Key Takeaways:
- Brandeis University offers 39 bachelor’s, 46 master’s, and 18 doctoral degrees with a 10:1 student-teacher ratio, ensuring personalized education.
- Established in 1946, Brandeis is known for its prestigious liberal arts programs and robust research opportunities.
- Tuition is approximately $55,340 annually, with significant financial aid available, including scholarships and federal assistance.
Prestigious, Personalized Liberal Arts Education at Brandeis
Brandeis University appears in our ranking of the 30 Best Colleges for Young Democrats.
Ranked 35th nationally by the U.S. News & World Report, Brandeis University is a nonprofit, Jewish AAU member of the Boston Consortium that confers 39 bachelor’s, 46 master’s, and 18 doctoral degrees, including 12 part-time online options, at a 10:1 student-teacher ratio. For example, the B.A. in International and Global Studies builds a 128-credit, four-year curriculum advised by Dr. Kristen Lucken with 100-hour internships like United Nations plus semesters abroad from Mongolia to Mexico. Directed by Dr. Daniel Bergstresser, the 128-credit B.A. in Business lets undergrads engage in Entrepreneurship Club, find Hiatt Career Center jobs, and pledge Beta Gamma Sigma.
Featured Programs
Online via LATTE, the Rabb Graduate School delivers 30-credit, 24-month Master of Software Engineering led by Dr. Vitaly Yurik with rigorous ABET-accredited courses like Java Programming for 100 percent job placement at Bose, Phillips, Raytheon, Google, and others. Chaired by Dr. Daniel Thomas Kryder, the five-year Ph.D. in Politics lets graduates undertake Gordon Public Policy Center research, contribute to the Western Jihadism Project, earn Roche-Slapin Fellowships, and join the Brandeis Democrats. Other opportunities include the B.A. in Educational Studies, B.A. in Music, B.S. in Chemistry, M.S. in User-Centered Design, M.A. in Anthropology, Ph.D. in History, and Ph.D. in Math.
About Brandeis University
Brandeis University originated on November 1, 1946, when the Albert Einstein Foundation for Higher Learning announced a nascent institution named for Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis. In Fall 1948, Brandeis University welcomed an inaugural class of 107 into four liberal arts schools. In 1950, American Jewish Committee president Joseph M. Proskauer joined the Brandeis Board. In 1951, the Commonwealth chartered Brandeis for graduate-level education. In 1953, Brandeis launched the nation’s first Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. Accredited in 1954, Brandeis University started building the 750,000-volume Bertha & Jacob Goldfarb Library in 1956. In 1961, the Rose Art Museum debuted its premier collection with Warhol and Whitten pieces. In January 1969, African-American students famously took over Ford Hall to demonstrate for civil rights. In 1992, the Rabb School of Continuing Studies was established for adults. On October 3, 2002, the Shapiro Campus Center opened with a 248-seat theatre.
Endowed for $976.9 million, Brandeis University now employs 1,146 staff serving 3,639 undergrad and 2,161 post-grad Judges from 109 countries online or at the 100-building Waltham campus with 260+ clubs like the Smile Train. In 2019, Brandeis earned a Council for Advancement and Support of Education District I Excellence Award. In 2018, Brandeis accepted a three-year $500,000 Henry Luce Foundation Grant. Brandeis University won the 2018 NAASS Creative & Innovative Award for Small Institutions too. Forbes named Brandeis the 75th best private college and 52nd top research university. On Niche, Brandeis boasts America’s 47th best film, 49th top international relations, and 52nd best physics degrees. The Princeton Review honored Brandeis for the 13th best college newspaper. WalletHub crowned Brandeis the 57th most selective with the 51st best educational outcomes. The Center for World University Rankings lauded Brandeis for the 66th highest quality faculty.
Brandeis University Accreditation Details
On February 28, 2019, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) voted favorably to reaffirm the Level VI accreditation status at Brandeis University through 2028-29 under Provost Lisa M. Lynch, Ph.D., who received the Fletcher School’s James Paddock Teaching Excellence Award. This superb six-state Northeast Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MADHE). Brandeis University also holds the following degree accreditations:
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center
- Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling
Brandeis University Application Requirements
Admission to Brandeis University is classified “most selective” by Peterson’s since only 3,675 of the 11,798 Fall 2017 applicants were chosen for competitive 31 percent acceptance. Freshman Judges undergo a holistic review based on academic rigor, character, and community service. High school curricula must include four units each of Math and English. The majority rank in the upper decile with a median 3.87 GPA. The middle 50th percentile earn SAT scores of 610-710 on Reading and 660-770 on Math. Mid-range ACT composite scores were 29-33. Transfers are test-optional for undergrads with 24+ credits graded “C” or greater. The Rabb Graduate School seeks academically ambitious bachelor’s holders with GPAs above 3.0. On average, students present a 160 GRE Verbal and 165 GRE Quantitative score. The M.A. in Psychology has three prerequisites, including Research Methods. Brandeis International Business School admits a mean 3.4 GPA and 708 GMAT mark.
Brandeis University enforces freshman deadlines of November 1st for Early Decision and January 1st for Regular Decision. The Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program closes on February 1st. Undergrad transfers are welcome until April 1st or December 1st. Post-bachelor’s degrees have wide-ranging timelines though. For instance, the M.S. in Physics has rolling admission through May 1st. Ph.D. in Mathematics cohorts must file before January 15th. The Master of Public Policy has May 1st international and June 1st domestic deadlines. M.A. in International Economics and Finance majors abide a March 15th priority date. Accordingly, complete the $80 Brandeis or Common Application online. Forward official academic records to 415 South Street in Waltham, MA 02453. Submit electronic test scores using SAT/GRE code 3092 or ACT code 1802. Attach supplemental items like the mid-year report, 2-3 recommendations, CSS profile, statement of purpose, and resume or CV. Contact (781) 736-2410 or DeanofAdmissions@brandeis.edu for help.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2019-20, Brandeis University is billing full-time undergrads $27,670 per semester or $55,340 annually. Required service fees total $1,846 each year. Basic double occupancy rooms in dorms like Ridgewood Hall cost $9,060 yearly. Residential 12-meal plans for Sherman Dining Hall are $6,830 extra. Brandeis budgets $1,000 for books and $1,500 for miscellaneous. Annual traditional study equals about $73,335 on-site and $59,765 if commuting. Part-time undergrads cover $1,729 per credit or $6,918 by course. Graduate programs generally charge $51,940 each year full-time. The M.S. in Biotechnology is one exception at $38,956. The Master of Arts in Teaching costs $34,584. Dual MS/MBA programs cost $77,910 total. Hornstein M.A. in Jewish Professional Leadership cohorts spend $64,924 overall.
The National Center for Education Statistics reports that the Office of Financial Services in Usdan Center Room 120 helps 68 percent of new Brandeis Judges receive aid averaging $35,487 apiece for $18.80 million combined. University programs include the Justice Louis D. Brandeis Scholarship, Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship, Malkin Israeli Endowed Scholarship, Sylvia & Joseph Slifka Scholarship, Tony Williams Memorial Transitional Year Scholarship, A. Philip Randolph Endowed Scholarship, Fannie Penikoff Scholarship, Hiatt Challenger Scholarship, Norman Rabb Scholarship, and Gilbert Grant. The $5,000 Giumette Award supports upperclassmen meeting the 3.70 GPA minimum each semester. The Trustee Scholarship gifts up to $20,500 annually for freshmen with at least 1450 SAT or equivalent scores. Federal assistance, such as the Pell Grant and Stafford Loan, require FAFSA forms coded 002133. Massachusetts funds like the Agnes Lindsay Scholarship, Public Service Grant, Francis Ouimet Scholarship, and Horatio Alger Scholarship are also abundant.
Search through five top-tier schools granting 100+ degrees ranked 78th overall by The Wall Street Journal at the Brandeis University website.