What Makes Us Unique

The strength and uniqueness of our graduate program rests on its innovative thematic curriculum; ability to offer an extended internship through various professional institutions; close mentorships between students and faculty; joint-degree programs; the high employability of its graduates; and a rural, yet culturally rich setting in the Hudson Valley.

Thematic Curriculum

Our interdisciplinary approach to curriculum involves more than requiring students to take classes in different disciplines during a period of study. We believe that in order for students to gain the full benefit of seeing issues from an integrated perspective, classes must all concurrently address the same environmental themes. Faculty from BCEP's science, law, policy, and economics disciplines meet regularly to coordinate their syllabi and plan integrated approaches to specific issues. The curriculum enables students to examine one particular environmental area at a time in a comprehensive and realistic manner.

For example, when studying biodiversity, students examine ecosystem health and effects of habitat fragmentation on biological diversity in the Environmental Science of Natural Environments course; valuation of various species and instruments such as tradable development rights and easements in Natural Resource Economics; and federal and international legal regimes for protection and restoration of habitats and property rights in Environmental Law and Policy.

Read More About Thematic Curriculum  |  Video: Michele Wahome '10 on Thematic Curriculum

4-6 Month Internship

In many schools that require an internship, those internships last only 2-3 months. We feel that 4-6 month internship allows students to really integrate themselves within an organization and understand how it works, furthering the likelihood that they will acquire real ownership of a project. Often these projects form the nucleus of a student's Master's thesis. Longer time spent in the professional world also allows students to make contacts and start building their network.

Read More About the Internship  

Intimate Program

Small class sizes empower students to contribute, substantially, to each and every discussion. Moreover, the intimacy of the program allows students to develop close working and advising relationships with their instructors. Professors at BCEP are extremely accessible, and they consider themselves mentors, not just teachers. The intimacy of the program allows them to respond quickly to the needs and concerns of their students.

Students move through their first-year classes as a tightly knit group. Their friendships, forged in the crucible of intense first-year coursework, are a source of tremendous support during the school year. The genuine community that develops is often much harder to obtain on a large university campus. As students graduate, these friendships burgeon into professional relationships, helping to create a strong alumni network.

Video: Matthew Guenther '10 on Small Schools

Joint-Degree Programs

BCEP's M.S./J.D. program with Pace Law School is a chance for students to study environmental law in a university program that has repeatedly achieved national acclaim for its academics, clinics, and centers. Read More

The Master's International (MI) Program offers qualified applicants the opportunity to incorporate the internationally focused, hands-on experience of Peace Corps service into the BCEP Master's degree program. Read More

Students interested in both environmental policy and public school teaching can earn an M.S. from BCEP and an M.A.T. degree from Bard's Master of Arts in Teaching Program. Read More  |  Video: Christie Ferguson '08 on M.S./M.A.T.

In the 3+2 program, Bard undergraduate students enter BCEP during their senior year, gaining both their B.A. and M.S. in five years. Read More

Highly Employable Graduates

Equipped with a Master of Science degree in environmental policy, graduates are prepared to enter a wide variety of professional careers in government, NGOs, private corporations, and development, advocacy and conservation organizations. Our students have a high placement rate--the majority of them graduate from BCEP already employed.

See our success stories and alumni profiles.  |  Video: Christie Ferguson '08 on employment after BCEP

Location

Situated on the eastern shore of the Hudson River, with majestic views of the Catskill Mountains, Bard College is an ideal location from which to explore the abundant natural and cultural offerings of the Hudson Valley. Bard College's 540-acre campus in the Hudson Valley is conveniently located 100 miles north of New York City. The campus borders Tivoli Bays, a 1,700-acre tidal marsh that is part of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, a New York State Wildlife Management Area. BCEP also maintains a close partnership with the Cary Institute of Ecosystems Studies in nearby Millbrook, an internationally known research facility. Read More  |  Video: Matthew Guenther '10 on Bard Campus Location