Goddard’s Individualized Bachelor of Arts is for creative, motivated students who wish to design a personalized program of learning based in the liberal arts.
In keeping with our learner-centered approach, you will work collaboratively with faculty to identify the areas of study to explore. And, since personal awareness and knowledge of the world go hand in hand, we help you at all levels undertake a holistic, multidisciplinary approach in your studies.
The Individualized Bachelor of Arts emphasizes personal and social transformation. We encourage you and your classmates to pursue areas of interest that enrich life and contribute to the global community and the Earth.
The Goddard Difference
Our philosophy starts with the idea experience and education are intricately linked
Work of the Semester
During the semester, students send faculty advisors “packets” of work that vary in content but typically contain diverse forms of learning, including study journals, annotations, research papers, creative writing, samples of artwork, autobiographical and process reflections, and audio/video production.
A detailed response from the advisor is both supportive and challenging, engaging in the learning the student presents and suggesting resources and strategies for the next packet. The advisor also addresses the packet in the context of the student’s semester goals and their progress toward fulfilling degree requirements. Over the semester, the exchanges between student and advisor create a dialogue that is exceptionally in-depth and meaningful. Students often describe these exchanges as transformative and empowering. At the end of the semester, students and advisors write comprehensive evaluations of the student’s learning.
Faculty
Location
Twice a year, at the start of each semester, students attend an intensive eight-day residency at the College’s Plainfield, Vermont campus. Residencies are a rich time of exploration, connection, and planning.
