• A course idea which does not share much in common with any existing Brown course
• A faculty sponsor

• It is designed by students – everything from the course description to the syllabus and evaluation is created by students (of course, they receive support from the CRC and faculty).
• It covers some topics not covered by an existing Brown course.
• It sometimes, but not necessarily, includes innovative coursework: plays, musical compositions, building furniture building – anything you can think of.
• The learning style of the GISP is collaborative and co-facilitated by all students in the course.
• The faculty sponsor is not necessarily the content expert! They sometimes attend all class sessions and must attend at least five.

Between 2 and 20. If more than 20 students are interested, you can put up to 5 students on a waitlist.

A (G)ISP is designed to be as rigorous as a regular Brown course (if not more). The standard workload is 150 to 200 pages of reading per week, or the equivalent for the course type, and it includes a midterm and a final. That said, the workload of a (G)ISP varies by the type of class proposed, and there is plenty of room for creativity. (G)ISPs should meet as a group for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week, with or without the Faculty Sponsor. The total number of hours of effort for the course must be at least 180 hours for a full-credit class.

Most definitely. (G)ISPs (and the open curriculum) exist today as a result of the coursework from Brown’s first ever GISP, back in the ‘60s.We encourage you to incorporate creative methods of evaluation and project work.

GISPs must meet on campus during their designated weekly class time(s). Classroom spaces can be requested through the University Scheduling Office/Registrar or by checking for availability in the department building of their faculty sponsor. Classrooms are subject to availability. Students can also reserve spaces directly through the department sponsoring their independent study. This information must be provided to the Registrar within the first week of the semester.

Like any other class at Brown, (G)ISPs can be taken for a letter grade or S/NC, but this grade option must be chosen at the time of application.

The Independent Studies subcommittee of the College Curriculum Council, which consists of students, deans, and faculty, discusses your proposal. They may reach one of the following conclusions: Approval, Provisional Approval (with minor changes needed), Revisions Required (more than minor revisions, requiring one more review by the IS Dean in the CRC), Significant Revisions, or Not Approved.

Yes! Students are allowed to shop (G)ISPs. However, the GISP student coordinator and faculty sponsor must submit a petition to add students to the course by the end of Shopping Period.

This is possible per our guidelines, but whether or not a graduate student can enroll in the GISP must be determined by the student's graduate advisor.

A language (G)ISP is created in conjunction with the CRC and the Center for Language Studies (CLS). Faculty sponsors or a co-sponsor should be fluent in the language you plan to study. If you plan to do a (G)ISP at an introductory language level, open educational resources (e.g., UT Austin's COERIL) can provide a strong starting point for designing your class. Language textbooks usually include mission or teaching statements that can help you navigate the curriculum and structure your course.

Introductory language (G)ISPs should meet at least 3-4 times a week, with at least three of those meetings involving face-to-face interaction. They should include daily homework. Students interested in doing a language (G)ISP should reach out to the CLS for help finding additional materials and shaping language pedagogy.

This is up to your concentration advisor or department chair, but it is definitely possible.

Unfortunately, we cannot make exceptions if the submission deadline has passed. However, we encourage students to look into DISPs as an alternative.

(G)ISPs and AIs that require funding to compensate instructors or support essential course activities (such as labs) will not be approved. However, a small amount of funding is available for course enhancement and activities beyond the planned syllabus. Faculty sponsors may apply for funds through the College's Salomon Curricular Mini-Grant proposal in UFunds.

We are fortunate to be at a place where professors often specialize in almost every area of study, so they are often the best resource. If they cannot help, ask them to refer you to others. You can also consult syllabi from other universities or library books. Finally, consult the Brown University Library Subject Specialists for help.

Because GISPs are student-initiated learning experiences co-designed without a content expert teaching each class (faculty), GISPs from prior years cannot be repeated per se. Introductory language GISPs differ because the learning process for language beginners is standardized. 

Because (G)ISPs/AIs and DISPs are credit-bearing courses, they carry tuition. Additionally, most Brown faculty are unavailable during the summer to supervise independent studies. However, some exceptions exist, and students interested in learning about them should meet with the CRC Director.

Students participating in a summer internship for credit may consider taking an independent study related to the internship in the fall semester. F-1/J-1 visa holders interested in Curricular Practical Training should meet with an advisor at OISSS or with a member of the College International Advising team. Other students can consult with someone at the Center for Career Exploration to learn more.