Since its founding in 1889, Barnard has been a distinguished leader in higher education, offering a rigorous liberal arts foundation to young women whose curiosity, drive, and exuberance set them apart. Ours is a diverse intellectual community in a unique learning environment that provides the best of all worlds: small, intimate classes in a collaborative liberal arts setting dedicated to the advancement of women with the vast resources of Columbia University just steps away—in the heart of vibrant and electric New York City.
On our leafy four-acre campus on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, our world-class faculty of teacher-scholars educates nearly 2,400 inspired and intrepid undergraduate women—women who, as a matter of course, have gone on to achieve great things. Throughout our history, Barnard graduates have made their mark as leaders in the arts, business, government, and science, and as activists for causes too numerous to name.

Over one hundred and twenty years ago, Barnard was the first college in New York City—and one of the few in the world—where women could receive the same liberal arts education available to men. Today, we are the most sought-after liberal arts college for women in the United States. With our cosmopolitan setting and the strength of our academic programs, the broadening of our global perspective, and our ongoing commitment to diversity, we continue to do what we have done from the beginning with a keen eye to the future.