Admission
Program applicants must have received a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the liberal arts with a major in the discipline (or the equivalent) they intend to study at Bard. See the prerequisites for each subject area below. Students are accepted into the MAT Program on the basis of an assessment of various components: record of academic achievement that shows a minimum cumulative average of B (3.0); evaluations in the letters of reference; and professional goals.
Priority Rolling Admissions
The MAT Program at Bard College is defined by forms of active inquiry and mutual respect that support learning and professional growth. Creating a collaborative educational community begins with the selection of a talented, energetic, and diverse cohort of students during the admissions process. The priority rolling admissions process is a critical step in building this learning community.
The earliest admissions deadline for summer 2009 is January 31, 2009. All applications completed by January 31 are processed in an initial priority cycle. Applicants are notified of admissions committee decisions and financial aid awards no later than February 14, 2009.
Applications completed after January 31, 2009 are reviewed on a rolling basis on a regular weekly cycle. Applicants are notified of admission and financial aid decisions two weeks after the week in which the application is completed. Final deadline for all completed applications is March 21, 2009.
Matriculation or enrollment in the program is confirmed by date of receipt of the enrollment agreement and the deposit of $500. As a small program, the size of each disciplinary cohort in biology, literature, history and math is limited.* (see below) Applications received after the limit has been reached will be considered for deferred admission for the 2010 academic year.
*Our partnership with Math for America (MfA) accommodates their unique application and admissions cycle so that students applying through this partnership agreement are subject to the Math for America/Newton Fellows admissions calendar. Math for America (MfA) applicants are guaranteed admission to the MAT Program under MfA guidelines according to our partnership agreement. See Financial Aid for more detailed information regarding these Newton Fellowships.
Course Prerequisites
Note that all applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis; exceptions can be made in certain situations. Prospective applicants who have questions as to whether they have completed the requirements necessary to be accepted into the program should contact the MAT Program Office prior to applying.
Biology Prerequisites
Candidates for the M.A.T. degree in biology should have a minimum of one semester of introductory biology, a course in statistics or calculus, a course in ecology or evolution, a course in molecular biology or genetics, two semesters of introductory chemistry, and one semester of organic chemistry or one semester of analytical chemistry.
Literature Prerequisites
Candidates for the M.A.T. degree in literature should hold a B.A. in English or a related field (such as language study, gender studies, or comparative literature) in which critical analysis of literature was a significant component. Ideally, undergraduate course work should include survey courses that address a broad range of texts from a particular culture or period, and seminars that engage students in intensive study of an author or issue. Candidates who did not major in a field of literary study are encouraged to contact MAT faculty to discuss their undergraduate course work and its applicability to the MAT literature program.
History Prerequisites
The ideal preparation for these courses is a B.A. in history in which the undergraduate program required completion of a substantive research paper using primary documents and historiographical analysis. Barring that, students ideally have taken college-level history courses in both U.S. and non-U.S. history, with at least some of these courses at the 300 or 400 level, requiring research papers or other writing-intensive projects. Since the history strand of the MAT Program provides preparation for the teaching of social studies, course work in the social sciences—in such fields as anthropology, sociology, economics, political science, and area studies (e.g., Africana studies, Asian studies, women's studies)—is valuable as well. The preparedness of applicants who did not earn a B.A. in history is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Mathematics Prerequisites
The ideal preparation for the MAT mathematics program is a B.A. or B.S. in mathematics for which the undergraduate program required completion of a substantive research project. Advanced undergraduate course work in algebra and analysis are highly recommended. Other recommended areas of preparation include statistics, geometry, topology, logic, physics, and computer science. Because there are many routes to mathematical preparation, applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Educational Rights and Privacy Act
The MAT Program at Bard College complies with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This act assures students attending a postsecondary institution that they will have the right to inspect and review certain of their educational records and, by following the guidelines provided by the College, to correct inaccurate or misleading data through informal or formal hearings. It protects students' rights to privacy by limiting transfer of these records without their consent, except in specific circumstances. Students have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Office, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. College policy relating to the maintenance of student records is available upon request from the Office of the Registrar.
Notice of Nondiscrimination
The MAT Program at Bard College does not discriminate in education, employment, admission, or services on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, color, age, religion, national origin, or handicapping conditions. This policy is consistent with state mandates and with governmental statutes and regulations, including those pursuant to Title IX of the Federal Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Questions regarding compliance with the above requirements and requests for assistance should be directed to the Vice President for Administration, Bard College, PO Box 5000, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000.
Accreditation
Bard College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The course of study leading to the bachelor of arts degree at Bard is registered by the New York State Education Department. The programs of study leading to the master of arts in teaching degree; the master of arts, master of fine arts, and master of science in environmental policy degrees; and the doctor of philosophy degree in the history of the decorative arts, design, and culture at Bard are registered by the New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education and the Professions, 89 Washington Avenue, 2 Mezzanine West, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234; tel. 518-474-3862; www.highered.nysed.gov.
Bard is also a member of the Association of American Colleges, the College Entrance Examination Board, the American Council on Education, the Union for Experimenting Colleges and Universities, the Associated Colleges of the Mid-Hudson Area, and the Educational Records Bureau.
Be advised that the provisions of this catalogue are not to be regarded as an irrevocable contract between the student and Bard College or its officers and faculty. The College reserves the right to make changes affecting admission procedures, tuition, fees, courses of instruction, programs of study, faculty listings, academic grading policies, and general regulations. The information in this catalogue is current as of publication, but is subject to change without notice.
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