Suggested Timeline & Steps
Getting Started
Keep in mind, developing an IC looks different for everyone. There is no "right" IC.
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1. Read over the IC proposal template: start thinking about the prompts on the template. As you begin brainstorming, researching, and drafting), organizing your thoughts (loosely, at first) in terms of the template will be useful to you.
2. Explore CAB: List ALL classes that you may want to take/are relevant to your IC.
If you find that 90% are in one department, consider that department as a direction for your interests. If 50% are from 2 different departments, consider double concentrating. If you find that there are a few classes from multiple departments or that you have a solid 3-4 departments of interest, these are good signs that an IC might be for you.
ICs often focus on the intersections between disciplines and are not meant to be a way to evade existing concentration requirements or be solely pre-professional in nature.
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3. Outside research: look for relevant programs outside of Brown – maybe UC Berkeley offers a degree in a program very similar to your IC idea. Maybe Howard offers a "track" within a concentration that is identical to your IC. Maybe there have been other people at Brown who have pursued similar ICs (see the IC database). This step will help you fill out the "what" section of the proposal.
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4. Talk it out: discuss your IC with professors, TAs, friends, family, IC coordinators, and anyone who asks! This will help you start articulating your ideas. You'll also eventually need to choose a professor to be your IC advisor, so this will help you potentially establish a relationship with a prof to be that person.
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