the blue copies with your concentration advisor.  The pink copies are for your records.  Keep them in a place where you can find them later.
    Note: If you plan to have two concentrations, you must complete separate concentration forms for each program of study.
  5. Pay attention to deadlines.  With the exception of transfer students who enter as fifth semester students, students are not allowed to register for fifth semester courses unless a concentration declaration is on file in the Registrar's Office by the designated date.  Check the appropriate semester's Academic Calendar on the Registrar's website for the deadline.  Students who are late in filing forms are assessed a fee and are not guaranteed pre-registration privileges if they file after the deadline.
  6. Remember that your education is a process that unfolds over time.  While it is advisable to be decisive and get on with the business of choosing a concentration, remember that the declaration of a concentration is a blueprint subject to revision as your education unfolds.  Work on building relationships with your concentration advisor, other faculty, and an academic dean.  As your understanding of your educational goals evolve, the people in your advising network will help you think through your options and plan a course of study that is right for you.