Bard College

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A Private College for the Public Good
Bard College seeks to inspire curiosity, a love of learning, idealism, and a commitment to the link between higher education and civic participation.
Meet Javen and learn about the Bard Conservatory, dance, Italian studies, and the Senior Project.

Academics

Academics at Bard focus on giving students a strong scholarly foundation with our core curriculum, then encouraging them to explore individual academic interests. The College seeks to engender in every student a wide curiosity and love of learning. Close contact with scholars who are teachers but also active in their disciplines is a constant, and the level of academic discourse in the classroom is high.

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Civic Engagement

Civic Engagement

“At Bard, we show up. We build, paint, dig, teach, play, sing, sweat. We show up in the middle of the night, work in the rain, crawl under the car, whatever it takes. This does not mean erasing the self. It means struggling with the tension between self and collective interests, and then acting compassionately.” —Paul Marienthal, Dean for Social Action; Director, Trustee Leader Scholar Program

Visit the Center for Civic Engagement

Watch: Bard College students and alumni/ae offer snapshots of their favorite places on campus.

Campus Life

The focus of student life at Bard College, both inside and outside the classroom, is on campus. From its historic Hudson Valley setting to its state-of-the-art science and arts facilities, the College offers an idyllic environment where students can enjoy a rich social life interwoven with their cultural and intellectual pursuits.

Learn More about Campus Life

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We embrace plurality, respect divergent viewpoints, and are committed to understanding the rich spectrum of experiences that comprise our community. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Bard seeks to materialize our commitment to plurality, dialogue, and rigorous study. We strive to create a learning environment that upholds the College’s mission to meaningfully include the voices, works, and ideas of communities and cultures historically marginalized in liberal arts and sciences education.

DEI Initiatives

Arts at Bard

Arts at Bard

Bard College offers the best of both worlds: a traditional liberal arts college with exceptional programs in the fine and performing arts. In small classes taught by notable faculty, students work closely with top professionals in their fields. All students, whatever their major, are encouraged to take advantage of the same high-level arts instruction and engagement; the discipline of cultivating one’s artistic abilities has wide-ranging collateral benefits.

Get to Know the Division of the Arts

Bard News and Events

Featured News

Norman Garrett, center, in the title role of Chausson’s “Le roi Arthus” (“King Arthur”) at the Bard SummerScape festival. Photo by Maria Baranova
New York Times Review: To a Rare King Arthur Opera, Bard Says “Welcome Back”
Superb singers and a clear production of Ernest Chausson’s seldom-heard Le roi Arthus make for an exciting return to live opera at Bard SummerScape, writes Anthony Tommasini in his Critic's Pick review for the New York Times. “Botstein, leading the American Symphony Orchestra, an impressive cast and the excellent Bard Festival Chorale, made a compelling case for the piece.” Performances continue July 28 at 2 pm, July 30 at 4 pm, and August 1 at 2 pm. More >
Madeline Firkser. Photo by Cassandra Giraldo for the Wall Street Journal
How Campus Activist Madeline Firkser ’19 Channeled Her Passions Into a Career
Madeline Firkser’s advice for activists and young job seekers is the same: Participate. Firkser spoke with the Wall Street Journal about how she pivoted after realizing her first job wasn’t a good fit. Firkser is the special projects associate at JustLeadershipUSA, a New York City–based criminal justice reform organization. More >

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Upcoming Events

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SUMMERSCAPE 2021

SUMMERSCAPE 2021

July 8 – August 15

SummerScape returns with five weeks of live music, dance, opera, and the 31st Bard Music Festival, Nadia Boulanger and Her World.

Tickets on sale now.
fishercenter.bard.edu/summerscape