Barnard College Announces Major New Changes to Its Curriculum

The board of trustees of Barnard College, the highly rated liberal arts educational institution for women in New York City, has approved a new curriculum for the college. The new program, named “Foundations,” was recommended by a 120-34 vote of the college’s faculty.

The new curriculum will include a first-year writing seminar, a robust set of new general education requirements with broad distributional requirements, and a capstone senior experience. The new curriculum will be in effect for students entering in the fall of 2016.

Linda A. Bell, provost and dean of the faculty at Barnard College, said that the new program is designed “to ensure that Barnard’s curriculum addresses the changing realities faced by our graduates, while respecting our institutional mission and distinctive history.” Dr. Bell said that the new program will “include technological, digital, and empirical learning initiatives, enhanced international and global programming, and increased support for interdisciplinary programs and centers.”

Dr. Bell was named provost in 2012. She previously served as provost and was the John B. Hurford Professor of Economics at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. Dr. Bell is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University.