Admission and Finances

Applying to CCS Bard

Applicants for admission must hold an A.B., B.A., B.S., or B.F.A. degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or a baccalaureate or equivalent degree from a college or university outside the United States. An applicant's undergraduate major need not be in art history or the studio arts; however, applicants must demonstrate that they have a broad knowledge of the history of art as well as acquaintance with the contemporary visual arts.

Applications are encouraged from advanced graduate students in the humanities and social sciences|for example, graduate students in art history or in philosophy who are interested in critical and theoretical issues in the contemporary visual arts, or students in cultural history or sociology with interests in the institutional contexts of the contemporary arts. The graduate program at the Center offers such students an unusual opportunity to study with curators, critics, and scholars who are engaged in formulating new approaches to the exhibition and interpretation of contemporary art. Additionally, it provides opportunities for practical engagement with the tasks of curating that can offer invaluable lessons about contemporary art and the possibilities and limitations of exhibition as a mode of interpretation|lessons that cannot be gained from academic study alone.

Applications for admission are reviewed by the Graduate Committee. The committee assesses whether a candidate has sufficient knowledge of art history and the contemporary arts to profit from the program of study at the Center and demonstrates the intellectual ability, maturity, and motivation to pursue graduate-level courses and to complete a final M.A. project. The committee also considers each candidate's promise of making a contribution to the Center's intellectual life, particularly taking into account the Center's commitments to exploring contemporary art and exhibition practices from different disciplinary perspectives and in different cultures.

Applications and Forms

• Download catalogue
  
• Apply online

Application Instructions

All correspondence should be addressed to:

Center for Curatorial Studies
Graduate Admissions
Bard College, 30 Campus Road, PO Box 5000
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000

 Application deadline: February 1, 2010

Phone: (845) 758-7598

Website: www.bard.edu/ccs

E-mail: ccs@bard.edu

 

The following should be submitted with the application form:

• A brief (800-1,000 words) statement describing the applicant's interests in the graduate program, previous academic preparation, relevant work experience, particular interests in contemporary art, and career plans.
• A brief (700 words) review of a recent exhibition of contemporary art. We are especially interested in the applicant's assessment of the curatorial aspects of the exhibition—for example, how it structures and enhances the viewer's experience and understanding of the works it presents or alternatively, how it fails to do so.

• A brief (700 words) proposal for a curated project.

• A curriculum vitae
• Three (3) letters of recommendation (see below for instructions on how to register your recommenders using Embark)
• A nonrefundable application fee of $65.00, payable online with a valid credit card or electronic check, or with a check or money order to Bard College and mailed to the address above

 

The following should be sent under separate cover:

• Official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended

Letters of Recommendation

The Center for Curatorial Studies accepts letters of recommendation through the Embark online application system.  When prompted in Step 4: Recommendations, enter the recommender’s name and email.  The recommender will receive an email with details instructions on how to submit his/her recommendation online.  The status of recommendation letters can be viewed by logging back into Embark once the application is submitted.

Letters of recommendation are also accepted on paper. The letters should be addressed to the Graduate Admission Committee, signed across the sealed flaps, and sent directly to the Center for Curatorial Center by the authors.

Non-Native Speakers of English

In addition to the above application materials, international applicants must provide evidence of proficiency in English—for example, a score of 550 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL scores should be sent to the Center for Curatorial Studies by the Educational Testing Service. The Bard College school code is 2037. Proficiency in English may also be established by an interview and writing samples.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test

Applicants are not required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test; however, any applicant who has taken the GRE General Test may request that an official copy of his or her score be sent to the Center for Curatorial Studies.

An application is considered incomplete and cannot be acted upon until all the materials listed above are received by the Center for Curatorial Studies.

Financial Aid

The graduate program is able to provide limited financial assistance, in the form of scholarships and fellowships, to students whose personal financial resources are insufficient to meet the expenses of graduate study. Funds for scholarships and fellowships are limited, and awards typically will meet only a small part of a student's expenses. Students may also apply for federal loans, and those who are New York State residents may apply to the New York State Tuition Assistance Program. Financial aid is administered by the Bard College Office of Financial Aid.

Eligibility for financial aid is determined each year by the demonstration of financial need. Financial need is assessed by a uniform method from financial data provided by the student on either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or, for international students, the International Student Financial Aid Application and Certificate of Finances. To be eligible for federal student aid, applicants must not be in default of repayment of federal student loans or owe refunds on federal student grants. Awards of financial aid are made without reference to age, color, ethnic or national origin, gender, handicapping conditions, marital status, race, or sexual orientation. International students, although not eligible for financial assistance from the federal government of the United States, may qualify for aid administered by Bard College.

The Center's deadline for receipt of financial aid applications is February 1, 2010. Students whose admission and financial aid applications are complete by February 1 will be notified of financial aid awards by March 31.

Applying for Financial Aid (U.S. citizens)

All students who are U.S. citizens seeking financial aid should complete the FAFSA form, available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by request from the Bard Financial Aid Office (845-758-7526).

Applying for Financial Aid (non-U.S. citizens)

International applicants are not eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. government but may qualify for other sources of aid. International applicants seeking financial aid should fill out the International Student Financial Aid Application and Certificate of Finances, both available online at http://www.bard.edu/financialaid/international/ or by request from the Bard Financial Aid Office (1-845-758-7526).

Additional information about financial aid for international students can be found at http://www.bard.edu/campus/international/finaid/.

 

 

CHECKLIST

□ Completed application

□ Application fee ($65)

□ Statement of interest

□ Review of recent exhibition of contemporary art

□ A brief proposal for a curated project

□ CV

□ Three (3) letters of recommendation requested

□ Official transcripts requested

□  Completed FAFSA or International Student Financial Aid Application/Certificate of Finances