Launched in 2023, the Bard Early Colleges (BEC) host a three week summer academic intensive in partnership with Bard College Berlin (BCB)  in Berlin, Germany. Together, Bard Early College and Bard College Berlin collaborated to design a residential program that introduces early college students to travel abroad and specifically, the history, culture, and art scene of Germany’s vibrant capital city.

This summer, a cohort of 18 students representing nine Bard Early College programs lived and studied together on BCB’s campus. 

The program is a credit-bearing academic intensive, with students taking two college courses. BHSEC Cleveland literature faculty Brandon Abood taught Berlin and the Graphic Novel, a seminar style study of the graphic novel Berlin by Jason Lutes, investigating the creative process that links an urban geography to a work of art. BEC Hudson Valley faculty member Jeff Roda taught an introductory screen studies course entitled Christopher Isherwood’s Berlin, where each student wrote and workshopped the first act of a screenplay inspired by the writing of Christopher Isherwood and the cultural revolution of the Weimar Era in interwar Berlin. Bard College Berlin faculty joined our students for guest lectures and film screenings, helping to deepen their understanding of Berlin and German history and politics.

In addition to coursework, students explored Berlin’s museums, markets, cultural sites, and memorials. A trip to Teufelsberg, an abandoned Cold War era listening station turned street art gallery, showcased the intersection of Berlin’s history and art cultures. Students walked the East Side Gallery on the remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall, explored museums on Museum Island, visited local landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gates and the Berliner Dom, and attended the theater for live productions of The Threepenny Opera and Cabaret. 

Students reflected on their experience, sharing: 

“The program allows connections and relationships, creating a close-knit community all while immersing you in a worthwhile experience.”

“The classwork was very essential in me learning more about Berlin as a city. Knowing the history and culture of Berlin and learning about such an interesting time like the Weimar Era helped me appreciate the excursions even more.”

“My personal highlight of the program was being able to meet new people and make meaningful connections all while exploring the vibrant city of Berlin.”

“The courses incorporated both the cultural and political aspects of Berlin, making the learning experience deeply engaging, and it helped me make a lot of connections between the outside world and the courses.”

The intensive represents an exciting expansion of program offerings for the Bard Early Colleges, and seeks to broaden both the breadth and depth of a student’s early college experience.