Bennington College offers a diverse, close-knit community, where innovation, ethical decision-making, and creative problem solving thrive. Central to its philosophy is the belief that education is most impactful when students define their own path. Every Bennington student creates an individualized plan of study, receives personalized advising from faculty who are active professionals in their fields, and gains hands-on experience through the College's unique Field Work Term—six weeks each year spent working full-time in the world. This work-integrated learning helps students develop the real-world skills that employers value.
Founded in 1932, Bennington was the first liberal arts college to integrate the visual and performing arts equally with the humanities and remains the only one to require annual work experience. The College emphasizes addressing urgent social, political, and environmental issues and empowers students to create actionable solutions.