What Are All These Departments??? Part Two
There are nearly 50 majors at Barnard College that cover a wide range of disciplines and areas of study. Coming in as a first year, it can be hard to even know what options are available, let alone what major you might want to do. So in these posts, I’m going to offer a brief summary of some of the majors you might not have heard of before, and include some brief reflections from students currently studying those majors about why they chose those majors and their favorite major classes. This is not an exhaustive list of all the majors, and for more information you should check out the department websites, which I will link at the end of this post. There you can find specific requirements for the majors, contact information for faculty, and a selection of course listings.
Human Rights Studies is the study of the theory, practice, and policy of human rights around the world. It is designed to be completed as a joint major, meaning that students will do another major in complement with their human rights studies. Students take three core human rights classes and three classes that reflect their interests, which can also satisfy the requirements of the other major.
“I came to Barnard because I loved the unique major choices. I always thought Human Rights was a fascinating topic in high school, but never had the chance to explore it until I came to Barnard. The professors are all absolutely amazing and have done great work that they bring into their curricula. I also love that I am able to combine the major with another subject (for me that’s Political Science) and have classes overlap so I can pursue both!
My favorite class was Advanced Human Rights and Public Health with Widney Brown, because we were able to have weekly discussions on health issues in both the US and around the world. I presented and wrote about a subject that combined my interest in public health, politics and human rights with the space and support of the class and professor.”
— Jaelyn Wingard ‘22
The Jewish Studies major enables students to acquire a thorough knowledge of the most important aspects of Jewish culture, civilization, and history in an interdisciplinary setting. It is designed to be pursued in conjunction with another major, so students can apply their deep study of another field to their study of Judaism. Students can study Jewish languages, literature, history, and more.
“I decided to major in Jewish Studies out of a love for Jewish texts and ideas. Since the Jewish Studies major is completed in conjunction with another major, Jewish Studies fundamentally encourages interdisciplinary work, and the opportunity to make fascinating connections between seemingly disparate academic material. Jewish Studies allows me to see my educational world as a web of beautifully connected material.
My favorite class that I have taken is Jewish Culture in Translation in Medieval Iberia with Professor Isabelle Levy. Since the class focused on the texts of Jews in medieval Iberia, it allowed for such a rich textual analysis and exploration of many popular themes of the texts. I loved that we also not only focused on the texts themselves, but built off of the texts themselves, using them as a jumping point to explore deeper ideas about medieval Iberia and the cultural interactions of the time. This is ultimately the goal of Jewish Studies, as a rigorous, multilayered, academic approach.”
— Hannah Vorchheimer ‘24
Neuroscience and Behavior is the interdisciplinary study of the biological underpinnings of behavior and cognition. Students take classes in the neuroscience department as well as classes in cognate disciplines and research seminars.
“Studying Neuroscience at Barnard was the best decision I have ever made. From the close-knit community of Neuroscience (and more generally STEM) students, to the focus on academic inquiry over competition, to the professors' accessibility in and out of the classroom, I am constantly pushed to learn to the best of my ability, and ask questions above and beyond the baseline expectation of comprehension. With the expansive resources of Columbia across the street, research opportunities are limitless, and serve to complement Barnard's offerings in research and scientific coursework.
This year, I am pursuing my thesis research and have exorbitant amounts of respect for my Senior Thesis Seminar Professor and classmates alike. The other students’ projects are fascinating and vast, providing me with exposure to avenues of Neuroscience that I had never considered. The level of inquiry and passion that each student brings to the table is truly telling of the caliber of thought of each and every student at Barnard.”
— Allie Lipshutz ‘22
Sociology majors study society and relationships through quantitative research, historical inquiry, and ethnography. Sociology examines the institutions, forces, and structures that underpin the way our societies work on grand and small scales. In the course of the major, students can either choose to focus on a small area or take classes studying different areas of sociological inquiry, while also learning about research methods that they can then apply in the world.
“I chose this major because all of the course offerings excited me. I knew I was going to have a hard time narrowing down which courses I wanted to take, and so I thought that would be a good problem to have. I also appreciated the flexibility of the electives and how passionate, knowledgeable, and caring all of the sociology professors I’ve had have been.
My favorite class so far has been Structural Determinants of Health with Marjorie Maati Momplaisir-Ellis. It was so interesting to reframe my thinking about an issue as fundamental as health and felt incredibly relevant with the pandemic and the racial inequality that came to a forefront during that time. It was also incredible to learn about all of this from someone who personally works in the New York City hospital system to really understand how all of these issues manifest around us.”
— Talia Levin ‘24
Barnard College is in the heart of one of the most energetic and exciting cities in the world, and Urban Studies gives students the opportunity to study the city around them and cities across the world. Urban Studies majors explore through an interdisciplinary lens how cities are built, how they function, and how people interact with the urban environment around them. The Urban Studies program also allows students to specialize in another discipline and do independent research.
“I chose Urban Studies because it has a ton of flexibility as an interdisciplinary major. As a result, so many different classes in different departments count towards the major. I love being able to have the freedom to choose my classes in such a way, and have loved every class that was required for the major.
My favorite class so far was probably History of the City of New York - it was really cool to delve into the city and made it feel that much more special to go to school in New York. I’ve used info from this class to inform projects and papers in other Urban Studies classes!”
— Ilana Gut ‘24
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) is an interdisciplinary department for students who wish to explore gender and its relation to other axes of power, including race, class, ethnicity, and sexuality. WGSS students study critical perspectives on society that contribute to possibilities for transformation and change. They take classes on feminist theory, social theory, and global perspective, as well as electives.
“I took Critical Approaches in Social and Cultural Theory with Professor Alex Pittman during my first semester at Barnard and instantly knew that WGSS was the right path for me. I loved how we explored feminist theory and its innate connection to important issues in our world. In WGSS classes, we learn about knowledge, practice, and power and how they all relate and intertwine with each other.
My favorite major class was Feminist Theory with Professor Marisa Solomon. She was an incredible professor (even over Zoom!) and made us all feel safe, seen, and capable of creating. The future of the WGSS Department at Barnard is bright with Professor Solomon there!”
— Jenna Madden ‘22
This is, by no means, an all-encompassing list of the departments at Barnard College. You can delve further into the departments available here and if you would ever want to connect with a student to speak about their experience, feel free to email askastudent@barnard.edu. We look forward to hearing from you and hope that this was helpful as you exploring the many exciting academic pathways at Barnard!