The College

Curricular Reviews

To ensure that Brown's concentrations are held to a high standard of intellectual rigor, each program is evaluated by the College Curriculum Council in the year following the relevant department’s external review (roughly, a seven-year cycle).

For the CCC, perhaps the most important aspect of this review is provoking discussion between faculty and students about the curriculum and concentration. The robust qualitative and quantitative data provided to departments, along with the CCC’s questions and recommendations, have often led to adjustments and improvements to concentrations.

Review Procedures

  • A CCC subcommittee first meets with faculty and students in the department before composing a report on the concentration, curriculum and learning outcomes; advising and mentoring systems; and culminating senior-year experiences.
  • Following the CCC’s initial report, the department may choose to respond in writing, followed by a discussion with the larger CCC to discuss their program’s structure and goals.
  • The review process concludes with the CCC producing a summary letter of that meeting, in which they identify the areas of strength and those requiring attention.

Guidelines for Chairs in the Review of Concentrations