Chris the Scholar! Singer Chris Brown Reveals That He Earned a Masters Degree
"I did a thing!"
Updated June 4 2026, 11:51 a.m. ET
Maintaining a career as a chart-topping musician is no easy feat. From touring music, working on new projects, and adding other ventures into the mix, it can be a lot to juggle. Still, some musicians are capable of balancing it all, which is what some would credit to impeccable time management.
Navigating the music scenes comes with a lot of sacrifices, many of which include leaving their educational pursuits behind. From Mariah The Scientist to Pink, various celebs have discussed dropping out to pursue their first love. However, not many have taken the initiative to finish what they started. Now, Chris Brown has decided to be a shining example of making all of your dreams come true, no matter how big a star you are.
Chris Brown quietly earned a master's degree from Harvard Christian University.
In a now-deleted Instagram post shared by The Shade Room on June 2, 2026, Chris revealed that he has been quietly working on finishing up his schooling. The post shows a copy of Chris’s master's degree from Harvest Christian University.
“Forgot to mention: I DID ANOTHER THING. MASTERS. I MOVE IN SILENCE, BUT TRY TO GROW IN PUBLIC,” Chris wrote.
Chris earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the school’s arts engineering program. The degree was awarded to the “BROWN” singer in April 2022, which speaks to his caption of doing the work in private while trying to grow and mature in public.
It’s no secret that Chris has been subject to a lot of ridicule over the years. However, his academic achievements show that he’s more than a singer, but a creative multihyphenate.
Chris’s master’s degree reveal follows his announcement that he obtained an honorary doctorate.
The 37-year-old has a lot to celebrate these days. Aside from his forthcoming joint tour with Usher and the release of his album “BROWN,” Chris has also added distinguished scholar to his growing resume.
The 37-year-old has a lot to celebrate these days. Aside from his forthcoming joint tour with Usher and the release of his album “BROWN,” Chris has also added distinguished scholar to his growing resume.
On May 23, 2026, Chris shared on Instagram that he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Visual & Performing Arts. Given Chris’s career trajectory, it makes sense that he was awarded the degree.
Interestingly, his milestone has sparked major online conversation, with folks skeptical of the degree. Many people believe that it's disingenuous to give a celebrity an honorary degree when there are everyday people who work tirelessly to achieve the same milestone.
“I hate Honorary degrees and certificates like there’s people out here paying so much just to learn, studying and stressed out behind that degree. But I love Chris, so it’s still congratulations,” one fan shared under The Shade Room’s post.
“An honorary degree is an academic title awarded by a university or college that waives the usual coursework, tuition, and residency requirements.” Meaning they didn’t work a day for them. If I were a student, I’d sue cause this is ridiculous,” another person shared.
Despite the pushback, some fans expressed how proud they were of Chris and his contributions to the music industry fall in line with him receiving the honor.
Congratulations Chris.