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Regular Degree Programs in GSASDegrees offered in the Graduate School include the PhD, AM, ME, SM, and MFS. Most degree candidates are enrolled for full-time study; enrollment begins in the fall term. Although some departments may award the master’s degree in the course of doctoral study, most admit only candidates who intend to proceed to the PhD. Note that there are some exceptions; certain programs award AM degrees. Check specific departments for particular requirements. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences ProgramsThe School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), a School within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), offers doctoral and master’s degree programs that lie at the interfaces of engineering, the applied sciences (from biology to physics), and technology. Particular areas of academic focus include applied mathematics, applied physics, bioengineering, computer science, electrical engineering, environmental sciences and engineering, mechanical engineering, and engineering and physical biology. SEAS offers graduate degrees in applied mathematics, applied physics, computer science, and engineering science. Students earning a degree in engineering sciences can specialize in one of the following areas: bioengineering, electrical engineering, environmental sciences and engineering, or mechanical engineering. Graduate Study in the Integrated Life Sciences Program at HarvardThe Harvard Integrated Life Sciences (HILS) Program was created to oversee all PhD education in the life sciences. HILS addresses the reality that collaboration across disciplines is at the heart of current research in the life sciences and that subject areas no longer are confined by disciplinary boundaries. Students studying within the life sciences today can expect to work with a wider range of scientists and scholars than their predecessors could ever have imagined. HILS allows Harvard to facilitate a rapid response to the world’s evolving scientific landscape. As our existing programs in the life sciences continue to reflect the latest technology and knowledge, HILS has introduced new interdisciplinary programs in chemical biology and systems biology. HILS integrates 12 graduate programs across four Harvard faculties: the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Dental School, the Medical School, and the School of Public Health. Ad Hoc ProgramsApplicants who wish to earn a degree in a subject not offered by any existing department within the Graduate School, or in a field that bridges the subject matter of two or more departments, must first be admitted to an existing department and program. At the end of one year of study, a student may request the dean to appoint an ad hoc committee to administer a special PhD program. MD-PhD ProgramThe MD-PhD Program is a joint degree program for students who plan careers in biomedical research and academic medicine. The program, sponsored primarily by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through its national Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), provides fellowship support for selected and highly qualified students. Virtually all students who enter the program have had intensive research experiences prior to matriculation. The MD and PhD degrees are obtained in an average of seven years and are conferred by the awarding Faculties upon completion of requirements for both degrees. To apply, please contact: AMCAS, Section for Student Services, 2450 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037-1126, (202) 828-0600, www.aamc.org. JD/PhD ProgramThe Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has established a coordinated degree program with the Law School which leads to a JD and PhD. JD/PhD students have enrolled in PhD programs in the Economics, Government, History, and Health Policy departments of GSAS, and other GSAS departments are also participating in the program. For more information, see the JD/PhD Program Summary. Harvard/MIT Program in Health Science and Technology Medical Engineering/Medical Physics/Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics (MEMP/BIG)The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the departments of Biophysics and Physics participate in the Harvard/MIT Health Science and Technology MEMP/BIG program. Applicants simultaneously apply to the HST MEMP/BIG program and to one of these participating departments by indicating the appropriate program number and name on the first page of the GSAS application. Your interest in MEMP or MEMP/ BIG should be clearly described in the Statement of Purpose and on the Supplemental Application form if applying to SEAS. All application materials to both GSAS and HST must be submitted prior to the application deadline of December 15. AB-AM/AB-SM ProgramThis program is open only to Harvard College seniors with advanced standing. AB-AM/AB-SM applicants should submit the application to the Graduate School Office of Admissions and Financial Aid in the fall of their junior year. Enrollment in Other Harvard Professional SchoolsIt is possible to pursue a degree in areas such as business, law, or medicine at Harvard professional schools along with a program leading to the AM or PhD in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Students must apply independently for admission to both graduate schools; admission requirements of each school must be met separately. If admitted to both schools, a student should then consult the appropriate department in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the appropriate faculty member in the other graduate or professional school about how to proceed. Normally, students may not be concurrently enrolled in residence at two Harvard schools. Students currently enrolled in another Harvard graduate or professional school should consult the appropriate department in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences before filing an application. If the department agrees that the course of study is appropriate, the student should submit an application for admission to GSAS. Special Student StatusPart-time or short-term study under the Faculty of Arts and Sciences is open to students who hold the bachelor’s degree, have a sound reason for not wishing to enter a degree program, and can present evidence of qualification for admission at the graduate level. Special Student status is ordinarily limited to two terms, with extensions sometimes possible. Students may study full-time or parttime and may take up to four half-courses per term. US immigration regulations require that all foreign nationals holding Harvard-sponsored F-1 visas be registered full-time, for four half-courses each term. Admission as a Special Student implies no commitment regarding admission to any other part of the University. Harvard grants are not available to Special Students. Degree applicants who have been denied admission may not apply as Special Students for the same academic year. The application deadline for the fall term and/or academic year is March 1. Those interested in spring term admission should apply by October 1. Visiting Fellow StatusIndividuals holding the PhD degree or its equivalent or those with comparable professional experience may apply for Visiting Fellow status within Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to pursue research or audit courses. This status is also open to advanced doctoral candidates who have completed all required coursework and would like to pursue dissertation research at the Graduate School. Visiting Fellow status is ordinarily limited to two terms, with extensions sometimes possible. Applications and additional information about this status are available from Special Student and Visiting Fellow Office, (617) 495-5392; fax: 617-496-5333; e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Transfer of CreditAfter completion of one term in a PhD program in the Graduate School, students who have done graduate work elsewhere may petition their departments for a maximum of one year’s academic credit. Departments will generally give credit for courses equivalent to those offered by Harvard. No financial credit toward tuition is given. Academic and financial credit may be granted for graduate-level courses taken as a Special Student in the Graduate School. A maximum of eight half-courses may be used for credit toward the PhD. Ordinarily, only four half-courses may be used for a master’s degree. After completion of one term in the Graduate School, students may petition their department for academic and financial credit for courses taken as a Special Student. ReapplicationApplication materials are kept on file for one year. Applicants who filed more than one year ago should follow regular application instructions. Applicants who applied last year must file a new application and financial forms, pay the full application fee, submit at least one new letter of recommendation from someone who has not written previously, and submit transcripts covering any academic work undertaken since the time of last application. It is the policy of the Graduate School that prior applications and supporting materials will be considered along with new application materials. The Graduate School does not retain writing samples sent with prior applications. If the department to which you are applying requires a writing sample, you will need to send a new one with your reapplication. The Graduate School will not accept more than three applications from any individual during the course of his or her academic career. ReadmissionStudents who previously registered in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) long enough to have paid at least one installment of tuition, who then were not registered for a full term or longer, and who wish to return to the same GSAS program, should apply for readmission. Applications for Readmission are available to download here. Transfer of Department/ProgramStudents currently or formerly enrolled in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), including AB/AM and AB/SM recipients, who wish to transfer to a new department should complete a GSAS online application. For more information, visit the Transfer webpage or contact the Office of Student Affairs at (617)495-1814 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Deferred AdmissionRequests for deferred admission will be considered by a department only after an offer of admission has been made and accepted. Offers of financial assistance cannot be deferred. |