Bard College

What is the history of Bard College?

Bard College is a private liberal arts college founded in 1860 as St. Stephen's College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Established with an Episcopal affiliation, it later broadened its academic identity and adopted the Bard College name in 1934.

The college became coeducational in the 1940s. Its present-day identity reflects both its liberal arts undergraduate program and a wider network of graduate programs and educational partnerships. For applicants, the important distinction is between the residential Annandale undergraduate experience and Bard programs offered at other locations.

What are the faculties and departments at Bard College?

Bard organizes undergraduate study around the arts, languages and literature, sciences, and social studies rather than a large collection of professional schools. Students can pursue fields such as biology, computer science, economics, history, literature, music, psychology, and studio arts.

The undergraduate curriculum combines work in a chosen field with study across disciplines. Bard is also known for its Senior Project, an extended piece of research or creative work completed with faculty guidance. Its academic offerings extend beyond the bachelor's degree through graduate programs in selected fields, including the arts and education; applicants should check the requirements of the specific program and location they are considering.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 9 to 1. That describes the institution overall, not the size of every class or the amount of individual supervision a student will receive.

What is the location of Bard College?

Bard College's main undergraduate campus is in Annandale-on-Hudson, a Hudson Valley community in New York's Dutchess County. Its setting is more rural than urban: students live and study on a campus removed from the everyday transit options of a city center.

Nearby communities include Red Hook and Rhinebeck. Travel to larger destinations generally requires planning around a car, a ride, or a connection to regional rail or bus service. Bard also operates programs elsewhere, so applicants should confirm where their particular degree is taught rather than assuming every Bard program is based in Annandale.

What is the mission and vision of Bard College?

Bard describes its educational purpose in terms of liberal arts study, intellectual inquiry, the arts, and engagement with the wider world. Its curriculum asks undergraduates to work across fields while developing depth in a concentration and completing independent work.

The college's Episcopal origins are part of its history, but that history should not be confused with a religious requirement for contemporary applicants. Its stated priorities explain the shape of the curriculum; they are not, by themselves, evidence that every student will have the same academic experience.