Regular Degree Programs

Degrees 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 Programs

The 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. Those 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 Harvard

In the 21st century, groundbreaking research and discovery in the life sciences are more interdisciplinary than ever. Recognizing this approach to scientific advancement, the 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. The new structure allows the examination of emerging trends in the life sciences, including the need for new degree programs.

HILS exists to enable the best and most appropriate training for each student and to encourage flexibility in their education and training. Individual programs within HILS have their own admissions, curriculum, and advising processes.

For more information, see www.gsas.harvard.edu/hils.

Ad Hoc Programs

Applicants 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.

 

JD/PhD Program

The 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.

    Additional questions about the JD/PhD coordinated program may be addressed to Julie Barton, joint and concurrent degree advisor at the Law School ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ); or Rise Shepsle, assistant dean of student affairs at GSAS ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

 

MD-PhD Program

The 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. The length of graduate training is variable and depends largely on departmental requirements and the time needed to
complete a dissertation.

Applicants to the MD-PhD Program must apply to the Harvard Medical School (HMS) via the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) by October 15, 2007. AMCAS applicants will then be mailed instructions for completing the online HMS application by November 15, 2007. The HMS application will include a supplemental MD-PhD section. A separate application for the PhD must be submitted to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in the second year of the MD program.

To apply, please contact: AMCAS, Section for Student Services, 2450 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037-1123, (202) 828-0600, www.aamc.org.

For more information about the MDPhD Program, call (617) 432-0991 or visit the Web site at www.hms.harvard.edu/md_phd.

 

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. Indicate on the subject line, if applying to SEAS: "Engineering-Medical"; if applying to Biophysics: "Biophysics-Medical"; if applying to Physics: "Physics-Medical."

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 14.

A photocopy of the GSAS application, with original transcripts and letters of recommendation, serves as the HST MEMP/ BIG application. These materials should be sent by December 14 to HST Admissions, MIT E25-518, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139.

AB-AM/AB-SM Program

This program is open only to Harvard College seniors with advanced standing. Prospective applicants should contact the Graduate School Office of Admissions and Financial Aid in the fall of their junior year for application instructions.

Enrollment in Other Harvard Professional Schools

It 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 Graduate School faculty agree that the course of study is appropriate, the student should submit an application for admission to GSAS.

Special Student Status

Part-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.

Applications and further information about this status are available from Special Student and Visiting Fellow Office, Holyoke Center 350, 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138; phone: (617) 495-5392; fax: 617-496-5333; e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Visiting Fellow Status

Individuals holding the doctoral degree (or its equivalent) or those with comparable professional experience may apply for Visiting Fellow status within Harvard University’s 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 Harvard. 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, Holyoke Center 350, 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138; phone: (617) 495-5392; fax: 617-496-5333; e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Transfer of Credit

After 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.

Reapplication

Application 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.

Readmission

Applicants who have previously been enrolled in the Graduate School, including AB/AM and AB/SM recipients, should apply for readmission on a separate form. Applications for readmission are available in the GSAS Office of Student Affairs, Holyoke Center, 3rd floor, 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, MA 02138. See The GSAS Handbook for further information. DO NOT USE THIS APPLICATION.

Transfer of Department/Program

Students currently enrolled in GSAS wishing to transfer to a different department or degree program should apply for transfer on a separate form. Intra-Faculty of Arts and Sciences transfer applications are available at the GSAS Office of Student Affairs.

Current AB/SM or AB/AM students
applying to a PhD program should file the transfer application. DO NOT USE THIS APPLICATION.

Deferred Admission

Requests 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.

If an applicant’s request for deferral is granted, the applicant may not apply to any other department within GSAS or to any other graduate school.