The Benefits and Drawbacks of Dual-Degree Programs

[THP]

Each year, approximately 150 students from Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design go back and forth, up and down the hill, to take a course at each other's institutions. The RISD students are most apt to take a foreign-language or natural-sciences course at Brown, while Brown students come to take a studio art class.The relationship between Brown and RISD has existed for decades, and a number of independent art schools have similar arrangements with nearby colleges. There might be more such students if it weren't for the administrative and scheduling hassles they must overcome. For instance, Brown operates on a trimester system, while RISD goes by semesters; the school calendars are not aligned; and the two institutions count credits differently. There is a healthy respect between the students on each campus. Stephen Lassonde, deputy dean of the college at Brown, noted that "the kids at Brown think that RISD students are cool, and kids at RISD think everyone at Brown is smart." But the logistical problems have limited the interaction of the students and perhaps narrowed their career paths.More...