BA in Individualized Studies

The low-residency BA in Individualized Studies Program is a 120-credit undergraduate degree program for progressive liberal arts studies. Students can earn up to 75 of these credits through a combination of transfer credits and credits awarded through Goddard’s Assessment of Prior Learning process.

Individualized education is uniquely suited to students who value in-depth, self-directed learning. Students in the BA in Individualized Studies Program build their studies around learning goals that are relevant to their own lives. Learning in the program is interactive and vibrant, supported by a rich community of faculty and peers. Students work one-on-one with a faculty advisor throughout the semester and share experience, encouragement, and insights in small advising groups.

The BA in Individualized Studies Program is ideal both for students interested in continuing their undergraduate studies or just beginning their college experience, supporting them to get the degree they want while continuing to manage full lives. Students attend an eight-day residency on the Goddard campus in Central Vermont at the beginning of each semester and then accomplish the work of each semester in their home communities. This study format allows for exceptional flexibility. Students can live anywhere, enjoy the freedom of mobility during the semester, and choose the environment best suited for their learning activities.

During residencies, students and faculty members form a rich and sustaining community, developing the close relationships that form a foundation of support for students throughout their time in the program. Residency workshops, presentations, discussions, and participatory activities allow students and faculty members to collaboratively explore a range of ideas, information, experiences, and skills. Students spend time throughout the residency working one-on-one and in small advising groups with their faculty advisor to determine learning goals, identify learning resources, and design course work. Students leave the residency with a detailed plan of study to guide them through the work of the semester. BA in Individualized Studies students can choose to enroll in one of two residency cycles.  Contact the Admissions Office for more information.

From the beginning, students work one-on-one with a dedicated faculty advisor to design a unique plan of study around their own area of interest, identify learning resources, and plan the work of each semester. Faculty advisors in the BA in Individualized Studies Program bring a shared commitment to progressive education, supporting the individual learning goals and activities of each student they advise. Students draw inspiration and support from the rich and varied experiences of the program faculty members, each of whom brings a broad range of formal training, life experience, and innovative current practice to their work.