Bard College’s Globalization and International Affairs (BGIA) Program provides a unique opportunity for Simon’s Rock students to spend a year, semester, or summer engaged in the study and practice of human rights, international law, political economy, global public health, ethics, and writing on international affairs.
BGIA is a small and highly selective program. Students live in residence at BGIA in New York City. The program merges advanced coursework in international affairs with substantive professional experiences in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, providing students insight into careers at organizations such as the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, Human Rights Watch, Oxford Analytica, the Open Society Institute, CNN, Newsweek International, and many more. Classes are convened in the evening and are taught by leading practitioners and academics in a variety of fields of international affairs, offering students a unique lens through which to analyze the subject matter. Through the internship and coursework, the program ensures a deep understanding of not only international relations theory, but also its practical applications.