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Academics

• What is the average class size?
• What about the student-to-faculty ratio?
• What are the most popular majors?
• Do you accept AP credits? What about the IB Diploma?
• What about credits for classes taken at college while in HS?
• What are your pre-med and pre-law programs like?
• Do many of your students continue on to graduate school?
• What type of research opportunities exist at Bard?

Internships and Study Abroad

• Are there opportunities to study abroad?
• Are there opportunities for internships.

 

Q: What is the average class size?

A: Bard offers students small seminar classes with an average class size of 15, tutorials, and independent study projects that further enhance the student-faculty interaction at Bard.
       Students are encouraged throughout their study at Bard to develop a close relationship with faculty. First-year students are assigned a faculty adviser who meets with them at strategic points during each semester: registration, two weeks into the semester, before and after midterm, and just prior to registration for the next semester.

Q: What about the faculty-to-student ratio?

A: The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:9 and courses are taught by full faculty members. Among the many distinguished faculty at Bard College are five MacArthur Fellows|poets John Ashbery and Ann Lauterbach, novelist and memoirist Norman Manea, painter and multimedia artist Judy Pfaff, and journalist Mark Danner. Other notable faculty members include soprano Dawn Upshaw, novelist Chinua Achebe, historian and novelist Caleb Carr, journalist Ian Buruma, theatrical director JoAnne Akalaitas, composers Joan Tower and George Tsontakis, poet Robert Kelly, and writers Luc Sante and Francine Prose. Over the years, four recipients of the Nobel Prize in Literature have taught at Bard|Saul Bellow, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Josè Saramago, and Orhan Pamuk. more

Q: What are the most popular majors?

A: Currently, concentrations in the Social Sciences and Language and Literature are very popular at Bard; however, the college strives for diversity in academic interest among students.
       Hence, Bard students concentrate in a program of study rather than major in a subject. Such an approach allows students to take advantage of the offerings of the entire College in constructing a course of study and gives them a hands-on involvement in selecting their curriculum. For example, the Classical Studies Program requires language courses (Division of Language and Literature); classical art history courses (Arts Division); civilization courses (Social Studies/Language and Literature/Science, Mathematics, and Computing Divisions). Although courses are listed within traditional divisions, a student's program of study can be interdivisional and offer a wide variety of opportunities to explore an area of interest. Concentrations in more than 40 academic programs in four divisions are offered. more

Q: Do you accept AP credits? What about the IB diploma?

A: Yes. Students may receive credit for those subjects for which they received an AP test score of 5. If you have taken a full IB diploma and scored 5 orover for all subjects, you will receive one year's worth of college credit. If you have just taken individual IB exams and scored 5 or above you will get 4 credits per class. However, AP and IB credits do not fulfill our curriculum distribution requirements and students enter as first-year students with Advanced Standing. They will have to fulfill all our curricular requirements (L & T, First-Year-seminar, Moderation, and Senior Project) but may be able to graduate early. For more information on credit transfer students should contact the Registrar.

Q: What about credits for classes taken at college while in HS?

A: If a HS student has taken classes at an accredited college or university he/she will receive credits at Bard if the class is in a subject we offer and the grade is a C or higher. These credits may fulfill distribution requirements. However, these students will not be exempt from any elements of our curriculum (L & T, First Year seminar, Moderation, and Senior Project). For more information on credit transfer, please contact the Registrar by e-mail at registrar@bard.edu.

Q: What are your pre-med and pre-law programs like?

A: Admission to medical school is governed by several factors: the -college record, results of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), recommendations, and an interview. Early preparation and planning are important in order to do well on the MCAT and to fulfll health professional school requirements. Minimum requirements are introductory chemistry, organic chemistry, and one year each of physics, mathematics, biology, and English. Early in their academic careers, interested students discuss their plans with the Bard health professions adviser, John Ferguson.
       Admission to law school is governed by the student's college record, especially the grade-point average, and results of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). No standard prescribed curriculum of undergraduate study specifically prepares students for a law career or is required by law schools, although most consider a broad liberal arts program desirable. Early in their academic careers, interested students discuss their plans with the Bard pre-law adviser, Roger Berkowitz.

Q: Are there opportunities to study abroad?

A: Nearly 50% of Bard students participate in at least one global or international program during their time at Bard. Students are encouraged to seek out programs that allow them to attend classes within foreign universities, as opposed to those offering courses attended solely by Americans. International programs and initiatives offered by Bard include the following: American School of Classical Studies, Athens, Greece; Bard in China; Semester in India; Central European University in Budapest; Humboldt University in Berlin; the Institute for International Liberal Education; and the International Human Rights Exchange with University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. Bard also runs intensive language programs in China, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, and Russia. more

Q: Are there opportunities for internships?

A: Each year, nearly 100 Bard students engage in internships in the United States and abroad in areas related to global affairs. Many of these are conducted through, or supported by, the Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program, the Bard-Central European University Program, the International Human Rights Exchange, the Human Rights Project, and Office of Community Service and Social Action/Trustee Leader Scholar Program. In the past five years, Bard students have interned at 169 organizations. Students in all academic disciplines are encouraged to seek internships in their respective fields and can find assistance through our Career Development Office.
       The Career Development Office also encourages students to engage in volunteer work, and summer jobs related to their career objectives. They help students identify and apply to positions throughout the year. more