FLCL Languages

At Bard, the study of a foreign language provides students with the opportunity to acquire a critical appreciation of foreign cultures and literatures in addition to language skills. Integral to the process is the mastery of the foreign language and the use of this mastery in the study of written texts—not only literature, but also texts from such fields as philosophy, history, and theology—and of nonverbal expressions of culture such as art history, music, and cinema.

Overview

Languages currently taught at Bard include Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, ancient Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit. A host of resources may be found at the F. W. Olin Language Center. Students may choose to learn a language to enhance their majors or they may major in any language offered as an interdisciplinary program. Literature majors are encouraged to study a language other than English and to consider literary texts across disciplinary boundaries, such as in Middle Eastern Studies. Those who choose a foreign language major can explore a range of interests and develop courses of study that bring together investigations into culture, history, and other fields. Their studies culminate in a professional-grade Senior Project.

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Why take a foreign language at Bard?

Small classes – rigorous curriculum and innovative teaching[1]
Enhanced options for civic engagement – locally and internationally
Well-established Study Abroad Programs
Unique interdisciplinary scholarly work
Opportunities to conduct research in original languages[1] regardless of field of study
Countless ways to connect across Bard’s network of international campuses

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no general Foreign Language Requirement at Bard with the exception of some programs that do require knowledge of another language. Please view the Guide to Academic Programs and Concentrations for specifics.

However, Foreign Language, Literature, and Culture (FLLC) is one of the nine distribution requirements. Courses offered by the disciplinary program are focused on language acquisition and/or the analysis of literature or culture via an engagement with a non-English language.

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