Program Features

We are now able to offer two options for applicants to our California MAT programs: an urban pathway and a rural pathway. All students will begin their studies together in Los Angeles, completing summer coursework and field placements which begin at the start of the school year. Those who select the urban pathway will remain in LA, and those who select the rural pathway will move to the Central Valley for the remainder of the year, from October to July, for rural field placements and related coursework.

Financial Aid

Bard offers several types of financial aid to help offset the costs of tuition and fees. A student may qualify for financial assistance in the form of scholarships or loans, depending on financial need. Additional information may be viewed on the Financial Aid & Loans page.

Bard College Rural Residency Program Scholarship

Scholarships of up to $30,000 are available to qualified applicants through funding made available by a Teacher Quality Partnership Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement. Scholarship recipients must commit to teaching in a high-needs, public school in either the rural Central Valley or urban Los Angeles for a minimum of three years after degree completion and will be fully supported in obtaining a full-time teaching position. Additional information can be viewed on the Scholarships page.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum of Bard's MAT Program remains the same but is restructured to accommodate the opportunities for increasing connections between graduate courses and the practical experiences of working in classrooms.

Housing & Meals

Students will be responsible for making their own housing and meal arrangements for the duration of the program.