A bold vision for a new era of higher education.
Since its founding in 1948, Brandeis University has been defined by academic excellence and the generation of new knowledge with an ethos of critical thinking and imagination. Established by the American Jewish community at a time when quotas limited access to higher education, Brandeis has always welcomed talented students and faculty of all backgrounds and beliefs, and pioneered new ways of thinking within higher education.
Today, Brandeis is once again acting boldly to redefine what a liberal arts education can be — and what it must become in the digital knowledge economy.
Profound social, global, economic and technological shifts are reshaping society. That’s why Brandeis is launching a 21st-century higher-education model that blends our traditional academic rigor with a renewed emphasis on career readiness to lead in a rapidly changing world.
Brandeis students do not simply prepare for their first job after college; they learn and acquire skills to lead with purpose and clarity over a lifetime. This educational model builds on our founding mission and values, providing access and opportunity for all students while reaffirming our commitment to learning, research and education in service of the common good.
A New Model for a New Moment
Today’s students need to build upon traditional education. They need real-world experience, adaptable skills and the mentorship to enable purposeful leadership amidst constant change. Brandeis’ new model for higher education fully integrates the values of a rigorous liberal arts education with career readiness, ethical grounding and lifelong learning.
A Blueprint for the Future of Learning
This vision is more than aspirational — it’s actionable. Brandeis offers:
- A redesigned core curriculum for the 21st century focused on the knowledge, values and competencies needed in a global, digital, knowledge economy.
- An unprecedented, future-facing approach to career development that begins on day one in the first semester.
- A career-competency second transcript that complements the traditional academic record by capturing the skills, experiences and competencies that students gain inside and beyond the classroom.
- A unified academic structure that fuses liberal arts and professional education, giving students expansive access to interdisciplinary learning, real-world experience and faculty mentors across fields.
The Center for Careers and Applied Liberal Arts
This new hub is the campus engine of innovation, integrating career development, high-impact learning experiences and faculty-led course design. Here theory meets practice — preparing students to thrive, adapt and lead.
Powered by Futurenav Compass
Through a groundbreaking partnership with ETS, Brandeis is one of the first universities to implement Futurenav Compass — a GPS-like platform that helps students identify their skills, track progress and connect their education to career pathways, enabling students to learn with purpose and graduate with confidence.
“Today’s students are stepping into a world defined by rapid change. Brandeis is building an education that evolves with it and prepares students to lead in whatever comes next. ”
President Arthur Levine
