Bard College offers a number of study abroad opportunities for students. While some programs have a strong focus on basic language acquisition coupled with an intensive program abroad, other programs allow exploration in advanced liberal arts courses through affiliated or independent institutions.
Spanish Abroad
Contact: Melanie Nicholson (nicholso@bard.edu), Nicole Caso (caso@bard.edu), or Patricia López-Gay (plopezga@bard.edu) Website: For more details, visit the Spanish Studies Website. Pre-Trip Requirements: In order to study abroad and receive full credit, students must submit a Petition for Study Abroad, which must be approved by the student’s academic advisor, the Study Abroad Adviser, and the Dean of Studies; full info here: https://www.bard.edu/bardabroad/bard/.
Beginning Spanish Intensive
The Beginning Spanish Intensive (12 credits) consists of two integral parts: 1. Bard, Annandale: Fall Intensive (8 credits) 2. Oaxaca, Mexico—Instituto Cultural de Oaxaca: Winter Intensive (4 credits)
Basic Intensive Spanish is designed to enable students with little or no previous knowledge of Spanish to complete three semesters of college Spanish in five months (eight credits at Bard and four credits in Mexico in January). Students will attend eight hours of class per week plus two hours with the Spanish tutors. Oral communication, reading and writing skills will be developed through a variety of approaches. Study at Bard is followed by four weeks at the Instituto Cultural de Oaxaca in Mexico.
Pre-Trip Course Requirements: Fall Semester
Spanish 106: Basic Intensive Spanish (8 credits) This course is designed to enable students with little or no previous knowledge of Spanish to complete three semesters of college Spanish in five months (eight credits at Bard and four credits in Spain or Mexico in January). Students will attend eight hours of class per week plus two hours with the Spanish tutors. Oral communication, reading and writing skills will be developed through a variety of approaches. Prospective students must interview with the instructor prior to registration.
Contact: Melanie Nicholson (nicholso@bard.edu) Next Program:December 2015 – January 2016
Exchange Programs
The Spanish Studies Program at Bard strongly recommends that its majors, as well as advanced students of Spanish pursuing other majors, spend a semester after moderation studying in a Spanish-speaking country. To this end, Bard sponsors a tuition exchange program with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, a highly ranked private university in the Ecuadorian capital. Students who qualify for this program pay their regular tuition at Bard (with all financial aid taken into account), as well as room and board. They take courses taught in Spanish with USFQ students and live with a local family. All credits for courses with passing grades will transfer directly to Bard.
In addition to the exchange program at the university in Quito, the faculty of Spanish Studies at Bard can recommend several other study abroad programs in Spain and Latin America. These are fully vetted programs through which our students have had successful study abroad experiences. Through a pre-approval process at Bard, credits for courses with passing grades will transfer automatically. Although we strongly recommend full-semester programs, we can also help you find an appropriate summer program if this is your best option for studying abroad. Please consult the following sites and speak directly with one of the Spanish Studies faculty to learn more.