The B.A. in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought offers extensive training in the humanities through the study of key intellectual movements, works, and debates in disciplines such as literature, history, philosophy, art theory, and natural science.

The B.A. degree in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought offers students interdisciplinary training in fields such as art history, practicing arts, philosophy, politics, literature, and film. In addition to practicing in these fields, students also acquire knowledge of the key intellectual developments and questions that lie at the origin of the humanities.

All students attend the Core Curriculum, a six-semester-long intellectual history from antiquity to modernity that comprises the “social thought” component of the degree. After completing foundational modules, students specialize in Art and Aesthetics, Ethics and Politics, or Literature and Rhetoric.

Throughout their studies students also take elective courses in arts, politics, humanities, philosophy, economics, and more. In their third year, students can pursue internships for academic credit in Berlin and New York City and have the option to study abroad.

To complete the degree, students work on an individual B.A. thesis project under close guidance from a faculty advisor in their fourth year of study. All B.A. candidates must demonstrate intermediate proficiency in German (B1 level) by the end of their second year.

At a Glance: B.A. in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought

•     Qualification: Bachelor of Arts
•     Duration: 4 years (8 semesters)
•     Language of instruction: English
•     Credits earned: 256 ECTS credits
•     Concentrations:

        Art and Aesthetics
        Ethics and Politics
        Literature and Rhetoric

Further information available in our brochures:

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Applying to Bard College Berlin

Applicants are required to have a high school diploma by the time they matriculate into the program. B.A. students may be eligible to obtain both a German B.A. degree from Bard College Berlin and an American BA degree from Bard College. For information on German degree eligibility, visit our website.

Bard College Berlin's programs are taught entirely in English. Therefore, applicants need to provide documentation of knowledge of English equivalent to level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, e.g. TOEFL IBT: 95, IELTS Academic: 7.0. If students have successfully completed one year of high school or university with English as the primary language of instruction, they do not need to submit an additional test.

Applications must be submitted online through Bard College Berlin’s electronic application form. Please visit the admissions homepage for details on how to apply.

Application deadlines

Early Action: November 1
Regular Admission: January 10
Late Admission: May 1

Spring Transfer: October 1; Fall Transfer: February 15

Bard College Berlin

Bard College Berlin was founded with the goal of bringing small-group seminar teaching and interdisciplinary liberal arts education to Europe. Students from over sixty countries acquire the fundamental disciplinary and historical knowledge needed for approaching the concerns and opportunities of the twenty-first century, and master a specialization in a field of the humanities or social sciences.

At Bard College Berlin, students cultivate the capacity for critical thinking, excellent speaking and writing skills, and civic-mindedness both inside and outside the classroom. These skills establish a solid preparation for many future career paths: Bard College Berlin alumni have advanced to careers in international relations, public policy, the arts, education, and many other fields, as well as graduate study at the world’s most highly regarded universities, such as the University of Cambridge, the University of Chicago, and University of California, Berkeley.