Computer Science Degree Requirements

• CSCI 10B Introduction to Computer Science Using Java II
• CSCI 22 Data Structures
• 1 discrete math course
• 1 algorithms course
• 2 theoretical computer science courses
• 1 data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning course
• 1 cloud computing course
• 2 software engineering courses
• 1 precapstone (on campus)
• 1 capstone

Learn how to search and register for courses.

Nearly all courses can be taken online, but you come to Cambridge for the precapstone course. In the course, you and your team, along with an industry partner, create the research protocol for your final capstone project.

The precapstone course meets on campus during the three-week summer session. The Harvard Summer School session offers a traditional on-campus experience, with optional housing and meal plans and a prolonged on-campus experience here at Harvard University. Learn more about campus life at Harvard.

International students who need a student visa should see the International Student Study Options for important visa information.

In your final online course, you complete a team-based capstone project. The capstone is taken as your sole remaining degree requirement in the semester immediately following the precapstone.

The capstone experience. The team-based capstone project experience is a unique and valuable aspect of the master’s degree curriculum.

• Real-world projects. The capstone project experience is designed to give you the opportunity to work on real-world team-based projects in collaboration with industry partners and fellow students. The goal is to apply the skills and knowledge you have gained throughout the program to solve a pressing industry need.
• Interdisciplinary approach. You work in a team on a capstone project that address complex problems from multiple perspectives.
• Innovation. The team-based capstone project experience is designed to encourage innovation and creativity. You will be encouraged to think outside the box and develop novel solutions to complex problems, providing you with a valuable opportunity to showcase your skills and knowledge.
• Professional development. The team-based capstone project experience is also designed to provide you with valuable professional development opportunities. You learn how to work effectively in teams, communicate your ideas effectively, and develop valuable negotiation and project management skills in various professional settings.

Come to Cambridge for Convocation (fall) to celebrate your hard-earned admission, Harvard career fairs offered throughout the year, HES alumni networking events (here at Harvard and around the world), and, of course, Harvard University Commencement (May).

• Prior to enrolling in any degree-applicable courses, you must possess a four-year regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent. Foreign bachelor’s degrees must be evaluated for equivalency.
• If English is your second language, you’ll need to prove English proficiency before registering for a course. We have multiple proficiency options.

With our performance-based admission process, you begin by taking courses with us first. You’ll simply register — no application required — for the following two 4-credit, graduate-level degree courses (available online).

These prerequisite courses count toward your degree once you’re admitted; they are not additional courses. They are investments in your studies and help ensure success in the program.

• CSCI 10B Introduction to Computer Science Using Java II
• CSCI 22 Data Structures

You need to perform well in the two courses earning a grade of B or higher without letting your overall Harvard cumulative GPA dip below 3.0.

You have two attempts to earn the minimum grade of B in CSCI 10b and CSCI 22 (a withdrawal grade counts as an attempt) and both courses cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.

The two courses don’t need to be taken in a particular order or in the same semester, and both are available for registration in fall or spring, and ordinarily in summer as well.

Learn how to search and register for courses.

During the semester of your second degree course, submit the official application to the program.

Don’t delay! You must prioritize the two degree courses for admission and apply before completing subsequent courses. By doing so, you’ll:

• Avoid the loss of credit due to expired course work or changes to admission and degree requirements.
• Ensure your enrollment in critical degree-candidate-only courses.
• Avoid the delayed application fee.
• Gain access to exclusive benefits.

Eligible students who submit a complete and timely application will have 10 more courses after admission to earn the degree.

Applicants can register for courses in the upcoming semester before they receive their grades and while they await their admission decision.

Prospective ALM students can expect acceptance into the program by meeting all the eligibility and academic requirements detailed on this page, submitting a complete application, and having no academic standing or conduct concerns.

GPA. You need to earn a B or higher in each of the 2 degree courses required for admission and a B– or higher in each of the subsequent courses. In addition, your cumulative GPA cannot dip below 3.0.

Withdrawal grades. You are allowed to receive 2 withdrawal (WD) grades without them affecting your GPA. Any additional WD grades count as zero in your cumulative GPA. See Academic Standing.

Repeat courses. We advise you to review the ALM program’s strict policies about repeating courses. Generally speaking, you may not repeat a course to improve your GPA or to fulfill a degree requirement (if the minimum grade was not initially achieved). Nor can you repeat a course for graduate credit that you’ve previously completed at Harvard Extension School or Harvard Summer School at the undergraduate level.

Expired coursework. Courses over five years old at the point of admission will not count toward the degree. As stated above CSCI 10B and CSCI 22 cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.

Five-year degree completion timeline. Further, you have five years to complete your degree requirements. The five-year timeline begins at the end of the term in which you complete any two degree-applicable courses, regardless of whether or not you have been admitted to a degree program.

Don’t delay! Potential degree candidates must plan accordingly and apply to the program in a timely manner, or they risk losing degree credit for completed course work.

Admission eligibility will be jeopardized if, at the point of application to the program, the five-year degree completion policy cannot be satisfied (i.e., too many courses to complete in the time remaining).

When you have fulfilled all degree requirements, you will earn your Harvard University degree: Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: Computer Science. Degrees are awarded in November, February, and May, with the annual Harvard Commencement ceremony in May.

When you become an officially admitted degree candidate, you have access to a rich variety of exclusive benefits to support your academic journey. To learn more, visit degree candidate academic opportunities and privileges.