Brown University's Open Curriculum: Making Room for Curiosity

When we talk about preparing our children for college, the conversation can quickly fill with deadlines, grades, and applications. I want to leave room for another question: What kind of learning environment will help them grow?

Brown University’s Open Curriculum offers an interesting starting point. College Intel’s article, What Is Brown’s Open Curriculum, Really?, explores the freedom students have to shape their education and the responsibility that comes with it. It is a useful read for families looking beyond a college’s name to understand the experience it offers.

At Brown, students do not follow a prescribed general core or distribution requirements. They still have degree requirements: at least 30 courses, a completed concentration (Brown’s term for a major), demonstrated writing competence, and the equivalent of eight full-time semesters of enrollment. Brown describes this flexibility in its official Open Curriculum overview.

That combination invites an appealing possibility: a student can take an interest seriously without making it their entire academic identity. Imagine someone drawn to science who also wants to explore storytelling. I see value in making space for both, especially while a young person is still discovering the questions they care about.

There is flexibility in grading, too. Students generally choose between letter grades and Satisfactory/No Credit, although some courses require the latter. Brown does not calculate students’ GPAs. Its grade options guidance explains the rules and recommends speaking with an academic advising dean about applications for graduate school or other external opportunities.

For me, the most interesting part is the decision-making this approach asks of a student. Choosing a course because it feels familiar is different from choosing it because it stretches your thinking. With more choice, it becomes especially useful to ask why a class belongs in your education.

As a family conversation, I would start with a few questions:

• What subject would you explore even if nobody required it?
• How would you make room for something that feels difficult or unfamiliar?
• When you feel unsure about a decision, how comfortable are you asking for help?
• Would choosing your own academic direction feel energizing, overwhelming, or a little of both?

There does not need to be a perfect answer. A teenager who wants guidance is giving us useful information about what helps them learn. A teenager eager for independence may still need practice planning ahead and listening to advice.

What I take from Brown’s approach is a reason to pay closer attention to curiosity long before college. At home, that might mean letting a child choose a library book, follow a question, or explain why a topic interests them. Those small conversations give us opportunities to listen.

When the time comes to consider colleges, I hope we can carry that habit with us: asking thoughtful questions about the person our child is becoming and the environment where their curiosity can grow.