The Plan
Map a territory for study and practice that goes beyond the bounds of a traditional major.
When you ask Bennington students what they study you might hear things like nostalgia, the human form, medical anthropology, women’s studies, space architecture, objecthood, or literature, but you rarely hear the same thing. At Bennington your course of study is as individual as you are, and as diverse as your interests. Every class you take, every work experience you seek out, you do because you want and need it to develop essential capacities related to your goals.
Through one-on-one academic planning and graduate-style advising, Bennington students map a territory for study and practice that goes beyond the bounds of a traditional major. This is your Plan. By building, articulating, and advocating for the substance of your education, you hone your ability to thrive in a world without givens, to tolerate ambiguity, and to steer your work in compelling directions even when a path is not laid out for you.
Models & Mentors
You develop your Plan in close collaboration with your faculty advisor and with feedback from your Plan committee, who guide your progress to ensure that your Plan is challenging, academically sound, and significant.
Theory Meets Practice
Every Bennington student, every year spends six weeks at work in the world pursuing jobs, internships, and entrepreneurial endeavors related to their studies, their professional ambitions, and their own curiosities.
Responsive Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to create multiple points of entry and to highlight connections between courses—all to help you map a course of study and work that supports your Plan in meaningful ways.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Plan and how does it differ from Areas of Study?
Your Plan explains the questions driving your education and how you will pursue them through your coursework, Field Work Terms (FWTs), and other advanced study.
An Area of Study identifies the academic discipline in which you are working. Your Plan may draw together work from multiple Areas of Study.
How are Areas of Study different from traditional majors or minors?
Traditional majors and minors typically involve progress through a defined set of requirements within a single discipline. At Bennington, Areas of Study identify the fields you explore through your Plan, which is a personalized course of study developed in close collaboration with faculty.
Your Plan is driven by a central question that may weave through any number of academic disciplines, providing opportunities to explore and leverage many parts of Bennington’s curriculum in pursuit of answers. Areas of Study help to frame the facets of your academic interest, while your Plan describes the methods you’ll employ to arrive at an eventual answer to your question.
Where are my Areas of Study recorded?
Your Areas of Study are recorded in Populi, our student information system, as well as on your transcript. Your Plan document provides a more thorough explanation of your inquiry, educational objectives, and the connections you’ve made across disciplines while pursuing your work. Your Areas of Study are also reported to the Federal Government and other educational agencies as Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes. Students will have opportunities throughout the Plan process to review and revise their official Areas of Study.
What will my diploma say?
Unless you opt to study in one of our special programs (such as the BFA in Creative Writing or the BFA in Dance Lab), Bennington students graduate with a diploma indicating a Bachelor of Arts. Your college transcript will reflect your Areas of Study.
Why does the Plan no longer have Primary and Supporting Areas of Study?
Primary and Supporting Areas of Study were a relatively new addition to the Plan. Those “top lines” no longer appear on the Plan, as their presence gave rise to undesirable prerequisites and general requirements in some disciplines. Over time, students found that if they wanted to list certain Primary and Supporting Areas of Study in their Plan, they would be required to complete a prescribed set of courses with limited relevance to their Plan, or to complete discipline-specific tasks that did not contribute substantially to their academic goals. After much consideration, the Primary and Supporting Areas of Study were removed from the Plan in 2026.
Bennington College was founded on the notion that learning functions best when it is driven by personal curiosity, bolstered by close mentorship, and empowered by unrestricted movement through the curriculum.
How do Areas of Study impact international students with Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT?
OPT allows international students to stay in the United States for two additional years while working in their chosen field of study. Students working in STEM fields can obtain an additional extension. Bennington supports international students through this process in a number of ways: a student’s academic credentials (including their Areas of Study) will appear on their transcript.
While Bennington no longer lists Primary and Supporting Areas of Study on the top line of the Plan, Bennington’s support of students seeking OPT and STEM OPT status has not changed.
Note: Currently, the federal administration has proposed changes that could make the declaration of a certain Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code detrimental to students seeking financial aid, and might make it more difficult for international students to work in the United States after they graduate. We continue to monitor changes in federal regulations that may impact international students; we will provide updates and clarification as new information becomes available.
Do I need to know my academic focus when I begin studying at Bennington?
First-year students have extensive opportunities to explore, reflect, and develop areas of interest in concert with faculty and first-year advisors. Your first-year essay asks you to consider what you are learning, what questions most interest you, and where that inquiry might lead. Students craft a formal Plan proposal in their third term.
Who helps me develop and evaluate the Plan?
Your faculty advisor works with you throughout the Plan Process. In your first year, a first-year advisor also helps you navigate the transition to college, connecting you with any resources you need.
Your Plan Committee includes your faculty advisor and two to three other faculty members selected in coordination with the Provost’s Office. The Plan Committee reviews your proposal, discusses its feasibility, assesses your progress, and helps you prepare for advanced work.
Can I change my Plan as my interests develop?
Yes. Your questions and interests will inevitably evolve as you learn. Your faculty advisor can help you understand how these changes might impact your coursework and academic progress. Significant changes in a student’s academic focus sometimes require a revised Plan Proposal and additional meetings with the Plan Committee.
How do I develop depth while exploring different Areas of Study?
The Bennington education is fundamentally interdisciplinary and liberal arts-based. You will work with faculty to choose courses and experiences that build on one another and enrich your questions. Exploring different subject areas introduces new methods, perspectives, and lines of inquiry that strengthen your central question.
How do students identify their desired Areas of Study?
Throughout the Plan process, students work with their faculty advisor to identify Areas of Study relevant to their core question. Students also have opportunities throughout the Plan process to review and revise their official Areas of Study.
How will I explain my Plan process to employers or graduate schools?
You can share the focus of your work, your Areas of Study, the questions you pursued, and your reflections on those experiences. Coursework, research, creative projects, and Field Work Term (FWT) opportunities can help provide concrete examples of your multifaceted knowledge and skills.
Your academic record and transcript will reflect your principal Areas of Study. Many Bennington students go on to pursue graduate studies. If you are interested in graduate school opportunities with specific academic prerequisites, you can work with your advisors to identify the relevant coursework and document your preparation.
Where can I get help?
Contact your faculty or first-year advisor for questions about developing or revising your Plan, or reach out to Academic Services.
YOUR LIFE'S WORK
Your Plan maps how you will develop the capacities to achieve your intellectual, personal, and professional goals whatever your fields of interest—and the confidence to thrive in a world without givens.