School Description

Provided by Bennington College

A Bennington education is characterized by cross-disciplinary learning, the close working relationship between student and teacher, the self-direction of its academic planning process, and the connection to the world through its winter internship term. Guided by faculty, Bennington students learn to take increasing responsibility for their own education, their own work, and their own lives. Bennington is grounded in the conviction that as a college education develops students' professional capacities, it should also prepare them to be deeply thoughtful and actively engaged citizens of the world.

A coeducational liberal arts college, Bennington offers programs of study in all of the traditional liberal arts disciplines within the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and visual and performing arts.

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Bennington College

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Bennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The College was founded in 1932 as a women's college focusing on arts, sciences, and humanities. It became co-educational in 1969.

History

The Early Years

The idea for Bennington College was conceived in the midst of the Roaring Twenties. The process began in 1923 and lasted nine years. The movement aimed at creating a new model for education that would usher in a new direction for higher learning. The most pivotal figures in the College's earliest history are Vincent Ravi Booth, Mr. and Mrs. Hall Park McCullough, and William Heard Kilpatrick, an educational philosopher who worked with John Dewey. In 1924 a charter was secured for the College and a Board of Trustees was set up, setting the stage for a new liberal arts college for women. The task of funding the physical construction of the college as well as defining its philosophy were undertaken. In 1928 Robert Devore Leigh was recruited as Bennington College's first president. He wrote the Bennington College Prospectus, which outlined these philosophies.

In August 16, 1931, the groundbreaking for the college took place. The college was founded on a farmland donated by Mrs. Frederick B. Jennings. The project employed many local craftsmen, many of whom had been out of work since the stock market crash of 1929. The main educational building was a renovated barn, and despite an early attempt to give it a more official name, The Barn has persisted.

The first class of eighty-seven women arrived on campus in 1932. Since its inception the College has placed the student in charge of her education. Bennington College was the first to include visual and performing arts as important curricular elements of a liberal arts education. One of the defining aspects of a Bennington education has been in place since the beginning, the Winter Field and Reading Period (the name was changed to Non-Resident Term and later to the current name, Field Work Term). During this winter recess all students seek internships around the world, gaining meaningful real-world experience in their field(s) of study, and in life. Many alumni established connections during this recess that were pivotal in their careers.

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Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location:
Northeast
Setting:
Small Town Setting
Type:
Private
Size:
Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)
Mascot:
The Pioneer

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
618
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
100%
Athletic Programs:
Unavailable
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Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 38,730
Students Receiving Aid:
77%
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Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 60
Selectivity:
Selective
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Degree Programs at Bennington College

Bachelor's Level Programs

  • Agriculture and Natural Resources

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    • Natural Resources and Conservation See more schools with programs in Natural Resources and Conservation
      • Environmental Science
        A program that focuses on the application of biological, chemical, and physical principles to the study of the physical environment and the solution of environmental problems, including subjects such as abating or controlling environmental pollution and degradation; the interaction between human society and the natural environment; and natural resources management. Includes instruction in biology, chemistry, physics, geosciences, climatology, statistics, and mathematical modeling.
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      • Environmental Studies.
        A program that focuses on environment-related issues using scientific, social scientific, or humanistic approaches or a combination. Includes instruction in the basic principles of ecology and environmental science and related subjects such as policy, politics, law, economics, social aspects, planning, pollution control, natural resources, and the interactions of human beings and nature.
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  • Arts & Humanities

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    • Architecture See more schools with programs in Architecture
      • Architecture (BArch, BA/BS, MArch, MA/MS, PhD)
        These four, six, or eight year programs allow individuals to practice architecture and conduct research in architecture. Topics covered include architectural design, history, and theory; building structures and environmental systems; project and site planning; construction; professional responsibilities and standards; and related cultural, social, economic, and environmental issues.
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      • Environmental Design/Architecture
        A program that prepares individuals to design public and private spaces, indoor and outdoor, for leisure, recreational, commercial, and living purposes, and for professional practice as environmental designers and architects. Includes instruction in the design and planning of public and private open spaces and their relationship to buildings and other aspects of the built environment; facilities management; related aspects of interior design and architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning; and professional responsibilities and standards.
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    • English Language and Literature See more schools with programs in English Language and Literature
      • American Literature (United States)
        This four year degree program studies all forms of United States literature from the Colonial Era to the present. Coursework includes instruction in period and genre studies, author studies, literary criticism, and regional and oral traditions.
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      • Creative Writing
        A program that focuses on the process and techniques of original composition in various literary forms such as the short story, poetry, the novel, and others. Includes instruction in technical and editorial skills, criticism, and the marketing of finished manuscripts.
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      • English Composition
        A program that focuses on the principles of English vocabulary, grammar, morphology, syntax and semantics; and techniques of selecting, developing, arranging, combining and expressing ideas in appropriate written forms.
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      • English Language and Literature
        A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.
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      • English Language and Literature/Letters
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      • English Literature (British and Commonwealth)
        A program that focuses on the literatures and literary developments of the English-speaking peoples of the British Isles and the British Commonwealth, from the origins of the English language to the present. Includes instruction in period and genre studies, author studies, country and regional specializations, literary criticism, and the study of folkloric traditions.
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    • Film and Theater See more schools with programs in Film and Theater
      • Acting
        An acting program instructs individuals in the art of communicating dramatic information and ideas in a natural and believable fashion. This program includes instruction in voice and acting speech, stage dialects, movement, improvisation, acting styles, theatre history, script interpretation, and actor coaching.
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      • Directing and Theatrical Production
        A program that prepares individuals to manage the planning, design, preparation, and production of plays and other theatrical entertainment programs. Includes instruction in theatrical design, program management, dramatic production, rehearsal management, personnel management and casting, actor coaching, directing concepts and techniques, theater history, scene work, script interpretation, business management, marketing, public relations, and communications skills.
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      • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
        A program that focuses on the general study of dramatic works and their performance. Includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and the principles of organizing and producing full live or filmed productions.
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      • Film/Cinema Studies
        A program in the visual arts that focuses on the study of the history, development, theory, and criticism of the film/video arts, as well as the basic principles of film making and film production.
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      • Playwriting and Screenwriting
        A program that focuses on the principles and techniques for communicating dramatic information, ideas, moods, and feelings through the composition of creative written works for the theatre and/or film. Includes instruction in creative writing craft, scene writing, script development, stage and/or camera instructions, line and moment analysis, script reading, script editing, and the creation of full productions
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      • Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology
        A program that prepares individuals to apply artistic, technical and dramatic principles and techniques to the communication of dramatic information, ideas, moods, and feelings through technical theatre methods. Includes instruction in set design, lighting design, sound effects, theatre acoustics, scene painting, property management, costume design, and technical direction and production and use of computer applications to support these functions above.
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      • Theatre Literature, History and Criticism
        A program that focuses on the study of the history, literature, theory, and analysis of written plays, theatrical productions, and theatre methods and organization. Includes instruction in historical method; critical theory; literary analysis; the study of themes and archetypes in dramatic literature; the history of acting, directing, and technical theatre; and the study of specific historical and cultural styles and traditions.
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    • Foreign Languages See more schools with programs in Foreign Languages
      • Chinese Language and Literature
        Students in this major study the Chinese language and its associated dialects and literature, including Chinese philology, Archaic and Classical Chinese, Modern Standard Chinese (Guóyu), Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese, Wu, Min, Hunanese, Hakka, other dialects and pidgins, and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • Foreign Languages and Literatures
        A general program that focuses on one or more modern foreign languages that is not specific as to the name of the language(s) studied; that is otherwise undifferentiated; or that introduces students to language studies at the basic/elementary level.
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      • Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
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      • French Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in French philology, Metropolitan French, Canadian French, African and Caribbean Creoles, French regional dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • German Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the German language and related dialects as used in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, neighboring European countries containing German-speaking minorities, and elsewhere. Includes instruction in German philology; Old, Middle, and High German; Plattdeutsch and other regional dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • Italian Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the Italian language and related dialects. Includes instruction in Italian philology, Modern Italian, Italian regional dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • Japanese Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the Japanese language. Includes instruction in Japanese philology; Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Japanese; Japanese dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • Spanish Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in Spanish philology, Modern Castillan, various Latin American dialects, regional Spanish dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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    • General Studies See more schools with programs in General Studies
      • General Studies
        An undifferentiated program that includes instruction in the general arts, general science, or unstructured studies.
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      • Humanities/Humanistic Studies
        A program that focuses on combined studies and research in the humanities subjects as distinguished from the social and physical sciences, emphasizing languages, literatures, art, music, philosophy and religion.
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      • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
      • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
        A program that is a structured combination of the arts, biological and physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities, emphasizing breadth of study. Includes instruction in independently designed, individualized, or regular programs.
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    • History See more schools with programs in History
      • American History United States
        This major program studies the history of America from the Pre-Columbian period to the present. This program includes instruction in American historiography, American history sources and materials, historical research methods, and applications to the study of specific themes, issues, periods, and institutions.
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      • European History
        A program that focuses on the development of European society, culture, and institutions from the origins to the present. Includes instruction in European historiography, European history sources and materials, historical research methods, and applications to the study of specific themes, issues, periods, and institutions.
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      • History
        A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration.
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    • Music See more schools with programs in Music
      • General Music
        A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media.
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      • Jazz/Jazz Studies
        A program that prepares individuals to study and master the performance and composition of jazz. Includes instruction in the history of Jazz and related musical styles such as the Blues, Jazz composition and theory, improvisation, Jazz instrument and ensemble performance, and related topics.
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      • Music History, Literature, and Theory
        A program that focuses on the study of the historical evolution of music as a social and intellectual phenomenon, the development of musical instruments and techniques, and the analysis and criticism of musical literature. Includes instruction in music history research methods, aesthetic analysis of musical compositions, history of musical writing and notation, the development of musical instruments, the development of music theory, and the study of specific periods, cultural traditions, styles, and themes.
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      • Music Performance
        A program that generally prepares individuals to master musical instruments and performing art as solo and/or ensemble performers. Includes instruction on one or more specific instruments from various instrumental groupings.
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      • Music Theory and Composition
        A program that focuses on the study of the principles of sound manipulation as applied to the creation of music, and the techniques of creating and arranging music. Includes instruction in aural theory, melody, counterpoint, complex harmony, modulation, chromatics, improvisation, progressions, musical writing, instrumentation, orchestration, electronic and computer applications, studies of specific musical styles, and development of original creative ability.
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      • Musicology and Ethnomusicology
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of the forms and methods of music art, and the functions of music, in Western and non-Western societies and cultures. Includes instruction in music theory, musicological research methods, and studies of specific cultural styles such as jazz, folk music, rock, ethnic musical traditions, and the music of non-Western cultures.
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      • Piano and Organ
        A program that prepares individuals to master the piano, organ, or related keyboard instruments and performing art as solo, ensemble, and/or accompanist performers. Includes instruction in piano and keyboard pedagogy, ensemble playing, accompanying, service playing, repertoire, keyboard and pedal skills, recital, and personal style development.
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      • Violin, Viola, Guitar and Other Stringed Instruments
        A program that prepares individual to master a stringed instrument and performing arts as solo, ensemble and/or accompanist performers. Includes instruction in playing and personal style development.
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      • Voice and Opera
        A program that prepares individuals to master the human voice and performing art as solo and/or ensemble performers in concert, choir, opera, or other forms of singing. Includes instruction in voice pedagogy, diction, vocal physiology and exercise, expressive movement, repertoire, recital, and personal style development.
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    • Performing Arts See more schools with programs in Performing Arts
      • General Dance
        A general program that prepares individuals to express ideas, feelings, and/or inner visions through the performance of one or more of the dance disciplines, including but not limited to ballet, modern, jazz, ethnic, and folk dance, and that focuses on the study and analysis of dance as a cultural phenomenon. Includes instruction in technique, choreography, Laban notation, dance history and criticism, and dance production.
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    • Philosophy See more schools with programs in Philosophy
      • General Philosophy
        A program that focuses on ideas and their logical structure, including arguments and investigations about abstract and real phenomena. Includes instruction in logic, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics, symbolism, and history of philosophy, and applications to the theoretical foundations and methods of other disciplines.
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    • Religion/Religious Studies See more schools with programs in Religion/Religious Studies
      • Jewish/ Judaic Studies
        A program that focuses on the history, culture, and religion of the Jewish people. Includes instruction in Jewish religious heritage, sacred texts, and law; Jewish philosophy and intellectual history; Jewish life and culture, both in Israel and the Jewish Diaspora; historical Jewish minority cultures such as the Yiddish, Sephardic, and other; anti-Semitism, gentile relations and Shoa; Zionism; and modern developments within Judaism.
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    • Visual and Performing Arts See more schools with programs in Visual and Performing Arts
      • Visual and Performing Arts
        A general, undifferentiated program that focuses on the visual and performing arts and that may prepare individuals in any of the visual artistic media or performing disciplines.
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    • Visual Arts See more schools with programs in Visual Arts
      • Art History, Criticism and Conservation
        Students of Art History study of the historical development of art as a social and intellectual phenomenon. Art History programs include the analysis of works of art, and art conservation, art history research methods, connoisseurship, the preservation and conservation of works of art, and the study of specific periods, cultures, styles, and themes.
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      • Ceramic Arts and Ceramics
        Students of Ceramics learn to creatively and technically to express emotions, ideas, or inner visions through ceramic artwork. Students learn handbuilt and wheelthrown techniques; molding; slips and glazes; trimming and decorating; firing and kiln operation; oxidation; mixed media; ceramic murals; and personal style development.
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      • Drawing
        A program that prepares individuals creatively and technically to express emotions, ideas, or inner visions through representation by lines made on a surface. Includes instruction in eye-hand coordination; line, value, shape, and perspective; figure and still life drawing; the use of media such as pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, pastel, and brush; and personal style development.
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      • Fine/Studio Arts
        A program that prepares individuals to generally function as creative artists in the visual and plastic media. Includes instruction in the traditional fine arts media (drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, CAD/CAM) and/or modern media (ceramics, textiles, intermedia, photography, digital images); theory of art; color theory; composition and perspective; anatomy; the techniques and procedures for maintaining equipment and managing a studio; and art portfolio marketing.
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      • Painting
        A program that prepares individuals creatively and technically to express emotions, ideas, or inner visions by the application of paints and related chemical color substances to canvases or other materials. Includes instruction in color and color mixing; surface preparation; composition; oil and acrylic media; watercolor media; painting techniques; and personal style development.
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      • Printmaking
        A program that prepares individuals creatively and technically to express emotions, ideas, or inner visions by rendering art concepts onto surfaces and transferring images, via ink or dyes, onto paper or fabric. Includes instruction in monochrome and color printing; tonality; chemistry; equipment set-up and maintenance; techniques such as serigraphy, lithography, intaglio, woodcut, block, stencil, relief, etching, and composite; and personal style development.
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      • Sculpture
        A program that prepares individuals creatively and technically to express emotions, ideas, or inner visions by creating three-dimensional art works. Includes instruction in the analysis of form in space; round and relief concepts; sculptural composition; modern and experimental methods; different media such as clay, plaster, wood, stone, and metal; techniques such as carving, molding, welding, casting, and modeling; and personal style development.
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  • Communication & Media

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    • Animation & Video Graphics
      Students in this program learn to manipulate audio/visual content to communicate messages and simulate the real-world. This program includes instruction in specialized camerawork and equipment operation and maintenance, image capture, computer programming, dubbing, CAD applications, and applications to specific commercial, industrial, and entertainment needs.
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    • Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
      A program that focuses on the scientific, humanistic, and critical study of human communication in a variety of formats, media, and contexts. Includes instruction in the theory and practice of interpersonal, group, organizational, professional, and intercultural communication; speaking and listening; verbal and nonverbal interaction; rhetorical theory and criticism; performance studies; argumentation and persuasion; technologically mediated communication; popular culture; and various contextual applications.
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    • Communication, Journalism and Related Programs
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    • Design & Visual Communications
      A program in the applied visual arts that focuses on the general principles and techniques for effectively communicating ideas and information, and packaging products, in digital and other formats to business and consumer audiences, and that may prepare individuals in any of the applied art media.
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    • Design and Applied Arts
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    • Film/Video & Cinematography
      Learn to communicate dramatic information, ideas, moods, and feelings through the making and producing of films and videos. This major includes instruction in the theory of film; film technology and equipment operation; film production; film directing; film editing; cinematographic art; film audio; techniques for making specific types of films and/or videos; the , use of computer applications to record or enhance images, audio or effect and the planning and management of film/video operations.
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    • General Journalism
      A program that focuses on the theory and practice of gathering, processing, and delivering news and that prepares individuals to be professional print journalists, news editors, and news managers. Includes instruction in news writing and editing; reporting; photojournalism; layout and graphic design; journalism law and policy; professional standards and ethics; research methods; and journalism history and criticism.
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    • Photography
      A program that focuses on the principles and techniques of communicating information, ideas, moods, and feelings through the creation of images on photographic film, plates, digital images and that may prepare individuals to be professional photographic artists. Includes instruction in camera and equipment operation and maintenance, film and plate developing, light and composition, films and printing media, color and special effects, photographic art, photographic history, use of computer applications to record or enhance images and applications to the photography of various subjects.
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    • Graphics & Multimedia See more schools with programs in Graphics & Multimedia
      • Intermedia/Multimedia
        A program that prepares individuals creatively and technically to express emotions, ideas, or inner visions in either two or three dimensions, through simultaneous use of a variety of materials and media.
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  • Education

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    • General Education See more schools with programs in General Education
      • General Education
        A program that focuses on the general theory and practice of learning and teaching; the basic principles of educational psychology; the art of teaching; the planning and administration of educational activities; school safety and health issues; and the social foundations of education.
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    • Teacher Training See more schools with programs in Teacher Training
      • Early Childhood Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students ranging in age from infancy through eight years (grade three), depending on the school system or state regulations. Includes preparation to teach all relevant subject matter.
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      • Elementary Education and Teaching
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the elementary grades, which may include kindergarten through grade eight, depending on the school system or state regulations. Includes preparation to teach all elementary education subject matter.
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      • French Language Teacher Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach French language programs at various educational levels.
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      • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the middle, intermediate or junior high grades, which may include grades four through nine by regulation.
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      • Secondary Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the secondary grades, which may include grades seven through twelve, depending on the school system or state regulations. May include preparation to teach a comprehensive curriculum or specific subject matter.
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  • Family and Consumer Science Professions

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    • Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services See more schools with programs in Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
      • Child Development
        Study the intellectual, social, emotional, and biological development of children and learn how to plan and design related human services in this program that includes instruction in parent-child relations; parenting practices; special needs of children; parental and environmental influences on child development; external support services; and related public policy issues.
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  • Health & Medical Services

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    • Health/Medical Preparatory Programs See more schools with programs in Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
      • Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
        A program that prepares individuals for admission to a first-professional program in medicine, osteopathic medicine, or podiatric medicine.
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  • Interdisciplinary Studies

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    • Biological and Physical Sciences
      This general program is either a synthesis of the biological and physical sciences, or a specialization which draws from the biological and physical sciences.
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    • International/Global Studies
      A program that focuses on global and international issues from the perspective of the social sciences, social services, and related fields.
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    • Mathematics and Computer Science
      A program with a general synthesis of mathematics and computer science or a specialization which draws from mathematics and computer science.
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    • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
      Any instructional program that is derived from two or more distinct programs to provide a cross-cutting focus on a subject concentration that is not subsumed under a single discipline or occupational field.
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    • Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
      A program that focuses on the origins, resolution and prevention of international and inter-group conflicts. Includes instruction in peace research methods and related social scientific and psychological knowledge bases.
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  • Legal Professions

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    • Pre-Law Studies
      A program that prepares individuals for the professional study of law at the post-baccalaureate level.
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  • Life Science

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    • Biology See more schools with programs in Biology
      • Biology/Biological Sciences
        Students in this program study general biology at an introductory level. This major provides students with a broad overview of biology and includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations.
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      • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
        This integrated, combined program focuses on the scientific study of cells, cellular systems, and the molecular basis of cell structure and function. This major includes coursework in cell biology, cell chemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, and structural biology.
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      • Ecology
        A program that focuses on the scientific study of the relationships and interactions of small-scale biological systems, such as organisms, to each other, to complex and whole systems, and to the physical and other non-biological aspects of their environments. Includes instruction in biogeochemistry; landscape and/or marine/aquatic dynamics; decomposition; global and regional elemental budgets; biotic and abiotic regulation of nutrient cycles; ecophysiology; ecosystem resilience, disturbance, and succession; community and habitat dynamics; organismal interactions (co-evolution, competition, predation); paleoecology, and evolutionary ecology.
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      • Environmental Biology
        A program that focuses on the scientific study of the origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and natural history of living populations, communities, species, and ecosystems in relation to dynamic environmental processes. Includes instruction in biodiversity, molecular genetic and genomic evolution, mesoscale ecology, computational biology and modeling, conservation biology, local and global environmental change, and restoration ecology.
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      • Evolutionary Biology
        A program that focuses on the scientific study of the genetic, developmental, functional, and morphological patterns and processes, and theoretical principles; and the emergence and mutation of organisms over time. Includes instruction in molecular and morphological systematics; genetics and development; evolutionary transformation; paleobiology and paleontology; morphogenesis; mutation; locomotor, biomechanical and craniodental form and function; evolutionary theory; and systematic biology.
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      • General Botany/Plant Biology
        A program that focuses on the scientific study of plants, related microbial organisms, and plant habitats and ecosystem relations. Includes instruction in plant anatomy and structure, phytochemistry, cytology, plant genetics, plant morphology and physiology, plant ecology, plant taxonomy and systematics, paleobotany, and applications of biophysics and molecular biology.
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      • Zoology/Animal Biology
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  • Mathematics and Statistics

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    • General Mathematics
      A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations.
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  • Natural Sciences

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    • Astronomy and Astrophysics See more schools with programs in Astronomy and Astrophysics
      • Astronomy
        Astronomy is a general program lasting anywhere from four to eight years that focuses on the planetary, galactic, and stellar phenomena occurring in outer space. Astronomy students are taught celestial mechanics, cosmology, stellar physics, galactic evolution, quasars, stellar distribution and motion, interstellar medium, atomic and molecular constituents of astronomical phenomena, planetary science, solar system evolution, and specific methodologies such as optical astronomy, radioastronomy, and theoretical astronomy.
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    • Chemistry See more schools with programs in Chemistry
      • General Chemistry
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena.
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    • Physics See more schools with programs in Physics
      • General Physical Sciences
        A program that focuses on the major topics, concepts, processes, and interrelationships of physical phenomena as studied in any combination of physical science disciplines.
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      • General Physics
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods.
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  • Social Sciences

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    • General Social Sciences
      A program that focuses on the general study of human social behavior and social institutions using any of the methodologies common to the social sciences and/or history, or an undifferentiated program of study in the social sciences.
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    • Anthropology See more schools with programs in Anthropology
      • General Anthropology
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of human beings, their antecedents and related primates, and their cultural behavior and institutions, in comparative perspective. Includes instruction in biological/physical anthropology, primatology, human paleontology and prehistoric archeology, hominid evolution, anthropological linguistics, ethnography, ethnology, ethnohistory, socio-cultural anthropology, psychological anthropology, research methods, and applications to areas such as medicine, forensic pathology, museum studies, and international affairs.
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    • Area, Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender Studies See more schools with programs in Area, Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender Studies
      • American/United States Studies/Civilization
        This program studies the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of the United States and its Pre-Columbian and colonial predecessors, including the flow of immigrants from other societies.
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      • Asian Studies/Civilization
        This four year program focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of the peoples of the Asian Continent. Asian Studies programs include the study of Asian diasporas overseas.
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      • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, and Gender Studies
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      • European Studies/Civilization
        A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of the European Continent, including the study of European migration patterns and colonial empires.
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      • Gay/Lesbian Studies
        A program that focuses on homosexuality in history, society, politics, and cultural life; usually with an emphasis on the modern emergence of gays and lesbians as a sociocultural minority movement, the identification of social, literary, and artistic themes and the definition of, and public policy and legal issues surrounding the gay and lesbian community.
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      • Latin American Studies
        A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the Hispanic peoples of the North and South American Continents outside Canada and the United States, including the study of the Pre-Columbian period and the flow of immigrants from other societies.
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      • Women’s Studies
        A program that focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of women, and the development of modern feminism in relation to the roles played by women in different periods and locations in North America and the world. Programs may focus on literature, philosophy, and the arts as much as on social studies and policy.
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    • International Relations and Affairs See more schools with programs in International Relations and Affairs
      • American Government and Politics (United States)
        This program studies the political institutions of the United States. Coursework includes instruction in American political theory, political parties and interest groups, state and local governments, Constitutional law, federalism and national institutions, executive and legislative politics, judicial politics, popular attitudes and media influences, political research methods, and applications to the study of specific issues and institutions.
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      • General Political Science and Government
        A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies 0f specific political institutions and processes.
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      • International Relations and Affairs
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of international politics and institutions, and the conduct of diplomacy and foreign policy. Includes instruction in international relations theory, foreign policy analysis, national security and strategic studies, international law and organization, the comparative study of specific countries and regions, and the theory and practice of diplomacy.
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    • Psychology See more schools with programs in Psychology
      • General Psychology
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of individual and collective behavior, the physical and environmental bases of behavior, and the analysis and treatment of behavior problems and disorders. Includes instruction in the principles of the various subfields of psychology, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods.
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      • Social Psychology
        A program that focuses on the scientific study of individual behavior in group contexts, group behavior, and associated phenomena. Includes instruction in social learning theory, group theory and dynamics, sex roles, social cognition and inference, attribution theory, attitude formation, criminal behavior and other social pathologies, altruistic behavior, social development, and social ecology.
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    • Sociology See more schools with programs in Sociology
      • Other Social Sciences
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      • Sociology
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.
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  • Social Work

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    • Public Policy Analysis
      A program that focuses on the systematic analysis of public policy issues and decision processes. Includes instruction in the role of economic and political factors in public decision-making and policy formulation; microeconomic analysis of policy issues; resource allocation and decision modeling; cost/benefit analysis; statistical methods; and applications to specific public policy topics.
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  • Technology

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    • Information Systems Operation and Management See more schools with programs in Information Systems Operation and Management
      • General Computer Science
        A general program that focuses on computers, computing problems and solutions, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective. Includes instruction in the principles of computational science, and computing theory; computer hardware design; computer development and programming; and applications to a variety of end-use situations.
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    • Software Development See more schools with programs in Software Development
      • Computer and Information Sciences
        A general program that focuses on computing, computer science, and information science and systems as part of a broad and/or interdisciplinary program. Such programs are undifferentiated as to title and content and are not to be confused with specific programs in computer science, information science, or related support services.
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Master's Level Programs

  • Arts & Humanities

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    • English Language and Literature See more schools with programs in English Language and Literature
      • Creative Writing
        A program that focuses on the process and techniques of original composition in various literary forms such as the short story, poetry, the novel, and others. Includes instruction in technical and editorial skills, criticism, and the marketing of finished manuscripts.
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      • English Language and Literature/Letters
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    • Film and Theater See more schools with programs in Film and Theater
      • Directing and Theatrical Production
        A program that prepares individuals to manage the planning, design, preparation, and production of plays and other theatrical entertainment programs. Includes instruction in theatrical design, program management, dramatic production, rehearsal management, personnel management and casting, actor coaching, directing concepts and techniques, theater history, scene work, script interpretation, business management, marketing, public relations, and communications skills.
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      • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
        A program that focuses on the general study of dramatic works and their performance. Includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and the principles of organizing and producing full live or filmed productions.
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      • Playwriting and Screenwriting
        A program that focuses on the principles and techniques for communicating dramatic information, ideas, moods, and feelings through the composition of creative written works for the theatre and/or film. Includes instruction in creative writing craft, scene writing, script development, stage and/or camera instructions, line and moment analysis, script reading, script editing, and the creation of full productions
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      • Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology
        A program that prepares individuals to apply artistic, technical and dramatic principles and techniques to the communication of dramatic information, ideas, moods, and feelings through technical theatre methods. Includes instruction in set design, lighting design, sound effects, theatre acoustics, scene painting, property management, costume design, and technical direction and production and use of computer applications to support these functions above.
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      • Theatre Literature, History and Criticism
        A program that focuses on the study of the history, literature, theory, and analysis of written plays, theatrical productions, and theatre methods and organization. Includes instruction in historical method; critical theory; literary analysis; the study of themes and archetypes in dramatic literature; the history of acting, directing, and technical theatre; and the study of specific historical and cultural styles and traditions.
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    • Foreign Languages See more schools with programs in Foreign Languages
      • Spanish Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in Spanish philology, Modern Castillan, various Latin American dialects, regional Spanish dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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    • General Studies See more schools with programs in General Studies
      • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
        A program that is a structured combination of the arts, biological and physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities, emphasizing breadth of study. Includes instruction in independently designed, individualized, or regular programs.
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    • History See more schools with programs in History
      • History
        A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration.
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    • Music See more schools with programs in Music
      • General Music
        A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media.
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      • Music History, Literature, and Theory
        A program that focuses on the study of the historical evolution of music as a social and intellectual phenomenon, the development of musical instruments and techniques, and the analysis and criticism of musical literature. Includes instruction in music history research methods, aesthetic analysis of musical compositions, history of musical writing and notation, the development of musical instruments, the development of music theory, and the study of specific periods, cultural traditions, styles, and themes.
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      • Music Performance
        A program that generally prepares individuals to master musical instruments and performing art as solo and/or ensemble performers. Includes instruction on one or more specific instruments from various instrumental groupings.
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      • Music Theory and Composition
        A program that focuses on the study of the principles of sound manipulation as applied to the creation of music, and the techniques of creating and arranging music. Includes instruction in aural theory, melody, counterpoint, complex harmony, modulation, chromatics, improvisation, progressions, musical writing, instrumentation, orchestration, electronic and computer applications, studies of specific musical styles, and development of original creative ability.
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      • Musicology and Ethnomusicology
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of the forms and methods of music art, and the functions of music, in Western and non-Western societies and cultures. Includes instruction in music theory, musicological research methods, and studies of specific cultural styles such as jazz, folk music, rock, ethnic musical traditions, and the music of non-Western cultures.
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    • Performing Arts See more schools with programs in Performing Arts
      • General Dance
        A general program that prepares individuals to express ideas, feelings, and/or inner visions through the performance of one or more of the dance disciplines, including but not limited to ballet, modern, jazz, ethnic, and folk dance, and that focuses on the study and analysis of dance as a cultural phenomenon. Includes instruction in technique, choreography, Laban notation, dance history and criticism, and dance production.
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    • Visual and Performing Arts See more schools with programs in Visual and Performing Arts
  • Education

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    • General Education See more schools with programs in General Education
      • General Education
        A program that focuses on the general theory and practice of learning and teaching; the basic principles of educational psychology; the art of teaching; the planning and administration of educational activities; school safety and health issues; and the social foundations of education.
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    • Teacher Training See more schools with programs in Teacher Training
      • Early Childhood Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students ranging in age from infancy through eight years (grade three), depending on the school system or state regulations. Includes preparation to teach all relevant subject matter.
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      • Elementary Education and Teaching
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the elementary grades, which may include kindergarten through grade eight, depending on the school system or state regulations. Includes preparation to teach all elementary education subject matter.
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      • English/Language Arts Teacher Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach English grammar, composition and literature programs at various educational levels.
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      • Foreign Language Teacher Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach foreign languages programs at various educational levels, other than French, German or Spanish.
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      • French Language Teacher Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach French language programs at various educational levels.
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      • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the middle, intermediate or junior high grades, which may include grades four through nine by regulation.
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      • Music Teacher Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach music and music appreciation programs at various educational levels.
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      • Secondary Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the secondary grades, which may include grades seven through twelve, depending on the school system or state regulations. May include preparation to teach a comprehensive curriculum or specific subject matter.
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      • Spanish Language Teacher Education
        A program that prepares individuals to teach Spanish language programs at various educational levels.
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      • Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students at more than one educational level, such as a combined program in elementary/secondary, early childhood/elementary, elementary/middle school, or junior high/high school teacher education.
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  • Social Sciences

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    • General Social Sciences
      A program that focuses on the general study of human social behavior and social institutions using any of the methodologies common to the social sciences and/or history, or an undifferentiated program of study in the social sciences.
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Students

General

Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 100%
Part-Time 0%
Men vs. Women
Women 66%
Men 34%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 85%
Other 9%
Hispanic 3%
African-American 2%
Asian 1%

Geography

In State vs. Out-of-State
Out-of-State 98%
In-State 2%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
New York 21%
California 9%
Massachusetts 9%
Connecticut 7%
Pennsylvania 4%
Percent of Students International: 3%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 85%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: Yes
Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 38,730    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 1,030    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Any Aid:
  77%  

Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)

Acceptance Rate: 62% (Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 43%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 620, Math: 560
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 720, Math: 660

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 60.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Not Required
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Required
High School GPA: Recommended
High School Rank: Recommended
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Not Required

College Advice

Yahoo

Question: Is Bennington college a respectable school to go to?

I havent heard much about it but it is supposed to be high ranking. Can i get some opinions? possibly from someone who went there?
30 months ago

Best Answer

It's not nearly as prestigious as the other three schools you mentioned. I'd never heard of it until you mentioned it, and I'm pretty familiar with a *lot* of schools.

Question: How hard is it to get into Mt. Holyoke college and Bennington college?

I am really involved in high school and have a b+ average. What do I need to do to get into one of these excellent colleges?
32 months ago

Best Answer

Both Mt. Holyoke and Bennington are highly selective schools. A B+ average will likely not be sufficient. However, if your high school is top-notch and highly competitive, and if you've taken several AP courses, you could possibly gain admission if your SATs, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and extracurriculars are absolutely and uncommonly stellar. Shoot for above 700 on verbal, math, and writing on your SATs, and do something outrageously creative and valuable in terms of community service. Those two factors could really help. Best wishes to you.

Question: What is Bennington College?

45 months ago

Best Answer

A college thats in different from other colleges. Instead of having a set course of action to get a degree you along with the faculty figure it out as you go in a precess called "THE PLAN PROCESS" QUOTE The Plan Process is the structure Bennington students use to design and evaluate their education. In a series of essays and meetings with the faculty throughout their years at Bennington, students learn to articulate what they want to study and how they intend to study it. They identify not only the classes they wish to take, but how those classes relate to each other and the rest of their Bennington experience: Field Work Term, tutorials, projects beyond the classroom, and anything else they undertake. END QUOTE Here is part of the schools philosophy The principle of learning by practice underlies every major feature of a Bennington education: the master-apprentice model of teaching and learning; the requirement that students direct the course of their own education; the winter Field Work Term, which gives students work experience and connects them to the greater community. The College's commitment to learning across the disciplines extends to the faculty, who teach what is uppermost in their minds, exploring new pursuits as well as ongoing areas of study and work. Bennington is grounded in the conviction that as a college education develops students' professional capacities, it should also prepare them to be deeply thoughtful and actively engaged citizens of the world. Doesn't sound to bad if you want to do things your way instead of the mans way *lol* They also have a wide variety of programs you can check into such as Courses are offered in: Anthropology Architecture Art History Astronomy Biology Ceramics Chemistry Computer Science Chinese Dance Design Digital Arts Directing Drama Drawing Economics Education Environmental Science Film and Video French History International Relations Italian Japanese Literature Mathematics Music Painting Philosophy Photography Physics Playwriting Political Science Printmaking Psychology Religion Sculpture Spanish Teaching And what attracted me the most was Today, the female-male ratio is approximately 65:35. Gotta love that :D

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Bennington College
Bennington, VT 05201
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