The number of students admitted to the program each year depends on the proposed paths of study of the students in the cohort. Given resources required for the program, we can generally support around 10 students each year.

Master’s programs vary in length. Many take one year when pursued independently, but some take longer. Each student puts forward a proposal for how a secondary program of choice fits into the six-year PhD timeline.

No. Your PhD tuition scholarship and stipend require that you are a fully-enrolled active PhD student pursuing the doctorate. You can complete the Master’s degree in advance of the PhD or at the same time as you complete the PhD.

Yes, you should TA, as usual, in the department of your PhD. With support of the Master’s program, on occasion Open Grad students have successfully served as TAs in the secondary Master’s program, generally in a semester supported by Open Grad.

Students in all years of PhD study are eligible to apply to Open Grad. For students already in the fourth year, the timeline to complete a secondary master’s alongside the PhD is necessarily compressed. Most successful applicants apply in earlier years. 

From the Graduate School perspective, there can be some combination, but you must clarify your plans with both programs. Scholarly output from either the master's or the PhD program should be treated according to established norms. That is, any subsequent use of scholarly output that has been previously published or submitted for course credit must be cited fully and properly. For example, papers or theses used for credit in the master's program could potentially appear in the PhD dissertation if properly cited. 

Each student can put forward their own pathway. All secondary master’s degrees are received for the May degree. This can be at the same time as you receive the PhD or in a prior year. You are invited to participate in Commencement when receiving your secondary master’s.

This will depend on the Master’s program you choose. Please see specific programs for requirements. Please note that off-campus internship requirements in programs may affect visa status, and international students may need to consult with OISSS.

We are looking at the entire application. The Open Graduate Education program looks for students who have demonstrated success in their PhD program, promise of success in the secondary master’s program, and a strong case for the transformative impact of participating in Open Grad. We review the strength of the rationale put forward for pursuit of the two programs.

We often refer to the program with the abbreviation “Open Grad. ”While some used to call it “OGE,” now “OGE” is used to refer to the Office of Global Engagement.

That is up to you. For example, you could take a steady stream of master’s courses while maintaining your focus on the PhD studies, with the aim to complete the master’s program when the PhD is complete. Or, you could focus on the master’s program for a period of time, and then return to the PhD studies later. Or any other combination. Importantly, the path should be well explained and reasoned in the application.  

No. We are excited to see what students propose. Similarly, we have no preconceived notions about the distance between programs. 

Please see a list posted of programs that have agreed to participate in this program.

You can find a description of the integrative master’s program listed in the Graduate School Handbook. If you are interested in pursuing that, you need Graduate Council approval. You will also need to identify an advisor and contact the DGS from that faculty member’s program. Contact Senior Associate Dean Vanessa Ryan well ahead of the application deadline.

Ultimately, whether or not to participate is the program’s decision. The vast majority of programs are participating.

You are not required to include a third recommender if you do not have a research advisor. If you have a strong relationship with a faculty member who might potentially become a research advisor, you can review with them if they would like to submit the recommendation former.

Yes, you can apply again. We do not penalize students for re-applying and often this can strengthen the application.

We do not encourage additional recommendations. If there are specific reasons why it might strengthen an application, we are happy to review this with you.

No. Students must be enrolled as a PhD student in order to apply. Prospective students who are interested in the program should first apply to the PhD program. Once admitted and matriculated at Brown, they can then apply.

Yes, as long as there is strong additional academic value to the proposed second master’s degree. We encourage you to address this in your Open Graduate Education proposal.

Yes, as long as those courses do not count toward another degree, whether it be undergraduate, another master’s (including a transitional master’s in the PhD field), or your PhD. There can be no overlap in courses between a secondary master’s and transitional master’s in the PhD field. No more than two courses can be “double counted'' for a secondary Master’s and a PhD.

The committee, which will include deans and faculty, will decide within three or four weeks of the application deadline. 

Yes. Master’s programs may also request your full original PhD application to Brown, as well.

Yes. Successful applicants make the case to the proposed secondary master’s program that they can succeed in the program. We note that courses in the master’s discipline below the 1000 level are not allowed. Some applicants may pursue additional courses in advance of applying to meet prerequisite master’s degree requirements. 

We encourage you to contact the master’s DGS, share with them your proposed rationale and materials, and meet with them about your proposed plan.  

The master’s program is encouraged to review the credentials of a prospective dual-degree student before writing the letter of support. To this end, the Graduate School will furnish upon request the materials that were submitted at the time of application to the Ph.D. program.

One letter from the DGS will suffice. Additional letters of recommendation are not required. 

The Graduate School understands that the proposed plan of study is how you anticipate completing both degrees. As you proceed, the path in the program may change. The key to creating the plan of study is to show that the two degrees can be completed within the proposed time frame.

No, there is no difference in the process or eligibility for international applicants.

During semesters on Open Grad funding, the Graduate School will support Open Grad students. This will be budget relief for Faculty advisor’s research grants or for graduate program’s student support budget. This support includes stipend and tuition scholarship.

There  is no stipend support beyond the 6th year. The extra financial support provided to all Open Grad participants is meant to enable participants to complete both degrees in six years.

Students in the Humanities and Social Sciences are eligible for additional tuition scholarship support through the Dissertation Extension Proposal process. Students in the sciences should review additional support needs with their advisors.

During your time supported by Open Grad fellowship funding you will not be expected to teach. As you chart out the path of studies through the two programs, we encourage you to review when best to take the fellowship funding.

The minimum PhD program requirements for teaching remain in effect for Open Grad students. Students participating in the program are expected to fulfill all duties associated with their standard course of study in the doctoral program.

Yes, the tuition of the Master’s program is covered through your participation in the program.