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Engaged Liberal Arts + Sciences

What is Engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences?

What is Engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences?

Engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences (ELAS) courses bring theory to practice by linking coursework, critical thinking, and engagement activities. A form of experiential learning, ELAS courses allow students to test ideas in the real world and develop creative approaches to social, cultural, and scientific issues. A significant portion of ELAS learning takes place outside of the classroom: students learn through engagement with different geographies, organizations, and programs in the surrounding communities or in collaboration with partners from Bard's national and international networks. ELAS students and teachers often collaborate with non-profits, community groups, and government agencies whose goal is to serve the public good.

ELAS Videos

  • ELAS Information Session
  • Bard Studio Arts Engaged Learning
  • Engaged Learning

The Benefits of Engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences

For Students
Students from Cammie Jones and Deirdre d'Albertis' Women and Leadership course. This literature course works with a range of perspectives that take students closer engage with stories in ways that only they can tell with a focus on outreach to people and organizations with a focus on gender.

For Students

  • Increases relevant coursework by bringing academic instruction to life.
  • Develops meaningful involvement with the local and regional communities.
  • Prepares individuals to participate in internships and research.
  • Applies concepts from the classroom to their service.
  • Provides platforms to analyze and discuss civic values.
  • Allows exploration of career options.
  • Develops a sense of community and civic responsibility.
  • Teaches workforce skills.
  • Increases a sense of self-efficacy, analytical skills and social development.
  • Develops connections with people of diverse cultures and lifestyles.
  • Provides opportunities to accommodate different learning styles.

For Faculty
Students in Chris Lindner's Historical Archaeology class working with visiting students from a local middle school to teach and observe archeological field methods at a site located on Bard's campus.

For Faculty

  • Enriches and enlivens teaching by providing a new understanding of how learning occurs.
  • Identifies new areas for research and publication, and thus increases opportunities for professional recognition and reward.
  • Enhances student learning and teaching qualities.
  • Increases awareness of current social justice issues as they relate to the academic areas of interest.
  • Provides opportunities for application of professional expertise and research.
  • Increases diversity in the classroom by accommodating a wide variety of learning styles.

For the Community
A moment from the Engaged Citizenship class where students engaged with Speed Networking. Community partners from surrounding towns and the College met with students and listened to their ideas for projects while also talking about the various types of service available to students.

For the Community

  • Enhances positive relationships with the College.
  • Provides awareness-building of community issues, agencies and constituents.
  • Contributes to positive exposure in the community.
  • Creates ways to expand current services.
  • Provides opportunities for participating in the educational process.
  • Develops short and long term solutions to pressing community needs.
  • Creates ways to expand current services.
  • Increases human resources for problem solving.
  • Enriches roles for supervisors.

ELAS by the Numbers

ELAS by the Numbers

In 2020, over 800 students participated in 83 courses and collaborated with more than 95 community agencies/organizations.

  • 89%
    of students report greater awareness of community issues
  • 88%
    of students say engagement helped their learning
  • 88%
    of students would take another ELAS course
  • 91%
    of faculty would teach another ELAS course

ELAS Course Development

Promoting Active Citizenship

Promoting Active Citizenship

Each year, more than 300 Bard students enroll in ELAS courses that challenge them to develop creative and practical approaches to social, cultural, and scientific issues while partnering with community and civic organizations. CCE invites proposals from Bard and Bard Early College faculty to design and support ELAS courses that connect students’ classroom experiences with the community, enhancing learning and promoting active citizenship. Visit our Resources Library for course development tools.

Download the Online Learning Handbook
Resources Library

Catch up with ELAS

Read Our Fall 2022 One Pager

Read the Spring 2022 ELAS Newsletter

Contact Us

ELAS Staff
Jovanny Suriel  Director of Career Development, Assistant Dean of Civic Engagement
Eric Dougherty  Experiential Learning Coordinator

Faculty Liaison
Peter Klein  Assistant Professor of Sociology and Environmental and Urban Studies