Your first year at Bard begins with the Language and Thinking Program—a three-week intensive introduction to the liberal arts and sciences with a focus on writing. It is attended by all incoming students and is required for matriculation into the College. Watch this video to discover how new students typically spend their first three weeks on campus.
First-Year Seminar is a two-semester course taken by all first-years at Bard. Its goal is to create a basis for shared conversation among the first-year class and build foundational skills for success in college: attentive close reading of challenging texts; respectful and inclusive dialogue with others; the ability to ask profound and interesting questions about what you read; and developing your academic voice through writing.
Citizen Science is an innovative program for all first year students. Through two weeks of intensive study during the January intersession, students develop a core understanding of both the conduct and the content of science. This foundation allows them as citizens to grapple with the ever-increasing number of national and global issues influenced by science.
Sophomores at Bard College establish a major program and transition from the Lower College to the Upper College through a process called Moderation. In Moderation, students write papers identifying their academic progress and goals and submit a sample of work done in the program. Each student meets with a board of three faculty members who evaluate and advise the student as he or she moves forward into the Upper College.