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Additional Study Opportunities

Photo by Karl Rabe
Bard offers a number of opportunities for learning outside the formal curriculum and course structure. Students planning professional careers can major in a liberal arts field and at the same time arrange their program to meet the requirements for admission to graduate or professional school. In some professional areas, students may choose a program in which they combine liberal arts study at Bard with graduate work at another institution. Pathways for independent work include special study and internship programs, study at another academic institution in the United States or abroad, and individual and group study projects. 

The main Bard campus is also home to several graduate programs, institutes, and centers of scholarship that sponsor lectures, conferences, and other events, and offer internship and volunteer opportunities to undergraduates.

Independent Work

Independent Study Projects
Photo by Karl Rabe

Independent Study Projects

Bard academic credit may be awarded for successful completion of an independent study project outside the College’s regular course structure, provided that the project has demonstrated academic value. After a proposed project has been approved by a faculty sponsor, the student submits it to the dean of studies, who presents it for final approval to the Faculty Executive Committee.

An independent study project may be undertaken in the fall or spring semester (for up to 4 credits) as part of the normal course load, or during January intersession or the summer (for up to 2 credits). Students may earn up to 12 independent study credits in total.

  

View the College catalogue to learn about options for nonmatriculated students and auditors, study at another academic institution, and other ways to tailor your education at Bard.

  • January Intersession
    Intersession begins at the end of the winter holiday vacation and extends through the month of January. Students can gain academic or work experience or earn academic credits during this period in the following ways:
  • Research in the Sciences
    At Bard, we believe that science is learned best through the experience of doing research. For this reason, we offer research opportunities available to ambitious Bard students throughout their college careers.
  • Internships
    Bard offers a number of internship programs for students. On campus, internships are arranged through several offices, including the Center for Civic Engagement, Career Development Office, and Human Rights Project; the Environmental and Urban Studies Program; and election@bard.

On Campus and Beyond

Explore the Greater Bard Network
The 10th Annual Get Engaged Student Action and Youth Leadership Conference, organized by Bard College and the Open Society University Network Civic Engagement Initiative in partnership with the Community Engagement Office at Central European University.

Explore the Greater Bard Network

Bard envisions the liberal arts institution as the hub of a network, rather than a single, self-contained campus. Opportunities exist in Annandale and beyond, in Bard Network programs from New York City to Berlin.

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Opportunities through the Open Society University Network

Bard students who are drawn to international study, collaboration with their peers at other institutions, or civic engagement initiatives may connect with the Open Society University Network (OSUN), of which Bard is a founding member. Bard students may enroll in online courses offered by OSUN partners, or take Network Collaborative Courses, which are codesigned and offered at Bard and other OSUN institutions simultaneously. Students may also study abroad at OSUN institutions, lead their own civic engagement initiatives through the network, or join existing projects. Conferences, grants, publications, and certificate programs are also available. 

Learn More about OSUN

Professional Preparation

Joint-Degree Programs

The professional option allows exceptionally qualified students to combine undergraduate study at Bard with graduate or professional work in an approved participating program and, through the option, to qualify for a Bard BA degree and a degree from the participating program. Students wishing to apply to any of the dual-degree programs listed below must first receive permission from their academic adviser and from the dean of studies. Those accepted into a participating program complete three or four years of study at Bard (according to the terms of the program) and then do further work at the other institution. To qualify for the BA, students must successfully complete their distribution requirements at Bard, the degree requirements of their major program at Bard, and the degree requirements of the other institution; students who are not at Bard for their senior year may be exempt from the Senior Project as a BA requirement.

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