Harvard Extension School is one of the thirteen degree-granting schools of
Harvard UniversityHarvard University is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and currently comprises ten separate academic units...
, and was founded by Harvard University President A. Lawrence Lowell in 1909-10 academic year. The school was originally an academic program designed to serve the educational interests and needs of the greater
BostonBoston is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural center of the region and is sometimes regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England"...
community; however, through its online, distance education, the Harvard Extension School now attracts students globally.
Harvard Extension School is one of the thirteen degree-granting schools of
Harvard UniversityHarvard University is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and currently comprises ten separate academic units...
, and was founded by Harvard University President A. Lawrence Lowell in 1909-10 academic year. The school was originally an academic program designed to serve the educational interests and needs of the greater
BostonBoston is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural center of the region and is sometimes regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England"...
community; however, through its online, distance education, the Harvard Extension School now attracts students globally. Harvard University's Extension School offers undergraduate and graduate liberal arts degree programs to
nontraditional studentsNon-traditional student is an American English term referring to students at tertiary educational institutions who generally fall into two categories:...
and, primarily, offers open enrollment courses to over 13,000 students annually. It is the only Harvard school to offer an associate degree and is the only Harvard school to grant both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Extension School is part of the
Division of Continuing EducationThe Division of Continuing Education is a part of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University responsible for various undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree programs that enroll approximately 20,000 students each year. The division has an open enrollment policy , and tuition on a per...
, which Harvard University houses in the
Harvard Faculty of Arts and SciencesThe Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences is the largest of the seven faculties that comprise Harvard University.Headquartered principally in Cambridge, Massachusetts and centered in the historic Harvard Yard, FAS is the only division of the university responsible for both undergraduate and...
.
Undergraduate
The Harvard University Extension School offers two undergraduate degrees: the Associate in Arts (A.A.) in Extension Studies and the
Bachelor of Liberal ArtsA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for four years, but can range from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
(A.L.B.) in Extension Studies. Both undergraduate degree programs are aimed at nontraditional students. Harvard Extension students complete requirements in three areas: Natural Sciences,
Social SciencesThe social sciences are the fields of scientific knowledge and academic scholarship that study social groups and, more generally, human society. The social sciences initially were constituted of five fields: Jurisprudence and Amendment of the Law; Education; Health; Economy and Trade; Art...
or
HumanitiesThe humanities are academic disciplines which study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytic, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural and social sciences....
There is also an option of adding a major, or a
Field of Study, to one’s transcripts, which includes his or her primary field. Up to half of the coursework (up to 64 units) for the A.L.B. may come in the form of transfer credits from other accredited institutions; mostly these must be Liberal Arts courses. Students may petition to transfer outside credits once fully enrolled as an Undergraduate Degree student, but can not exceed a maximum of 64 transfer credits, total. For graduation, 64 credits must be completed at Harvard University; 52 credits must come from courses taught by Harvard Instructors.
Graduate
Master of Liberal Arts (A.L.M.) in Extension Studies, offers fields of study in arts and science, such as government and biology, as well as relatively new fields such as information technology and general management. Most A.L.M. programs require a thesis, which must be written under the direction of a Harvard faculty member holding a teaching appointment in the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the rank of senior lecturer, assistant professor, associate professor, or full professor, or an appropriate teaching appointment in another Harvard professional school, such as the Law School, Graduate School of Education, or Medical School, including the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Pharmacy School. While courses for the A.L.M. generally meet at a separate time, they are often exact replicas of courses taught in other Harvard schools. HES students with "Special Student Status" may exercise the option of taking courses in the GSAS for graduate credit. Admission to the ALM program requires a ‘B’ or better in graduate proseminars, as well as three regular courses, all of which must be in the student’s proposed field of study. Other admission requirements include a formal application and two essays..
Harvard Extension School allows many fields of study in which an A.L.M. in Extension Studies student can have noted on their transcripts, but not on the actual diploma, which includes the following: Anthropology and Archaeology (physical); Biology; History of Science, Anthropology and Archaeology (social and cultural); Foreign Literature, Language, and Culture; Government; History; History of Science; Linguistics; Medieval Studies; Middle Eastern Studies; Psychology; Celtic Languages and Literature; Dramatic Arts; English and American Literature and Language; Literature and Creative Writing; Medieval Studies; Middle Eastern Studies; Religion;
BiotechnologyBiotechnology is technology based on biology, agriculture, food science, and medicine. Modern use of the term usually refers to genetic engineering as well as cell- and tissue culture technologies...
; Mathematics for Teaching;
Information TechnologyInformation technology , as defined by the Information Technology Association of America , is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware." IT deals with the use of electronic...
;
Environmental ManagementEnvironmental management is not, as the phrase could suggest, the management of the environment as such, but rather the management of interaction by the modern human societies with, and impact upon the environment. The three main issues that affect managers are those involving politics , programs ,...
;
JournalismJournalism is the craft of conveying news, descriptive material and comment via a widening spectrum of media. These include newspapers, magazines, radio and television, the internet and even, more recently, the mobile phone...
;
Educational TechnologiesEducational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources." The term educational technology is often associated with, and encompasses, instructional theory and...
; General Management; and Museum Studies.
Professional certificates
In the past, Certificates could be earned in Business Management, Applied Sciences,
Environmental ManagementEnvironmental management is not, as the phrase could suggest, the management of the environment as such, but rather the management of interaction by the modern human societies with, and impact upon the environment. The three main issues that affect managers are those involving politics , programs ,...
, and Publishing and Communications. The certificates were conferred only if the matriculated student holds a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. The certificate program was discontinued in 2009.
Pre-admission open enrollment classes
Harvard University Extension School has a policy of open enrollment for nearly all its courses, which means that a student does not have to be officially admitted into a degree program to take a class at Harvard Extension. Harvard Extension School's aim, as President Lawrence A. Lowell deemed it to be, is "systematic popular education." In addition, the Harvard Extension School is among the lowest cost of schools in the Boston area. As a result of the school's aim of popular education and its low cost, the Extension School has enrolled over 400,000 students--currently the school enrolls about 13,000 per year.
Prior to being admitted, students do not receive a Harvard student ID or considered part of any HES program.
While enrollment pre-admission to specific classes is open, admission to the degree-granting program is selective - see below.
Undergraduate admissions
Although classes are open to the public, degree programs are not and require a formal application process. According to Harvard's website, 35 is the average age of Harvard Extension students, so Harvard does not view SAT scores and high school grades as relevant indicators of success. Students applying to be degree candidates must successfully complete three 4-credit liberal arts courses with at least a B− grade or higher, obtain at least a 2.5 GPA, earn at least a C- in Expository Writing E-25, and be proficient in English in order to be considered for admission.
Graduate admissions
While classes are open to the public, the graduate degree programs require formal admission. Admission to the Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies (ALM) program requires completion of three courses with A's and B's and a minimum of 3.0 GPA and an A or B in the Proseminar or equivalent required course. Students will be denied admission indefinitely if they fail to earn a grade of B after twice enrolling in the course. Candidates must also write two essays to demonstrate critical thinking abilities. The admission committee also requires a resume and undergraduate transcripts from all ALM applicants. Professional programs, such as Information Technology, may require additional skills such as solid background in programming and mathematics.
For the ALM in Management, candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.33 by obtaining no lower than a B in three (economics, finance, general management) classes to be taken before acceptance.
Student life
Harvard designed the Extension School for the commuter population . While there is no campus housing for Extension students, Extension students do have access to Harvard University's Housing Apartment Listing and ALB candidates enjoy access to Harvard College's Student Organization at Hilles Campus (SOHC). Harvard Extension students can attend athletic events, join many Harvard College student groups, and attend other events like theatrical events and dramas . Degree candidates at HES are eligible for membership in the Harvard Extension Student Association (HESA) and for other opportunities at Harvard University. Established in 2001, the association serves over 13,000 students annually at Harvard Extension School. Its stated mission is to build and maintain a sense of community among students. In partnership with many other organizations on campus, HESA provides a variety of social activities, educational events, and forums that enrich student life and experience. All degree, certificate, and diploma candidates in good standing at Harvard Extension School are voting members of HESA. Upon graduation, students are eligible for membership in the Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA), the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA), and any of the Harvard Alumni Clubs. Graduates also take part in the commencement ceremonies with all other schools of Harvard.
Notable alumni
- Álvaro Uribe
Álvaro Uribe Vélez is the 39th President of Colombia and is currently serving his second term in office.Before his current role in politics Uribe was a lawyer. He studied law at the University of Antioquia and completed a post-graduate management program at Harvard University.Uribe started his...
, CSS ’93 — 56th President of ColombiaColombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a constitutional republic in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the northwest by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean...
- Francisco Santos Calderón
Francisco Santos Calderón also known as Pacho Santos born 14 August 1961 in the city of Bogotá, is a Colombian politician and journalist. Santos was elected as Álvaro Uribe's second runner up and became Vice President in the Colombian elections of 2002...
, CSS - Vice President, Republic of Colombia
- Linda Attiyeh, ABE ’61 — Director, McKinsey & Company, Inc., Los Angeles
- James Stillman, CSS ’99 — Financial Analyst, McKinsey & Company
- Barbara Augusta, CSS ’97 — Vice President, Business Process and Technology, Fidelity Investments
- Mark J. Plotkin, ALB ’79 — Ethnobotanist; President, Amazon Conservation Team
The Amazon Conservation Team is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with indigenous people of tropical America in conserving the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest as well as the culture and land of its indigenous people....
- Rory Cowan, ABE ’79 — CEO, Lionbridge Technologies Incorporated
Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. commonly known as Lionbridge, is a company based in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA that provides translation, localization, internationalization, interpretation, content development, software development, and software testing services...
- John Elms, ALB ’95 — President and CEO, Azalea Networks
- Marian Woodward, ALB ’00 — Miss North America 1999
- Mark Gold, ALM ’05 — Partner, Grinnell, Dubendorf, & Smith, LLP
- John Jewett, CSS ’01 — Managing Director, House Counsel, LLC
- Charles Harper, CSS ’97 — Executive Director and Senior Vice President, John Templeton Foundation
- Sal Perisano, ALM ’87 — Chairman and CEO, IParty Corporation
- Kumiki Gibson, ALB ’85 — Chief Counsel to Vice President Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. is an American environmental activist and former politician who served as the 45th Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He is an author, businessperson, former U.S. Senator and former journalist...
1994-1997
- James A. Aloisi, Jr., ALM ’98 — Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation
- Bradley H. Jones Jr., AA ’87 — ALB ’88 — Massachusetts House Minority Leader
External links