This site serves as a central source of information for first-year students at Barnard. There will be regular updates with explanations of academic policies, procedures and deadlines; information from academic programs and departments; and announcements about opportunities for fellowships, grants and scholarships -- so bookmark this site and check it often!
Now that registration is fully in Vergil, are you feeling confused about which website to use for which tasks around your academic record?
Worry no more! The Registrar has you covered with this handy chart.
Also: Pro Tip: Almost anything that you need to do with courses/your record can be found under the Academics tab in the Barnard Portal.
Dear First-Year Students,
A quick reminder as you prepare your schedules:
General Chemistry I (CHEM BC2001) is the only introductory chemistry course at Barnard and is open to all students, regardless of prior chemistry experience. The Chemistry Department offers support for students with little or no background in the subject.
Here are a few important things to keep in mind:
CHEM BC2001 is a five-credit course offered only in the fall and includes both lecture and lab.
You must register for both CHEM BC2001 (lecture) and CHEM BC2012 (lab) to be enrolled. The lab carries no separate credit.
Lab sections are limited due to space and safety. Please choose one that does not conflict with your classes, responsibilities, or personal/religious obligations. Lab section changes are not guaranteed after registration.
All students will be waitlisted for CHEM BC2001 at first and admitted once lab registration is confirmed. If you don’t register for a lab, you won’t be able to enroll in the course.
Once enrolled, dropping either lecture or lab will remove you from the course.
If you need to switch sections, email genchem@barnard.edu with your full availability and details of any conflicts.
If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help as needed!
Best,
The First-Year Team
Hi First Years!
Dear First-Year Students,
If you're interested in exploring Creative Writing during your time here, this message is for you—straight from the Creative Writing Program!
Welcome to Barnard! The Barnard Creative Writing Program offers courses for all experience levels, with workshops focusing on prose, poetry, and playwriting. All undergrads are eligible to apply regardless of their major (or intended major), and are both welcome and encouraged to do so. Please click here for a short guide to the Creative Writing Program and the application process for creative writing courses, and click here to see our Fall 2025 course offerings in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and playwriting. Applications close on Sunday, August 3rd at 11:59PM. If you have any questions or would like more information, please reach out to Department Assistant Miriam Kumaradoss-Hohauser at mkumarad@barnard.edu and they'll be glad to assist you.
Hello First-Years!
Please take a look at the following flyer down below regarding languages Barnard offers at the elementary and/or intermediate levels.
Best,
The First-Year Team
Hey First-Years!
We have some exciting news! A new course designed especially for pre-health first-years is available this fall:
Tu/Th 8:40–9:55 AM | 4.5 credits | Includes lab
This course is ideal for Biology majors and non-science majors on the pre-med or pre-dental track. It covers key physics concepts with a health-focused approach and satisfies the lab-based physics requirement for most medical schools.
Limited to 27 students First-year priority enrollment Conceptual, biophysics-infused approach Same textbook as PHYS BC2001
Some calculus background is expected—if you're unsure, talk to the instructor or consider pairing it with Calculus I.
Note: If you're majoring in Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Astrophysics, or Astronomy, you should take PHYS BC2001 instead
As always, if you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out at first-year@barnard.edu or the relevant offices!
Best,
The First Year Team
Hey First Years,
We hope you're all having a lovely Tuesday so far. If you are interested in taking American Sign Language, Chinese, Italian, or Korean, then please contact Professor Laurie Postlewate at lpostlewate@barnard.edu for help with individual questions and support!
As always, if you have any question, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at first-year@barnard.edu :)
Best,
The First Year Team
Hey First Years!
Are you thinking about taking French to fulfill your language requirement?? If yes, then listen up!!
Just a quick note from the French department: the French Placement Exam is now open and will be reviewed every few days. All students with previous experience in French need to take the exam—unless they earned a 5 on the AP or a 7 on the IB.
Only Elementary to Intermediate French courses are available for early registration. Those interested in upper-level courses will be able to register once regular registration begins in August.
Thanks, and best of luck to everyone taking the exam!
Warm regards,
The First-Year Team
Hi everyone,
We wanted to share an important update about BIOL BC1500 (Introduction to Biology) lab registration.
Hey First-Years,
We have a special message straight from the Deans' Office for Advising and Support...
We are so excited to welcome you to Barnard College! The Deans' Office for Advising and Support is committed to supporting you every step of the way and offering various resources, one being the Academic Coaching program. We are happy to provide a virtual pre-orientation program called Barnard Basics: Strategies for Success in Your First Year, hosted by the Program Coordinator for Academic Coaching, Allie Johnston.
In this one-hour session, you will learn skills and tools that will help you not just in your academics, but in every aspect of life here at Barnard. Please see this RSVP form to sign up. There will be multiple sessions, so choose the one that works best for your schedule. If there are any conflicts or questions, feel free to reach out to Allie at ajohnsto@barnard.edu.
Best,
The First Year Team
Hey First-Years!
We have exciting news... More courses have been added to the July registration course list!! There's one brand new Art History class that we'd particularly like to highlight! Not only because it satisfies multiple core requirements, but also because it is an amazing opportunity for all of you. So without further ado... Drum roll please... Introducing:
AHIS 1590 New York City, taught by Prof. Anne Higonnet, on Monday/Wednesday 5:40-6:55, and Fulfills Arts & Humanities and the Mode of Thinking Locally-NYC
New York City is our greatest metropolitan legend. Capital of dreams, it soars to the skies, gathers immigrants from around the globe, and governs world finance. The scale of its swagger is matched only by the misery of its mistakes. Here is your chance to get to know the epic place you chose for college.
The course is team-taught, by professors, teaching assistants, and all its students. Lectures are held twice a week. A third weekly session is devoted to small-group forums in which students present to each other on assigned field work themes. The first half of the course studies the relationships between urban design, immigration, and finance in three lecture units; the second half of the course explores a variety of municipal subjects such as: the many languages spoken in NYC, literature about NYC, journalism, music, dance, theater, food, fashion, politics, transportation, public monuments, museums, or vermin.
The course is designed to introduce students, especially Barnard first-year students, to their new home city, as well as to the fundamental intellectual skills of comparative reading, writing which considers competing points of view, reporting on local facts, and public speaking in real time.
What's that I hear? You're heading straight to Vergil to plan this class ASAP? That's what we thought...To reiterate, this is not the only course that's been recently added to the "Barnard Classes for FY Registration Fall 2025" spreadsheet! So definitely check out that spreadsheet when you get a chance :)
As always, if you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out to us at first-year@barnard.edu!
Best,
The First Year Team
Hello First-Years!
Below is the compiled list of recordings from the department meetings held this week, June 23rd–27th. These general advising sessions were a valuable opportunity to ask questions about major and minor requirements, Fall semester course offerings, and to connect directly with department heads. We hope you were able to participate and found the sessions helpful!
If you were unable to attend, you can now view the recordings at your convenience. We've also included a directory of faculty and staff from each department along with their contact information, should you have any follow-up questions or wish to reach out!
Best,
The First-Year Team
Hi First Years!
Today we’re tackling all your questions about course selection. Before you register for classes, you need to know which classes you want to take. And guess who decides what classes you take? YOU.
Remember: Between July 21-25, you'll only register for FYE, P.E., and select Barnard courses; this post reviews that but also explains how you'll build the rest of your schedule and select other classes.
Let’s go over some of your most asked questions about your first registration cycle, scheduled for the week of July 21st, as well as course selection in general:
Where can I find courses?
For July Registration, students will only be allowed to register for a limited number of courses. This includes FYE, P.E., and a select number of classes that are recommended for first years by academic departments. First-years will receive a list of courses to choose from closer to the July registration period. In the meantime, to find all the details (such as times/dates, instructor, enrollment, etc.) about your FYE and PE classes, hit up the Vergil. Department websites are another great place if you’re interested in a specific major.
What is the P.E. requirement? Where can I find P.E. classes? What classes fulfill the P.E. requirement?
All first-years need to take a P.E. (Physical Education) class within their first year at Barnard (unless you’re a JTS/Barnard Double Degree student; then you have until the end of junior year). This year, the class will be divided into the people who are taking P.E. in the Fall and Spring. By now, everyone has completed the Physical Education Requirement - Preference Form (due 6/13). You will soon receive an email letting you know which semester you’ve been assigned to.
If you go to the Vergil and use the filter, you can see all the courses that the Barnard P.E. Department offers. You can take either a Barnard P.E. course, a dance class, or play a varsity sport to fulfill the P.E. requirement. If you would like to receive P.E. credit for a varsity sport, you'll be able to do so during the NSOP registration period in August.
How many credits can I register for?
During July registration, the maximum number of credits you may be enrolled in is 16. You will not be allowed to go over this credit limit until the following registration cycles in August and September. Make sure that you are registered for either FYW or FYS, and P.E. if you are assigned to take it in the fall.
What if the FYS/FYW class I want is full?
We recommend having a healthy number of planned FYS/FYW courses in the event that your first choice is full when you register.
What will the list of select courses for July Registration include?
This will be a diverse list of courses that are recommended and/or reserving spots for first-years. This can include introductory courses in various departments for students to delve into academic interests as well as language courses. If any of these classes catch your attention, it may be in your best interest to register for them during this July period, as it’s not guaranteed that you will be able to register for these classes come Fall registration, since spots will fill up quickly.
And...that's a wrap! Please reach out to our office at first-year@barnard.edu for any questions! :)
Hi First-Years,
Below you'll find a timeline graphic of all important dates and deadlines June 2025! This will also be included in the upcoming Volume 2, so lookout for that!
Best,
The First-Year Team
Hey First Years!
What class do I take for my major in the Fall? Do I major or do I minor? What is a major concentration? How can I meet people who are involved with my prospective major? What do I choose? Who do I talk to?
If these sound like any questions you currently have in regards to what to do with your interests at Barnard, you're in luck! June 23-27, Barnard is hosting multiple general advising Department meetings on Zoom to inform you with what's going on Fall 2025 and provide guidance on what you can do as a First-Year. Department chairs/directors will give a presentation of department planning and offerings, and then usually hold space for Q&As! We HIGHLY recommend attending at least one of these meetings as it is a great way to familiarize yourself with academics at Barnard before the academic year officially begins! Here is a table of all the department meetings:
How do I drop a summer Columbia class?
If you are dropping a Columbia Summer class but not all of your summer CU classes, you may drop via Vergil. If Vergil does not cooperate, please reach out to sps-summeradvising@columbia.edu and your class dean.
What are the deadlines to drop a summer class and receive a full tuition refund?
Summer A Session
June 2 is the deadline to drop a summer session A class and receive a full refund.
You may drop a summer session A as late as June 23, but you will be responsible for tuition and fees.
Full-Term Summer Session (Summer X)
June 2 is the deadline to drop a summer session X class and receive a full refund.
You may drop a summer session X class as late as July 21, but you will be responsible for tuition and fees.
Summer B Session
July 11 is the deadline to drop a summer session B class and receive a full refund.
You may drop a summer session B class from your schedule as late as August 4, but you will be responsible for tuition and fees.
This information is also available on the CU Summer Session website.
If, knowing all that, you still want to take a Columbia summer class p/d/f, the deadline to change your grading option for Summer A courses is June 23. For Summer B courses it is August 4. For Summer X courses it is July 21.
In order to drop all of your CU summer courses, thereby withdrawing from the summer term entirely:
Please refer to the CU Summer Academic Calendar and to this page, which includes more details about refunds and drop and withdrawal processes. If you have questions about your refund, please reach out to sps-summeradvising@columbia.edu if you have any questions at all.
This information and forms are also available on the CU Summer Session website.
Refunds, drops and transcript notations should be based on the date of form submission, not the date the form is processed -- please be in touch with the Columbia Summer School (sps-summeradvising@columbia.edu) with any questions.
Additional reason not to worry: Unlike summer 2021, this year as in all previous years, Columbia Summer courses are considered transfer credit, so only completed CU summer courses that you pass with at least a C- and for which you have also submitted an approved Summer Course Approval Form will appear on your Barnard transcript.
Hey First Years!!!!
Hey there! We’re super excited to meet you! 😊 Sorry if we got a little carried away with the exclamation marks—we just can’t help it!
In the next couple of weeks, you'll be getting a lot of information, and we totally get that it might feel like a lot to take in. But no worries at all, we’re here to help you through every step of the way!
For now, we just wanted to start by talking about...✨Walk-in Hours✨.
So, what exactly are walk-in hours for? What kind of questions can you ask? When do they happen? We totally understand if you’re wondering about these things!
Just to clear things up: Walk-in hours are hosted by me (Riya) and Becca on Zoom. We’re the student assistants for the First-Year Dean, and we're here to help with any general or one-off questions you might have. Whether it’s advice or just sharing our own experiences as students, we’re here to lend a hand.
As for when our virtual walk-in hours are...
Becca’s: Monday 3-4:00 P.M., Tuesday 10-11:00 A.M.
Riya’s: Wednesday 8-9:00 P.M., Thursday 9-10:00 A.M.
All the times above are in EST and the zoom links are attached :)
We hope that helped clear things up a bit! 😊 As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us anytime at first-year@barnard.edu—we’re here for you!
Best,
The First-Year Team
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Hi first-years! Welcome to the much anticipated "FYE, Explained" blog post! Prepare for all your First-Year Experience questions to be answered.
Let’s Break These Courses Down:
1) First-Year Writing is a writing-intensive course with two options offered: First-Year Writing: Critical Conversations and First-Year Writing Workshop. So what’s the difference between these options?1a) First-Year Writing: Critical Conversations are small, discussion-based writing courses that introduce students to academic writing in college. Students read challenging literary texts and critical scholarship, helping to develop fundamental skills in analysis and writing. The critical reading, discussion, and academic writing skills that First-Year Writing focuses on provide a foundation that is useful in every course you will take at Barnard and across disciplines. Each FYW course focuses on a special topic and has a different reading list to reflect the conversations you will have. You can find descriptions of course listings for fall FYW courses here.
1b) First-Year Writing Workshop is similar to First-Year Writing: Critical Conversations as they share the same goals and almost the same syllabus, but there are a few differences. First-Year Writing Workshop is designed for students who feel they would benefit from some extra support with their critical reading and academic writing skills. It provides additional preparation for students to strengthen their writing in their first year before moving on to higher-level courses. First-Year Writing (FYW) and First-Year Writing Workshop (FYWW) are equally rigorous, and both fulfill your First-Year Writing requirement. However, FYWW courses are slightly smaller than FYW courses; they meet 3 times a week instead of twice a week; and they are worth 4 credits instead of 3 (to account for the extra class time required). FYWW is only offered in the fall semester while FYW is offered both in the fall semester and spring semester. To request one of the limited spots available in FYWW, make sure to fill out your First-Year Experience Preference Form.
A note about reading lists: every course has a fairly extensive reading list and many will require you to have your own copy of the text. The cost of books for courses can be quite high, but don't let this deter you from signing up for a course. The Barnard Library and FLIP Library provide free copies of course books to borrow for the semester, some readings will be available online for free, and older students often sell their old course books at a low-cost. Later this summer we'll have a post about text-book affordability, but if you have any questions or concerns before then, feel free to email first-year@barnard.edu.
2) First-Year Seminars are courses designed to help ease students into academic life at Barnard. These classes tend to be more discussion-based and have fewer writing assignments. First-Year Seminars fall into two categories: Reacting to the Past and Special Topics. Reacting to the Past (RTTP) is a course designed by Barnard’s very own history professor Mark Carnes. In RTTP you’ll reenact historical events using pertinent texts. In RTTP, you may pose as an ancient Greek philosopher arguing about government, participate in the trial of Anne Hutchinson, or give a speech on labor laws as an activist in early 20th century America. Special topic courses are designed by individual professors and often taken an interdisciplinary approach to ideas like justice, ethics, and liberation. FYS courses are designed to help you think critically and articulate your ideas verbally, skills you’ll definitely need for the rest of your life. See a list of the Fall 2021 FYS offerings here.
So Which One Should You Take in the Fall?
Here’s the deal. Before it comes time to register for First-Year Experience classes later this summer, you’ll be notified if you should register for First-Year Writing: Critical Conversations, First-Year Writing Workshop, or First-Year Seminar. This is done so students are evenly distributed across the 3 different courses and people can be in classes that best benefit them. If you are assigned First-Year Writing Critical Conversations for the fall, you MUST register for a First-Year Writing course and you will be unable to register for a First-Year Writing Workshop or First-Year Seminar course. Remember that you will be assigned to a category of a course, not a specific class itself. You will still need to register for a specific class.
(Confused about registration? Don't worry! That will happen later this summer and we'll make sure you have all the information you need to register and explain the whole process in a few weeks.)
If you want to start working on your writing skills right away, then you should request to take First-Year Writing or First-Year Writing Workshop in the fall. Otherwise, you can take either.
What Do You Need To Do Now?
If you would like to request to be placed in a specific category of courses, please fill out this form. If you do not request a placement, we will randomly assign you. The deadline to request placement is June 14th EST. If you have more questions, this FYE FAQ page may be helpful.
There are a few things to keep in mind when requesting to be placed in FYE:
Requests are not a guarantee that you’ll be placed in that course. We’ll try our best to honor your request, but it's not always possible. Finally, requesting placement in an FYE course is not registering for a course. Registering for First-Year Writing and Seminar will take place later this summer and a ton more info about that process will be posted soon.
