Brown vs. Swarthmore: Which Has the Stronger Undergraduate Engineering Program?

The biggest practical tradeoff is breadth versus intimacy: Brown offers a larger, more specialized engineering ecosystem and more freedom to combine engineering with other fields, while Swarthmore offers a notably smaller, close-knit program with intensive faculty access and a liberal-arts setting. Both have ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering pathways, so either can provide sound technical preparation for industry or graduate school. Brown’s School of Engineering has more extensive research infrastructure, a wider range of engineering courses and concentration options, and easier access to Brown’s broader university resources.

At Brown, the Open Curriculum can be especially attractive for students who want to pair engineering with computer science, entrepreneurship, design, public policy, or the humanities without a large core curriculum. The larger engineering faculty and research community can create more options for advanced coursework, labs, and specialized projects, particularly for students who already have a fairly defined technical interest.

Swarthmore’s engineering major is unusually substantial for a liberal arts college. Its small classes, accessible professors, and strong emphasis on foundational analysis and design can make for a highly personal undergraduate education. Students also benefit from the college’s close academic community and its connection to the wider Philadelphia-area academic environment, though the in-house menu of specialized engineering coursework is narrower than Brown’s.

For overall undergraduate engineering opportunities and specialization, Brown has the stronger program. Swarthmore is an excellent choice when the priority is a small-campus experience, sustained mentorship, and studying engineering within a deeply liberal-arts-oriented curriculum; Brown has the edge for students seeking greater technical breadth, research scale, and flexibility across engineering fields.