AAAS E-119
Chocolate, Culture, and the Politics of Food
Carla D. Martin PhD, Lecturer on African and African American Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25963 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the sociohistorical legacy of chocolate, with a delicious emphasis on the eating and appreciation of the so-called food of the gods. Interdisciplinary course readings introduce the history of cacao cultivation, the present day state of the global chocolate industry, the diverse cultural constructions surrounding chocolate, and the implications for chocolate’s future of scientific study, international politics, alternative trade models, and the food movement. Assignments address pressing real-world questions related to chocolate consumption, social justice, responsible development, honesty and the politics of representation in production and marketing, hierarchies of quality, and myths of purity.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course African and African American Studies 119x. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Thursdays, 12:45-2:45 pm starting January 29 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
AAAS E-122
Understanding Race and Racism
Carla D. Martin PhD, Lecturer on African and African American Studies, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17106 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the history of race and racism key analytical constructs that express fundamental issues not only of power and inequality, but also of justice, democracy, equity, and emancipation. The study of race in the social sciences and humanities is an established, dynamic, multidisciplinary, and international field. To understand race and racism with a global perspective, it is necessary to have a trans-disciplinary, cross-cultural view to critically read the phenomena that intersect with this variable. Course readings are drawn from the fields of African and African American studies, sociology, history, cultural studies, political science, anthropology, philosophy, journalism, and public health. The vast literature produced by scholars in diverse fields provides evidence of how race is based on narratives created to enslave, subordinate, exploit, and exclude millions of human beings across the globe. Assignments address pressing real-world questions related to race and racism, as well as pedagogically significant areas of intellectual and academic development.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ANTH E-1000
Pyramid Schemes: What Can Ancient Egyptian Civilization Teach Us?
Peter Manuelian PhD, Barbara Bell Professor of Egyptology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26934 | Section 1
Description
How much of your impression of the ancient world was put there by Hollywood, music videos, or orientalist musings out of the West? How accurate are these depictions? Does it matter? This course examines the quintessential example of the “exotic, mysterious ancient world” ancient Egypt to interrogate these questions. Who has used ancient Egypt as a construct, and to what purpose? Did you know that pyramids, mummies, King Tut, and Cleopatra represent just the (overhyped) tip of a very rich civilization that holds plenty of life lessons for today? Combine the ancient Egyptians’ explanations of the world’s natural forces with all the social complexity of human interaction and you have a fully formed society about four millennia of accumulated experience! Can investigating the real ancient Egypt unpack our current misconceptions about the land of the pharaohs? Hardly morose, tomb-building zombies, the Egyptians embraced life in all its messy details. Piety and corruption, imperialism and isolationism, divinity and mortality all played significant roles in life along the Nile. What can we learn about the nature of politics and society in our time by seeing the parallels between the ancient past and today? We explore archaeology, modern Egyptomania, repatriation, new digital visualization technologies, and international politics. What was ancient Egyptian racism? What is archaeological racism? Who owns the past? Who needs it? We take excursions into Egyptian art, history, politics, religion, literature and language (hieroglyphs), plus examine the evolution of Egyptology as a discipline.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1099. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 12-1:15 pm starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
ANTH E-1050
Moctezuma’s Mexico Then and Now: Ancient Empire, Race Mixture, and Finding LatinX
David Carrasco PhD, Neil L. Rudenstine Professor for the Study of Latin America, Harvard University
William L. Fash PhD, Charles P. Bowditch Professor of Central American and Mexican Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27107 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with the opportunity to explore how pre-Hispanic and Colonial Mexican and Latina/o cultures provide vital context for understanding today’s changing world. The emphasis is on the mythical and social origins, glory days, and political collapse of the Aztec Empire and Maya civilizations as a pivot to the study of the sexual, religious, and racial interactions of the Great Encounter between Mesoamerica, Africa, Europe, and the independent nations of Mexico and the United States. The study of the archaeology, artistic media, cosmovision, capital cities, human sacrifice, and the religious devotions of ancient Mesoamerica illuminate the Day of the Dead and Virgin of Guadalupe phenomena today. Objects at the Peabody Museum are used to examine new concepts of race, nation, and the persistence of Moctezuma’s Mexico in Latino identities in the Mexico-US Borderlands. This course empowers students to evaluate the ways the US is changing and struggling to define itself in relation to Latin America and especially the migration of peoples, ideas, arts, music, and food from and through Mexico.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1148. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ANTH E-118
The Anthropology of Capitalism
James P. Herron PhD, Director of the Harvard Writing Project and Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16813 | Section 1
Description
Karl Marx famously wrote that with the advance of capitalist social relations, “all that is solid melts into air.” Here Marx refers to the supposed power of capitalism to destroy pre-existing economic, social, and cultural orders. In the centuries since capitalism spread over the globe, it has indeed transformed the lifeways and cultures of peoples throughout the world. In more recent years, globalization understood as the widespread and accelerated movement of capital across national borders has radically altered the lives of many peoples, from peasants in China to industrial workers in Michigan. This course critically examines capitalism historically and ethnographically. In the first part of the course, we consider historical accounts of the origins, development, and transformation of American capitalism, focusing on the key themes of slavery, industrialization, and financialization. In the second part of the course, we consider ethnographic accounts of life under contemporary capitalism, focusing on the cultural responses of peoples experiencing the rapid social change, dislocation, opportunities, and hardships brought about by changing capitalist social relations. We consider questions such as how have people coped culturally with the demands of capitalist wage labor and work discipline? How have capitalist social relations transformed communities, families, and senses of ethnic and national identity? Students may not take both ANTH E-118 and SSCI E-118 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ANTH E-1232
Archaeology of the African Holocene
Shayla Monroe PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17109 | Section 1
Description
This course is an overview of archaeological studies on African sites dating from around 12,000 BCE to 1,500 CE. We cover major societal transitions and migrations, including food production, the desertification of the Sahara, the development of states and urbanism, the Iron Age, the Bantu migrations, and the trans-Saharan gold trade.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Anthropology 1232. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays, 9-11:45 am starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ANTH E-1643
Language and Culture
James P. Herron PhD, Director of the Harvard Writing Project and Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26755 | Section 1
Description
This course offers students an introduction to linguistic anthropology, the study of language in social and cultural context. Linguistic anthropology begins with the fundamental assumption that language structure and language use are integral parts of human culture. We begin by exploring language as a medium that does not simply communicate ideas but that constructs our identities, sense of reality, and social worlds. Our approach in the course emphasizes the role of language in understanding all aspects of human social relations. We consider these basic questions: what is language? How are we to understand linguistic diversity and language change? Does speaking a particular language affect our understanding of the world? How does language variation mark and reproduce hierarchical social divisions such as class, race, ethnic, and gender differences? What are the social effects of language standardization and whose interest does it serve? How are power differences between speakers manifest in their use of language? How are social identities and relations enacted in face-to-face conversations? In answering these questions we view language both as a formal symbolic system and as an open, flexible, and strategic cultural resource. Our approach involves both theoretical arguments and the consideration of particular case studies.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ANTH E-1645
Money and Power: Cultural Approaches to Economic Life
James P. Herron PhD, Director of the Harvard Writing Project and Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26215 | Section 1
Description
This course considers how culture shapes the economic aspects of our lives. That is, we seek to understand the economy not as a separate realm with its own special logic and structure but instead as embedded in the social relations, identities, and cultural practices of everyday life. Our major course themes include exchange, money, debt, commodification, markets, and labor. We consider questions such as, how do the different kinds of exchanges we engage in gift exchanges versus market exchanges, for instance shape our relationships with others? We explore the social meaning of money and the role of the market in our lives. In a world where it is possible to rent a family, does money destroy love and intimacy? What aspects of our lives are governed by the logic of capitalism and what aspects escape capitalism’s grip? Why does it feel shameful to be in debt, and how has this shame been manipulated for political purposes? Why in the US do we consider work to be sacred and morally purifying even though many of us have tedious jobs? The course readings include theoretical and empirical works drawn mainly from the fields of anthropology, economic sociology, and heterodox economics. Our key texts include David Graeber’s Debt, Viviana Zelizer’s The Social Meaning of Money, and Sidney Mintz’s Sweetness and Power.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ANTH E-1663
The Supernatural in the Modern World
Lowell A. Brower PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17107 | Section 1
Description
What do our ghost stories say about us, what do our beasts betray about us? Which witches bewitch us, which rumors consume us, and what sense can be made of what haunts us? Restless spirits, alien invaders, wicked witches, bloodthirsty vampires, legendary cryptids, murderous ogres, illuminati satanists, deep-state conspirators, memetic online menaces: our contemporary bestiary is overflowing with meaningful monsters. Our spine-tingling intellectual task in this course is to analyze the roles that these malevolent entities and the supernatural narratives we tell about them play in our everyday lives, collective psyches, communities, and politics, and in the crises we confront as individuals and groups. Are our occult stories allegories of our modern discontents or simply holdovers from our childhood nightmares? Are they symptoms of specific societal crises or representations of timeless pan-human fears? How has the witch hunt, the rumor panic, the standardized nightmare of the group transformed in this meme-ified age of online participatory culture, global interconnection, ecological catastrophe, and fake-news-driven conspiracy thinking? What can we learn about ourselves, our pasts, and our futures by thinking deeply about what scares us the most? And how frightened should we be of what we might find if we dig too deeply into that question? We analyze the supernatural in relationship historical memories, cultural anxieties, folk traditions, spiritual beliefs, physiological sensations, political conflicts, environmental disasters, and existential imperatives. Because nowhere is safe from the things that go bump in the night, our interdisciplinary journey takes us across time and space into the bellies of various beasts, from the gates of Harvard Yard, to the hills of Rwanda, the message boards of 4chan, the proms of rural Pennsylvania, the ships of the Middle Passage, the villages of medieval Europe, the halls of the White House, your creepy neighbor’s basement, and the deep dark woods. Our abominable assignments include creative reading responses, the documentation and analysis of frightful folklore, a fearsome final project, and a co-created haunted Harvard virtual tour. Course activities may include local excursions, storytelling sessions, and paranormal experimentation.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ANTH E-1667
The Opioid Epidemic
Jason Bryan Silverstein PhD, Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine and Co-Director, Master of Science in Media, Medicine, and Health Program, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16797 | Section 1
Description
More people die every year from opioid overdoses than gunshot wounds and car accidents, and the crisis appears to be worsening and rapidly changing. Making matters worse, understanding the crisis in real time is notoriously difficult, especially since most who overdose do not go to hospitals and death certificates are often unreliable. And while everyone agrees something must be done, what that something is leads us into heated debates over health care spending and harm reduction. While most medical research focuses on the biology of disease, this course takes a biosocial approach to unmask how social factors, economic insecurity, and the availability of massive amounts of pharmaceuticals have become an overdose crisis. We read social scientists, journalists, public health scholars, and first-hand accounts in order to understand the chronic emergencies (such as de-industrialization and despair) behind this acute crisis. By investigating the opioid epidemic in this way, students are encouraged to think boldly and creatively beyond the traditional boundaries of medicine: perhaps someone’s best medicine is a housing voucher, or a testing strip to detect fentanyl. By the end of the course, students understand the social roots of the opioid epidemic and how solutions may be implemented.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ANTH E-167
Culture in Play: Toys, Games, and Sports
Richard Joseph Martin PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17108 | Section 1
Description
Common phrases like “it’s only a game” suggest that play is less than serious. But for players and spectators alike, play often entails considerable commitments, including substantial expenditures of time and money. Thus, despite common assumptions about its frivolity, play can have social, economic, and political consequences as well as symbolic and experiential import. In this course, we ask what do play activities reveal about the cultures and peoples who take part in them? We explore how everyday practices involving toys, games, and sports might illuminate broader social and cultural realities. We begin by examining philosophies of play, testing these against our own experiences by creating auto-ethnographic accounts. What do the toys of our childhood mean to us and what do they say about the cultural environments in which we experienced them? From there, our discussions move through a range of the anthropology’s subfields, from ritual studies to globalization, and from political and economic anthropology to studies of the body, gender, and sexuality. We consider a range of ethnographic examples, from Barbie dolls to board games, and from wrestling matches to World of Warcraft. Discussion and research topics might include Olympic games and nationalism, internet avatars and social constructions of the self, individualist ideology, and team spirit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ANTH E-191
Digital Culture and Online Life in a Polarized World
Lowell A. Brower PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27007 | Section 1
Description
Exploring the wild world wide web of informal vernacular culture being created, transmitted, and adapted by online communities of twenty-first century fan-communities, we think through the powers, potentials, and peculiarities of online culture in relationship to popular culture, communal storytelling, political engagement, social change, community-building, and everyday negotiations of individual and group identity. What are the continuities and disjunctures between hypermodern online culture and ancient storytelling traditions? What new folk groups, storytelling genres, intersubjective possibilities, and political potentials are arising as a result of online interaction? What new forms of belonging, exclusion, connection, and isolation are emerging through online architectures? What kinds of connections are people seeking and what kinds of meaning are they making, through fanfiction, memes, #challenges, Twitter threads, Twitch streams, Snapchats, greentexts, and other forms of digital storytelling? What are the powers and potentials of online communities and internet folklore and how are they being harnessed in projects of future-making? On our journey to the depths and heights of the contemporary online world, students are invited to research, analyze, and participate in digital storytelling and online fan culture in an attempt to better understand themselves and their historical moment through folkloristic engagement. Course work includes all manner of online experiments; the collection, documentation, and analysis of internet folklore; and a final project with a creative option. Students learn about humanistic and ethnographic methods and techniques and how to document, analyze, create, and engage with various types of online culture. Students better understand what internet folklore is, how it affects our everyday lives, and how it is transmitted, changed, created, and re-created; politicized, manipulated, and weaponized. They also learn why it enriches our lives and relationships and provides us with engaging, sustaining, participatory, and powerful means of connecting, communicating, and making worlds.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ANTH E-195
Anthropology of Extreme Environments
Bridget A. Alex PhD, Lecturer on Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University and Editor, Sapiens Magazine
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27106 | Section 1
Description
Since the origins of our species some 300,000 years ago, humans have spread globally, including to some of Earth’s most extreme environments: mountains miles above sea level, polar regions, and remote islands. Through biological and sociocultural adaptations, Homo sapiens managed to settle and thrive in these places where no primate, nor any human ancestors or relatives, had ventured before. Reviewing past and present-day societies, this course examines the human migrations, adaptations, diets, and technologies that allow people to live nearly everywhere on Earth and sometimes in space. We draw on archaeological, biological, and ethnographic evidence to uncover the breadth and limits of the human niche.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ARAB E-1
Intensive Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I
Muhammad A. Habib PhD, Preceptor in Arabic, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13547 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students who have not previously studied Arabic and introduces the script, sounds, and basic grammar of the language. Emphasis is placed on developing proficiency in all four skills (reading, speaking, listening, and writing), as well as an understanding and appreciation of Arabic culture.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ARAB E-2
Intensive Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II
Muhammad A. Habib PhD, Preceptor in Arabic, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23418 | Section 1
Description
This course is the continuation of ARAB E-1 and is designed to reinforce and build upon what has been covered during the first semester. This is a proficiency-based course; emphasis is placed on the development of reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills for the purpose of communicative goals. These technical aspects are acquired through the context of Arab cultures. By the end of this course, students are able to communicate about everyday situations, both verbally and in writing; understand the use of basic grammatical structures; acquire an understanding of fundamental cultural values, practices, and perspectives of native speakers of Arabic; develop productive listening skills; and enjoy using the language creatively.
Prerequisites: ARAB E-1 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
BIOS E-10
Introduction to Biochemistry
Robin Lynn Haynes PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Roopali Roy PhD, Instructor in Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14563 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of the main aspects of biochemistry by relating molecular interactions to their effects on the organism as a whole, especially as related to human biology. The organization of macromolecules is addressed through a discussion of their hierarchical structure and a study of their assembly into complexes responsible for specific biological processes. Topics addressing protein function include enzyme kinetics, the characterization of major metabolic pathways, and their interconnection into tightly regulated networks.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center A
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students in this and other sections of BIOS E-10 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-10
Introduction to Biochemistry
Robin Lynn Haynes PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Roopali Roy PhD, Instructor in Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17321 | Section 2
Description
This course provides an overview of the main aspects of biochemistry by relating molecular interactions to their effects on the organism as a whole, especially as related to human biology. The organization of macromolecules is addressed through a discussion of their hierarchical structure and a study of their assembly into complexes responsible for specific biological processes. Topics addressing protein function include enzyme kinetics, the characterization of major metabolic pathways, and their interconnection into tightly regulated networks.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this and other sections of BIOS E-10 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-10
Introduction to Biochemistry
Robin Lynn Haynes PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Roopali Roy PhD, Instructor in Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26917 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of the main aspects of biochemistry by relating molecular interactions to their effects on the organism as a whole, especially as related to human biology. The organization of macromolecules is addressed through a discussion of their hierarchical structure and a study of their assembly into complexes responsible for specific biological processes. Topics addressing protein function include enzyme kinetics, the characterization of major metabolic pathways, and their interconnection into tightly regulated networks.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 30-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-107
Introduction to Medical Neuroscience
Daniel L. Roe PhD, Lecturer on Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Part-time, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26711 | Section 1
Description
This course presents students with an introduction to the major topics in neurological injury and disease. The student is introduced to the signs, symptoms, and underlying causes of a variety of conditions. Specific topics discussed include aneurysms, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, prosopagnosia, aphasia, contralateral neglect, neuropathy, meningioma, acoustic schwannoma, epidural and subdural hematoma, and pituitary tumor among others. Emphasis is on the neuroanatomical basis of injury and disease, and how this informs our understanding.
Prerequisites: Some background in basic biology is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, Tosteson Medical Ed Center 227
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: On-campus meetings are recorded. A live stream is available at the time the class meets. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements. This course meets on the Longwood campus.
BIOS E-11
Medical Terminology
Martha Evenchik MPH, DSc, Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant, Emergency Department, Cambridge Health Alliance
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17371 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches the medical terminology and vocabulary used by individuals working in health-care settings. The focus of this course is on medical and clinical terminology relating to human anatomy and physiology from an organ system perspective. An emphasis is placed on those terms relating to the clinical diagnosis and pathophysiology of disease states. Students also learn how to use prefixes, suffixes and word roots to determine the meaning of new terms. Common short hand used in the medical field such as acronyms and abbreviations are also covered.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-12
Principles and Techniques of Molecular Biology
Alain Viel PhD, Senior Lecturer on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 22965 | Section 1
Description
The course addresses both the fundamental principles and techniques of molecular biology. Students gain an in-depth knowledge of nucleic acid structure, molecular genetics, and the biochemistry of transcription and protein synthesis. Other topics include how mechanisms of gene regulation play a role in retroviral pathogenesis and embryonic development. Each lecture directly relates molecular biology to current laboratory techniques. Virtual laboratory sessions, using LabXchange, a free Harvard educational platform are included, These virtual laboratory sessions provide students with a broad exposure to several important techniques in molecular biology. Virtual experiments include current approaches to mutation analysis, protein interaction assays, and recombinant cDNA cloning by PCR.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Required sections Tuesdays, 7:40-9:40 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-123
Reproductive Biology: Physiological, Evolutionary, and Behavioral Aspects
Dan Spratt MD, Professor of Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17396 | Section 1
Description
This course undertakes a multidisciplinary exploration of reproductive function in humans, including physiology and evolution as well as the impact on behavior and society. Examples in other species ranging from seasonal reproductive physiology and behavior in deer to effects of testosterone on songbirds’ vocalizations and behavior help provide perspectives on the complex process of human reproduction and the intricacy of its regulation by hormones. The ability of humans to understand and manipulate the influence of these hormones has had an impact on our lives, health-care system, and society. The impact on society ranges from significant advances in women’s health to passionate controversies on limiting reproduction to scandals involving androgen use in sports. The impact of androgens and estrogens on cognition and behavior is an evolving field in neuroscience, business, and politics.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology or physiology or BIOS E-163.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections Wednesdays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-129
Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology
Saige Lorraine Pompura PhD, Academic Coordinator, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16940 | Section 1
Description
We are entering a new era in which a fundamental understanding of developmental biology and regeneration will play a critical role. In this course, embryonic and adult stem cells in different organisms are examined in terms of their molecular, cellular, and potential therapeutic properties. Genetic reprogramming and cloning of animals are critically evaluated. Ethical and political considerations are also considered.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or the equivalent; knowledge of cell, molecular, or developmental biology is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-14
Principles of Genetics
Frederick R. Bieber PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School
Chu Kwen Ho PhD, Content Instructional Leader, Science, New Bedford Public Schools
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26516 | Section 1
Description
This is a general course in genetics providing a broad view of gene action from the molecular to the population levels, with emphasis on eukaryotes. Topics include bacterial and viral genetics, Mendelian genetics, mutation and DNA repair, forensic DNA technology, chromosome structure and function, genomics, and population and evolutionary genetics. The course also covers legal, ethical, and policy considerations for use of genetic technology.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or the equivalent; CHEM E-1a and CHEM E-1b (offered previously) or CHEM E-1ax and CHEM E-1bx, or the equivalent; and MATH E-8.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections for graduate-credit students Mondays, 7:30-8:30 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
BIOS E-150
The Biology of Cancer
Ryan Si-Wai Lee PhD, Lecturer on Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School and Director of Science Instruction and the Premedical Program, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17135 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the cell and molecular biology underpinnings of cancer and connects that biological understanding with clinical challenges. Topics such as DNA repair, cell cycle regulation, growth factors, signal transduction mechanisms, and apoptosis are discussed in the context of oncogenesis and tumor formation. The principles behind cancer diagnosis, prevention, and therapeutic management are covered both through general principles and focusing on specific cancer types. Class sessions are case-based and emphasize collaborative group discussions.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-16, or the equivalent; BIOS E-12 recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections for undergraduate-credit students, optional sections for graduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
BIOS E-155
Medical Microbiology
Nikolaus Jilg MD, PhD, Instructor in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Sarah Osmulski MD, Resident Physician, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Matthew Schaefers PhD, Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School and and Research Associate, Boston Children’s Hospital
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24224 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the microbial species that cause human disease. We cover bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, and discuss current topics including antibiotic resistance, public health threats, and the microbiome. There is no laboratory component to this course.
Prerequisites: Basic molecular and cellular biology, such as BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Required sections for graduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
BIOS E-16
Cell Biology
Jelena Patrnogic PhD, Lecturer on Cell Biology and Director of Graduate Cancer Biology Education, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17421 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of cell biology, focusing on the fundamental structures and functions of cells, the basic unit of life. Students learn about the various components of cells, how cells are organized within multicellular organisms, and how they interact with their environment. The course also explores cutting-edge technologies that have enhanced our understanding of cell biology and their applications in medicine, health, and disease treatment. Real-world examples are used to demonstrate the relevance of cellular biology to human health, disease, biotechnology, and other fields.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
BIOS E-162a
Human Pathophysiology I
Nancy Long Sieber PhD, Adjunct Lecturer on Physiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Adel El Boueiz MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17343 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the pathophysiology of the human cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal systems, and on how these systems are altered by various physiologic challenges. The concept of homeostasis is integrated with general disease processes such as injury, inflammation, fibrosis, and neoplasia to demonstrate ways in which perturbations in physiological regulatory mechanisms result in disease. We particularly focus on chronic disease, the effects of stress and obesity on these systems, and on differences between men and women in the manifestation of these diseases. Please note that Human Pathophysiology II is offered in alternate years.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-65c and BIOS E-65d, or permission of the instructors.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-163
Human Endocrine Physiology
Dan Spratt MD, Professor of Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17397 | Section 1
Description
This course delves into the fascinating ways in which hormones influence the body’s development and function. Initial lectures describe the nature of different hormones and how they exert their actions. Subsequent lectures explore how hormones regulate body functions including growth and reproduction, thyroid and metabolism, calcium and bones, nutrition, and salt/fluid balance. Clinical examples from both health and disease as well as evolutionary and historical perspectives are used liberally to illustrate points. We also explore how this physiology can be used to understand and treat diverse medical disorders such as diabetes, infertility, abnormal sexual differentiation and puberty, and osteoporosis.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or introductory physiology.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 205
Optional sections Thursdays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-18
Evolution
Maria Miara PhD, Associate Professor of Biology, Brandeis University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14330 | Section 1
Description
Evolution is such a major tenet of modern biological theory that in 1973, evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky penned that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” This course provides a comprehensive introduction to evolutionary biology. Students are introduced to both short-term and long-term evolutionary processes and they explore the patterns that result from those processes. Topics covered include the history of evolutionary theory, evidence for evolution, the origin of life, the origin of animals and the Cambrian explosion, genetic evolution, natural selection, sexual selection, species and speciation, human evolution, and evolutionary issues in modern society.
Prerequisites: An introductory organismal biology course such as BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1bx.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
BIOS E-19
Introductory Chemical Biology
David Miyamoto PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17138 | Section 1
Description
This chemical biology survey course explores the intersection between chemistry and biology and focuses on the use of chemical tools to manipulate and study biological systems. The course is comprised of three units focused on proteins, nucleic acids, and drug discovery. Topics include physical properties of amino acids and proteins, protein synthesis, post-translational modifications, physical properties of nucleic acids, engineering functional RNAs, genomics, epigenetics, directed evolution, genome engineering, small molecule libraries and screening, and macromolecular drugs.
Prerequisites: Basic organic chemistry and biology knowledge, such as the CHEM E-17x and BIOS E-1ax series, is required. Familiarity with basic biochemistry and molecular biology, for example BIOS E-10 or BIOS E-12, is helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 205
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
BIOS E-1ax
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (Lecture)
Michael J. Borrett PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Cristina DeOliveira PhD, Research Fellow in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17004 | Section 1
Description
This course is the first half of a year-long introductory series focused on the principles of cellular biology (BIOS E-1ax) and organismic biology (BIOS E-1bx). Topics include molecular biology, energy, metabolism, and genetics. The series complies with the current medical school requirements for one year of introductory biology. This course does not include a lab; students who need a biology lab should enroll concurrently in BIOS E-1axl.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center B
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1AX, and in BIOS E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-1ax
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (Lecture)
Michael J. Borrett PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Cristina DeOliveira PhD, Research Fellow in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17005 | Section 2
Description
This course is the first half of a year-long introductory series focused on the principles of cellular biology (BIOS E-1ax) and organismic biology (BIOS E-1bx). Topics include molecular biology, energy, metabolism, and genetics. The series complies with the current medical school requirements for one year of introductory biology. This course does not include a lab; students who need a biology lab should enroll concurrently in BIOS E-1axl.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1AX, and in BIOS E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-1axl
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (Lab)
Michael J. Borrett PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Cristina DeOliveira PhD, Research Fellow in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17007 | Section 1
Description
The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from BIOS E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation.
Prerequisites: This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in BIOS E-1ax or who have previously completed a comparable introductory course in cell and molecular biology. Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in BIOS E-1ax should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Labs meet roughly every other week Mondays, 6-9 pm. Other times may be available pending enrollment and student interest. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1AXL, and in BIOS E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-1axl
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (Lab)
Michael J. Borrett PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Cristina DeOliveira PhD, Research Fellow in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17008 | Section 2
Description
The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from BIOS E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation.
Prerequisites: This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in BIOS E-1ax or who have previously completed a comparable introductory course in cell and molecular biology. Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in BIOS E-1ax should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Labs meet roughly every other week Mondays, 6-9 pm. Other times may be available pending enrollment and student interest. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1AXL, and in BIOS E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-1bx
Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (Lecture)
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26631 | Section 1
Description
This course is the second half of a year-long introductory series focused on the principles of cellular biology (BIOS E-1ax) and organismic biology (BIOS E-1bx). This course builds on the foundation established in BIOS E-1ax and introduces students to fundamental principles in anatomy and physiology, evolution, and ecology. The series fulfills current medical school requirements for one year of introductory biology. This course does not include a lab; students who need a biology lab should enroll concurrently in BIOS E-1bxl.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1ax or the equivalent. Introductory algebra.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center B
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1BX, and in BIOS E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
BIOS E-1bx
Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (Lecture)
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26632 | Section 2
Description
This course is the second half of a year-long introductory series focused on the principles of cellular biology (BIOS E-1ax) and organismic biology (BIOS E-1bx). This course builds on the foundation established in BIOS E-1ax and introduces students to fundamental principles in anatomy and physiology, evolution, and ecology. The series fulfills current medical school requirements for one year of introductory biology. This course does not include a lab; students who need a biology lab should enroll concurrently in BIOS E-1bxl.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1ax or the equivalent. Introductory algebra.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1BX, and in BIOS E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOS E-1bxl
Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (Lab)
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26633 | Section 1
Description
The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and data analysis, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from BIOS E-1bx in simulated laboratory scenarios.
Prerequisites: This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in BIOS E-1bx or who have previously completed a comparable introductory course in organismic and evolutionary biology. Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in BIOS E-1bx should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Labs meet roughly every other week Mondays, 6-9 pm. Other times may be available pending enrollment and student interest. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1BXL, and in BIOS E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-1bxl
Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (Lab)
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26634 | Section 2
Description
The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and data analysis, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from BIOS E-1bx in simulated laboratory scenarios.
Prerequisites: This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in BIOS E-1bx or who have previously completed a comparable introductory course in organismic and evolutionary biology. Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in BIOS E-1bx should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Labs meet roughly every other week Mondays, 6-9 pm. Other times may be available pending enrollment and student interest. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1BXL, and in BIOS E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-200
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biology
Scott Holmes PhD, Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17309 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar is designed to teach students the writing and critical analysis skills that are required to succeed in graduate-level courses in the neurosciences. Through critical reading and presentation of research articles, students learn how to form questions that can be addressed experimentally as well as how to properly source information. This course also addresses the process of experimental design and current experimental methodologies in pain neuroscience. Students are given opportunities to hone their writing skills through several short writing assignments. Students are expected to participate in class discussions, present a paper to the class, and write a final research proposal due at the end of the semester. In this course, we focus on research articles from past and present that address the behavioral and biological components of pain neuroscience both from basic science and clinical perspectives. We explore how the evolution of pain has occurred as a definition, and how pain is appreciated throughout the brain and body. Articles cover different topics ranging from pediatrics to adulthood, women’s health, and pain therapies. Some background in these areas is beneficial but not required. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. In addition, at the first class meeting students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments. Molecular biology (BIOS E-12 or the equivalent) and EXPO E-42c are highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 17 students
BIOS E-200
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biology
Emilie J. Raymer PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26777 | Section 2
Description
This proseminar is designed to teach students many of the writing and analytical skills that are required to succeed in graduate-level courses in the biological sciences. Through critical reading and presentation of research articles, students learn how to form questions that can be addressed experimentally and how to write a corresponding, testable hypothesis. The course also addresses the process of experimental design and current experimental methodologies in biology. Students are given multiple opportunities to hone their writing skills on several short writing assignments. Students are expected to participate in class discussions, present a paper to the class, and write a final research proposal due at the end of the semester. We focus our attention on innovations in genetics and genomics. Some background in these areas is beneficial but not required. Students learn to think scientifically while they gain knowledge of how recent advancements can be applied to agriculture, vaccine developments, personalized medicine, and other areas. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. In addition, at the first class meeting students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments. Molecular biology (BIOS E-12 or the equivalent) and EXPO E-42c are highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
BIOS E-201
Strategic Speech Communication for Scientists
Terry Gipson MFA, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26786 | Section 1
Description
This course is a practical exploration of speech communication strategies and tactics for those in the sciences, with a focus on improving oral communication and presentation skills in a variety of settings. Students participate in exercises that include formal and informal scientific conversations as well as informative and persuasive presentations to scientific and nonscientific audiences.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Saturday, March 7, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Sunday, March 8, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
BIOS E-203
Classic Papers in Experimental Biology
William J. Anderson PhD, Senior Lecturer on Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16899 | Section 1
Description
What makes a science paper a classic? Does it start or redefine a field? Does it reveal a fundamental understanding of life? Is it the basis for a class of compounds that revolutionize medicine? This course explores some of these transformative papers taken from different fields in biology.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or equivalent. BIOS E-200 recommended but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
BIOS E-245
CRISPR: Gene Editing Applications for Health Care and Biotechnology
Alain Viel PhD, Senior Lecturer on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25920 | Section 1
Description
CRISPR is a recent gene-editing technology providing an efficient, effective, and precise solution to genetic engineering with applications in the health care, biotechnology, and agriculture industries. CRISPR has a promising potential to transform diseases treatments, contribute to food security, or even aid biofuel production. Using real-world case studies, the course illustrates CRISPR’s potential to cure inherited genetic disorders, to treat infectious diseases such as HIV, and to advance the fight against cancer. When applicable, the impact and possibilities of the outcomes of CRISPR’s applications on the health-care industry are discussed. The course also discusses the applications of CRISPR in the biotechnology industry and their roles in the development of disease-resistant cultivars, improving food yields, and allowing biofuels to become a viable alternative energy source.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
BIOS E-282
Dogs: Behavior, Evolution, and Domestication
Erin Hecht PhD, Assistant Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17113 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students learn about dog behavior as a focus point for helping us to understand the evolution of behavior more generally. We examine behavior evolution across a variety of species including other canids like wolves and foxes, humans and other primates, and more distantly related species like pigs, sheep, crows, and fish. Topics include domestication, empathy, communication, human-animal interaction, and how behavior evolves in response to the environment. The course combines in-depth discussion of research and theory articles with projects and assignments that explore real dog behavior using videos and recordings. The course also includes guest lectures from canine professionals both in academic research and in the public sector. We explore how human-animal interaction is (mis)interpreted in popular portrayals on social media and consider whether augmented communication devices like soundboards help or hurt human-animal communication.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Human Evolutionary Biology 123. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
BIOS E-30
Epigenetics, Epitranscriptomics, and Gene Regulation
Amy Tsurumi PhD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16171 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed as an in-depth exploration of the field of epigenetics and epitranscriptomics, with a focus on gaining understanding of gene regulatory mechanisms that occur without changes in the underlying DNA sequence. We extensively cover molecular mechanisms including DNA and RNA modifications, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, non-coding RNAs, and RNA editing. We use current primary literature to discuss the role of epigenetics and epitranscriptomics in developmental and aging processes, responses to nutrition, environmental exposures and infections, and malignancies such as cancer, neurological disorders, and inflammatory diseases. We also focus on molecular techniques and model organisms commonly used in epigenetics research, with the aim of enhancing scientific literature comprehension and learning how to design experiments to test new hypotheses.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-12 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-40
Introduction to Proteomics
Alain Viel PhD, Senior Lecturer on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13099 | Section 1
Description
The completion of several genome projects, including the Human Genome Project, has further fostered a systems-based approach to biology. The goal is to determine how all the genes in a genome act and how their products interact to produce a functional organism. Proteomics seeks to identify and to characterize all the proteins synthesized in a cell or a tissue. Based on this information, one can then try to understand how individual proteins or protein collectives function within an organism. The first half of the course focuses on current methodology used to analyze and identify proteins. This includes protein electrophoresis, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and protein database analysis. The second half of the course focuses on case studies derived from the current scientific literature. This includes comparisons between healthy and diseased tissues, new approaches to analyze metabolic pathways, and the comprehensive analysis of protein-protein interactions in different cell types.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent. BIOS E-12 recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 306
Required sections Thursdays, 7-8 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-45
Introduction to Genomics
Frederick R. Bieber PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26515 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of human and comparative genomic studies, genomic architecture, numerical and structural variations, and regulatory mechanisms of the genome. The course topics include current and novel practices in genome interrogations, global copy number variation (CNV) assessment, sequencing, and data analysis. This course cultivates an understanding of functional genomics and genomic malfunction, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and the new field of personal genomics, along with discussions on social and ethical impacts resulting from advances in genomics studies.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or the equivalent. CHEM E-1a and CHEM E-1b (offered previously) or CHEM E-1ax and CHEM E-1bx, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-50
Neurobiology
Laura Magnotti PhD, Lecturer on Neuroscience, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13097 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the structure and function of the mammalian nervous system by examining the molecules, cells, and circuits that are involved in directing our behavior. We explore how the nervous system is constructed during development, how it adapts with experience throughout life, how it functions in normal behavior, and how it can be disrupted by injury and disease.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology (BIOS E-1a/BIOS E-1ax, or equivalent) or permission of the instructor. For graduate-credit students, successful completion of BIOS E-200 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center A
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
BIOS E-50
Neurobiology
Juliet Sarmiento Ponce PhD, Associate of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26657 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the brain at the level of molecules, cells, circuits, and behavior. Topics include brain anatomy and function, sensory and motor systems; how the brain processes thoughts; how the brain regulates emotions, learning, memory, and attention; neurodiversity; and neurological conditions.
Prerequisites: A college-level introductory biology course (such as BIOS E-1ax) or a strong background in biology is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
BIOS E-597
Precapstone: Meta-Analysis: From Theory to Practice
Rhanderson Cardoso MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17323 | Section 1
Description
This precapstone course prepares students to design, develop, and publish a systematic review and meta-analysis project, to be completed and submitted in the capstone. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, biology or biotechnology programs with an interest in biomedical research who wish to register for the capstone course in the spring. Students learn how to identify ideal research topics and create robust, viable research questions, suitable for a systematic review and meta-analysis. They also receive training on building effective research strategies, selection of studies, data extraction, statistical analyses, and writing of the manuscript, applying Cochrane and PRISMA statement guidelines to conduct and report systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Throughout the semester, students receive personalized feedback on their exercises and are encouraged to collaborate with others on research groups.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, biology or biotechnology programs who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the statistics requirement (biology only), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, BIOS E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 22 students
BIOS E-599
Capstone: Meta-Analysis: Implementation and Publication
Rhanderson Cardoso MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26979 | Section 1
Description
This course is the final requirement for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, biology or biotechnology programs pursuing advanced training in biomedical research. Building on the foundation laid in BIOS E-597, students complete and submit a systematic review and meta-analysis. Students finalize their literature search, complete study selection and data extraction, conduct statistical analyses, and write the full manuscript in accordance with PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines. Emphasis is placed on scientific rigor, clarity of reporting, and readiness for journal submission. Students also participate in peer review, present their findings in a formal research setting, and receive individualized feedback from faculty and invited experts. By the end of the semester, each student has a completed manuscript suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, biology or biotechnology, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, BIOS E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 22 students
BIOS E-60a
Immunology I
David E. Sloane EdM, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27046 | Section 1
Description
What is the immune system and how does it work to protect organisms from danger like infections and cancer? In this comprehensive course, we answer these questions by exploring the structure and function of the immune system, focusing on cellular and molecular mechanisms. Students develop a solid understanding of innate versus adaptive immunity; antigens and antibodies; B cells, T cells, and their receptors; major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins; cytokines and chemokines; processes of lymphocyte development and antigen presentation; and the genetics of the immune system. Case studies describe clinical aspects of human immune system function in health and disease including infections (bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic), cancers, autoimmune diseases, allergic and other hypersensitivity diseases, immunodeficiencies, transplantations, vaccinations, and medications and other therapeutic agents (including biologics and CAR-T cells) that affect and harness the immune system. Along the way, we touch on broader themes such as the relationship between the immune system and the nervous system, the dynamics of complex systems that operate at different planes of resolution (from the molecular and cellular to whole populations of organisms and the interactions of different species in ecosystems including the human microbiome), and some philosophical and interpretive views of immunity such as how it contributes to identity and how it functions in ways analogous to language. Upon completion of the course, students have a sound understanding of the essential elements of the immune system, preparing them to engage further in this rapidly evolving field. Students may not take both BIOS E-60 (offered previously) and BIOS E-60a for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Background in biology, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Sundays, February 1-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-60b
Immunology II
Angie Schmider PhD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
KAVITHA GOVINDASAMY PhD, Dean of Academic Affairs, Eastern International College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17420 | Section 1
Description
This course is a direct continuation of BIOS E-60, offering a deeper dive into immunological concepts that are either not covered or covered in little detail in that course. Examples of the topics covered in this course include immune tolerance, exhaustion, B and T cell memory, granulocytes, NK cells, innate-like T cells, complement, immunometabolism, monocytes and macrophages, B cell diversity, antigen cross-presentation and vaccines, anti-tumor immunity, mucosal immunology, and stromal-immune interactions.
Prerequisites: Students must have previously taken BIOS E-60 or equivalent introductory immunology course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 99 students
BIOS E-65c
Clinical Anatomy and Physiology I
Britt Stockton Lee MD, PhD, MEDscience Teacher, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13387 | Section 1
Description
This course is an immersive introduction to human anatomy and physiology from a clinical perspective. Students gain a functional understanding of the systems of the body and the structure and function of the tissues that comprise them. Using real-life clinical scenarios, students use their newfound basic science knowledge to assess and diagnose pathologies of the respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems in the fall semester course.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 90 students
BIOS E-65d
Clinical Anatomy and Physiology II
Britt Stockton Lee MD, PhD, MEDscience Teacher, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23232 | Section 1
Description
This course is a continuation of BIOS E-65c. Students gain a functional understanding of the systems of the body and the structure and function of the tissues that comprise them. Using real-life clinical scenarios, students use their newfound basic science knowledge to understand the immune, digestive, renal, endocrine, and reproductive systems. Knowledge of the respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems is assumed.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, BIOS E-65c, algebra, and introductory geometry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 90 students
BIOS E-67
Introduction to Pharmacology
Liza Wick PhD, HMX Pharmacology Curriculum Lead, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17266 | Section 1
Description
Many people think that studying pharmacology only involves memorizing drug names and chemical pathways, but it is really based on a few core ideas. This course covers the basics of pharmacology including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicology. Learning materials are delivered online through HMX, a digital learning initiative from the faculty of Harvard Medical School. The HMX pharmacology course has been created by a highly skilled interdisciplinary team of Harvard Medical School educators and creative professionals. Using integrated multimedia elements and didactic visuals, the HMX course focuses on bringing foundational concepts in pharmacology to life via real-world and clinical applications. Students also participate in a live component where they have the opportunity to dive deeper into these pharmacological concepts and work on problem-solving activities in weekly sessions with their instructor. In addition to receiving course credit, students have the opportunity to earn a certificate from Harvard Medical School. A certificate of achievement or a certificate of completion can be earned by those who attain certain thresholds within the course. Students registered in this course have access to the HMX pharmacology course. They should not enroll separately in the HMX course.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and biochemistry are strongly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-68
Systems Biology
Maxim Markovic PhD, Research Fellow in Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27000 | Section 1
Description
The field of systems biology has emerged as a result of two revolutions. The first is decades of progress in molecular biology and biochemistry which have identified many of the molecules and chemical reactions needed for life. The second is the ‘omics revolution which has enabled these measurements to be conducted at high throughput. Systems biology seeks to convert such observations into a holistic understanding of biological systems. The motivating question for this course is, how does life emerge from a collection of dead molecules? We explore how simple conceptual ideas can explain the seemingly complicated nature of biological systems. We explore how similar design principles appear across various biological systems and scales. For example, the negative feedback motif is present at the cellular scale (in gene regulatory networks), at the organismal scale (in glucose homeostasis), and at the ecological scale (through predator-prey dynamics). We also consider the general nature of input-output responses, the role of energy expenditure, robustness and ultra-sensitivity, bet hedging, and whether biological systems operate optimally. Simple mathematical models are used to explore these topics. We discuss what a model can and cannot do and common pitfalls in modeling. This course is not too mathematically technical; one of its themes is that relatively simple math can go a long way.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of differential equations at the level of MATH E-16. MATH E-21c is recommended, but not required. Basic knowledge of probability is helpful but will be reviewed as needed.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
BIOS E-70
Introduction to Epidemiology
Jennifer Fonda PhD, Lecturer in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Assistant Professor in Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, and Research Health Scientist, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24809 | Section 1
Description
How can you design a study to evaluate the risk factors associated with the recent reversal in life expectancy in the United States? How do you assess the benefits and risks related to the recent cancer screening guidelines? This course introduces the basic principles and methods of epidemiology and demonstrates the applicability to public health and medicine. The goal of this course is to provide fundamental skills needed to begin to interpret and critically evaluate literature relevant to public health. Topics include measures of disease frequency and association, epidemiologic study designs, sources of bias and error, screening, and applications to public health.
Prerequisites: Basic quantitative skills essential; familiarity with medical terminology helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOS E-72
Infectious Diseases in a World of Changing Climate, Drug Resistance, and Vaccine Hesitancy
Narges Dorratoltaj PhD, Director, Analytics, Verisk
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17340 | Section 1
Description
Despite the availability of control measures, infectious diseases are emerging and re-emerging. These outbreaks emphasize the importance of understanding the epidemiology of infectious diseases through qualitative and quantitative methods. This course introduces the basics of infectious disease epidemiology and modeling, disease surveillance methods, dynamics of transmission, and assessment of prevention and control measures. The epidemiology of different diseases based on route of transmission (food-borne, water-borne, vector-borne, or air-borne) along with common and recently emerged infectious diseases (COVID-19, influenza, malaria, Ebola, Zika, and antimicrobial resistance pathogens) are discussed. Finally, we explore some modeling techniques to understand the epidemiology and dynamics of infectious disease outbreaks to help public health officials make more informed decisions. We consider the political, demographic, and social changes that have an impact on public health.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax, MATH E-8, and MATH E-15, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
BIOT E-100
Introduction to the Business and Science of Biotechnology
Jaclyn Dunphy PhD, Senior Director of Strategy and Research Operations, Abiologics
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17139 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the science, practice, and business of biotechnology. The impact and drawbacks in areas of modern biotechnology such as genetic engineering as well as the ethical implications of innovative biotechnology applications are covered. Throughout the semester, students are introduced to biotechnology as an applied science, policy and regulatory aspects of drug development, academic and small business innovation, technical biotechnology applications, opportunities to cross-train with focus on various career possibilities, and building fundraising and organizational resilience for uncertain funding environments. The goal of this course is to prepare students for the four core areas of study for the biotechnology degree.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-12, or their equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 67 students
BIOT E-100
Introduction to the Business and Science of Biotechnology
Jaclyn Dunphy PhD, Senior Director of Strategy and Research Operations, Abiologics
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26779 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the science, practice, and business of biotechnology. The impact and drawbacks in areas of modern biotechnology such as genetic engineering as well as the ethical implications of innovative biotechnology applications are covered. Throughout the semester, students are introduced to biotechnology as an applied science, policy and regulatory aspects of drug development, academic and small business innovation, technical biotechnology applications, opportunities to cross-train with focus on various career possibilities, and building fundraising and organizational resilience for uncertain funding environments. The goal of this course is to prepare students for the four core areas of study for the biotechnology degree.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-12, or their equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
BIOT E-104
Introductory Bioinformatics
Soohyun Lee PhD, Senior Bioinformatics Scientist, Exact Sciences
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16716 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed to cover an introductory level overview of bioinformatics. It covers commonly used bioinformatics tools and algorithms as well as standard formats, with the focus on DNA/RNA sequence and sequencing data analysis. The topics include sequence alignment, motif detection, conservation analysis, Markov models, short-read sequencing data alignment, variant detection and visualization, peak calling, clustering methods, standard formats, random access tools, and performance analysis. Web-based tools and databases are also covered. Pipeline development frameworks and cloud-based approaches are discussed briefly. This course does not include artificial intelligence or machine learning techniques or theoretical analysis of algorithms. Programming is not the focus of the course, but students are welcome to apply their programming skills to the course material.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of molecular biology (DNA, RNA, and protein) required. Knowledge in genomics and epigenetics a plus but not required. Statistics and programming skills a plus but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
BIOT E-105
Bioinformatics: Fundamentals of Sequence Analysis
Michael Agostino PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24434 | Section 1
Description
With breakthroughs in biotechnology such as high-throughput and inexpensive DNA sequencing, we are collecting vast amounts of data that will be analyzed for years to come. The details of this data reveal basic information such as gene and protein structures and may lead us to major discoveries like gene-disease associations. This course teaches the bioinformatics skills used in academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical laboratories for analyzing individual DNA and protein sequences. This is not a programming course. Classes consist of lecture and extensive hands-on work using mainstream web-based bioinformatics tools. Students learn how to evaluate data sources and choose the correct paths to solutions. Throughout the semester, interesting biological questions are addressed by analyzing sequences, searching databases, using sophisticated software, and interpreting results. Upon completion of the course, students have extensive skills with sequence analysis tools and are prepared for their own laboratory projects or bioinformatics software creation.
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of molecular biology (DNA, RNA, protein) and genomics required. More advanced knowledge a definite plus. No programming skills required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
BIOT E-125
Financial Analysis and Valuation in Biotechnology
Yong Suh MD, Lecturer, Center for Biotechnology Education, Johns Hopkins University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17433 | Section 1
Description
Success in biotechnology requires sound understanding of both science and business. Developing new therapeutic and diagnostic modalities demands vast amounts of funding raised through multiple rounds of financing to support activities such as research and development, manufacturing, and marketing. Thus, it is essential for leaders of biotechnology companies to understand the workings of capital markets, valuation of drug pipelines, and strategic considerations in partnerships and mergers and acquisitions. This introductory course aims to provide an overview of financial concepts that are necessary to understand revenue and expense forecasts, discounted cash flow, and real options, which are core components of biotechnology valuation. Valuation draws upon knowledge gained in other domains such as epidemiology, drug development and regulatory affairs, and manufacturing and quality control, and provides an opportunity for students to consolidate their knowledge base in biotechnology while learning to quantify and value the building blocks of a biotechnology enterprise.
Prerequisites: BIOT E-100 is recommended. Though not required, it would be helpful for students to have undertaken prior coursework in finance or economics and to be familiar with concepts such as time value of money, revenue, cost, interest rate, compounding, and financial statements. Students should be comfortable using Microsoft Excel to perform arithmetic operations and have a basic understanding of financial modeling.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOT E-132
Tissue Engineering for Clinical Applications
Sujata K. Bhatia PhD, MD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26847 | Section 1
Description
Tissue engineering is now recognized as a way to lessen the global disease burden: novel methods for pancreatic islet regeneration can address diabetes; autologous cells for heart muscle regeneration can address coronary artery disease; and nerve regeneration technologies can be used to treat stroke. This course describes strategies of tissue engineering and focuses on the diseases tissue engineering can address. Each lecture identifies a specific disease (coronary artery disease, stroke, diabetes) and describes tissue-engineered scaffolds that can alleviate the disease. Students learn the underlying pathology of the disease, understand the latest advances in tissue engineering for treating the disease, and discuss prospective research areas for novel biomaterials to modify the disease process. In addition, students gain an appreciation of clinical trials of tissue-engineered scaffolds, as well as commercialization of tissue engineering. Students may not take both BIOT E-132 and ENSC E-132 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOT E-160
Building a Life Science Start-Up
Craig Masse PhD, Senior Vice President of Discovery Research, Ajax Therapeutics
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17394 | Section 1
Description
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to apply basic biology and chemistry concepts to the applied field of biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals, preparing them to pursue professional-level careers in the life science industry or become a start-up founder. This course offers a comprehensive examination of various drug modalities with a focus on small molecule drug development. The course reviews key factors that are involved in choosing a target of interest, as well as detail the process of early-stage discovery work within a virtual contract research organization (CRO) environment. Case studies are utilized to illustrate the target selection and early-stage discovery workflows including in-silico/artificial intelligence (AI) methods. The course also includes sections on raising capital for a new biopharmaceutical company, intellectual property filings, and the early stages of clinical development to establish proof of concept for a new drug.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-12.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOT E-200
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biotechnology
Margaret A. Lynch PhD, Director of Undergraduate-Faculty Research Partnerships, Brandeis University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13645 | Section 1
Description
In this proseminar, we focus on science writing, data interpretation, and collaborative and independent experimental design. Students who successfully complete the course are those who demonstrate an ability to assess information from the primary scientific literature, a command of oral and written communication skills, and the ability to generate a logical progression of experiments to help validate or nullify their hypothesis. Reading materials include publications on scientific writing, experimental design, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the capstone. This is the required admission course for the ALM in biotechnology. Students interested in the ALM in biology should enroll in BIOS E-200.
Prerequisites: Students without a background in life sciences should successfully complete BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax, and BIOS E-12 or their equivalents before attempting to take BIOT E-200. EXPO E-42c is strongly recommended. Students must earn a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
BIOT E-200
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biotechnology
Elizabeth Wiltrout Leary PhD, Program Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts Medical Center
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23457 | Section 1
Description
In this proseminar, we focus on science writing, data interpretation, and collaborative and independent experimental design. Students who successfully complete the course are those who demonstrate an ability to assess information from the primary scientific literature, a command of oral and written communication skills, and the ability to generate a logical progression of experiments to help validate or nullify their hypothesis. Reading materials include publications on scientific writing, experimental design, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the capstone. This is the required admission course for the ALM in biotechnology. Students interested in the ALM in biology should enroll in BIOS E-200.
Prerequisites: Students without a background in life sciences should successfully complete BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax, and BIOS E-12 or their equivalents before attempting to take BIOT E-200. EXPO E-42c is strongly recommended. Students must earn a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
BIOT E-220
Regulatory Aspects of Drug Development
Jonathon Parker PhD, Vice President, Head of Regulatory Neurology, Ultragenyx
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25749 | Section 1
Description
The course provides an overview of the prescription drug development process and regulatory considerations for this process, including small molecules, biologics, and gene therapy. It focuses on the phases of pharmaceutical development, aspects influencing the pharmaceutical industry, and the regulatory themes and health-care concepts that shape the decisions having an impact on the entire process.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 37 students
BIOT E-225
Biomedical Product Development
Sujata K. Bhatia PhD, MD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15756 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the design and development of new therapeutic products. Students learn through case-based studies of product development for pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, and combination therapies. The course describes the steps of biomedical product development, from conceptualization, to design, to manufacturing, to regulatory approval and commercialization. The course discusses both technical and business factors that contribute to the success or failure of new biomedical products. Appropriate design of preclinical and clinical trials is also included. Students gain an appreciation for emerging technologies in stem cells, gene therapy, tissue regeneration, personalized medicine, and targeted therapies. Additionally, students learn about the special challenges presented by emerging biomedical technologies. By the end of the course, each student completes a project to propose a new biomedical device and identify the regulatory strategy, technical milestones, and business milestones for the new device.
Prerequisites: Background in introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
BIOT E-227
Immunoassay Design and Development
Masha Fridkis-Hareli PhD, President, ATR, LLC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26756 | Section 1
Description
This introductory course explores assays commonly used in drug discovery and development. Immunoassays are key in characterization of drug candidates for efficacy and safety prior to market authorization. The overall goal of the course is to provide students with knowledge of different types of immunoassays including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), flow cytometry, and cell-based assays. Topics include design and optimization process, reagent selection, assay validation, and implementation for various applications in drug profiling.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOT E-240
Case Studies in Biotechnology
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Beth Zielinski-Habershaw PhD, Professional Training Coordinator, MassBioEd Foundation
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17402 | Section 1
Description
This discussion-based course explores the intersection of biology and business through real-world and hypothetical case studies in biotechnology. Students analyze cases that focus on scientific advances with implications across a range of industries including health care, agriculture, and environmental sustainability, as well as business cases that address the challenge of creating and capturing value through biotechnology. By engaging in discussions with their peers in real time, students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills and consider the complex interplay of ethics, regulation, technology, and markets. By combining discussion of scientific principles and business strategy, this course equips students to navigate the complexities of the biotechnology landscape and prepares them for future challenges in the field.
Prerequisites: Students should have completed or be currently enrolled in BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOT E-260
The Genetown-Harvard Experience
Steven Denkin PhD, Director and Research Advisor, Biotechnology, Harvard Extension School
Nicolas Labovitis ALM, Chief Executive Officer, Ibex Finance, LLC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26776 | Section 1
Description
Come to Harvard University for a one-week experience where students engage with industry leaders during visits to local incubators, accelerators, and companies, as well as academic research departments and institutions. The course focuses on the following questions: how did Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA, evolve from a salt marsh to become the epicenter of the biotechnology world? Why is Genetown a thriving hotbed for innovation and drug development? And where is the next Kendall Square?
Prerequisites: Students must have earned a B or higher grade in BIOT E-100 and either BIOS E-200 or BIOT E-200 in order to enroll in this course.
Class Meetings:
See course description
Monday, Wednesday, January 5-7, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, January 12-15, 10:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Wednesday, January 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Week one: Monday and Wednesday, 5:10-7:10 pm, via live attendance web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Week two: Monday-Thursday, 10 am-5 pm, on campus.
Week three: Wednesday, 5:10-7:10 pm, via live attendance web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
BIOT E-597
Precapstone: Business Ideas and Entrepreneurial Innovation
Steven Denkin PhD, Director and Research Advisor, Biotechnology, Harvard Extension School
Nicolas Labovitis ALM, Chief Executive Officer, Ibex Finance, LLC
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16815 | Section 1
Description
This precapstone course prepares students to write and present their business plan in the capstone. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, biotechnology, who wish to register for BIOT E-599 in the spring. Through idea discovery, market research, and prototype development, students identify an innovative biotechnology product or application. In addition to idea generation and development, students receive guidance and advising to work effectively in teams to develop and propose a viable idea and outline a business plan. During the semester, students meet with industry experts to discuss best practices.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, biotechnology, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, BIOT E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
BIOT E-599
Capstone: Business Ideas and Entrepreneurial Innovation
Steven Denkin PhD, Director and Research Advisor, Biotechnology, Harvard Extension School
Beth Zielinski-Habershaw PhD, Professional Training Coordinator, MassBioEd Foundation
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25061 | Section 1
Description
This capstone course provides an opportunity for biotechnology professionals to create a business plan for a new biotechnology company, a ground-breaking drug, or an emerging technology such as a diagnostic or medical device. The biotech business plan includes background research on the idea and investigation of the following: market opportunity, market strategy, funding, intellectual property, patents, and management. In addition to the business plan report, each student writes their own executive summary. During the semester, students meet with industry experts to discuss best practices.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, biotechnology, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must have earned a B-minus or higher grade in BIOT E-597 in the prior fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
CELT E-116
Irish Religious Folklore: A Woven Tradition
Kate Chadbourne PhD, Affiliate of the Department of Celtic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17356 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the vibrant folklore of Irish religious life, belief, and practice. Sources range from tales found in the earliest Irish manuscripts to nineteenth- and twentieth-century hagiographical folklore and contemporary memorates. Topics include saints; calendar customs including patterns and pilgrimages; holy wells, chapels, churches, and holy places; notions of heaven, hell, and divine justice; priests and nuns; and sacred language, including blessings and curses. We read and listen to narratives, songs, first-hand accounts, proverbs, and place lore, and we explore a range of sources that demonstrate the woven nature of Irish religious folklore which incorporates official stance with deeply personal experiences, perspectives, and beliefs.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CGRK E-1a
Beginning Ancient Greek
Nadav Asraf PhD, Preceptor in Classics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16868 | Section 1
Description
This course is the first of a four-part sequence intended to introduce the student to the language and world of classical Greece. The main goal of the course is to provide the student with a comprehensive introduction to the classical Greek language. Students develop a foundational understanding of morphology and syntax while reading texts inspired by or adapted from authors such as Aristophanes, Demosthenes, Herodotus, and Plato. Grammatical concepts covered include the declension of nouns and adjectives; pronouns (demonstrative, indefinite, and interrogative); the function of the cases; the conjugation of verbs in the present, imperfect, and future indicative; and the present participle. In addition, this course provides an introduction to ancient Greek literature and culture.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
CGRK E-1b
Beginning Ancient Greek
Nadav Asraf PhD, Preceptor in Classics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26493 | Section 1
Description
This course is the second of a four-part sequence intended to introduce the student to the language and world of classical Greece. The main goal of the course is to provide the student with a comprehensive introduction to the classical Greek language. Students improve their understanding of morphology and syntax while reading texts inspired by or adapted from authors such as Aristophanes, Demosthenes, Herodotus, and Plato. Grammatical concepts covered include the conjugation of verbs in the aorist indicative; the aorist participle; the conjugation of verbs in the present and aorist optative (active and middle voices); the potential optative; comparative and superlative adjectives; relative clauses; particles; indirect statements; and the principal parts of common verbs. In addition, this course provides an introduction to ancient Greek literature and culture.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-1a or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
CGRK E-2a
Intermediate Classical Greek I
Nadav Asraf PhD, Preceptor in Classics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16869 | Section 1
Description
This course is the third of a four-part sequence intended to introduce the student to the language and world of classical Greece. The main goal of the course is to provide the student with a comprehensive introduction to the classical Greek language. Students improve their understanding of morphology and syntax while reading texts inspired by or adapted from authors such as Aristophanes, Demosthenes, Herodotus, and Plato. Grammatical topics covered include the perfect tense, the conjugation of verbs in the passive voice, the conjugation of athematic verbs, the genitive absolute, indirect statements, conditional clauses, clauses of effort, the subjunctive mood, articular infinitives, and indefinite constructions. In addition, this course provides an introduction to ancient Greek literature and culture.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-1b or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
CGRK E-2b
Intermediate Classical Greek II
Nadav Asraf PhD, Preceptor in Classics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26494 | Section 1
Description
This course is the fourth of a four-part sequence intended to introduce the student to the language and world of classical Greece. The main goal of the course is to provide the student with a comprehensive introduction to the classical Greek language. Students improve their understanding of morphology and syntax while reading texts inspired by or adapted from authors such as Aristophanes, Demosthenes, Herodotus, Homer, and Plato. Grammatical topics covered include the conjugation of verbs in the pluperfect and future-perfect indicative (active, middle, and passive voices); the conjugation of athematic verbs; fear clauses; purpose clauses; result clauses; subordinate clauses in secondary sequence; deliberative and hortatory subjunctives; correlatives; and the dialects and syntax of Herodotus and Homer. In addition, this course provides an introduction to ancient Greek literature and culture. At the end of this sequence students are able to read original texts in ancient Greek, either in an academic setting or on their own.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-2a or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
CGRK E-33
Homer’s Iliad
Jeremy Rau PhD, Professor of Linguistics and of the Classics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17412 | Section 1
Description
Reading of selections of Homer’s Iliad, with an introduction to Homeric language and meter and the history of the poem. The course also includes a survey of Homeric linguistics, including the compositional background of the poems, the effect of meter and composition on Homeric language, and the dialect makeup of Homeric language.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-1a or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
CGRK E-37
Ancient Greek Comedy: Aristophanes
Jeremy Rau PhD, Professor of Linguistics and of the Classics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27068 | Section 1
Description
This course is intended to provide a thorough introduction to ancient Greek comedy through Aristophanes’ The Frogs for students who have completed at least two semesters of Greek. During the course, students read The Frogs in its entirety. Topics covered include Aristophanes’ language and meter and the historical and cultural background of Greek comedy. The course is paced for a gradual increase in reading per week, culminating at roughly 200 lines a week. Over the course of the semester, students become proficient in reading Aristophanes and gain an understanding of the history, historical context, and language and meter of Greek comedy.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-1a and CGRK E-1b or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
CHEM E-17lab
Principles of Organic Chemistry: Laboratory
David Rose BA, Undergraduate Chemistry Lab Coordinator, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17398 | Section 1
Description
This hands-on experimental laboratory course is intended to complement CHEM E-17 or CHEM E-17x. Practical applications of the reactions learned in a lecture such as those of carbonyls, amines, and aromatic compounds are expanded upon in the laboratory. A broad range of foundational organic chemistry techniques are emphasized, including acid-base extraction, recrystallization, spectroscopy, and chromatography.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or CHEM E-17x, or equivalent (prior or concurrent). Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in CHEM E-17 or CHEM E-17x should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-10:00pm, Science Center 216
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 48 students
CHEM E-17lab
Principles of Organic Chemistry: Laboratory
David Rose BA, Undergraduate Chemistry Lab Coordinator, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17393 | Section 2
Description
This hands-on experimental laboratory course is intended to complement CHEM E-17 or CHEM E-17x. Practical applications of the reactions learned in a lecture such as those of carbonyls, amines, and aromatic compounds are expanded upon in the laboratory. A broad range of foundational organic chemistry techniques are emphasized, including acid-base extraction, recrystallization, spectroscopy, and chromatography.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or CHEM E-17x, or equivalent (prior or concurrent). Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in CHEM E-17 or CHEM E-17x should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Saturdays, September 6-December 20, 9:00am-1:00pm, Science Center 216
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 32 students
CHEM E-17x
Principles of Organic Chemistry
Sirinya Matchacheep PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16992 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to organic chemistry with an emphasis on structure and bonding, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, and chemical reactivity. Many of the major classes of organic compounds are covered, including alkenes, alkyl halides, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acid derivatives. Students who succeed in this course are well prepared for more advanced organic chemistry courses as well as the MCAT/DAT/GRE exams. This course does not include a lab.
Prerequisites: One year of general chemistry, such as CHEM E-1ax and CHEM E-1bx, with grades of B-minus or higher.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center D
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-17X, and in CHEM E-17L may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
CHEM E-17x
Principles of Organic Chemistry
Sirinya Matchacheep PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16991 | Section 2
Description
This course is an introduction to organic chemistry with an emphasis on structure and bonding, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, and chemical reactivity. Many of the major classes of organic compounds are covered, including alkenes, alkyl halides, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acid derivatives. Students who succeed in this course are well prepared for more advanced organic chemistry courses as well as the MCAT/DAT/GRE exams. This course does not include a lab.
Prerequisites: One year of general chemistry, such as CHEM E-1ax and CHEM E-1bx, with grades of B-minus or higher.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-17X, and in CHEM E-17L may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
CHEM E-1ax
General Chemistry I (Lecture)
Gregg Tucci PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17039 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to the structure and properties of atoms and molecules; chemical reactions and stoichiometry; quantum mechanics of light and particles, including the quantum structure of the periodic table; chemical bonding and photochemistry; coordination chemistry; properties of gases, liquids, and solutions; energy relationships in chemistry; and thermochemistry. See CHEM E-1axl for the lab course.
Prerequisites: Mathematics through high school algebra; considerable fluency in elementary mathematics. Previous study of chemistry is not required but is extremely helpful. Students with no previous background in chemistry should become acquainted with the material beforehand and be prepared to make extra efforts. A review of elementary algebra, particularly word problems, is highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center A
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AX, and CHEM E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course(s).
Enrollment limit: Limited to 340 students
CHEM E-1ax
General Chemistry I (Lecture)
Gregg Tucci PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14578 | Section 2
Description
This course is an introduction to the structure and properties of atoms and molecules; chemical reactions and stoichiometry; quantum mechanics of light and particles, including the quantum structure of the periodic table; chemical bonding and photochemistry; coordination chemistry; properties of gases, liquids, and solutions; energy relationships in chemistry; and thermochemistry. See CHEM E-1axl for the lab course.
Prerequisites: Mathematics through high school algebra; considerable fluency in elementary mathematics. Previous study of chemistry is not required but is extremely helpful. Students with no previous background in chemistry should become acquainted with the material beforehand and be prepared to make extra efforts. A review of elementary algebra, particularly word problems, is highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AX, and CHEM E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course(s).
Enrollment limit: Limited to 340 students
CHEM E-1axl
General Chemistry I (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14587 | Section 1
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in CHEM E-1ax or have previously taken CHEM E-1ax and earned a C-minus or higher grade. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in one semester of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:30pm-9:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AXL, and in CHEM E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 32 students
CHEM E-1axl
General Chemistry I (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17064 | Section 2
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in CHEM E-1ax or have previously taken CHEM E-1ax and earned a C-minus or higher grade. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in one semester of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 10:30am-12:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AXL, and in CHEM E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 17 students
CHEM E-1axl
General Chemistry I (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17065 | Section 3
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in CHEM E-1ax or have previously taken CHEM E-1ax and earned a C-minus or higher grade. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in one semester of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Saturdays, September 6-December 20, 10:30am-12:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AXL, and in CHEM E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 32 students
CHEM E-1axl
General Chemistry I (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16859 | Section 4
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in CHEM E-1ax or have previously taken CHEM E-1ax and earned a C-minus or higher grade. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in one semester of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, September 6-December 20, 10:30am-12:45pm
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AXL, and in CHEM E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CHEM E-1bx
General Chemistry II (Lecture)
Gregg Tucci PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26676 | Section 1
Description
This course is a continuation of CHEM E-1ax. Topics include thermodynamics and electrochemistry; rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions; phase transitions, structure, and bonding in solids; acids and bases; buffers and titrations; and environmental chemistry. See CHEM E-1bxl for the lab course.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-1ax with a grade of C or higher, or the equivalent. Students interested in taking CHEM E-1bx without having taken CHEM E-1ax should e-mail the instructors with a detailed syllabus and grade report from their previous general chemistry course.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center C
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BX, and in CHEM E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions online, they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 340 students
CHEM E-1bx
General Chemistry II (Lecture)
Gregg Tucci PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24285 | Section 2
Description
This course is a continuation of CHEM E-1ax. Topics include thermodynamics and electrochemistry; rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions; phase transitions, structure, and bonding in solids; acids and bases; buffers and titrations; and environmental chemistry. See CHEM E-1bxl for the lab course.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-1ax with a grade of C or higher, or the equivalent. Students interested in taking CHEM E-1bx without having taken CHEM E-1ax should e-mail the instructors with a detailed syllabus and grade report from their previous general chemistry course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BX, and in CHEM E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions online, they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
CHEM E-1bxl
General Chemistry II (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24307 | Section 1
Description
This laboratory course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1bx in a laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in two semesters of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:30pm-9:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BXL, and CHEM E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 33 students
CHEM E-1bxl
General Chemistry II (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26701 | Section 2
Description
This laboratory course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1bx in a laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in two semesters of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 10:30am-12:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BXL, and CHEM E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 17 students
CHEM E-1bxl
General Chemistry II (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26702 | Section 3
Description
This laboratory course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1bx in a laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in two semesters of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 10:30am-12:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BXL, and CHEM E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 32 students
CHEM E-1bxl
General Chemistry II (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26483 | Section 4
Description
This laboratory course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1bx in a laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in two semesters of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 10:30am-12:45pm
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BXL, and CHEM E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CHEM E-27lab
Organic Chemistry of Life: Laboratory
David Rose BA, Undergraduate Chemistry Lab Coordinator, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27048 | Section 1
Description
This experimental laboratory course is intended to complement CHEM E-27 (offered previously) and CHEM E-27x. Practical applications of the concepts learned in lecture, such as chirality, enzyme catalysis, and pharmacology, are expanded upon in the laboratory. Emphasis is place on the intersectionality of chemistry, biology, medicine, and the environment.
Prerequisites: Students must have taken one semester of organic chemistry lecture and one semester of organic chemistry laboratory. CHEM E-17lab is recommended. If organic chemistry laboratory was taken at a different institution, students should contact the instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-10:00pm, Science Center 216
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course and sections of CHEM E-17lab may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or lab sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
CHEM E-27lab
Organic Chemistry of Life: Laboratory
David Rose BA, Undergraduate Chemistry Lab Coordinator, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27044 | Section 2
Description
This experimental laboratory course is intended to complement CHEM E-27 (offered previously) and CHEM E-27x. Practical applications of the concepts learned in lecture, such as chirality, enzyme catalysis, and pharmacology, are expanded upon in the laboratory. Emphasis is place on the intersectionality of chemistry, biology, medicine, and the environment.
Prerequisites: Students must have taken one semester of organic chemistry lecture and one semester of organic chemistry laboratory. CHEM E-17lab is recommended. If organic chemistry laboratory was taken at a different institution, students should contact the instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 9:00am-1:00pm, Science Center 216
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course and sections of CHEM E-17lab may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or lab sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CHEM E-27x
Organic Chemistry of Life
Sirinya Matchacheep PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26627 | Section 1
Description
This second-semester organic chemistry course focuses on organic reactions within living systems. Emphasis is placed on the arrow-pushing reaction mechanisms of enzymes and cofactors in several critical biological processes and pathways, as well as in the biosynthesis of natural products. This course does not include a laboratory component.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or equivalent preparation in organic chemistry. Basic knowledge of biology can be helpful.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center D
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course and other sections of CHEM E-27X may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
CHEM E-27x
Organic Chemistry of Life
Sirinya Matchacheep PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26626 | Section 2
Description
This second-semester organic chemistry course focuses on organic reactions within living systems. Emphasis is placed on the arrow-pushing reaction mechanisms of enzymes and cofactors in several critical biological processes and pathways, as well as in the biosynthesis of natural products. This course does not include a laboratory component.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or equivalent preparation in organic chemistry. Basic knowledge of biology can be helpful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course and other sections of CHEM E-27X may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
CLAS E-116
The Ancient Greek Hero
Gregory Nagy PhD, Francis Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Keith DeStone PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24099 | Section 1
Description
What does it mean to be human? This course takes a close look at the human condition as viewed through the lens of classical Greek civilization; the basic organizing principle is an objective study of a model of humanity, the hero. Students learn that there are different definitions of the hero in different historical times and places. In the end, though, the one true hero of this course is the logos or word of logical reasoning, as activated by Socratic dialogue. The logos of dialogue in this course requires careful thinking, realized in close reading and reflective writing. The last word about this logos comes from Plato’s memories of words spoken in dialogue by Socrates during the last days of his life, which is read towards the very end of the course. Such a last word, shaped by a deep understanding of the idea of the hero in all its varieties throughout the history of Greek civilization, becomes the latest word for students who earnestly engage in dialogue, by way of writing as well as reading, with heroic expressions of the human condition. This course is driven by a sequence of dialogues that lead to such an engagement, guiding the attentive reader through many of the major works of the ancient Greek classics. In this course, all readings (which are freely available via the course website) are translated into contemporary English and supplemented by selections from the ancient visual arts.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the HarvardX course The Ancient Greek Hero.
CREA E-100r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Short Story
Jessica Shattuck MFA, Author
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17425 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop in the craft of writing short fiction for students who have read widely among past and contemporary masters of short fiction and who are accomplished in the elements of prose composition (mechanics, syntax, and structure). Students are expected to produce two new short stories (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: A beginning or intermediate fiction writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-100r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Short Story
Lindsay Mitchell MFA, Senior Editor, Harvard Magazine
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17363 | Section 2
Description
This is an intensive workshop in the craft of writing short fiction for students who have read widely among past and contemporary masters of short fiction and who are accomplished in the elements of prose composition (mechanics, syntax, and structure). Students are expected to produce two new short stories (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: A beginning or intermediate fiction writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, September 6-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-100r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Short Story
Lindsay Mitchell MFA, Senior Editor, Harvard Magazine
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26780 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop in the craft of writing short fiction for students who have read widely among past and contemporary masters of short fiction and who are accomplished in the elements of prose composition (mechanics, syntax, and structure). Students are expected to produce two new short stories (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: A beginning or intermediate fiction writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-100r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Short Story
Lindsay Mitchell MFA, Senior Editor, Harvard Magazine
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27110 | Section 2
Description
This is an intensive workshop in the craft of writing short fiction for students who have read widely among past and contemporary masters of short fiction and who are accomplished in the elements of prose composition (mechanics, syntax, and structure). Students are expected to produce two new short stories (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: A beginning or intermediate fiction writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Sundays, February 1-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-101r
Writing a Nonfiction Book
Christina Thompson PhD, Editor, Harvard Review, Harvard College Library
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16305 | Section 1
Description
This is a course for people who are embarked on a book-length work of nonfiction: biographers, memoirists, historians, journalists, science writers, and others who are writing for a non-specialist audience. Students should have a clearly formulated book idea or, ideally, be already working on a project. In the course we talk about voice, structure, audience, and how to pitch projects to agents and publishers. We also read samples from a wide variety of nonfiction books.
Prerequisites: At least one creative writing class; preferably beginning or advanced narrative (or creative) nonfiction.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-101r
Writing a Nonfiction Book
Christina Thompson PhD, Editor, Harvard Review, Harvard College Library
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25084 | Section 1
Description
This is a course for people who are embarked on a book-length work of nonfiction: biographers, memoirists, historians, journalists, science writers, and others who are writing for a non-specialist audience. Students should have a clearly formulated book idea or, ideally, be already working on a project. In the course we talk about voice, structure, audience, and how to pitch projects to agents and publishers. We also read samples from a wide variety of nonfiction books.
Prerequisites: At least one creative writing class; preferably beginning or advanced narrative (or creative) nonfiction.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17127 | Section 1
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16475 | Section 2
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, October 27-December 20, 9:00am-11:15am
Term Start Date: October 27, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27060 | Section 1
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Chris Mooney MA, Author
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26949 | Section 2
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Steve Almond MA, Visiting Writer, Wesleyan University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26761 | Section 3
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-114
Advanced Fiction: Writing Suspense Fiction
Chris Mooney MA, Author
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16783 | Section 1
Description
Learn how techniques used in suspense fiction structure, pace, tension, and plot can be applied to your own writing. In addition to studying the bestselling works of both commercial and literary writers of suspense, students complete weekly writing assignments and participate in writing workshops.
Prerequisites: An introductory and/or intermediate fiction course or permission of the instructor. Students should bring to class either a work in progress or an idea for a novel or short story.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-118r
Advanced Creative Nonfiction
Kurt Pitzer MFA, Author
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17075 | Section 1
Description
This is a writing workshop in which students focus on producing creative nonfiction worthy of publication. What is creative nonfiction? The best definition is simply: true stories, well told. The term encompasses a variety of forms: narrative nonfiction, literary journalism, memoir, personal essay, and the cousin of poetry often referred to as lyrical nonfiction. Students are encouraged to experiment with forms and styles that are new to them. This course follows a workshop format. The instruction students get is in highly detailed feedback, both verbal and written, in response to submitted work. The instructor leads the discussion and offers pointers on topics such as structure and voice. We adhere to a strict standard of using only material that is true. With this understanding, we borrow tools of fiction: techniques of voice, character development, plot, scene, and dialogue. The course is appropriate for fiction and nonfiction writers, poets, journalists, and students of these disciplines who are keen to improve their craft.
Prerequisites: An introductory writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-120r
Advanced Screenwriting
Wayne Wilson MFA, Screenwriter
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16668 | Section 1
Description
In this advanced screenwriting workshop, students watch films and episodic television excerpts and discuss the work of workshop members. During the course, students present two 20- to 30-page acts from their screenplays for class discussion. The final project is a revision of one of these two workshop submissions.
Prerequisites: CREA E-45 or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Students should e-mail a sample of their own screenwriting (ten pages or fewer) to Mr. Wilson before the first class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-121
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel
Mary Sullivan Walsh BA, Author and Freelance Editor
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15776 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop for writers interested in developing a middle grade or young adult novel. During each class meeting, we workshop chapters of students’ novels-in-progress, focusing on elements of craft (character, point of view, dialogue, and plot). In addition, by reading and analyzing sections of work by such exemplary novelists as Angie Thomas, Lois Lowry, and Kwame Alexander, students learn to read like writers and to develop their own voices. Students are expected to have completed approximately 40 pages and a working synopsis of their novel by the end of the course.
Prerequisites: A ten-page writing sample to be submitted to mlswalsh@g.harvard.edu before classes begin.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-121
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel
Mary Sullivan Walsh BA, Author and Freelance Editor
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25946 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop for writers interested in developing a middle grade or young adult novel. During each class meeting, we workshop chapters of students’ novels-in-progress, focusing on elements of craft (character, point of view, dialogue, and plot). In addition, by reading and analyzing sections of work by such exemplary novelists as Angie Thomas, Lois Lowry, and Kwame Alexander, students learn to read like writers and to develop their own voices. Students are expected to have completed approximately 40 pages and a working synopsis of their novel by the end of the course.
Prerequisites: A ten-page writing sample to be submitted to mlswalsh@g.harvard.edu before classes begin.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-122
Advanced Fiction: Writing Fairy Tales
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26745 | Section 1
Description
Fairy tales have inspired authors for centuries and we are still very much under their spell. In the first part of this course, we study classic as well as contemporary fairy tales, including works by Helen Oyeyemi, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, and Kelly Link. In the second part, students workshop their own original prose fiction fairy tale, which may be a piece of short-form fiction or an excerpt from a longer work in progress. Throughout, we explore how fairy tales have encouraged authors to develop their own style and voice, even as they seem to speak in a language all their own.
Prerequisites: A beginning creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-124
Writing for TV
Bryan Delaney MA, Playwright and Screenwriter
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27067 | Section 1
Description
The course covers the most important aspects of the art and craft of dramatic writing for television. Topics covered include the key elements of a TV show, an overview of the current TV landscape, how to create a show (including how to write a pitch bible and pilot episode), dramatic structure, characterization, dialogue and descriptions, in-class workshops of the students’ pilot drafts, and working on staff, collaboration, and the writers room. We also discuss the business side of TV writing, such as breaking into the business, selling a script, and working with agents, managers, producers, and directors. As the main goal of the course, each student creates a new TV show. They undertake to write two drafts of the first 15 pages of the pilot episode for their show (30 pages total), plus a story outline for the rest of the pilot episode. The TV shows we study and discuss in the course cover a range of genres hour long drama, half-hour comedy, and comedy/drama hybrids.
Prerequisites: Students should come to class with an idea for a TV series that they would like to write (drama or comedy).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-126
Advanced Fiction: Writing Horror
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17076 | Section 1
Description
How do authors achieve the spine-tingling, bone-chilling, nightmare-inducing effects of great horror fiction? In addition to studying works of classic and contemporary horror, students in this course complete two works of short fiction before workshopping and presenting a final work. Throughout, we consider the diversity of the genre, from the gothic romanticism of Bram Stoker and Nathaniel Hawthorne to the paranoiac parables of Shirley Jackson and Ira Levin as well as the blockbuster works of Stephen King. We also pay considerable attention to emerging voices in the genre, studying selected works from Tananarive Due, Paul Tremblay, Carmen Maria Machado, Otessa Moshfegh, Emily Carroll, and Iain Reed. For final works, students are invited to workshop standalone works of short form fiction or selections from larger projects (novels, anthologies, scripts) provided these works are developed and drafted during the course.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-128
Advanced Memoir: Mythic Structures
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26042 | Section 1
Description
Both myth and memoir share a structure: somebody goes into the woods and comes out wiser about the ways of the world, emerging with an elixir (real or symbolic) to bring healing and hope. In sharing a memoir with readers, we share our lessons, the morals of our stories, the keys to our versions of happily ever after. Yet memoir writers often get stuck choosing which stories (from all of the stories we have lived) to include. In this course, we study myths and fairy tales, and write memoirs. We read short memoirs by writers who use these imaginary stories as a framework to examine their own lives, including Linda Grey Sexton, Sabrina Mark, Alexander Chee, and Michael Mejia. Students borrow structure from the great pool of myth and fairy tale lore and then fill in their stories with the particulars of their human-sized lives. Using mythic structure to help shape ordinary life events helps writers to combine universal themes with their own true voice: a way to write our lives and make it matter. Students must craft new material for this course or develop new material for an existing project, such as a chapter in a longer memoir.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 26-March 14, 9:00am-11:30am
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-130
Advanced Poetry: Learning from Poets
Jodi Johnson PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27050 | Section 1
Description
This is a course for advanced creative writers in all genres who wish to develop their voices by studying the work of such poets as Seamus Heaney, Robert Lowell, Terrance Hayes, and Elizabeth Bishop, writers widely held to be masters of sonics, line quality, phrasing, description, and invention. We also read Helen Vendler’s Coming of Age as a Poet, a book that traces the development of several poets working in the direction of their first mature poem. With weekly critical and poetic readings, as well as writing assignments and a final portfolio of poetry and other creative work, this course shows students how to develop their voices as they immerse themselves in the work of some of the greatest guides in the history of the art.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-131
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novella
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Associate of the Department of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26969 | Section 1
Description
Before the novel was the novella. In length, the form offers what Edgar Allan Poe defines as the ideal duration of literary art it can be read in a single sitting and, in unity of effect, what Ian McEwan has called the perfect form of prose fiction. With a long literary history, the novella remains today a popular genre in literary publishing. This course offers students the chance to study and practice the art of the novella. We read masterful examples of the form and discuss texts with the eye of a writer attentive to elements of craft: dramatic structure, tone, point of view, suspense, prose style, rhythm, characterization, and plotting. Students draft and workshop two sections of their own novella. The writers’ workshop is at the heart of what we do, as we gather twice weekly to critique work-in-progress. Working in this genre pushes students to write with economy and to polish their sentences as they aspire towards the virtues of excellent prose fiction: precision, economy, clarity, and urgency. The course concludes with a conversation about publishing possibilities for novella writers.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-141
Advanced TV Writing: Comedy Sketch Writing
Hugh Fink BFA, Writer and Producer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27014 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students develop comedy sketch-writing skills by studying the work of masters of the genre and by drafting and revising the components of a professional submission packet: evergreen topical jokes, fake commercials, conceptual pieces, and original comedic characters. We analyze the comedic structure and use of escalation in classic sketch templates (television and film parodies, political satire, and digital shorts), as well as sketches written for iconic productions, including Saturday Night Live, Key and Peele, and The Chappelle Show. In workshop, students experience the professional pitching and rewriting process as they refine their comedic voice. Students also have the opportunity to visit and study in the television comedy capital, Hollywood, where they meet with professional distinguished comedy writers, participate in a writing workshop, and attend the taping of a current comedy television series, schedule permitting.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Friday, May 8, 9:00pm-11:59pm
Saturday, May 9, 12:00pm-8:00pm
Sunday, May 10, 12:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency in Los Angeles, California. Please see syllabus for details about the weekend meeting locations. Students must be present for the entire weekend session in Los Angeles, California to earn credit for the course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the weekend session. Note that students will also be responsible for paying for tickets for additional scheduled events (for example, a studio tour or a visit to a comedy club); see syllabus for details. International Students see important visa information.
All meeting times listed in Eastern time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-143
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Murder Mystery Novel
David Justin Freed ALM, Novelist, Screenwriter, and Journalist
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27029 | Section 1
Description
Murder mysteries have become among the most popular realms of commercial fiction, with an insatiable demand for new titles each year among the millions of the genre’s loyal devotees. This course guides students in conceiving their own murder mystery, from plot outline to the execution of a commercially viable first chapter.
Prerequisites: At least one advanced writing course, or by prior permission from the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-146
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Literary Underworld
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26758 | Section 1
Description
In many works of literature and film, the hero or heroine must leave the ordinary world and descend to an underworld, a place tied up with our most essential beliefs about culture and psychology. In this underworld, the protagonist must face mortality and gain knowledge to bring back to the world of the living. In this course, we explore underworlds in prose, poetry, and film, possibly including but not limited to Karen Russell’s Swamplandia!, Grace Dane Mazur’s Garden Party, Katherine May’s Wintering, Homer’s Odyssey, Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, and Disney’s Coco. Drawing upon the great literary pool of underworld traditions, students write their own stories about descents (both literal and metaphorical), creatively depicting the other world, the risks faced, and the knowledge gained. Students produce a complete short story, a chapter of a new work, or a new chapter for a work in progress.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 9:00am-12:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-151
Advanced Creative Nonfiction: The Narrative Voice
Kurt Pitzer MFA, Author
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26760 | Section 1
Description
A strong narrative voice is essential to all compelling creative writing. This workshop, which focuses sharply on point of view, is for memoirists, essayists, and writers of creative nonfiction who wish to develop their own distinct narrative voices. Students are encouraged to experiment with narrative styles outside of their custom, and to use humor, digression, and other techniques to hook readers and editors. As we review each other’s work, we discuss how the selection of detail is an expression of the narrator’s psychology. What’s driving the telling of the story? What are the hidden narrative motivations that are keys to its theme? We draw inspiration from creative nonfiction masters such as Virginia Woolf, Lia Purpura, Katherine Boo, Charles D’Ambrosio, Brent Staples, and Joan Didion.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-152
Advanced Fiction: Fact to Fiction
David Justin Freed ALM, Novelist, Screenwriter, and Journalist
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17112 | Section 1
Description
From exercising a keen eye for detail to crafting clean, succinct prose, the skills required of a professional journalist can prove invaluable in writing fiction. This highly participatory course explores how learning to think like a news reporter, doggedly pursuing facts and truth, can help achieve authenticity and credibility when constructing creative short stories. Students write and hone their own short stories while studying the work of journalists whose news careers provided the foundation necessary to produce memorable, critically acclaimed fiction.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-156
The Art of the Pitch
Catherine Eaton MFA, Director and Writer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16929 | Section 1
Description
You have an idea or you have created a brilliant piece of work: a novel, a screenplay, a concept for a TV series, maybe even a scripted nonfiction podcast. Now what? How do you convince others to jump on board to buy or create or collaborate or publish or produce your story? How do you move it out of your desk drawer or hard drive or imagination and into the world? In this course, we break down the making of a pitch into its core elements generating the idea, developing the story, and stress-testing the material as we practice strategies for producing pitch materials and for pitching your project, in the room, to a live audience. Students write and revise two treatments: one for a work they have created and one for an idea they have yet to develop. Students build one look book and one pitch deck and do three live pitches. Students develop an insider’s perspective on industry practices and etiquette, essential knowledge for anyone interested in the business of creation.
Prerequisites: An advanced creative writing course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-157
Advanced Creative Writing: Learning from Nature Writers
David Barber MFA, Author
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17390 | Section 1
Description
This intensive workshop for serious writers of all stripes is designed as a running investigation into what good nature writing can teach us about good writing, full stop. For our purposes, nature writing is broadly defined as a cross-disciplinary field covering an eclectic range of literary texts and practices, with touchstone examples drawn from a core sample of distinctive voices past and present. We read work across various genres and periods (prose and poetry, essays and memoirs, natural history and ecology, science writing and environmental reportage, and journals and field guides) by a host of American and British authors (including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, Mary Austin, Rachel Carson, Barry Lopez, Wendell Berry, Gary Snyder, Annie Dillard, Jamaica Kincaid, Leslie Marmon Silko, Joy Williams, Robert Macfarlane, Helen Macdonald, and Elizabeth Kolbert), all with the aim of picking up concrete precepts and advice for crafting language and engaging readers with greater clarity, savvy, and staying power, whatever the subject or occasion. Our focus throughout is on specific strategies and techniques that accomplished nature writers employ as renewable resources for instruction and delight. Students receive guidance in devising a concentrated study plan with selected nature writers through a series of linked course projects: curating individual metaphor ledgers and key-word glossaries, annotating literary texts drawn from the course sourcebook, and earmarking two particular writers from an ample list for closer reading.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-162
Genre Fiction
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26770 | Section 1
Description
What distinguishes the market for genre fiction from other literary markets? How might writers working both within and beyond existing genres learn to think with genre in order to navigate their intended marketplaces or better understand their own work? This course offers the opportunity to apply the framework of genre fiction from traditional genres (for example, mystery, romance, science fiction, or horror) to emerging subgenres and markets (for example, new adult fiction) to an original creative work of fiction, nonfiction, or dramatic writing. During the course, students draft and revise an original creative project of 15 to 20 pages and are invited to workshop either standalone works or selections from larger projects. Projects need not fit cleanly into a single traditional or well-known genre; experimentations with genre are welcome. While curiosity regarding emerging trends in genre and mass-market fiction is encouraged, knowledge of genre theory is not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-163
Advanced Fiction: Experimental Forms in Flash Fiction
Cheryl Christine Pappas MFA, Senior Editor, Harvard Art Museums
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27054 | Section 1
Description
This advanced workshop is for students who want to delve deeper into an aspect of flash fiction by experimenting with unusual structures. We explore the subgenre of flash fiction known as hermit crab flash, which borrows a familiar form of text as a narrative shell, such as a letter, a recipe, a multiple-choice quiz, a list, instructions, or a museum label. Other experimental forms include fairy tale retellings, ekphrasis, and the breathless paragraph and those that borrow techniques from poetry, such as anaphora. Students read and annotate several exemplary works and apply those lessons in their story drafts and revisions. Each week, the reading and writing are based on different forms; we look closely at how each form best serves the story while also focusing on voice, point of view, character, conflict, and rhythm. Throughout the course, we analyze experimental flash fiction by a wide range of writers, including George Saunders, Lydia Davis, Sei Sh nagon, Marisa Crane, Kim Magowan, Jasmine Sawers, Avitus B. Carle, Cora Frazier, and Carmen Maria Machado. Students receive extensive feedback on their work and by the end of the course have written and revised 15-20 pages of prose. Through the deep study and practice of writing in experimental forms of flash fiction, students learn to take risks in their writing and gain a deeper understanding of what constitutes a story, all while maintaining a high standard of polished prose. Though the focus is on flash fiction, the course also appeals to short story writers and novelists who are interested in exploring economy of language and experimental forms in their work. Toward the end of the course, we review opportunities for publication in literary journals and small presses.
Prerequisites: An introductory creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-164
Writing the Episodic Series Television Pilot
Hugh Fink BFA, Writer and Producer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17355 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students dive deep into the craft of writing a compelling television pilot for an episodic series. With focus on structure, character development, and pacing, the course guides students through the essentials of creating an engaging story that sets the foundation for a successful television series. We explore the unique demands of episodic storytelling, including how to establish tone, create cliffhangers, and develop multi-dimensional characters over time. Through analysis of iconic television pilots like Breaking Bad, Modern Family, and Cheers and hands-on writing exercises, students create their own pilot episode. In workshop, students experience hands-on writing assignments, the rewrite process, and pitching ideas as they refine their voice. Students also have the opportunity to visit and study in Hollywood, the television capital, where they meet with distinguished scripted television writers, participate in a writing workshop, and visit the set or offices of a current television production.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Friday, December 5, 9:00pm-11:59pm
Saturday, December 6, 12:00pm-8:00pm
Sunday, December 7, 12:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency in Los Angeles, California. Please see syllabus for details about the weekend meeting locations. Students must be present for the entire weekend session in Los Angeles, California to earn credit for the course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the weekend session. Note that students will also be responsible for paying for tickets for additional scheduled events (for example, a studio tour or a visit to a comedy club); see syllabus for details. nternational Students see important visa information.
All meeting times listed in Eastern time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-22
Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
Margaret Deli PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26257 | Section 1
Description
This is a workshop-based course for students interested in creative nonfiction: reading it, discussing it, and writing it for yourself. Working off the simple premise that good readers make good writers, we read and discuss exemplary work by the likes of Zadie Smith, James Baldwin, and Joan Didion, with the aim of using what we observe in our own writing. This course if for students who love words, are curious about creative nonfiction, and are looking for an excuse to experiment with voice, genre, and style.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-24
Story Development
Shelley Evans MFA, Screenwriter
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24510 | Section 1
Description
This workshop introduces the unique challenges of longform storytelling, and helps writers develop strategies for approaching long projects, either screenplays or novels. Many writers are drawn to the page by character or language or theme, but story is the scaffold on which movies and novels depend. Over the course of the semester, we learn to work creatively with the tasks of story building. We begin with ideas where and how do we find them? What kinds of ideas can carry a story? How can you turn a wobbly idea into one that works? We then consider character who does the story belong to? How do their desires, problems, and drives give the story its essential energy? Then we turn to story development and structure, the primary work of the course: how do you keep an idea alive for two-hundred pages, or two hours? What elements help a story build energy and momentum, and deliver us to a satisfying close? We explore these essential story energies using writing exercises, examples from film and literature, and the shared experience of working writers.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CREA E-25
Introduction to Fiction Writing
William Holinger MA, Director, Secondary School Program, Harvard Summer School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16814 | Section 1
Description
A workshop for writers with little or no experience in writing fiction. The course focuses on elements of fiction including narrative voice, dialogue, character, point of view, description, and structure. Students are asked to read and discuss fiction by major writers, to critique each other’s work, and to write and revise at least one short story. Requirements also include several short writing exercises.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CREA E-25
Introduction to Fiction Writing
Ben Parson MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26783 | Section 1
Description
A workshop for writers with little or no experience in writing fiction. The course focuses on elements of fiction including narrative voice, dialogue, character, point of view, description, and structure. Students are asked to read and discuss fiction by major writers, to critique each other’s work, and to write and revise at least one short story. Requirements also include several short writing exercises.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CREA E-30a
Beginning Poetry: Listening to Lines
David Barber MFA, Author
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27042 | Section 1
Description
This intensive introductory workshop offers students the opportunity to develop their aptitude and affinity for the practice of poetry. Students follow a structured sequence of writing assignments, readings, and exercises aimed at cultivating a sound working knowledge of the fundamental principles of prosody and the evolving possibilities of poetic form. There is a special emphasis on listening to lines and saying poems aloud, in concert with an eclectic assortment of audio archives. Another principal focus is the verse line through time, as we turn for instruction and inspiration to what the critic Paul Fussell calls the “historical dimension” of poetic meter and poetic form. To investigate how these versatile techniques allow us to work and play with the renewable resources of sound and sense, we alternate constructive workshop sessions of student writing with the discussion of exemplary work by master poets of every variety, from Sappho and Horace to Elizabeth Bishop and Seamus Heaney. The collective goal is to create the conditions for reading and writing poems with a stronger sense of technical know-how and expressive conviction as well as a sustaining appreciation for the inexhaustible art of the line.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-45a
Beginning Screenwriting
Susan Steinberg PhD, Filmmaker, Writer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16939 | Section 1
Description
This is a workshop for those who wish to learn the foundations and processes for writing feature-length motion picture screenplays. Adaptations, documentary, and television scripts may be written with the instructor’s permission. Topics covered include concept and theme development, dramatic structure, plot, character arc, dialogue writing, the use of visual language, and writing in format. By the semester’s end, students produce a full feature film treatment and complete act one of their film in script format. Class meetings consist of presentation and discussion of work, writing exercises, brief lectures, film, and script analyses. At the semester’s end, actors do readings of script segments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CREA E-501
Advanced Creative Writing Seminar: A Sense of Place
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Associate of the Department of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26784 | Section 1
Description
How to create a sense of place? This seminar focuses intensively on setting in fiction and nonfiction. To that end, we study how writers evoke place vividly on the page in a range of published works. Students submit 15-20 pages of original fiction or nonfiction to the workshop a short story or novel or memoir excerpt and may draw on a project in progress. There are additional exercises drawn from the techniques studied in class, and students submit a revised portfolio at the end of the semester. Students must be admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM), creative writing and literature to enroll in this course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-502
Advanced Creative Writing Seminar: Point of View
Leah De Forest MFA, Writer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17143 | Section 1
Description
This seminar focuses intensively on point of view in fiction. We examine close third, limited omniscient, omniscient, first person, first-person direct address, and second person point of view (POV) in a range of published works, with an eye to how these techniques work and how and why we might use them on the page. This is an opportunity for students to solidify their knowledge and build new POV skills. Students submit 10-20 pages of original fiction (a short story or novel excerpt; students may draw on a project in progress) for workshop, and there are exercises on the techniques we study. At the end of the semester, students submit a revised version of their short story or novel excerpt and give a class presentation on the use of point of view in their work. Students must be admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM), creative writing and literature to enroll in this course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-59
Intermediate Screenwriting
Susan Steinberg PhD, Filmmaker, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26775 | Section 1
Description
This is a course for fiction film, television, and documentary scripts in which students complete or add significantly to a work-in-progress or start a new script if they wish. In addition to producing a work portfolio and increasing their writers’ skills, the course focus is exploring and developing and students’ writing process and unique voice. The course is designed to enable participants to work on fundamental elements crucial to excellence in dramatic writing such as theme, script voice and tone, character drive and character arc, script structure and designing principle, and scene structure. Students who wish to start a new script or work in an experimental form may do so with the instructor’s permission. Students produce 30-40 new script pages in format and a 1-4 page treatment for a completed or new script, as well as the script’s log line and tag line. Students are encouraged to write a complete script over the semester, if they wish, but students who wish to do so must arrange a special writing schedule with the instructor.
Prerequisites: Students should have completed an introductory class in fiction or dramatic writing or a beginning screenwriting course with a satisfactory grade, and/or have independently written a treatment/outline and at least 30 pages for an original script, or written fiction on an independent basis. Students who have not taken screenwriting, but have taken other fiction writing courses, or who have written fiction works or poetry and wish to enroll should contact the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction or Nonfiction
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Associate of the Department of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17289 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CREA E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course with the same instructor (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 3:00pm-6:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16990 | Section 2
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CREA E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course with the same instructor (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction
Chris Mooney MA, Author
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17423 | Section 3
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CREA E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course with the same instructor (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-8:30pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction
Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17275 | Section 4
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CREA E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course with the same instructor (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction or Nonfiction
Daphne Kalotay PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17435 | Section 5
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CREA E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course with the same instructor (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 3:15pm-6:15pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction or Nonfiction
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Associate of the Department of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17439 | Section 6
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CREA E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course with the same instructor (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 11:30am-2:30pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction or Nonfiction
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Associate of the Department of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26925 | Section 1
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 3:00pm-6:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26624 | Section 2
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction
Chris Mooney MA, Author
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27082 | Section 3
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-8:30pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction
Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26913 | Section 4
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction or Nonfiction
Daphne Kalotay PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27097 | Section 5
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 3:15pm-6:15pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction or Nonfiction
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Associate of the Department of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27098 | Section 6
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 11:30am-2:30pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-65
Humor Writing
Ian Shank MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26562 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop for creative writing students looking to seriously invest in their craft. Over the course of the semester, students draft four mini-essays inspired by an author or comic technique studied in class, and then expand and substantively revise one or two of these drafts to include in a final portfolio. As part of the final revision process, students identify an online humor publication in consultation with the instructor that is aligned with the spirit of their work and then pitch and/or submit at least one piece from their final portfolio for consideration. Prior classes have been visited by humor writers from The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-71
Writing the Long Personal Essay
Brian Pietras PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17411 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive creative writing workshop for students interested in writing long-form personal essays. One of the most popular types of nonfiction, the personal essay combines storytelling and reflection to uncover deeper truths about the human experience. In the first half of this course, we analyze a wide range of outstanding personal essays. In the second half, we use what we have learned about voice, scene, exposition, structure, and stakes to produce new work. For their final project, students draft, workshop, and substantially revise a single long (5,000-5,500 word) standalone personal essay.
Prerequisites: An introductory creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-72
Writing the Short Personal Essay
Tracy L. Strauss MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17300 | Section 1
Description
The personal essay inspires both readers and writers to discover new perspectives for looking at the world, to understand their own lives, and to discover meaning. Personal essays educate and illuminate readers through stories of overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, and forging new paths. They can appear in a variety of styles from application essays to highly journalistic forms, to everything in between depending on their intended audience. In this course, students read and analyze a variety of short personal essays with the aim of collecting a palette of craft tools (particularly for works under 1,500 words), as well as write their own piece, engaging in writing exercises, including drafts, revisions, and peer workshop. Students write one shorter essay (600 words) and one longer essay (1,500 words). We also address pitching editors and discovering markets for submission, along with how to manage audience response post-publication.
Prerequisites: A basic college-level course in writing or AP English.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-72
Writing the Short Personal Essay
Tracy L. Strauss MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26956 | Section 1
Description
The personal essay inspires both readers and writers to discover new perspectives for looking at the world, to understand their own lives, and to discover meaning. Personal essays educate and illuminate readers through stories of overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, and forging new paths. They can appear in a variety of styles from application essays to highly journalistic forms, to everything in between depending on their intended audience. In this course, students read and analyze a variety of short personal essays with the aim of collecting a palette of craft tools (particularly for works under 1,500 words), as well as write their own piece, engaging in writing exercises, including drafts, revisions, and peer workshop. Students write one shorter essay (600 words) and one longer essay (1,500 words). We also address pitching editors and discovering markets for submission, along with how to manage audience response post-publication.
Prerequisites: A basic college-level course in writing or AP English.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-90
Fundamentals of Fiction
Maxine Rodburg MFA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17328 | Section 1
Description
This intensive, immersive course is designed for graduate-credit students with strong writing skills and an interest in becoming fiction writers but little formal experience, students who would like to develop a solid foundation in story and scene structure before embarking on an advanced fiction writing course. The first part of the course focuses on close analysis of the craft of fiction. Students read and discuss various short stories and essays by fiction writers about craft. Students then apply these techniques and methods to generate and shape an original short story or the first chapter of a novel (about 15 to 20 pages of fiction), which is workshopped in class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-90
Fundamentals of Fiction
Maxine Rodburg MFA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26987 | Section 1
Description
This intensive, immersive course is designed for graduate-credit students with strong writing skills and an interest in becoming fiction writers but little formal experience, students who would like to develop a solid foundation in story and scene structure before embarking on an advanced fiction writing course. The first part of the course focuses on close analysis of the craft of fiction. Students read and discuss various short stories and essays by fiction writers about craft. Students then apply these techniques and methods to generate and shape an original short story or the first chapter of a novel (about 15 to 20 pages of fiction), which is workshopped in class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-91
Fundamentals of Dramatic Writing
Shelley Evans MFA, Screenwriter
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16697 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students with strong writing skills who have an interest in writing plays and/or screenplays, but little formal experience. The course introduces basic principles of dramatic writing and provides a foundation for advanced playwrighting and screenwriting courses. Using both plays and screenplays as study texts, we elucidate the elements of dramatic writing and consider how those elements work differently in different mediums. Plays and screenplays are similar but not the same both genres create narrative using character and dialogue, but plays lean more heavily on the inner life and voice of characters, while screenplays unfold in the external world, building stories with images and action. Weekly exercises guide students through the process of developing different kinds of scripts assessing potential story ideas, doing pre-draft character and backstory exploration, finding structure, and writing scenes. By the end of the semester, students have completed a short outline and the first twenty pages of a play or screenplay, which are workshopped in class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-91
Fundamentals of Dramatic Writing
Jennifer Rapaport MFA, Independent Screenwriter
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26708 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students with strong writing skills who have an interest in writing plays and/or screenplays, but little formal experience. The course introduces basic principles of dramatic writing and provides a foundation for advanced playwrighting and screenwriting courses. Using both plays and screenplays as study texts, we elucidate the elements of dramatic writing and consider how those elements work differently in different mediums. Plays and screenplays are similar but not the same both genres create narrative using character and dialogue, but plays lean more heavily on the inner life and voice of characters, while screenplays unfold in the external world, building stories with images and action. Weekly exercises guide students through the process of developing different kinds of scripts assessing potential story ideas, doing pre-draft character and backstory exploration, finding structure, and writing scenes. By the end of the semester, students have completed a short outline and the first twenty pages of a play or screenplay, which are workshopped in class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CSCI E-101
Foundations of Data Science and Engineering
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16602 | Section 1
Description
Most data scientists spend 20 percent of their time building data models and analyzing model results. What do they do with the remaining 80 percent of their time? The answer is data engineering. Data engineering is a subdiscipline of software engineering that focuses on the transportation, transformation, and management of data. This course takes a comprehensive approach to explore data science, which includes data engineering concepts and techniques. Key topics include data management and transformation, exploratory data analysis and visualization, statistical thinking and machine learning, natural language processing, and storytelling with data, emphasizing the integration of Python, MySQL, Tableau, development, and big data analytics platforms. Students cannot earn Harvard Extension School degree credit for CSCI E-101 if it is taken after CSCI E-29.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-50, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-101
Foundations of Data Science and Engineering
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26190 | Section 1
Description
Most data scientists spend 20 percent of their time building data models and analyzing model results. What do they do with the remaining 80 percent of their time? The answer is data engineering. Data engineering is a subdiscipline of software engineering that focuses on the transportation, transformation, and management of data. This course takes a comprehensive approach to explore data science, which includes data engineering concepts and techniques. Key topics include data management and transformation, exploratory data analysis and visualization, statistical thinking and machine learning, natural language processing, and storytelling with data, emphasizing the integration of Python, MySQL, Tableau, development, and big data analytics platforms. Students cannot earn Harvard Extension School degree credit for CSCI E-101 if it is taken after CSCI E-29.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-50, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-102
Econometrics and Causal Inference with R
Dmitry V. Kurochkin PhD, Senior Research Analyst, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Office for Faculty Affairs, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26343 | Section 1
Description
Supervised learning algorithms, such as support-vector machines, random forests, and neural networks have demonstrated phenomenal performance in the era of big data. However, they often fail in answering the question, what would happen if the world changed in some specific way while holding other variables fixed? Such problems arise in many business applications including in finance, policymaking, and health care. This course covers modern econometric techniques for evaluating causal effects based on observational (that is, non-experimental) data. Topics covered in the course include multivariate linear regression, heteroscedasticity and weighted least squares (WLS), dummy variables and interactions, difference in differences (DD), logistic regression, probit model, censored regression models, exact matching, propensity score matching (PSM), regression discontinuity design (RDD), fuzzy regression discontinuity (FRD), synthetic control, instrumental variables (IV), and two-stage least squares (2SLS). Students get hands-on experience using R.
Prerequisites: Calculus equivalent to MATH E-15, introductory probability and statistics, and familiarity with linear regression. Prior programming experience, preferably in R, is helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections Fridays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-103
Data Engineering for Analytics to Solve Business Challenges
Eric Gieseke ALM, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Pago Capital
Anindita Mahapatra ALM, Principal Solutions Architect, Databricks
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16694 | Section 1
Description
In today’s world, data is generated at an ever-increasing rate. The analytic platforms need to match this pace of generated data, digest it, and generate useful insights. The best decisions are made with informed data and as it changes, one needs to follow the signals and indicators embedded in the data. The technology space is evolving rapidly and choosing the right technology fit for the data at hand is an important decision. The next decision is to select the best architecture to provide the solution for technical challenges and helps the business improve its growth, revenue, and time to market. Spark provides a swiss army knife to handle the entire data life cycle, from ingestion to consumption. Newer offerings from the open source community around Delta and MLFlow help strengthen the data platform by making it performant, reliable, and repeatable. Often, innovation is left in proof of concept stages and does not see production because of the lack of foundational architectural components necessary for hardened and mature enterprise-grade deployments. This lost innovation translates to lost revenue and missed opportunities. This course helps students to appreciate the power of technology and skillfully apply it in practical situations in the real world. It leverages the Databricks platform on Amazon web services (AWS) to simplify the cluster setup so that students can focus on the data engineering aspects of getting the data ready for analytics.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with Amazon Web Services, structured query language (SQL), and Python. Some experience with big data, Spark, and data stores is good to have.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections Thursdays, 6-7 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
CSCI E-104
Advanced Deep Learning
Zoran B. Djordjevic PhD, Senior Enterprise Architect, Nishava, Inc.
Blagoje Djordjevi PhD, Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26435 | Section 1
Description
Artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning applications have proliferated and are having an increasing impact on industry, sciences, and engineering. This course expounds on those trends and enables students to engage in advanced research and development in AI and deep learning. We investigate essential concepts and topics such as large language models (LLMs), generative adversarial networks (GANs, stable diffusion, and text-to-speech), graph neural networks (GNNs), and differentiable applications in natural science. For important classes of neural networks, we explore the fundamental mechanisms behind their operations and provide practical illustrations of their uses. For example, we review the structure of transformer-based pre-trained LLMs, the principles of attention, and their use in applications such as ChatGPT, with a focus on understanding prompt programming. For image generating networks, we analyze creation of realistic representations of people, speech, paintings, and music. For GNNs, we dive into the analysis of chemical molecules, proteins, and drugs and quantitative structure property relationships in physical systems. We learn how to impose constraints that are reflections of physical or geometric laws governing physical systems. Concepts introduced in every lecture are illustrated by practical examples. Code samples used in lectures and homework assignments are written in PyTorch.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-89 or an equivalent introductory deep learning course. Proficiency with Python.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 30-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections Saturdays, 1-2 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-106
Statistical Data Modeling
Hakan Gogtas PhD, Head of US Model Validation Group, Deutsche Bank
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17349 | Section 1
Description
This course explores data modeling methodologies with the goal of understanding how to choose, apply, and interpret appropriate statistical designs and analyses for practical data problems. Topics covered include understanding the relationships in the data, theory and application of linear regression models, tree-based models, model building steps, diagnostic of models, and remedial measures. Students may count one of the following three courses for degree or certificate credit: CSCI E-106, STAT E-109 (offered previously), or STAT E-139 (offered previously).
Prerequisites: Proficiency in R programming, introductory probability and statistics, multivariate calculus equivalent to MATH E-21a, and linear algebra equivalent to MATH E-21b.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-106
Statistical Data Modeling
Bharatendra Rai PhD, Professor of Decision and Information Sciences, Charlton College of Business, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27087 | Section 1
Description
This course explores data modeling methodologies with the goal of understanding how to choose, apply, and interpret appropriate statistical designs and analyses for practical data problems. Topics covered include understanding the relationships in the data, theory and application of linear regression models, tree-based models, model building steps, diagnostic of models, and remedial measures. Students may count one of the following three courses for degree or certificate credit: CSCI E-106, STAT E-109 (offered previously), or STAT E-139 (offered previously).
Prerequisites: Proficiency in R programming, introductory probability and statistics, multivariate calculus equivalent to MATH E-21a, and linear algebra equivalent to MATH E-21b.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
CSCI E-106
Statistical Data Modeling
Hakan Gogtas PhD, Head of US Model Validation Group, Deutsche Bank
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26017 | Section 2
Description
This course explores data modeling methodologies with the goal of understanding how to choose, apply, and interpret appropriate statistical designs and analyses for practical data problems. Topics covered include understanding the relationships in the data, theory and application of linear regression models, tree-based models, model building steps, diagnostic of models, and remedial measures. Students may count one of the following three courses for degree or certificate credit: CSCI E-106, STAT E-109 (offered previously), or STAT E-139 (offered previously).
Prerequisites: Proficiency in R programming, introductory probability and statistics, multivariate calculus equivalent to MATH E-21a, and linear algebra equivalent to MATH E-21b.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-108
Data Mining, Discovery, and Exploration
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Data Scientist
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17304 | Section 1
Description
Extracting actionable insights and relationships from massive complex data sets is the domain of data mining. Data mining has wide-ranging applications in science and technology, including web search, understanding interactions in social networks, recommender systems, analyzing data from large internet-of-things (IoT) sensor networks, image search, genetic analysis, and discovery of interactions between drugs. This course surveys a range of unsupervised learning algorithms for data mining. The emphasis is on graph algorithms and scaling for massive datasets. The course comprises readings and lectures on theory along with hands-on exercises and projects where students apply the theory through Python coding and interpretation of results. The hands-on component of the course uses a variety of libraries in the Python language, Scikit-Learn, NetworkX, Scikit-Learn-Extra, Mlextend, Surprise, and TensorFlow. Students may not take both CSCI E-96 and CSCI E-108 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Students enrolling in this course are expected to have some background in Python programming equivalent to CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-50 and statistical modeling equivalent to CSCI E-63c, CSCI E-101, CSCI E-106, or STAT E-109. Knowledge of basic linear algebra, equivalent to MATH E-21a, is essential.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections Mondays, 6-8 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-109a
Introduction to Data Science
Pavlos Protopapas PhD, Scientific Program Director and Lecturer, Institute for Applied Computational Science, Harvard University
Chris Gumb ALB, Preceptor in Computational and Data Science, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Kevin A. Rader PhD, Senior Preceptor in Statistics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16877 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the analysis of messy, real-life data to perform predictions using statistical and machine learning methods. Material covered integrates the five key facets of an investigation using data: data collection data wrangling, cleaning, and sampling to get a suitable data set; data management accessing data quickly and reliably; exploratory data analysis generating hypotheses and building intuition; prediction or statistical learning; and communication summarizing results through visualization, stories, and interpretable summaries. Students who have previously completed CSCI E-107 or CSCI E-109 (both offered previously) may not count CSCI E-109a or CSCI E-109b toward a degree or certificate.
Prerequisites: Programming knowledge at the level of CSCI E-50 or above, statistics knowledge at the level of STAT E-100 or above, and calculus (MATH E-15 or the equivalent) required. It is recommended that students have received a grade of B+ or better in these courses before enrolling in CSCI E-109a. Introductory probability is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 1090a. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting September 3 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 85 students
CSCI E-109b
Advanced Topics in Data Science
Pavlos Protopapas PhD, Scientific Program Director and Lecturer, Institute for Applied Computational Science, Harvard University
Chris Gumb ALB, Preceptor in Computational and Data Science, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Kevin A. Rader PhD, Senior Preceptor in Statistics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26501 | Section 1
Description
Building upon the material in CSCI E-109a, the course introduces advanced methods for statistical modeling, representation, and prediction. Topics include multiple deep learning architectures such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), transformers, language models, autoencoders, and generative models, as well as basic Bayesian methods and unsupervised learning. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in both the fall and spring course within the same academic year. Students who have previously completed CSCI E-107 or CSCI E-109 may not take CSCI E-109a or CSCI E-109b for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A grade of B-minus or higher in CSCI E-109a. Students who have not completed CSCI E-109a should contact the instructors before registering.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 1090b. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:45-11 am starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 85 students
CSCI E-10a
Introduction to Computer Science Using Java I
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14289 | Section 1
Description
Intended for students with no previous programming background, this course introduces problem-solving methods and algorithm development using Java, one of the most popular high-level programming languages in the world. Students learn how to design, code, debug, and document programs using modern engineering techniques in a cloud-based Linux environment. Related topics include programming using iterative constructs, the basic aspects of arrays and recursion, string manipulation, parameter passing, information hiding and encapsulation using classes, and the functional decomposition of methods to enable object-oriented design. Some applications are chosen for their relevance to more advanced coursework in computer science while others involve nonscientific and business-related areas. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-10b
Introduction to Computer Science Using Java II
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16971 | Section 1
Description
This course is a continuation of CSCI E-10a, with an emphasis on object-oriented programming using Java, one of the world’s most popular programming languages. We begin with the implementation of abstract data types using classes, focusing on encapsulation of procedures and data, inheritance hierarchies, and polymorphism across different object types. Other topics include string processing, multidimensional arrays, ArrayLists, Vectors, and linked lists; streams and file I/O; recursion; exception handling; threads and event-driven programming; and graphical user interface design using the Swing classes. The course concludes with an introduction to RISC machine architecture and aspects of compilers and operating systems. Programming exercises are conducted in a cloud-based Linux environment. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-10a, or the equivalent experience in a high-level programming language such as C, C++, or Java.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-10b
Introduction to Computer Science Using Java II
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24027 | Section 1
Description
This course is a continuation of CSCI E-10a, with an emphasis on object-oriented programming using Java, one of the world’s most popular programming languages. We begin with the implementation of abstract data types using classes, focusing on encapsulation of procedures and data, inheritance hierarchies, and polymorphism across different object types. Other topics include string processing, multidimensional arrays, ArrayLists, Vectors, and linked lists; streams and file I/O; recursion; exception handling; threads and event-driven programming; and graphical user interface design using the Swing classes. The course concludes with an introduction to RISC machine architecture and aspects of compilers and operating systems. Programming exercises are conducted in a cloud-based Linux environment. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-10a, or the equivalent experience in a high-level programming language such as C, C++, or Java.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-11
Artificial Intelligence, the Internet-of-Things, and Cybersecurity
Geoff Cohen PhD, Consultant
Simson L. Garfinkel PhD, Chief Scientist, BasisTech, LLC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26787 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we review use cases and challenges of three interrelated areas in computer science: cybersecurity (cyber), artificial intelligence (AI), and the internet-of-things (IoT). Students gain an overview of the possibilities and challenges of building complex information systems that take advantage of recent advances in these fields. Although the course covers three distinct areas, the emphasis is to have each student develop a personal toolkit of analytic approaches that can be used to analyze and understand problems in these or any other area at the leading edge of applied computer science. Students gain an understanding of how modern computer systems work and how the need for strong cybersecurity underlies all capabilities in both AI and IoT. The course begins with a full-stack introduction to the computer science ecosystem, starting with the fundamentals of digital computers and computation, modern system architectures, the technology supply ecosystem, funding mechanisms, customers, and the impact of governments and mega-corporations. Students learn how to find and understand the research literature of computer science. Next, this course explores how cybersecurity is a constant issue that must be addressed at every level of the stack; to do this, the course uses a combination of first principles and a case-study approach. The second part surveys state-of-the-art topics in designing AI products and services. The focus of this part of the course is to understand AI’s rapidly evolving frontier. It covers the history and likely future directions of research, including the 50-year tension between symbolic and connectionist (neural network) approaches to AI, the AI hype cycle, knowledge representation, computer vision, reinforcement learning, and deep learning. Topics in this first section also include existing hurdles for successful AI design such as explainability, visualization, and adversarial attacks. The third part of the course looks at the IoT. While the promise of the IoT brings many new business opportunities, it also presents significant challenges including architectural choices, security concerns, moral challenges, and the potential for social upheaval. In addition to the reading materials, the course consists of seven labs that introduce the student to cloud computing, the need for security in the cloud, how how the cloud can interact with acquisition devices at the edge, and how this entire ensemble can use AI. By the end of the course students come to appreciate that cyber, AI, and IoT all seem like different things, and indeed are all being researched and practiced by different groups, but that success in both the marketplace and in the competition between the great powers requires mastery of all three, because they are really all aspects of using machine computation for human advantage.
Prerequisites: An introductory computer science course (for example, CSCI E-3, CSCI E-7, or CSCI E-10a) plus familiarity with precalculus mathematics (MATH E-10 or the equivalent). Students should be familiar with Python.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-115
Advanced Practical Data Science
Pavlos Protopapas PhD, Scientific Program Director and Lecturer, Institute for Applied Computational Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17342 | Section 1
Description
In today’s artificial intelligence (AI)-driven world, building a robust deep learning model is only half the journey. The real challenge often lies in bringing this model to life in the form of an application that is scalable, maintainable, and ready for real-world deployment. In this course, we traverse the complex landscape of machine learning operations, with a special focus on large language models (LLMs). This course has been meticulously curated to provide a holistic understanding of the complete deep learning workflow, from refining your models to deploying them in production environments. We dive deep into topics like containerization, cloud functions, data pipelines, and advanced training workflows, with specific emphasis on LLMs. Students learn how to utilize LLM application programming interfaces (APIs) effectively, host APIs, fine-tune LLMs for specific tasks, adapt them to various domains, and build applications around them. Our objective is not only to help students grasp these concepts but also to empower them to build and deploy scalable AI applications. We delve into the particular intricacies of LLMs and their applications in real-world scenarios. Whether students are AI enthusiasts wanting to understand the intricacies of machine learning operations or seasoned professionals aiming to fortify their knowledge, this course promises a comprehensive exploration of the production side of AI, with a spotlight on LLM applications and productionizing.
Prerequisites: An introductory course in machine learning and deep learning, such as CSCI E-89, CSCI E-109b, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Applied Computation 215. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:45-2:45 pm starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CSCI E-116
Dynamic Modeling and Forecasting in Big Data
William Yu PhD, Economist, Anderson Forecast, University of California, Los Angeles, Anderson School of Management
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16856 | Section 1
Description
Most machine learning models focus on cross-sectional data, while most time-series models focus on time series with few variables and low-frequency data. This course covers the skills and models to handle big data that are both rich in variables and time. We discuss both structural models and reduced-form models. Students learn dynamic regression model, dynamic factor model, vector autoregressions model, error correction model, dimensional reduction tools for fat dataset, and state-space model. Students also learn advanced methods to decompose trend, cycle, and seasonality in high-frequency data and to make more reliable time series forecasting.
Prerequisites: One programming course in any programming language. An introductory machine learning course, such as linear regression or machine learning in general.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-116
Dynamic Modeling and Forecasting in Big Data
William Yu PhD, Economist, Anderson Forecast, University of California, Los Angeles, Anderson School of Management
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26469 | Section 1
Description
Most machine learning models focus on cross-sectional data, while most time-series models focus on time series with few variables and low-frequency data. This course covers the skills and models to handle big data that are both rich in variables and time. We discuss both structural models and reduced-form models. Students learn dynamic regression model, dynamic factor model, vector autoregressions model, error correction model, dimensional reduction tools for fat dataset, and state-space model. Students also learn advanced methods to decompose trend, cycle, and seasonality in high-frequency data and to make more reliable time series forecasting.
Prerequisites: One programming course in any programming language. An introductory machine learning course, such as linear regression or machine learning in general.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-117
Secure Applications: Managing the Deployment Infrastructure
Heather Hinton PhD, Chief Information Security Officer in Residence, Professional Association of CISOs
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26436 | Section 1
Description
You have spent time designing, developing, and testing your web-facing, internet accessible, or internet of things (IoT) or industrial control systems (ICS) product and have released it into a world of ever-changing and constantly more aggressive cyber threats. How do you know if it is really protected? What do frameworks and approaches mean for the ongoing operation and protection of your environment? How do you protect your assets and how do you prove this to your stakeholders and customers? How do you manage the response to vulnerabilities in the open-source software that is part of your application? Which is more important for you to protect our networks or your devices? How do you manage the ongoing care and feeding of applications? What about all that data? What about vulnerabilities and attacks against third party software that is part of your environment? In this course, we work through the steps to secure an organization, its products and services, and its operating environment, including prioritizing how we protect the asset classes that make up the environment: the networks, devices, applications, data, and users that support a product. Course content includes threats, exploits, and compromises drawn from the news (sadly, there are always pertinent things in the cybersecurity news that we can use as the basis of discussion), as well as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA’s) Zero Trust Maturity Model, CISA’s Known Exploitable Vulnerability (KEV) lists, risk management concepts, and whatever is topical at the time in the news.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-149a or experience with security software development principles. A basic understanding of security threats, tools, and landscape.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-12
Fundamentals of Web Application Development
David P. Heitmeyer AM, Director of Academic Platforms and Development, Harvard University Information Technology
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15078 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive foundation in front-end web development, integrating modern tools, frameworks, and services to build dynamic, responsive, and interactive web applications. Students learn essential technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks built on these technologies like Astro and Vue for JavaScript and Tailwind for CSS. Students learn how to use representational state transfer (REST) application programming interfaces (APIs) and explore key back-end concepts to understand how full-stack applications function. The course emphasizes learning and applying best development practices, including using local and cloud-based development environments (Codespace), version control (Git/GitHub), and automated deployments. In addition, students encounter core Agile software development principles throughout the course and learn how artificial intelligence (AI) can help accelerate learning and development. By the end of the course, students have developed a fully functional, interactive website as a final project and are well-prepared for further learning in web development.
Prerequisites: Basic familiarity working with computers, including file management.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-120
Introduction to Algorithms, Computability, and Complexity
Salil P. Vadhan PhD, Vicky Joseph Professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Harvard College Professor, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17283 | Section 1
Description
Looking at the world around us, we see computers solving problems on incredibly large scales: finding webpages relevant to our internet searches and returning them in sorted order, computing the quickest way to reach a destination given current traffic conditions, and matching people on dating sites. How is this possible? More computing power? Intensive application-specific engineering? While these certainly have had a role to play, in this course, students are exposed to and learn how to use general algorithm design principles that cut across application domains and remain relevant even as computing technology changes. First among these principles is mathematical abstraction, whereby we capture the essence of a computational problem (as well as the notion of what a computer is) so that we can develop and analyze solutions independent of an implementation. Given these mathematical abstractions, we can apply a toolkit of basic algorithmic techniques in the search for solutions and then gain certainty in their correctness and efficiency through rigorous mathematical proofs. Furthermore, the powerful concept of reductions allows us to identify relationships between computational problems that seem very different on the surface and thus automatically transfer solutions from one to another. At the same time, some important computational problems have defied the search for algorithmic solutions. Computer scientists would love to have debugging tools that determine whether their programs can crash, natural scientists would love to have simulators that quickly determine the energy-minimizing states of physical or biological systems, and university registrars would love to be able to automatically schedule classes in a way that optimally maximizes the use of the best classrooms. Why have no scalable algorithms been found for these problems? In the last part of the course, students learn that many important computational problems are inherently unsolvable they have no general algorithmic solution whatsoever. Others are solvable but have no efficient algorithm the minimum computation time inherently grows exponentially with the size of the problem instance. Uncovering these phenomena (known as uncomputability and intractability, respectively) are unique benefits of a mathematically rigorous approach to algorithms. While we may sometimes be satisfied with empirical demonstrations of the performance of an algorithm we have found, a proof seems to be the only way to convince ourselves that there is no algorithm whatsoever. This course aims to give students the power of using mathematical abstraction and rigorous proof to understand computation. Thus equipped, students are able to design and use algorithms that apply to a wide variety of computational problems with confidence about their correctness and efficiency, as well as recognize when a problem may have no algorithmic solution. At the same time, students may gain an appreciation for the beautiful mathematical theory of computation that is independent of (indeed, predates) the technology on which it is implemented.
Prerequisites: Experience with proofs and discrete mathematics at the level of CSCI E-20, and (Python) programming at the level of CSCI E-50.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 1200. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 am starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-121
Introduction to Theoretical Computer Science
Adam Hesterberg PhD, Lecturer on Computer Science, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17114 | Section 1
Description
Computation occurs over a variety of substrates including silicon, neurons, DNA, the stock market, bee colonies, and many others. In this course we study the fundamental capabilities and limitations of computation, including the phenomenon of universality and the duality of code and data. We touch upon the following questions: Are there functions that cannot be computed? Are there true mathematical statements that can’t be proven? Are there encryption schemes that can’t be broken? Is randomness ever useful for computing? Can we use the quirks of quantum mechanics to speed up computation?
Prerequisites: CSCI E-20 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 1210. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:45-5 pm starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-125
Cryptocurrency and Blockchain: Understanding the Technology and the Challenges It Presents
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Daniel B. Garrie JD, Founder and Managing Director, Law and Forensics, LLC and JAMS Neutral Mediator
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26601 | Section 1
Description
This course aims to unpack the hype behind the cryptocurrency craze and give students the facts through the eyes of leading regulators, technologists, lawyers, and experts. Students learn what blockchains and cryptocurrencies are, how they can be used, and where the future of this technology is headed. The course covers multiple areas, including the basics of blockchain technology and how it works; how to create, transact, and store cryptocurrencies; regulatory and legal challenges that come with the adoption of a digital currency; surveys of how different regulatory agencies define securities in the US; and technical pieces that are underpinning secure software, system interactions with cryptocurrencies, and distributed consensus for reliability.
Prerequisites: An introductory finance or economics course.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-138
The Future of Humanity: A System Approach
Fawwaz Habbal PhD, Senior Lecturer on Applied Physics, Harvard University
Benjamin Villa Wiesner MDes, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, OpenSpaces, Inc.
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26912 | Section 1
Description
It is tempting to believe that humanity will endure forever, despite the many challenges facing our planet. However, these challenges are deeply interconnected, involving conflicting interests and forming complex systems that resist simple solutions. Historically, reductionist approaches focused on linear cause-and-effect relationships have failed to provide effective solutions. This course takes a systems-oriented approach, emphasizing both depth and breadth in understanding global challenges. Students gain an appreciation for the complexity of today’s most intractable problems, develop strategies for navigating an uncertain future, and think critically about how to design systemic solutions for the betterment of humanity. Designed for students from diverse backgrounds, this course introduces foundational concepts such as complexity, systems mapping, design, foresight, and coalition-building. Discussions focus on pressing global issues, including artificial intelligence and its effect of humanity, sustainability, climate change, epidemics, inequality, human displacement, and the availability of essential materials for civilization. Through critical analysis of trends and current events, students engage in informed debates that could influence humanity’s future. Working in small groups, they apply forward-looking analysis techniques to create comprehensive frameworks that integrate economic, political, technical, ethical, and social perspectives. This process helps identify potential unintended consequences and roadblocks, equipping students with the tools to address complex challenges effectively. Students may not take both CSCI E-138 and ISMT E-138 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
CSCI E-142
Foundations of Technology Risk Management and Assessment
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16682 | Section 1
Description
Technology risk refers to any risk of financial loss, disruption, or damage to the reputation of an organization as a result of the failure of its information technology (IT) systems. This course covers the foundations of technology risk management, IT risk identification, IT risk assessment, risk mitigation, and risk and control monitoring and reporting.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-144
Information System Forensics
Daniel B. Garrie JD, Founder and Managing Director, Law and Forensics, LLC and JAMS Neutral Mediator
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16955 | Section 1
Description
The course focuses on the principles and practices of forensic investigation and analysis of information in modern organizations and distributed information systems. Topics include studies of information processes, events, time measurement, causal factors, information volatility, technical and procedural forensic methods, rules of evidence, and case law.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-147a
Fundamentals of the Law and Cybersecurity
Daniel B. Garrie JD, Founder and Managing Director, Law and Forensics, LLC and JAMS Neutral Mediator
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26594 | Section 1
Description
In a world with almost limitless data collection capability, where cyberattacks can propagate instantaneously and where the identity or location of an adversary may not be known, individuals and institutions are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks that disrupt productivity, jeopardize privacy, and threaten national security. This course examines legal, business, and policy challenges stemming from rapidly evolving cybersecurity threats. It begins with an introduction to cybersecurity, cybercrime, and cyberwarfare. It explores the national and international legal frameworks that govern cyberspace, including laws related to cyber crime, espionage, and war. The course also discusses how current laws affect corporations and provides detailed case studies regarding the state of cybersecurity in various countries. It looks at the limits of current law and the need for further policy evolution, as well as the real-world impact of different legal, business, and policy options.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-149a
Software Applications: Security Lifecycle Threats
Heather Hinton PhD, Chief Information Security Officer in Residence, Professional Association of CISOs
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16691 | Section 1
Description
You have been tasked with the design, development, and deployment of a new application, and there is more involved than just writing some code and testing it. In this course, we take a fictional product through the entire secure development lifecycle, through ideation, design, development, testing, and deployment. We explore how to think about and embed security into each phase, including those phases where security has traditionally been an afterthought. Some of the questions that we address include how do we make sure that we have included security thinking throughout the entire product lifecycle? How do we know what to test, how, and why are we actually testing what matters? How do we ensure that we are developing within a secure development environment? What about the impact of all that third-party code, especially open-source software, that we want to use with our application? And what happens when this product is nearing end life how do we make sure that we maintain its security posture even if we are no longer actively developing new features? How do you present- and future-proof against emerging technologies, regulations and industry trends? How do you make sure that you are set up to protect against threats from emerging technologies including machine learning/artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing? How do you apply all these of this present- and future-proofing to legacy applications, that is, applications that are already built and in-use, including hybrid applications, critical infrastructure, and industrial systems? The net is that you can be sure that whatever you do today may well not be enough to protect you tomorrow. Throughout the course we apply these concepts and tradeoffs as students create and take their own software product through its end-to-end lifecycle. Threats and things to pay attention to include discussions drawn from the news (sadly there are always on-point things in the cybersecurity news that we can use as the basis of discussion), as well as CISA’s Zero Trust Maturity Model, Secure by Design requirements, guidelines for secure AI system development, CISA’s Known Exploitable Vulnerability (KEV) lists, MITRE’s ATT CK framework, threat modeling techniques, risk management concepts, and whatever is topical at the time in the news.
Prerequisites: Familiarity or experience with security software development principles. A basic understanding of security threats, tools, and landscape.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-150
Introduction to GIS
Jeff Blossom MS, GIS Service Manager, Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17121 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the concepts and components of a geographic information system (GIS). It also teaches the essential skills of spatial data management, analysis, and visualization through the use of the ArcGIS software package. Upon completion of this course, students understand the fundamental concepts of a GIS including spatial data models, spatial analysis, and cartographic principles. They also gain hands-on training in spatial data collection, editing, transformation, and mapping, as well as spatial analysis operations such as location-based query, address geocoding, terrain and watershed analysis, spatial interpolation, spatio-temporal analysis, 3D modelling, and a number of other GIS modeling techniques. GIS technology has broad applications in the natural and social sciences, humanities, environmental studies, engineering, and management. Examples include wildlife habitat study, urban and regional planning, contagious disease monitoring, agriculture and forestry, environmental quality assessment, emergency management, transportation planning, and consumer and competitor analysis. This course introduces a few selected cases of GIS application in different disciplines. Students may not take both CSCI E-150 and ISMT E-150 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Access to a computer running Windows operating system. Familiarity with Word documents, spreadsheets, and browsing the internet.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CSCI E-151
Introduction to Databases with SQL
Carter Zenke EdM, Senior Preceptor, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17011 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to databases using a language called SQL. Students learn how to create, read, update, and delete data with relational databases, which store data in rows and columns, and how to model real-world entities and relationships among them using tables with appropriate types, triggers, and constraints. The course covers how to normalize data to eliminate redundancies and reduce potential for errors and how to join tables together using primary and foreign keys. Students learn how to automate searches with views and expedite searches with indexes, as well as how to connect SQL with other languages like Python and Java. The course begins with SQLite for portability’s sake and ends with introductions to PostgreSQL and MySQL for scalability’s sake. Assignments are inspired by real-world datasets.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-155
Networks and Cloud Security
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Kevin McKenzie EdD, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, Ferguson Enterprises
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16963 | Section 1
Description
This course explores a wide range of topics within cybersecurity, such as computer operating systems, infrastructure, network, and internet security; intrusion detection and prevention; cryptography; basic attack methodologies; attack mitigation; information systems strategy and planning; security risk analysis and risk management; and information assurance, social engineering, and application security.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-155
Networks and Cloud Security
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Kevin McKenzie EdD, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, Ferguson Enterprises
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26603 | Section 1
Description
This course explores a wide range of topics within cybersecurity, such as computer operating systems, infrastructure, network, and internet security; intrusion detection and prevention; cryptography; basic attack methodologies; attack mitigation; information systems strategy and planning; security risk analysis and risk management; and information assurance, social engineering, and application security.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-158
Remote Sensing Data and Applications
Magaly Koch PhD, Research Associate Professor, Center for Remote Sensing, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26764 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to remote sensing data, methods and tools used for the study of global environmental change. The growing concern about human impact on the environment has led to the development of new observation and analysis tools to tackle and monitor types, magnitudes, and rates of environmental changes. Timely observations by Earth observation (EO) satellite systems and improved mapping and analysis tools are enabling a better understanding of the environmental interactions that underlie our Earth systems, which is critical for developing sustainable solutions. This course enables students to search and use satellite imagery in the context of a number of disciplines including environmental studies, ecology, geology, hydrology, disaster assessment and management, and public health. Students learn the fundamentals of the EO systems and the tools (geo-portals, web-based tools, and open-source software) to observe, monitor, and assess the changes occurring on or near the Earth’s surface. Hands-on activities explore human and physical dimensions of environmental change, environmental conservation and management, and disaster detection and mitigation. Students search and analyze global spatial data portals made available by various agencies and organizations (such as the United States Geological Survey, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Space Agency, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Potential topics covered in case studies and exercises include land use and cover change (urban sprawl, deforestation, and irrigated agriculture); extreme weather events (floods, droughts, wildfires, typhoons, and hurricanes); human and ecological health (aerosol and air pollution, wetland and forest health); food security and environmental sustainability (agriculture and water resources); and disaster assessment and management. Students may not take both CSCI E-158 and ISMT E-158 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of geospatial data or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Required labs to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-159
Introduction to Cybersecurity
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16996 | Section 1
Description
The course is an introduction to cybersecurity for technical and non-technical audiences alike. Students learn how to secure their accounts, data, systems, and software against today’s threats and how to recognize and evaluate tomorrow’s as well, both at home and at work. Students learn how to preserve their own privacy. Students learn to view cybersecurity not in absolute terms but relative, a function of risks and rewards (for an adversary) and costs and benefits (for them), and to recognize cybersecurity as a trade-off with usability itself. The course presents both high-level and low-level examples of threats, providing students with all they need to know technically to understand both. Assignments are inspired by real-world events.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-159
Introduction to Cybersecurity
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26630 | Section 1
Description
The course is an introduction to cybersecurity for technical and non-technical audiences alike. Students learn how to secure their accounts, data, systems, and software against today’s threats and how to recognize and evaluate tomorrow’s as well, both at home and at work. Students learn how to preserve their own privacy. Students learn to view cybersecurity not in absolute terms but relative, a function of risks and rewards (for an adversary) and costs and benefits (for them), and to recognize cybersecurity as a trade-off with usability itself. The course presents both high-level and low-level examples of threats, providing students with all they need to know technically to understand both. Assignments are inspired by real-world events.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-165
Data Systems
Stratos Idreos PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16957 | Section 1
Description
We are in the big data era and data systems sit in the critical path of everything we do. We are going through major transformations in business, science, and everyday life collecting and analyzing data changes everything and data systems provide the means to store and analyze a massive amount of data. This course is a comprehensive introduction to modern data systems. The primary focus is on modern trends that are shaping the data management industry right now such as column-store, systems for machine learning, hybrid systems, shared nothing architectures, cache-conscious algorithms, hardware/software co-design, main memory systems, adaptive indexing, stream processing, scientific data management, and key-value stores. We also study the history of data systems and traditional and seminal concepts and ideas such as the relational model, row-store database systems, optimization, indexing, concurrency control, recovery, and structured query language (SQL). We discuss both how data systems have evolved over the years and why, as well as how these concepts apply today and how data systems might evolve in the future. We focus on understanding concepts and trends rather than specific techniques that will soon be outdated.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50 and CSCI E-61, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 1650. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 am starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-176
Advanced Cloud Technology Management: Strategies for Successful Enterprise Deployment
Jeremy Wei EdD, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, iDox.ai
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26700 | Section 1
Description
In the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI), organizations are confronted with an urgent and critical demand for competent technology leaders to align technologies with internal and external business needs. This course is designed to address this pressing need, equipping professionals with the essential skills necessary for effective enterprise technology deployment and management. Through a comprehensive curriculum encompassing lectures, readings, discussions, and assignments, students can actively explore and evaluate various aspects of enterprise technology deployment, business-technology alignment, and organizational change decisions and implementations. By engaging in these learning activities, students gain valuable insights and practical knowledge that enable them to drive successful technology strategies within their organizations.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Saturday, February 21, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Sunday, February 22, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
CSCI E-177
Introduction to Data Security
Heather Hinton PhD, Chief Information Security Officer in Residence, Professional Association of CISOs
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27016 | Section 1
Description
We know that data is important; it is often referred to as the new gold (or oil, or other wealth-generating resource). But most organizations do not have a good understanding or mature discipline for data security. The goal of this course is to correct that by walking through data’s lifecycle, including how to inventory, classify, store, use, manage, and eventually delete it. As part of this walkthrough, we look at how data is collected, how it flows through a company, and what intentional and unintentional use of the data happens as a result. We explore how data is compromised and therefore how to protect it, and how to prioritize protection when you cannot have it all.
Prerequisites: Experience with secure architectures/architecture models, security fundamentals, and data privacy equivalent to CSCI E-117 and CSCI E-149a, and data storage.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-178
Introduction to Systems Engineering
Megan Fillinich PhD, Vice President, Engineering, General Dynamics Mission Systems
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17347 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to systems engineering, which enables the design, development, and management of complex systems across their lifecycle. Students explore fundamental concepts such as requirements engineering, system architecture, risk management, and modeling and simulation. Through real-world case studies, students apply systems-thinking methodologies to engineering challenges in aerospace, defense, information technology (IT), and health care.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, September 6-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-178
Introduction to Systems Engineering
Megan Fillinich PhD, Vice President, Engineering, General Dynamics Mission Systems
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27001 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to systems engineering, which enables the design, development, and management of complex systems across their lifecycle. Students explore fundamental concepts such as requirements engineering, system architecture, risk management, and modeling and simulation. Through real-world case studies, students apply systems-thinking methodologies to engineering challenges in aerospace, defense, information technology (IT), and health care.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-184
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Governance, and Laws
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26606 | Section 1
Description
Data science and artificial intelligence (AI) are creating new opportunities to improve businesses’ decision-making, productivity, and competitiveness. However, data science and AI also create ethical and privacy concerns. For example, a classification algorithm can harm a subcategory of the population due to bias in the data used to develop and train the model. Data scientists and AI engineers often learn the concepts, tools, and techniques and then start to collect data and develop machine learning algorithms without realizing the unintended consequences of their data products. What obligation do data scientists and AI engineers have to be guardians of the data they collect and analyze? How do we ensure data and AI products’ fairness, interpretability, privacy, and security? This course focuses on ethics, governance, and laws specifically related to data science and AI. This course aims to provide a framework to help students understand the value tradeoffs at stake as they collect data, develop algorithms, and deal with some of the consequences. We use case studies, examples, and simulations to facilitate learning, critical thinking, debates, decision-making, and problem solving in the context of data science, AI ethics, and governance.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-188
Economics, Risk, and Decision Analysis in Systems Engineering
Betros Gerges Wakim MBA, Entrepreneur
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17424 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces economic, financial, and risk-based frameworks for managing complex engineering systems. Students learn to link economic theory with financial modeling, assess trade-offs, and optimize engineering investments. Key topics include cost-benefit analysis, risk and trade-space assessment, financial modeling, and making decisions under multiple levels of uncertainty. The course also explores how emerging technologies particularly artificial intelligence are shaping engineering decision-making and risk management.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-188
Economics, Risk, and Decision Analysis in Systems Engineering
Betros Gerges Wakim MBA, Entrepreneur
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27083 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces economic, financial, and risk-based frameworks for managing complex engineering systems. Students learn to link economic theory with financial modeling, assess trade-offs, and optimize engineering investments. Key topics include cost-benefit analysis, risk and trade-space assessment, financial modeling, and making decisions under multiple levels of uncertainty. The course also explores how emerging technologies particularly artificial intelligence are shaping engineering decision-making and risk management.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-192
Modern Data Analytics
Edward S. Sumitra MS, Distinguished Engineer, Curriculum Associates
Marina Yu Popova ALM, Engineer, TechTarget
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26646 | Section 1
Description
Data is the new gold of the modern age. It affects all aspects of business and everyday lives: social media, communication, financial and health data, web and application logs, security, and threat mitigation all rely on the ability to collect, process, and analyze terabytes and petabytes from numerous data sources. Modern cloud-based frameworks and infrastructure serve as a foundation and an enabler for most services. In this course, students learn how to navigate this extraordinarily diverse and fast-changing field through popular tools and frameworks to process and analyze data, such as Spark 3 and related application programming interfaces (APIs) and frameworks (Spark Core, Spark SQL, Spark MLLib, and GraphX). We cover the basics of machine learning and deploying models to the cloud, including how to design and organize data using modern distributed data storage options (such as Redshift and BigQuery); elements of data lakes and data warehouse design and evolution to data mesh architectures; trends in unified data analytics and modern data stack frameworks; and integration with business intelligence (BI) tools for data visualization (Looker or Amazon Web Services [AWS] Quicksight). We work hands-on with many of the above frameworks on AWS and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) cloud. We primarily use Python for those assignments that require programming.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-88, CSCI E-88a, or CSCI E-90, and intermediate Python skills. Some familiarity with Docker and cloud environments. CSCI E-88c is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-1b
Computer Science for Business Professionals
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16998 | Section 1
Description
This course is a variant of Harvard College’s introduction to computer science, CS50, designed especially for business professionals. Whereas CS50 itself takes a bottom-up approach, emphasizing mastery of low-level concepts and implementation details thereof, this course takes a top-down approach, emphasizing mastery of high-level concepts and design decisions related thereto. Ultimately this course empowers students to make technological decisions even if they are not technologists themselves. Topics include cloud computing, networking, privacy, scalability, security, and more, with an emphasis on web and mobile technologies. Students emerge from this course with first-hand appreciation of how it all works and all the more confident in the factors that should guide their decision-making. This course is designed for managers, product managers, founders, and decision-makers more generally.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/business.
CSCI E-1b
Computer Science for Business Professionals
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25393 | Section 1
Description
This course is a variant of Harvard College’s introduction to computer science, CS50, designed especially for business professionals. Whereas CS50 itself takes a bottom-up approach, emphasizing mastery of low-level concepts and implementation details thereof, this course takes a top-down approach, emphasizing mastery of high-level concepts and design decisions related thereto. Ultimately this course empowers students to make technological decisions even if they are not technologists themselves. Topics include cloud computing, networking, privacy, scalability, security, and more, with an emphasis on web and mobile technologies. Students emerge from this course with first-hand appreciation of how it all works and all the more confident in the factors that should guide their decision-making. This course is designed for managers, product managers, founders, and decision-makers more generally.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/business.
CSCI E-20
Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
Rebecca Nesson PhD, Associate Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26502 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches all the math not taught in the traditional calculus/linear algebra sequence that is needed to take more advanced courses in theory of computation and/or algorithms. That is, it teaches discrete mathematics, logic, and basic probability, but does not teach calculus or linear algebra. It also gives a good introduction to reading mathematical notation and writing formal proofs. A principal objective of the course is to not just teach a set of mathematical topics, but also to prepare students to think mathematically and to read and write mathematics.
Prerequisites: MATH E-10 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 20. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
CSCI E-205
High Performance Computing for Science and Engineering
Chuck Witt PhD, Assistant Director for Graduate Studies in Computational Science and Engineering, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27108 | Section 1
Description
As manufacturing processes approach the physical limits of transistor density, efficient code must exploit parallelism to scale with available computing resources. Scientific software developers must therefore adopt a think-parallel mindset to solve complex problems across academia, industry, and society. This course introduces parallel programming and its relationship to computer architectures, with an emphasis on high performance computing. Students develop experience with programming models such as OpenMP, MPI, and CUDA.
Prerequisites: The course assumes comfort reading and writing code in C++ and Python. Familiarity with Linux command line tools, particularly ssh and Git, is also expected. While advanced C++ knowledge is not required, the course does not teach the basics of programming.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Computer Science 2050. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:15-3:30 pm starting January 27 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 38 students
CSCI E-212
Introduction to Kali Linux and Ethical Hacking
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Heather Hinton PhD, Chief Information Security Officer in Residence, Professional Association of CISOs
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27034 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the fundamentals of Kali Linux, a powerful operating system used for penetration testing, digital forensics, and ethical hacking. Through hands-on exercises and real-world scenarios, students learn the basics of Kali Linux installation, navigation, essential tools, and ethical hacking techniques. The course emphasizes ethical considerations and legal implications of hacking practices, focusing on the use of hacking skills for defensive purposes.
Prerequisites: A basic understanding of computer operating systems and networking concepts is recommended but not required. Familiarity with the Linux command line interface will be beneficial.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-22
Data Structures
David G. Sullivan PhD, Master Lecturer on Computer Science, Boston University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17117 | Section 1
Description
This course is a survey of fundamental data structures for information processing, including lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs. It explores the implementation of these data structures (both array-based and linked representations) and examines classic algorithms that use these structures for tasks such as sorting, searching, and text compression. The Java programming language is used to demonstrate the topics discussed; and key notions of object-oriented programming, including encapsulation and abstract data types, are emphasized.
Prerequisites: A good working knowledge of Java (CSCI E-10b, or the equivalent).
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-22
Data Structures
David G. Sullivan PhD, Master Lecturer on Computer Science, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26616 | Section 1
Description
This course is a survey of fundamental data structures for information processing, including lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs. It explores the implementation of these data structures (both array-based and linked representations) and examines classic algorithms that use these structures for tasks such as sorting, searching, and text compression. The Java programming language is used to demonstrate the topics discussed; and key notions of object-oriented programming, including encapsulation and abstract data types, are emphasized.
Prerequisites: A good working knowledge of Java (CSCI E-10b, or the equivalent).
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-221
Artificial Intelligence and Human Cognition: An Exploration
Fawwaz Habbal PhD, Senior Lecturer on Applied Physics, Harvard University
Benjamin Villa Wiesner MDes, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, OpenSpaces, Inc.
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17131 | Section 1
Description
The study of artificial intelligence (AI) and human cognition is a rapidly evolving and interdisciplinary field. It spans computer science, statistics, and big data, as well as cognitive science, psychology, and philosophy. As a transformative technology, AI has made remarkable strides in understanding natural language and simulating human reasoning, proving invaluable in enhancing human cognition. Yet, many fundamental questions remain about the nature of AI and its relationship to human thought. This course invites students on an intellectual journey to explore these questions. Through engaging discussions, reflective readings, and metaphorical explorations, participants examine the philosophical, ethical, and societal dimensions of AI’s connection to human cognition. The course prioritizes critical thinking and conceptual understanding over technical expertise. Key discussion topics include systems and paradigms, the nature of intelligence, computational approaches, and metaphors of mind and machine. The course then explores human aspects of AI, such as creativity, intuition, and cognitive biases, followed by ethical and philosophical questions arising from AI’s design and use. The final lectures focus on human-machine collaboration and the future of AI. Students engage in informed debates that could influence our understanding of AI, its nature, and future, as well as its impact on human culture and economics. Working in small groups, they apply forward-looking analysis techniques to create comprehensive frameworks that integrate economic, political, technical, ethical, and social perspectives. This process helps identify potential unintended consequences and roadblocks, equipping students with the tools to address complex challenges effectively.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
CSCI E-222
Foundations of Large Language Models
Dmitry V. Kurochkin PhD, Senior Research Analyst, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Office for Faculty Affairs, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27040 | Section 1
Description
Students are introduced to foundational concepts and advanced techniques in large language models (LLMs) to understand the pivotal role of LLMs in natural language processing (NLP). The course covers a range of topics, including transformer architecture, and examines key models such as generative pre-trained transformer (GPT), bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT), and text-to-text transfer transformer (T5). Practical skills are developed in employing these models for tasks like text generation, language translation, sentiment analysis, and building chatbots and conversational agents. Methods for working with LLMs include tokenization, dependency parsing, embedding generation, and fine-tuning of pre-trained models for specialized applications, as well as prompt engineering, data augmentation, and model evaluation to enhance performance. The course curriculum incorporates machine learning and deep learning techniques relevant to LLMs, including attention mechanisms and neural network optimizations. Students gain hands-on experience conducting experiments on platforms like Google Colab and implementing projects utilizing libraries such as Hugging Face transformers in Python.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of Python programming equivalent to CSCI E-7. Understanding matrix vector operations and notation is helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections Fridays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-23a
Introduction to Game Development
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Colton T. Ogden Chief Technology Officer, From Zero LLC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27031 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the development of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) interactive games. Students explore the design and mechanics of such childhood games as Pong, Flappy Bird, Breakout, Match 3, Super Mario Bros., Legend of Zelda, Angry Birds, and Pok mon in a quest to understand how video games more broadly are implemented. Via lectures and hands-on projects, the course explores principles of 2D graphics, animation, sound, and collision detection using languages like Lua and frameworks like L VE 2D. By course’s end, students have programmed several of their own games and gained a thorough understanding of the basics of game design and development, and are equipped to implement the same professionally or personally.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, CSCI E-50, CS50x, or prior programming experience in any language.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/games.
CSCI E-25
Computer Vision
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Data Scientist
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26285 | Section 1
Description
Computer vision (CV) is an exciting and rapidly changing field. In a little over a dozen years, deep learning algorithms have revolutionized many aspects of computer vision. Applications that were infeasible or impractical a few years ago are now in routine production. These advances allow intelligent systems to interact with the real-world using vision. Examples of modern CV applications include digital photography, robotic vision, autonomous vehicles, image generation, medical imaging, and scientific imaging. This course is a fast-paced survey of both the fundamental theory of CV algorithms and hands-on practice. Successfully deploying CV applications often requires a combination of classical methods and state-of-the-art algorithms. Therefore, this course covers the classical image processing and CV techniques often found in practical CV pipelines. From this foundation the course moves to the deep learning algorithms that have revolutionized CV. Students apply tools drawn from the extensive universe of Python CV-related packages in the hands-on assignments to reinforce key principles. Major topics covered in the course include: algorithms used to prepare images, transform images, and extract features; statistical properties of images and methods of decomposition; machine learning algorithms for CV, including deep learning; classification of objects in images; motion in images and optical flow; object detection and tracking algorithms; models for stereo vision; segmentation of images; and image generative models.
Prerequisites: Experience programming using the Python language, equivalent to CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-29. For people with limited Python programming skills, experience programming in any language, such as R, Matlab, or C++ is helpful. Some exposure to basic machine learning and data science methods, equivalent to CSCI E-101, is helpful. Knowledge of linear algebra, including eigenvalue-eigenvector decomposition and some knowledge of differential and integral calculus is essential.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections Wednesdays, 6-8 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-265
Big Data Systems
Stratos Idreos PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26522 | Section 1
Description
Big data is everywhere. A fundamental goal across modern business and science is to be able to utilize as many machines as possible, to consume as much information as possible and as fast as possible. The big challenge is how to turn data into useful knowledge. This is a moving target as both the underlying hardware and our ability to collect data evolve. In this course, we discuss how to design data systems, data structures, and algorithms for key data-driven areas, including relational systems, distributed systems, graph systems, noSQL, newSQL, machine learning, and neural networks. We see how they all rely on the same set of very basic concepts, and we learn how to synthesize efficient solutions for any problem across these areas using those basic concepts.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-61, and CSCI E-66 or CSCI E-165, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 2650. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 am starting January 27 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and SEAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or SEAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-278
Applied Quantitative Finance and Machine Learning
MarcAntonio Awada PhD, Chief Innovation and Digital Strategy Officer, Portfolio Investment, Brown Capital Management
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17346 | Section 1
Description
This course is about how to lift the veil of an insider’s industry. Students learn how quantitative finance is applied in practice and utilized by the world’s largest investment banks, asset management firms, hedge funds, pension plans, and insurance companies. All these repeatedly and consistently generate billions in profits. This course covers the four major pillars of quantitative finance: data management and analytics, quantitative investment strategies, portfolio management, and risk management. We address cutting-edge machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in quantitative finance and describe essential industry domain knowledge and techniques which help students to enter the field of quantitative finance or advance in their current role.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-101 and the ability to code in Python and/or R.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-278
Applied Quantitative Finance and Machine Learning
MarcAntonio Awada PhD, Chief Innovation and Digital Strategy Officer, Portfolio Investment, Brown Capital Management
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26782 | Section 1
Description
This course is about how to lift the veil of an insider’s industry. Students learn how quantitative finance is applied in practice and utilized by the world’s largest investment banks, asset management firms, hedge funds, pension plans, and insurance companies. All these repeatedly and consistently generate billions in profits. This course covers the four major pillars of quantitative finance: data management and analytics, quantitative investment strategies, portfolio management, and risk management. We address cutting-edge machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in quantitative finance and describe essential industry domain knowledge and techniques which help students to enter the field of quantitative finance or advance in their current role.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-101 and the ability to code in Python and/or R.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-28
Unix/Linux Systems Programming
Bruce Molay AB, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24040 | Section 1
Description
As an introduction to the fundamental structure and services of the Unix and Linux operating systems, this course combines theory with programming at the system call level. Topics include files and directories, device control, terminal handling, processes and threads, signals, pipes, and sockets. Examples and exercises include directory management utilities, a shell, a web server, and a multi-user shared whiteboard.
Prerequisites: Solid knowledge of C or C++ at the level of CSCI E-26 and a data structures course such as CSCI E-22; some experience using Unix helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
CSCI E-288
Cloud and Generative Artificial Intelligence Security Architectures
Ramesh Nagappan MS, Principal Security Technologist, Amazon
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17303 | Section 1
Description
Cloud and generative artificial intelligence (AI) represent a pivotal convergence of AI technologies and cloud-hosted services, effectively addressing the unique challenges inherent in these rapidly evolving fields. In cloud computing, security architectures are crafted to protect data, applications, and infrastructure from unauthorized access and vulnerabilities, while ensuring adherence to industry standards and regulatory requirements. The integration of generative AI adds further complexity to the security landscape, necessitating the implementation of AI-specific safeguards to protect against model vulnerabilities, prompt injection, data manipulation, and ethical concerns. This course provides an in-depth exploration of security architectural principles, design patterns, and best practices specifically tailored to the dynamic realm of cloud and generative AI services. Beginning with a comprehensive foundational overview, it delves into essential concepts and techniques crucial for designing, implementing, delivering, and managing secure cloud-based multi-tier applications and generative AI services. This includes multi-tenant networks, containers, micro-services, event-driven models, and the integration of generative AI services, utilizing foundational large language models (LLMs), retrieval augmented generation (RAG) AI knowledge bases, and AI agents. The curriculum emphasizes risk assessment and management associated with cloud and responsible AI adoption, understanding hybrid cloud network topologies, ensuring data protection through applied cryptography, and implementing end-to-end identity management, access control, monitoring, auditing, intrusion detection, incident response processes, fraud detection, and compliance with industry and regulatory standards. Upon completion, students are well-prepared to apply cloud and generative AI-based security architectures effectively.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-12, CSCI E-33a, CSCI E-45a (offered previously), CSCI E-45b (offered previously), CSCI E-46 (offered previously), CSCI E-90, CSCI E-94, or the equivalent. Additional web application development and/or systems administration knowledge will be very helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-288
Cloud and Generative Artificial Intelligence Security Architectures
Ramesh Nagappan MS, Principal Security Technologist, Amazon
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27103 | Section 1
Description
Cloud and generative artificial intelligence (AI) represent a pivotal convergence of AI technologies and cloud-hosted services, effectively addressing the unique challenges inherent in these rapidly evolving fields. In cloud computing, security architectures are crafted to protect data, applications, and infrastructure from unauthorized access and vulnerabilities, while ensuring adherence to industry standards and regulatory requirements. The integration of generative AI adds further complexity to the security landscape, necessitating the implementation of AI-specific safeguards to protect against model vulnerabilities, prompt injection, data manipulation, and ethical concerns. This course provides an in-depth exploration of security architectural principles, design patterns, and best practices specifically tailored to the dynamic realm of cloud and generative AI services. Beginning with a comprehensive foundational overview, it delves into essential concepts and techniques crucial for designing, implementing, delivering, and managing secure cloud-based multi-tier applications and generative AI services. This includes multi-tenant networks, containers, micro-services, event-driven models, and the integration of generative AI services, utilizing foundational large language models (LLMs), retrieval augmented generation (RAG) AI knowledge bases, and AI agents. The curriculum emphasizes risk assessment and management associated with cloud and responsible AI adoption, understanding hybrid cloud network topologies, ensuring data protection through applied cryptography, and implementing end-to-end identity management, access control, monitoring, auditing, intrusion detection, incident response processes, fraud detection, and compliance with industry and regulatory standards. Upon completion, students are well-prepared to apply cloud and generative AI-based security architectures effectively.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-12, CSCI E-33a, CSCI E-45a (offered previously), CSCI E-45b (offered previously), CSCI E-46 (offered previously), CSCI E-90, CSCI E-94, or the equivalent. Additional web application development and/or systems administration knowledge will be very helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-3
Introduction to Web Programming Using JavaScript
Larry Bouthillier MS, Executive Director, University of British Columbia Extended Learning
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15118 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to programming by way of the essential language and runtime environment that powers modern web interfaces. Through a series of examples and projects, students learn basic programming concepts while building an understanding of the power and complexities of JavaScript, which can perplex even experienced web developers. The course provides a solid foundation in computer programming in JavaScript: syntax and data structures, conditionals, objects, scope and closures, Ajax, the DOM, and event handling. Students gain an understanding of the popular libraries that power rich web applications such as jQuery and VueJS. Upon completion, students are prepared for to use JavaScript in their projects, write their own or extend existing JavaScript libraries, employ artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve productivity, and build rich web applications using these powerful tools.
Prerequisites: Some prior experience with basic HTML and CSS.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-31
Full-Stack Web Development Using JavaScript, Node.js, and Artificial Intelligence Tools
Larry Bouthillier MS, Executive Director, University of British Columbia Extended Learning
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25038 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive foundation in full-stack Javascript-based web development, integrating NodeJS servers, client-side frameworks, and cloud services to build dynamic, interactive web applications. Students learn the basics of server-side web development, representational state transfer (REST) application programming interfaces (APIs), client-side Javascript frameworks, and common deployment methodologies. The course introduces students to contemporary software development tooling, including common artificial intelligence (AI) tools. In addition, students learn about models of software development that can apply to any web development environment, including the application server, Model View Controller (MVC) frameworks using Express.js and front-end frameworks such as VueJS, databases (MongoDB). The course includes setting up a node.js environment, building REST APIs, persisting data using databases, and managing code deployments using various cloud services.
Prerequisites: Experience with server-side application development is not required, though knowledge of client-side web development (HTML/CSS/JavaScript) is important. CSCI E-12 is excellent preparation for this course.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-33a
Web Programming with Python and JavaScript
Brian Paul Yu EdM, Preceptor in Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16215 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the design and implementation of web applications with Python, JavaScript, and SQL using frameworks like Django, React, and Bootstrap. Topics include database design, scalability, security, and user experience. Through hands-on projects, students learn to write and use application programming interfaces (APIs), create interactive user interfaces (UIs), and leverage cloud services like GitHub and Heroku. By semester’s end, students emerge with knowledge and experience in the principles, languages, and tools that empower them to design and deploy applications on the internet.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50, CS50x, or prior programming experience in any language.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/web.
CSCI E-34
User Experience Engineering
David S. Platt ME, President, Rolling Thunder Computing, Inc.
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26765 | Section 1
Description
Success in today’s software marketplace requires excellent user experience (UX). This course presents the foundations of excellent UX in a platform-agnostic manner. This course requires no programming. Instead, we focus on deciding what to program to make our users happier and more productive. Students learn to start with the user, not the toolkit. Who are our users and how do we represent them with personas? What problems are these users trying to solve, what would they consider a good solution, and how do we represent that with stories? How should the user interaction flow and how do we represent it with quick, inexpensive mockups? How can we test different designs on users? How can we learn what users really do, instead of what they can remember or will admit to? Students work on a term project, performing all steps of the UX design process. We use modern design tools such as Figma. We examine in-depth case studies and hear from industry-leading guest speakers. Students finish this course with a starter portfolio to show potential employers.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-40
Communication Protocols and Internet Architectures
Len Evenchik SM, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14296 | Section 1
Description
Networks are now too large, complex, and diverse to be built on an ad hoc basis. This course provides a structured approach to the design, analysis, and implementation of networks and protocols. We study various protocols, including TCP/IP, WWW/HTTP, e-mail/SMTP, domain name system (DNS), routing protocols (RIP, OSPF, and BGP) and autonomous systems (AS), virtual network protocols (VXLAN), delay-tolerant network protocols (DTN), and the IEEE 802 LAN protocol suite. In each case, the protocol’s functions and the underlying reference model are discussed in detail. LAN architecture and design, network security and encryption, and the design and analysis of both private networks and the internet are presented. The course discusses new areas of work, including low latency network design, cloud network architecture, gigabit wireless networks, protocols for the Internet-of-Things (IoT), software-defined networks (SDN), and network functions virtualization (NFV).
Prerequisites: Programming or networking experience; a basic understanding of the principles of communication protocols.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:50pm-7:50pm, 1 Story Street 304
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
CSCI E-50
Intensive Introduction to Computer Science
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14290 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches students how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets are inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach students how to program in one language, this course teaches how to program fundamentally and ultimately how to teach oneself new programming languages. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today’s newer languages, through which students learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, and loops, but also how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that students understand all the more because of C. Toward term’s end, the course introduces SQL, via which students can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which students can create web and mobile applications. The course culminates in a final project. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 50 (CS50). Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays, 1:30-4:15 pm starting September 8 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions. This course is also available for noncredit via EdX.
CSCI E-50
Intensive Introduction to Computer Science
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24107 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches students how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets are inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach students how to program in one language, this course teaches how to program fundamentally and ultimately how to teach oneself new programming languages. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today’s newer languages, through which students learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, and loops, but also how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that students understand all the more because of C. Toward term’s end, the course introduces SQL, via which students can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which students can create web and mobile applications. The course culminates in a final project. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 50 (CS50). This course is also available for noncredit via EdX.
CSCI E-59
Designing and Developing Relational and NoSQL Databases
Gregory Thomas Misicko ALM, Engineering Manager, NetApp Cloud Solutions
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25690 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the design and development of databases using a very practical and hands-on approach to learning. Students begin by learning how to set up and configure a database server, followed by a thorough understanding of how to design and develop a real-world database built for stability and performance. Structured query language (SQL) is taught starting from the most basic level and leading up to an advanced level. As many projects today evaluate NoSQL options, students also learn about the more popular NoSQL options available and work with MQL and Cypher.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:00pm-10:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-597
Data Science Precapstone
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Data Scientist
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25390 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students develop academically strong, team-based capstone proposals. Working in teams is a critical industry skill that must be mastered for professional success. The course is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, data science, who wish to register for CSCI E-599a in the spring. It prepares students to explore interdisciplinary capstone topics from a variety of industries and areas. Through workshops and collaboration with industry partners and other capstone students with experience from different industries and disciplines, students identify capstone topics, apply the appropriate data science methods, and use data to advance innovative solutions. Students receive guidance on how to work effectively in teams, refine project proposals, and build the domain knowledge necessary in their selected area. By the end of the course, each team submits a detailed capstone proposal, including project rationale, literature reviews, methods, and expected outcomes, which they intend to execute during CSCI E-599a.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, data science, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CSCI E-599a, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
CSCI E-597b
Cybersecurity Precapstone
Heather Hinton PhD, Chief Information Security Officer in Residence, Professional Association of CISOs
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27028 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students develop an academically strong capstone proposal. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, cybersecurity, who wish to register for CSCI E-599b in the upcoming spring term. It prepares students to explore interdisciplinary research topics from a variety of industries and areas. Through workshops and collaborating with experts from different disciplines, students identify research topics, apply the appropriate cybersecurity methods, and use data to advance innovative solutions. Students receive guidance and advising to work effectively in teams, refine project proposals, and build the domain knowledge necessary in their selected area. By the end of the course, each team submits a detailed research proposal, including project rationale, methods, and expected outcomes, which they intend to execute during CSCI E-599b.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, cybersecurity, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CSCI E-599b, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
CSCI E-597c
Systems Engineering Precapstone
Richard E. Joltes ALM, Senior Python Architect, Geospatial Analytics, US Department of Commerce
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26930 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students develop academically strong, team-based capstone proposals. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, systems engineering, who wish to register for CSCI E-599c in the coming spring term. Students develop a capstone proposal through workshops, collaboration, research, and working with industry partners. They receive guidance on refining project proposals, building the domain knowledge necessary in their selected area, and conducting user research. By the end of the course, each team submits a detailed research proposal, including project rationale, methods, and expected outcomes, which they intend to execute during the capstone course.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, systems engineering, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, CSCI E-599c, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
CSCI E-599
Software Engineering Capstone
Peter V. Henstock PhD, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Lead, AI Institute, Incyte
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24531 | Section 1
Description
This course examines how current software engineering methods approach structuring and managing software projects, from requirements gathering to production release. Formal methods in software engineering have a long history, from the older waterfall method to the current agile methods. Students collaborate in small teams to define an architectural model and a project plan, and then implement a system while practicing techniques in software engineering. They present to the Extension School’s Master of Liberal Arts, software engineering faculty committee based on the course project.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, software engineering, capstone track. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed nine degree courses including the software design requirement, and have proficiency in programming. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CSCI E-599a
Data Science Capstone
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Data Scientist
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16091 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, data science, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI E-597. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their data science, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about data, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, data science. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in February with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the Harvard Summer School precapstone course, CSCI S-597, in the previous summer term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course and CSCI E-599b may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 62 students
CSCI E-599a
Data Science Capstone
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Data Scientist
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25391 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, data science, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI E-597. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their data science, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about data, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, data science. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CSCI E-597, in the previous January term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
CSCI E-599b
Cybersecurity Capstone
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Heather Hinton PhD, Chief Information Security Officer in Residence, Professional Association of CISOs
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16989 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, cybersecurity, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI E-597b. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their cybersecurity, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about cybersecurity, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, cybersecurity. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in February with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CSCI S-597b, in the previous summer term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course and CSCI E-599a may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
CSCI E-599b
Cybersecurity Capstone
Heather Hinton PhD, Chief Information Security Officer in Residence, Professional Association of CISOs
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27027 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, cybersecurity, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI E-597b. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their cybersecurity, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about cybersecurity, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, cybersecurity. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CSCI E-597B, in the previous January term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
CSCI E-599c
Systems Engineering Capstone
Richard E. Joltes ALM, Senior Python Architect, Geospatial Analytics, US Department of Commerce
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17150 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, systems engineering, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI S-597c. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their systems engineering, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about systems, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, systems engineering. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in February with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the Harvard Summer School precapstone course, CSCI S-597c, in the previous summer term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CSCI E-599c
Systems Engineering Capstone
Richard E. Joltes ALM, Senior Python Architect, Geospatial Analytics, US Department of Commerce
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26929 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, systems engineering, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI S-597c. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their systems engineering, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about systems, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, systems engineering. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed CSCI E-597c in the previous January term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
CSCI E-599d
Computer Science Capstone
David S. Platt ME, President, Rolling Thunder Computing, Inc.
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17386 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, computer science, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI S-597D. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their computer science, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about computer science, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, computer science. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in February with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CSCI S-597d, in the previous summer term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
CSCI E-5a
Introduction to Programming with R
Carter Zenke EdM, Senior Preceptor, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17110 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to programming using a language called R, a popular language for statistical computing and graphics in data science and other domains. Students learn to use RStudio, a popular integrated development environment (IDE). They learn to represent real-world data with vectors, matrices, arrays, lists, and data frames, and to filter data with conditions, via which one can analyze subsets of data. We apply functions and loops, via which students can manipulate and summarize data sets, and write functions to modularize code and raise exceptions when something goes wrong. The course also covers how to tidy data with R’s tidyverse and create colorful visualizations with R’s grammar of graphics. By course’s end, students learn to package, test, and share R code for others to use. Assignments are inspired by real-world data sets.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-61
Systems Programming and Machine Organization
Eddie Kohler PhD, Microsoft Professor of Computer Science and Harvard College Professor, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17148 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the fundamentals of computer systems programming. It provides a solid background in data representation, systems programming, operating systems, and machine organization and design. The course centers on C++ programming, with some assembly language. Topics include data representation, assembly and machine programming, storage hierarchy and caching, kernel programming and virtual memory, process management, and concurrency (including threads and networking).
Prerequisites: CSCI E-26, CSCI E-50, or some experience programming in C++ or C.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 61. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:15-3:30 pm starting September 3 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-63c
Elements of Data Science and Statistical Learning with R
Andrey Sivachenko PhD, Scientist IV, Head of Bioinformatics, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Lab
Victor A. Farutin PhD, Executive Director, Data Sciences, Verve Therapeutics
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24748 | Section 1
Description
One of the broad goals of data science is examining raw data with the purpose of identifying its structure and trends, and of deriving conclusions and hypotheses from it. In the modern world awash with data, data analytics is more important than ever to fields ranging from biomedical research, space and weather science, finance, business operations and production, to marketing and social media applications. This course introduces various statistical learning methods and their applications. The R programming language, a very popular and powerful platform for scientific and statistical analysis and visualization, is introduced and used throughout the course. We discuss the fundamentals of statistical testing and learning, and cover topics of linear and non-linear regression, clustering and classification, support vector machines, and decision trees. The datasets used in the examples are drawn from diverse domains such as finance, genomics, and customer sales and survey data.
Prerequisites: Good programming skills, preferably in R or solid experience in other languages; good understanding of probability and statistics at the level of CSCI E-106 or STAT E-109. See the syllabus for the recommended pretest.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 200 students
CSCI E-7
Introduction to Computer Science with Python
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16959 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to computer science for students without prior programming experience. It explores problem-solving and data analysis using Python, a programming language with a simple syntax and a powerful set of libraries. This course covers basic data types and collections (lists, dictionaries, tuples, and sets), control flow, recursion, information hiding, and encapsulation using classes and objects, and introduces the analysis of program performance. The course teaches several mathematical, statistical, and computational methods that enable students to think critically about data as it is employed in various fields of inquiry. Other topics include visualization and an introduction to supervised machine learning.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-7
Introduction to Computer Science with Python
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25531 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to computer science for students without prior programming experience. It explores problem-solving and data analysis using Python, a programming language with a simple syntax and a powerful set of libraries. This course covers basic data types and collections (lists, dictionaries, tuples, and sets), control flow, recursion, information hiding, and encapsulation using classes and objects, and introduces the analysis of program performance. The course teaches several mathematical, statistical, and computational methods that enable students to think critically about data as it is employed in various fields of inquiry. Other topics include visualization, an introduction to supervised machine learning, and the social and ethical dilemmas presented by such issues as software unreliability, algorithmic bias, and invasions of privacy.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Computer Science 1. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting January 27 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-80
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python
Brian Paul Yu EdM, Preceptor in Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16393 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the concepts and algorithms at the foundation of modern artificial intelligence, diving into the ideas that give rise to technologies like game-playing engines, handwriting recognition, and machine translation. Through hands-on projects, students gain exposure to the theory behind graph search algorithms, classification, optimization, machine learning, large language models, and other topics in artificial intelligence as they incorporate them into their own Python programs. By course’s end, students emerge with experience in libraries for machine learning as well as knowledge of artificial intelligence principles that enable them to design intelligent systems of their own.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50, CS50x, or at least one year of experience with Python.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-80
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python
Brian Paul Yu EdM, Preceptor in Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25793 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the concepts and algorithms at the foundation of modern artificial intelligence, diving into the ideas that give rise to technologies like game-playing engines, handwriting recognition, and machine translation. Through hands-on projects, students gain exposure to the theory behind graph search algorithms, classification, optimization, machine learning, large language models, and other topics in artificial intelligence as they incorporate them into their own Python programs. By course’s end, students emerge with experience in libraries for machine learning as well as knowledge of artificial intelligence principles that enable them to design intelligent systems of their own.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50, CS50x, or at least one year of experience with Python.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-82
Advanced Machine Learning, Data Mining, and Artificial Intelligence
Peter V. Henstock PhD, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Lead, AI Institute, Incyte
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15407 | Section 1
Description
The course is intended to combine the theory with the hands-on practice of solving modern industry problems with an emphasis on image processing and natural language processing. Topics include outlier detection, advanced clustering techniques, deep learning, dimensionality reduction methods, frequent item set mining, and recommender systems. Topics also considered include reinforcement learning, graph-based models, search optimization, and time series analysis. The course uses Python as the primary language, although later projects can include R and other languages. The course also introduces some industry standard tools to prepare students for artificial intelligence jobs.
Prerequisites: This course builds upon topics covered in CSCI E-63c and CSCI E-109a with either CSCI E-63c or CSCI E-109a as a prerequisite. Students should be proficient in Python including Pandas and readily able to load, parse, and manipulate data. A course such as CSCI E-7 or a course on Python and machine learning would be useful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
CSCI E-83
Fundamentals of Data Science II
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Data Scientist
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16768 | Section 1
Description
This course builds on CSCI E-101, giving students a solid foundation for advanced data modeling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI). The course focuses on the methods of modern computational statistics underpinning advanced data science. In the twenty-first century, these powerful, computationally intensive algorithms are both practical and widely used. These algorithms enable us to explore and model the large, complex datasets commonly encountered in the real world today. The focus of this course is on methods to address the exploration, inference, and modeling challenges arising from the analysis of increasingly complex datasets. Approaches to large-scale computational statistical inference are discussed, include maximum likelihood, modern resampling methods, and Bayesian models. The properties and behavior of the rich family of linear models and Bayesian models, foundational to many statistical, machine learning, and AI algorithms are surveyed. Additionally, time series models are explored. The course employs a combination of theory and hands-on experience using Python programming tools. The focus is on foundational computational statistical algorithms, statistical inference methods, and effective visualization methods. The hands-on component of the course uses the Python packages, NumPy, Pandas, Seaborn, Statsmodels, and PyMC3, along with selected other open-source packages.
Prerequisites: Some exposure to basic machine learning and data science methods, equivalent to CSCI E-101. Experience programming using the Python language, equivalent to CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-29. For people with limited Python programming experience, some experience programming, in any language, such as R, Matlab, or C++, is essential. Knowledge of linear algebra, including eigenvalue-eigenvector decomposition and a bit of differential and integral calculus is essential.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections Tuesdays, 6-8 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-87
Big Data and Machine Learning in Health Care Applications
Oleg Pianykh PhD, Assistant Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, and Director of Medical Analytics, Massachusetts General Hospital
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17070 | Section 1
Description
While large volumes of digital health-care data have been captured for decades, we are only starting to mine them for information that can significantly advance health care delivery and quality. Built from many practical experiences, this course teaches students how to apply big data analytics and machine learning to the most challenging problems found in modern hospitals. We cover several important areas operational, clinical, and imaging using hands-on examples and real problems. Students not only learn how to build efficient data models, but also how to implement them in different health-care environments, avoiding the most common pitfalls and achieving meaningful results.
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of statistics and machine learning. Programming in Python or Matlab is required for most homework assignments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CSCI E-88c
Programming in Scala for Big Data Systems
Edward S. Sumitra MS, Distinguished Engineer, Curriculum Associates
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16769 | Section 1
Description
Scala is a strongly typed, versatile programming language that has emerged as one of the de-facto languages in big data systems. Scala supports multiple programming paradigms, including familiar object-oriented programming (OOP) and functional programming (FP) techniques. This hands-on course covers types and data structures, build tools, functional programming concepts with higher-order functions, pattern matching, concurrency, and parallel processing. Popular libraries in the Scala ecosystem are introduced and applied. Students learn unit testing libraries and reinforce techniques taught in lectures by completing weekly programming assignments. Students apply their knowledge to develop batch and stream processing applications in Apache Spark, Apache Beam, and Kafka Streams in the latter part of the course.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with a programming language like Java, Python, Javascript, C#, or C++.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-89
Deep Learning
Zoran B. Djordjevic PhD, Senior Enterprise Architect, Nishava, Inc.
Rahul B. Joglekar BSc, ALM, Enterprise Technical Architect, Point32Health
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16392 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students master the most important neural network and deep learning concepts and techniques and start applying them productively in modern artificial intelligence (AI) workplace. Deep learning is the primary technique for data analysis and the solution for many complex problems in natural sciences, linguistics, and engineering. We use deep learning for image classification, manipulation, and generation; speech recognition and synthesis; natural language translation; sound and music manipulation and generation; and navigation of self-driving cars. Students master several key deep learning architectures, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), long short-term memory networks (LSTMs), autoencoders (AEs), variational autoencoders (VAEs), generative adversarial networks (GANs), transformers with attention, and graph neural networks (GNNs). Students master the most essential skills for the efficient use of large language model (LLM)-based applications such as ChatGPT and DALL*E. The course starts with a review of the theoretical foundations of neural networks approach to machine learning including auto-differentiation and back-propagation. The emphasis is on practical applications of deep learning APIs Keras (a package within TensorFlow 2.x framework) and PyTorch.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with Python. We assume no familiarity with Linux and introduce all essential Linux features and commands. Students need access to a computer with a 64-bit operating system and at least 8 GB of RAM. Having a machine with NVIDIA card is a plus but not required. All complex examples given as assignments could be run on Google Collaboratory.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections Saturdays, 1-2 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-89b
Introduction to Natural Language Processing
Dmitry V. Kurochkin PhD, Senior Research Analyst, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Office for Faculty Affairs, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17133 | Section 1
Description
Students are introduced to modern techniques of natural language processing (NLP) and learn foundations of text classification, named entity recognition, parsing, language modeling including text generation, topic modeling, and machine translation. Methods for representing text as data studied in the course are tokenization, n-grams, bag of words, term frequency-inverse document frequency (TD-IDF) weighting, word embeddings like Word2Vec and GloVe, autoencoders, t-SNE, character embeddings, and topic modeling. The machine learning algorithms for NLP covered in the course are recurrent neural networks (RNNs) including long short-term memory (LSTM), conditional random fields (CRFs), bidirectional LSTM with a CRF (BiLSTM-CRF), generative adversarial networks (GANs), attention models, transformers, bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT), latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), and structural topic modeling (STM). Students get hands-on experience using both Python and R.
Prerequisites: Students are expected to have taken Python programming course equivalent to CSCI E-7. Most of the problems will be solved in Python. The structural topic modeling will be performed using the ‘stm’ R package. Prior programming experience in R is helpful, but not required. In addition, basic knowledge of calculus, probability, and statistics is expected. Students need to have access to a computer with a 64-bit operating system and at least 8 GB of RAM. GPU is highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections Fridays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-8b
Mobile GIS
Pinde Fu PhD, Senior Principal Software Developer Engineer, App Engineering, Esri
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26759 | Section 1
Description
Mobile geospatial information systems (GIS) brings the power of GIS to mobile devices. While popular applications such as Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Waze have helped users understand the basics of mobile GIS, this course introduces students to enterprise-level mobile GIS, offering greater capabilities, flexibility, and integration within enterprise systems. With their ubiquity and built-in location sensors, mobile devices have become an essential part of modern GIS architecture in today’s mobile-first world. In this hands-on, no- or low-code course, students learn to design and build mobile GIS solutions that support online and offline data collection, 2D and 3D mapping and visualization, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), location sharing, workforce coordination, and system integration. Using ArcGIS Online, Esri’s industry-leading cloud platform, students create mobile solutions with ArcGIS Field Maps, Survey123, and QuickCapture, as well as responsive web applications such as ArcGIS StoryMaps, Dashboards, and Experience Builder. Students also enhance their applications through low-code customization using Arcade scripting, HTML/CSS, Power Automate, and ArcGIS Mobile SDKs. Finally, the course explores emerging applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in mobile GIS, including GeoAI, large language model-based assistants, and AI agents, preparing students engage with the next generation of intelligent, mobile geospatial systems.
Prerequisites: Students must have a computer (Windows or MacOS) and a smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android).
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-90
Cloud Services, Infrastructure, and Computing
Gregory Thomas Misicko ALM, Engineering Manager, NetApp Cloud Solutions
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15865 | Section 1
Description
Off-premise or cloud services, infrastructure, and computing have replaced in-house data centers across businesses of every size. Businesses rely on cloud services because of their extremely high efficiency, ease of setup, and their ability to scale with demand. It is essential for today’s engineers to understand how robust architectures can be implemented on a cloud platform, and to understand in depth which services and tools are available for them to use. This course does not require any prior experience working with cloud services and does not require any programming skills.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:00pm-10:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-92
Principles of Operating Systems
James L. Frankel PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and President, Frankel and Associates, Incorporated
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17415 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the role of operating systems: process synchronization and scheduling; memory management including virtual memory, swapping, paging, and segmentation; file management; protection and security; input/output techniques, buffering, and resource allocation; deadlock detection and avoidance; system modeling; performance measurement and evaluation; and operating system case studies. An extensive lab project is required of all students.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of data structures and programming experience, such as CSCI E-22 or the equivalent. An advanced algorithms course, such as CSCI E-124 or equivalent, is preferred but not required. Students must have sufficient experience to write large programming projects in the C programming language that utilize a wide variety of data structures.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:00pm-10:15pm, 53 Church Street L01
Required sections Tuesdays, 6:45-7:45 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CSCI E-93
Computer Architecture
James L. Frankel PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and President, Frankel and Associates, Incorporated
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27072 | Section 1
Description
This course is a study of the fundamental concepts in the design and organization of modern computer systems. Topics include computer organization, instruction-set design, processor design, memory system design, timing issues, interrupts, microcoding, and various performance-enhancing parallel techniques such as prefetching, pipelining, branch prediction, superscalar execution, and massive-parallel processing. We also study existing architectures using complex instruction set computer (CISC), reduced instruction set computer (RISC), vector, data parallel, and very long instruction word (VLIW) designs. An extensive lab project encompassing the design and implementation of a new instruction set and central processing unit (CPU) using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is required of all students.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of data structures and programming experience (CSCI E-22, or the equivalent) with a Boolean/digital logic course preferred, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:00pm-10:15pm, 53 Church Street L01
Required sections Tuesdays, 6:45-7:45 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CSCI E-94
Fundamentals of Cloud Computing and OpenAI with Microsoft Azure
Joe Ficara ASEE, Lead Architect, The Predictive Index
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25152 | Section 1
Description
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to cloud and serverless computing, focusing on Microsoft Azure’s key services and Azure’s artificial intelligence (AI) platform. We contrast the challenges and benefits of cloud computing, serverless cloud computing, and traditional self-managed cloud and on-premises solutions. Students learn the fundamental architecture and design patterns necessary to build geographically distributed, highly available, and scalable solutions using key services in the Microsoft Azure platform. Students learn about the OpenAI offerings in Azure and how to responsibly leverage them in their cloud-native solutions, with hands-on experience in prompt engineering, fine tuning, and embedding. We cover the costs and benefits of each and how to pragmatically apply them. Students engage in hands-on learning architecting secure, scalable, geo-redundant, and cost-effective infrastructure and deploying that infrastructure to Microsoft Azure using infrastructure as code via the Bicep language. Students learn approaches for building solutions that gracefully degrade when non-essential functionality is unavailable. Students learn to implement defense in depth using network segmentation (VNETs) and additional best practices. A wide range of Microsoft Azure Services are covered including Azure Front Door, Azure App Services, Azure App Configuration, KeyVault, Azure SQL, Azure API management; serverless services including Azure Functions, and Azure Logic Applications; Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) for enterprise identity management; Azure B2C for low-cost identity management on consumer-centric software-as-a-service offerings; and Azure Storage, Azure Service Bus, Azure Event Grid, Azure Event Hub, Azure Cosmos database, and Azure Cognitive Search. In addition to Azure services and guidance, the course covers implementing processes to streamline development, such as continuous integration, continuous deployment (CICD), and automated testing. Students also learn how to test their applications and infrastructure at scale using Azure Load Testing. Coverage includes always-up architecture and deployment strategies, rollback strategies, A/B testing, testing in production, monitoring, distributed tracing, alerting, performance tuning, snapshot debugging in production, and health analysis using Application Insights and Azure Monitor. Additionally, students learn strategies and architecture for ensuring data sovereignty concerns are addressed in their solutions.
Prerequisites: Basic C#, C++, Python, or Java development skills. CSCI E-10a or the equivalent. This course involves a substantial amount of programming in C# and cross platform.NET (6 or above).
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
CSCI E-96
Data Mining for Business
Ted Kwartler MBA, Managing Director, Responsible AI, Accenture
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26599 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces non-mathematical business professionals to data science principles widely used in today’s corporations. Quantitative methods affect many of today’s interactions for business leaders, students, and consumers. Emphasis is placed on practical uses and case studies utilizing data to inform business decisions rather than theoretical or complex mathematics. Case study topics include understanding customer demand, marketing, new market forecasting, revenue projections, and data mining to improve decisions. Learning goals include quantitative business application, basic programming, algorithm development, and process workflow. The course highlights methods that business leaders and data scientists have found to be the most useful. It introduces the basic concepts of R for data mining. This course is for students who want an introduction to how data science improves business outcomes.
Prerequisites: Since this course utilizes R throughout the semester students should complete the 4-hour free online course Introduction to R at DataCamp.com found here: https://www.datacamp.com/courses/free-introduction-to-r.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional labs to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
CSCI E-97
Software Design: Principles, Models, and Patterns
Eric Gieseke ALM, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Pago Capital
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15356 | Section 1
Description
This course approaches object-oriented software design from three perspectives: the software engineering principles that enable the development of quality software, the modeling of software components using the Unified Modeling Language (UML), and the application of design patterns as a means of reusing design models that are accepted best practices. These patterns include both the original software patterns as well as more recent modularization patterns for software construction. There is at least one significant modeling exercise and a set of programming assignments that require the application of design principles and good programming technique. Students are expected to write a detailed description of the design for each of their programs, incorporating UML models as appropriate. Students implement their programs in the Java programming language. In addition, there is at least one significant assignment that requires designing and documenting a software subsystem without implementation.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-22, or the equivalent, and proficiency in Java.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections Thursdays, 5-6 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DEVP E-102
Global Development: Theory and Practice
Alexander Puutio PhD, Senior Expert, Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16433 | Section 1
Description
Students build upon the body of knowledge and industry best practices in ways that allow them to effectively analyze and (de)construct theories of development, as well as related ideologies, major trends, and objective frameworks held by governments and international organizations. The discussion is centered around the features of robust theories, including explanatory and predictive power, as well as the limitations development theories face in dynamic contexts. Students strengthen their understanding of development theories by constructing their own explanatory frameworks for why and how positive change happens at the scale of communities and nations. Development indicators and other data sources are explored and analyzed critically. After covering the theory of development, the course explores its practical applications. Students learn how to critically assess, create, deliver upon, and measure the impact of tangible development projects. The course covers tangible examples of both successful and failed development projects which are analyzed for drivers of success and common denominators of failed projects. Students learn how to approach and analyze critical project design tools, including theories of change, logical frameworks, activity plans, funding and resourcing frameworks, and impact measurement processes. Students select a real-life development project as a case study, which is used as a pedagogical device to cement the learning goals of the course. In their case study, students will apply best-in-class monitoring and evaluation, as well as a range of other analytical tools to assess their chosen development projects from design to sustained impact. Over the past years, students selected projects implemented by organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank Group, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department for International Development (DFID). Past case studies and recent flagship projects are used as entry points for discussion in each class. This course is divided into the following four broad thematic areas that guide the discussions and analysis in class: the theories of development including key principles and prerequisites; project design and planning; operational delivery and coordination; and impact measurement and sustaining results.
Prerequisites: Experience manipulating data and algebraic equations on spreadsheets is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DEVP E-102
Global Development: Theory and Practice
Alexander Puutio PhD, Senior Expert, Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25998 | Section 1
Description
Students build upon the body of knowledge and industry best practices in ways that allow them to effectively analyze and (de)construct theories of development, as well as related ideologies, major trends, and objective frameworks held by governments and international organizations. The discussion is centered around the features of robust theories, including explanatory and predictive power, as well as the limitations development theories face in dynamic contexts. Students strengthen their understanding of development theories by constructing their own explanatory frameworks for why and how positive change happens at the scale of communities and nations. Development indicators and other data sources are explored and analyzed critically. After covering the theory of development, the course explores its practical applications. Students learn how to critically assess, create, deliver upon, and measure the impact of tangible development projects. The course covers tangible examples of both successful and failed development projects which are analyzed for drivers of success and common denominators of failed projects. Students learn how to approach and analyze critical project design tools, including theories of change, logical frameworks, activity plans, funding and resourcing frameworks, and impact measurement processes. Students select a real-life development project as a case study, which is used as a pedagogical device to cement the learning goals of the course. In their case study, students will apply best-in-class monitoring and evaluation, as well as a range of other analytical tools to assess their chosen development projects from design to sustained impact. Over the past years, students selected projects implemented by organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank Group, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department for International Development (DFID). Past case studies and recent flagship projects are used as entry points for discussion in each class. This course is divided into the following four broad thematic areas that guide the discussions and analysis in class: the theories of development including key principles and prerequisites; project design and planning; operational delivery and coordination; and impact measurement and sustaining results.
Prerequisites: Experience manipulating data and algebraic equations on spreadsheets is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DEVP E-110
Foundations of Sustainable Development Practice
Omid Parhizkar PhD, Sustainable Development Professional and Operations Officer, Global Environment Facility, The World Bank Group
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16389 | Section 1
Description
The broad goal of this course is to introduce students to the foundations of sustainable development including food and nutritional security, social service delivery, energy policy, water resource management, urbanization, infrastructure, human rights, biodiversity, adaptation to climate change, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), sustainable business, ethics, governance, and education. Through a global classroom, lectures are attended virtually with academic, policy, and practice partners from around the world. The course consists of weekly live global classroom broadcasts featuring international experts.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DEVP E-113
Leading with Ethics: Professional Practices for Sustainable Development
Nazeli Tonoyan MA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17200 | Section 1
Description
In an era where global challenges demand urgent and united action, the international community strives for a future where everyone can lead dignified lives. This ambition calls upon a framework of global moral practices encompassing economic development, public health, human rights, and environmental stewardship. This course delves into the ethical considerations surrounding these practices, including the questions they raise and the assessment criteria they require. The course aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge to navigate our complex ethical landscape, including exclusion and discrimination based on various identity aspects. It emphasizes the importance of inclusion in social development goals across multiple sectors and integrates ethics with professionalism. Ethics cannot be viewed in isolation from the environments in which they are practiced. Unique identities, experiences, histories, and beliefs shape individuals and play a significant role in determining ethical considerations. This course highlights the importance of values, ethics, virtues, character, roles, duties, freedoms, and obligations in sustainable international development policies and programs. The course is designed for students interested in ethics and professionalism and equips participants with the skills necessary for careers in public policy, sustainable international development, and human rights.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DEVP E-116
Water Crises and Solutions: Engaging Science and Social Science to Develop Sustainable Solutions
Jenny Kehl PhD, Professor of Business, International and Political Economy, Concordia University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26828 | Section 1
Description
Water scarcity will be one of the defining crises of the twenty-first century. This course combines knowledge from environmental science with global political economy, natural resource governance, sustainable economic development, and international security. It examines how water scarcity disrupts food security, distorts economic development, jeopardizes public health, threatens energy production, decreases political stability, and threatens regional security. The course engages science and social science to explore, analyze, and develop sustainable solutions for vital water systems and ecosystem services.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DEVP E-140
Management in the Context of Global Development
Alexander Puutio PhD, Senior Expert, Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17175 | Section 1
Description
The field of global development is evolving rapidly among a host of socioeconomic, geopolitical, and environmental challenges. As a result, effective management practices are becoming increasingly crucial for development organizations as well as other entities engaged in designing, implementing, and sustaining projects that aim to tackle complex social, economic, and environmental challenges. This course provides a robust foundation for future leaders and development experts in managing development organizations and projects, equipping them with the necessary skills and insights to navigate the complexities and challenges unique to the industry. Students delve deep into the intricacies of organizational design, management practices, and the processes and tools for managing projects within diverse and often unpredictable contexts of global development. The course emphasizes the importance of adaptability, accountability, and a context-specific understanding of the socio-political, economic, and cultural dimensions that influence development work. Key topics include organizational design and decision architecture, systems thinking and business analysis, participatory design and stakeholder management, theory of change mapping, adaptive project management strategies, and monitoring and evaluation. Students explore how to overcome common pitfalls in project planning and learn to foster meaningful discussions between planners, stakeholders, and communities to co-create sustainable solutions. The course offers a hands-on approach to developing analytical and creative skills essential for assessing complex contexts and innovating solutions. A significant focus is on collaborative methods for mapping long-term change at the project, program, and policy levels, ensuring students can build strategic pathways for impactful change. By the end of this course, students are adept at managing development projects with an integrated understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the field. They are prepared to lead with confidence, applying best practices in project management to facilitate long-term, sustainable development outcomes.
Prerequisites: Previous experience in project design and implementation is helpful, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DEVP E-142
The Economic Foundations of Global Development
Alexander Puutio PhD, Senior Expert, Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26813 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a foundational understanding of the role of economic theories and economists in driving the discourse and outcomes of global development. From theories of industrialization and modernization to sustainable development and socioeconomic equity, economic frameworks and approaches are often found at the very core of the intellectual constellations upon which these theories are built. Students explore how global development is dependent on economic thinking across the whole spectrum of theory building, policymaking, project design, and impact evaluation. This course covers the essential concepts and tools from macroeconomics, microeconomics, behavioral economics, and finance that are applied in the global development industry today. Topics covered include macroeconomic policymaking, global trade and finance, government expenditures and the Keynesian multiplier, game theory, incentive structures and the principles of econometrics, and economic analysis in support of impact evaluation. Students gain a deep understanding of how economic principles inform the discourse around global development and how they can be applied in support of development objectives and goals in various settings.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DEVP E-160
A One Health Approach to Global Sustainable Development
Camille Hopkins PhD, Disease Ecologist and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17171 | Section 1
Description
Today we are facing increasingly complex, wicked environmental problems: drought, wildfires, biodiversity loss, pollution, invasive species, increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, emerging infectious diseases, habitat degradation, and climate change. How can we implement sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the face of these stressors? The international Quadripartite (which is comprised of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations Environment Programme, World Health Organization, and World Organisation for Animal Health) recommends a One Health approach. The Quadripartite’s One Health High-Level Expert Panel defines One Health as “an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. It recognizes the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent. The [One Health] approach mobilizes multiple sectors, disciplines, and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for healthy food, water, energy, and air, taking action on climate change and contributing to sustainable development.” This course provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to become a One Health practitioner.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DEVP E-597
Global Development Practice Precapstone
Carol Franco PhD, Senior Research Associate, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17417 | Section 1
Description
This course establishes a strong foundation for academically rigorous capstones. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice, who wish to register for DEVP E-599 in the upcoming term. In this course, students are responsible for identifying and engaging with a client, as well as defining the scope and deliverables of their capstone projects, which they execute in DEVP E-599.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, DEVP E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
DEVP E-597
Global Development Practice Precapstone
Carol Franco PhD, Senior Research Associate, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27077 | Section 1
Description
This course establishes a strong foundation for academically rigorous capstones. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice, who wish to register for DEVP S-599 in the upcoming summer term. In this course, students are responsible for identifying and engaging with a client, as well as defining the scope and deliverables of their capstone projects, which they execute in DEVP S-599.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, DEVP S-599, in the upcoming summer term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
DEVP E-599
Global Development Practice Capstone
Carol Franco PhD, Senior Research Associate, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25972 | Section 1
Description
This course is a capstone designed for students earning a Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice. The course approach is learner-centered, whereby students create a development plan for a client by applying skills and knowledge gained from their graduate school experience. This course builds upon worked completed in DEVP E-597. The course deliverables include a detailed actionable and measurable plan, as well as a presentation to be given to the class and to client stakeholders. Appropriate clients may include communities, corporations, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), governmental agencies, schools, universities, and hospitals. Students work with a client with one or more stakeholders to develop and deliver a customized development plan focused on one or more of these areas: community development, human rights, labor practices, education, environmental sustainability, and fair operating practices. Listings of prior projects may be viewed at the Global Development Practice Capstone website.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, DEVP E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Saturday, April 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, April 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
DGMD E-1
Digital Media: From Ideas to Designs and Prototypes
Bakhtiar Mikhak PhD, Co-Founder, Media Modifications, Ltd.
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16151 | Section 1
Description
This is a practical design course on perspectives, tools, and methods for going from an idea for a product or service powered by a mobile and/or web application to an interactive design prototype ready for handoff to a development team. We start with brainstorming and iteratively refining the core concept for your product or service, based on which we create the brand identity along with detailed personas and stories that capture why and for whom your product or service is developed. We then translate those personas and stories into storyboards that illustrate the application’s experiential flow in real-world contexts in terms of concrete visual and interaction design elements. The design and development of a component-based pattern library for creating interactive prototypes with live data is a central focus of this course. We introduce a varied, growing collection of third-party component libraries that can help give your prototypes a professional and polished quality. We create prototypes with a visual design tool that also allows creating and enhancing components with code for imagining and realizing even richer interactions and experience flows. The work in this course is based on significant use of a mix of the following tools and technologies: Framer and Notion, along with HTML, CSS, Javascript, and React.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Saturday, Sunday, September 20-21, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-1
Digital Media: From Ideas to Designs and Prototypes
Bakhtiar Mikhak PhD, Co-Founder, Media Modifications, Ltd.
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26600 | Section 1
Description
This is a practical design course on perspectives, tools, and methods for going from an idea for a product or service powered by a mobile and/or web application to an interactive design prototype ready for handoff to a development team. We start with brainstorming and iteratively refining the core concept for your product or service, based on which we create the brand identity along with detailed personas and stories that capture why and for whom your product or service is developed. We then translate those personas and stories into storyboards that illustrate the application’s experiential flow in real-world contexts in terms of concrete visual and interaction design elements. The design and development of a component-based pattern library for creating interactive prototypes with live data is a central focus of this course. We introduce a varied, growing collection of third-party component libraries that can help give your prototypes a professional and polished quality. We create prototypes with a visual design tool that also allows creating and enhancing components with code for imagining and realizing even richer interactions and experience flows. The work in this course is based on significant use of a mix of the following tools and technologies: Framer and Notion, along with HTML, CSS, Javascript, and React.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Saturday, Sunday, February 14-15, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-10
Advanced Digital Photography
Greg Marinovich MS, Master Lecturer, Journalism, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26741 | Section 1
Description
This course delves into storytelling through photojournalism, documentary, and art photography, designed for students with basic to intermediate skills looking to improve their visual storytelling and skills. We explore a range of photographic books to inspire new approaches and expand techniques, encouraging fresh perspectives on students’ semester-long projects. Students also gain hands-on experience with the essential photo cataloging and editing software and how to put together a book with InDesign. These lessons empower students to tackle the complexities of digital photography, enhance their creative vision, and develop a visual voice. While documentary photography and long-form photojournalism take center stage, we include the world of memoir and art photography, bridging the gap between documentary work and pure artistic expression. Students explore portraiture in real-world settings, learn how to capture compelling stories even when their subjects aren’t eager, and dive deep into narrative photography. This course offers the freedom to explore any genre, but its goal is to help students develop a polished body of work or photographic essay in electronic book form. A major focus is on refining the ability to self-edit, allowing students to present their best images with confidence.
Prerequisites: Students should have a basic to intermediate knowledge of photography or have completed DGMD E-9 or the equivalent. Students need access to a camera where they can control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Students need access to the internet and a computer that can manage Adobe Lightroom and InDesign.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
DGMD E-14
Wearable Devices and Computer Vision
Nabib Ahmed AM, Artificial Intelligence Researcher, Meta
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16693 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the field of wearable devices and computer vision, two technologies experiencing a modern-day renaissance. Wearable technologies is an exciting, innovative field that has seen a flurry of recent advancements, such as the Apple Vision Pro, which is Apple’s first augmented/mixed-reality device; Ray-Ban Stories, which are designer smart glasses to capture and share moments on social media; and various artificial intelligence (AI)-enable wearables, which aim to integrate AI-powered personal assistants with clothing and jewelry. Underlying these advances in wearable devices is computer vision, which is an exciting field of AI and machine learning, enabling computers to derive information from images, videos, and other inputs. In this course, we explore wearable devices and utilize computer vision to tackle emerging problems (for example, assistive devices, educational applications, and health monitoring). Students learn about sensors, signal processing, data analytics, AI, machine learning, computational image processing, neural networks, localization and mapping, and robust algorithms for modeling. By the end of this course, students are ready to join the community of pioneers and innovators making the future of wearable and computer vision technology. Students may not take both DGMD E-13 and DGMD E-14 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-50 or equivalent. Experience with programming, technical and code documentation, and data (any programming language will do; some examples are Python, R, Java, or C/C++). Familiarity with algebra and geometry. No background needed in machine learning, computer vision, or wearable devices.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DGMD E-17
Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, and Artificial Intelligence
Nabib Ahmed AM, Artificial Intelligence Researcher, Meta
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26008 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the field of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, autonomous vehicles, and drones. We are at the forefront of a revolution that can fundamentally change a multitude of industries and transform our society, such as self-driving, autonomous cars; same-day drone delivery; and AI-powered personal robotic assistants and laborers. There is tremendous growth and opportunities in this space with billions of dollars being invested and expected market growth of 10-15 percent annually. This course explores the theories, tools, and processes that enable these technologies and the challenges, limitations, and capabilities of modern robotics, autonomous vehicles, drones, and AI technologies. Students learn about AI and sensor technologies for automation, autonomy from a systems perspective, vision-based perception and techniques, modern machine learning algorithms, mathematical modeling and abstraction, and engineering design. The goal is to develop a fundamental toolkit to advance the field and become part of the next generation of futurists and technologists.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-50 or equivalent. Experience with programming, technical and code documentation, and data (any programming language will do; some examples are Python, R, Java, or C/C++). Familiarity with algebra and geometry. No background needed in machine learning, robotics, or artificial intelligence
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DGMD E-23
Planning Successful Websites and Applications
Lisa DiOrio MS, Owner and Lead Developer, Fembot Creative
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16308 | Section 1
Description
There are many options to build a website, from website builders to coding a site from scratch. Regardless of the option you choose to build the site, a solid planning process is crucial to produce an effective site. Questions such as what is significant about the product, for whom the product exists, and how should the product information be organized need to be addressed upfront. In this course, students learn to plan and design a website or web application, including choosing a target audience, defining site goals and reconciling these with user and business goals, establishing a brand and a tone of voice, and designing a page architecture. Students select two projects and then create a complete plan for each. These plans can serve as a blueprint for anyone charged with building the corresponding website. This course is not a coding course. It focuses on the other aspects of website and web application creation to set the stage for building better sites that get results.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-28
Developing Single-Page Web Applications
Lisa DiOrio MS, Owner and Lead Developer, Fembot Creative
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25694 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students learn how to build interactive, single-page applications (SPAs) and interfaces for the web. An SPA is a special classification of a website or web application in which the user can navigate between different screens without loading a new web page. Instead, new content may be accessed directly from the server using an application programming interface (API). This results in performance improvements and a more dynamic experience. Well-constructed SPAs include a rich user interface to provide a seamless interactive user experience. Two well-known examples of SPAs are Gmail and Twitter, which both provide dynamic page views without the need to reload the page. SPAs can be created with Javascript as well as various frameworks including React, Angular, Node.js, and Vue.js. We explore the pros and cons of SPAs, as well as their effective design. We explore several technologies in the course including JavaScript ECMAScript 6, React, JSON, and APIs, as well as mechanisms involved in SPA development such as components, routing, and state management. This hands-on course includes many coding assignments to help students master the techniques used to build an SPA, culminating in a final project to build a comprehensive single-page web application.
Prerequisites: JavaScript and/or a strong foundation in programming. Comfort with HTML/CSS (CSCI E-12 or equivalent). For the best chance of success in this course, students should understand the fundamentals of creating a website and have some coding experience.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DGMD E-30
Introduction to Media Production
Nicholas J. Manley MFA, Director of Online Learning, PYD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17326 | Section 1
Description
This course builds media production skills from the ground up, breaking down the technology and techniques behind creating professional-quality video content. Through a hands-on, project-based approach, students learn the essentials of cinematography, audio recording, editing, production management, and lighting for both documentary and narrative films. Key topics include lighting interviews like a professional, maximizing equipment in the field, conducting interviews that have an impact, storyboarding and breaking down scenes, and planning and producing video projects. Students create their own projects, receive constructive feedback during screenings, and refine their storytelling techniques by analyzing successful films that have mastered the art of visual storytelling. This course is perfect for beginners seeking a crash course in producing high-quality videos on a budget and for storytellers looking to transform their ideas into compelling visual narratives.
Prerequisites: Students may use most available video capture devices including video cameras, mirrorless cameras, or smartphones. Specific approaches for each device are covered. Additionally, a tripod, audio recording device or smartphone, and access to video editing software is required. In this course we use Adobe Premiere CC.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
DGMD E-35
Video Editing and Digital Design
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15362 | Section 1
Description
The ability of the film editor to shape a story is one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of the filmmaking process. This course serves as an introduction to the art of video post-production. We explore the theory and practice of various editing styles in order to gain a better understanding of how stories are most effectively constructed in the editing room. Through demonstrations and hands-on experience, students learn advanced editing techniques with an in-depth examination of Adobe Premiere. To further enhance projects, students create animated motion graphics using Adobe After Effects and learn how to enhance their audio recordings with Adobe Audition. Strong emphasis is placed on post-production techniques that improve the sound and image quality of the videos. Footage is provided for all exercises and projects, and students are given the option to shoot new material for their final projects if desired.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
DGMD E-35
Video Editing and Digital Design
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24026 | Section 1
Description
The ability of the film editor to shape a story is one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of the filmmaking process. This course serves as an introduction to the art of video post-production. We explore the theory and practice of various editing styles in order to gain a better understanding of how stories are most effectively constructed in the editing room. Through demonstrations and hands-on experience, students learn advanced editing techniques with an in-depth examination of Adobe Premiere. To further enhance projects, students create animated motion graphics using Adobe After Effects and learn how to enhance their audio recordings with Adobe Audition. Strong emphasis is placed on post-production techniques that improve the sound and image quality of the videos. Footage is provided for all exercises and projects, and students are given the option to shoot new material for their final projects if desired.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
DGMD E-37
Introduction to Motion Graphics and Story Visualization
Jason Wiser MFA, Creative Director, Yaya Play Games
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16169 | Section 1
Description
How do we share a concept before the real counterpart has been created? How do we visualize a new piece of software, a business model, or a story dynamically? Motion graphics allows us to design enormously engaging visual experiences to communicate complex ideas. This course explores principles of visual narrative development toward an understanding of well-edited stories and effects.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Required sections Wednesdays, 7-8 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DGMD E-39
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Media Production: Photo, Video, and Audio Content Creation
Nicholas J. Manley MFA, Director of Online Learning, PYD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26986 | Section 1
Description
This course equips students with the skills to utilize artificial general intelligence (AGI) tools to create professional-quality media content. Whether students are beginners or have experience in media production, this course guides them through the entire process from ideation and scripting to production and post-production.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DGMD E-42
Making the Short Film: Innovations and Practices for the Digital Age
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26822 | Section 1
Description
Short films are an exciting and ever-evolving form of storytelling. This course explores the strong tradition short films have in our culture, as well as the new and innovative techniques filmmakers are currently using to tell and distribute their stories. In this course, students devote the entire semester to the creation and completion of one short film narrative, documentary, or animation with the intent of festival submission and/or online release. Students work in a collaborative atmosphere with classmates and the instructor to refine scripts and treatments, plan productions, and create the final film. Students may work individually or partner in a collaborative team. Either way, the course serves as a support system for each student, offering advice, critiques, and resources so that each member is an integral part of a fully realized short. In addition to supporting traditional filmmaking approaches, innovative storytelling techniques are strongly welcomed and supported. These can include interactive online documentaries, hybrid approaches (blending fiction and nonfiction), webisode pilots, and experimental techniques. Additionally, the course demystifies the online distribution process and the film festival circuit, exploring the many avenues filmmakers can take to get their work shown to a wider audience.
Prerequisites: Experience with video editing and production strongly encouraged but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
DGMD E-5
Exploring Digital Media
Dan Coffey ALM, Director of Product Management, Dolby Cloud Solutions, Dolby Laboratories
Ian Sexton MFA, Assistant Teaching Professor, Art and Design, University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26718 | Section 1
Description
This is a practical, introductory course that gives a fast-paced overview of a broad range of topics related to contemporary digital media. The course aims to equip students with an understanding of the basics of exposure and composition which are vital for the closely related fields of digital photography and digital cinematography. Topics also include fundamental lighting techniques, video technology, video production processes with practical exercises in each stage of the workflow, audio production, video compression, and distribution. The basic elements of web design via a graphical interface is also touched upon. Given the power of modern personal computers, all course topics apply to both professional production environments and personal media projects alike. By the end of the course, students can expect to understand common production workflows for a wide array of digital media including digital photography, video production, audio recording, and practical related topics.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from both the 2019 and 2024 course.
DGMD E-50
Introduction to Visual Communication Design
Athir Mahmud PhD, Consultant
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15157 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to a theory-driven, hands-on approach to visual communication design. Students learn about vector and raster graphics, designing for target audiences, accessibility, and editing photographs using some of the most commonly used photo editing software in the visual design industry. Topics include, but are not limited to, the elements and principles of design, color theory, visual perception, typography, symbolism, logos, brand identity, and information design. Connections to current and historical contexts of visual communication and the graphic arts are interwoven throughout the course. Students share design work and take part in design critiques and written discussions, as both designers and peers.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-55
Designing Educational Media
Kerry Foley EdM, Director of Learning Experience Design, Perkins School for the Blind
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26054 | Section 1
Description
In a society saturated with media and technology, what makes a great learning tool stand out among the rest? This course explores the many types of informal and formal educational media being developed for children, K-12, higher education, adult learners, and workplace training, and examines the cognitive processes that drive the learning. Together we explore theoretical models for learning and teaching, fundamentals of user experience, and techniques for effective product development as they relate to the creation of educational media. Over the course of the semester, students evaluate existing educational media, participate in design challenges, and design a prototype for an educational media product of their own. No prior experience in educational technology is necessary for the course, but a willingness to explore new technologies is a must.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-56
Designing Effective Learning Experiences in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Gloria Tam PhD, Professor, College of Business, Minerva University
Luis Poza-Garcia MA, Director of Course Design for Non-Credit Learning, Division of Continuing Education, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17301 | Section 1
Description
The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) presents new opportunities and challenges for shaping learning experiences. This course examines how generative AI, when applied appropriately in the teaching and learning processes, may enhance instructional delivery, learner engagement and outcomes. Students explore generative AI’s affordances for learning and education its ability to generate personalized explanations, provide structured feedback, reason through complex topics to facilitate research and problem-solving, and create multimodal content. Building on these capabilities, students experiment with various generative AI-powered tools and platforms to design and redesign learning experiences, such as creating AI-powered chatbots, reimagining assignments and learning reflections, enhancing visual media for education, and gamifying learning to enhance comprehension and engagement. At the same time, this course considers how learning and education may evolve as generative AI becomes more widely available, while ensuring that effective pedagogical theories are reinforced. Students examine foundational learning science principles that become even more critical in an AI-enhanced learning environment, such as project-based learning, experiential learning, dual-coding theory, deep processing, and formative feedback. Students apply these evidence-based strategies to create effective learning designs that foster deep learning and critical thinking. Students also consider the broader implications of AI in education, including ethical considerations, implementation challenges, and the important and evolving role of educators to ensure any technology is used in a responsible way to support and enhance meaningful learning experiences. This course is designed for educators, instructional designers, and learning professionals with little to no experience in generative AI for learning design. It is intended for those building foundational knowledge rather than advanced practitioners. By the end, students have built AI-enhanced learning prototypes, analyzed real-world applications, and thoughtfully considered AI’s role in teaching and learning.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-57
The Future of Learning: Emerging Technology and Pedagogical Innovation
Gloria Tam PhD, Professor, College of Business, Minerva University
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26955 | Section 1
Description
How will learning evolve over the next decade? How can educators, instructional designers, and learning experience professionals create more engaging, effective, and personalized learning experiences enabled by emerging innovations? Rooted in established learning science and pedagogical frameworks, this course explores how the latest educational technologies are reshaping learning experiences. Through a blend of design challenges, discussions on the science of learning, expert dialogues, and case studies, students critically analyze and prototype new learning experiences. The course begins with a foundational exploration of the learning ecosystem examining the blueprint of a learning organization, core learning design principles, and what makes learning experiences effective. From there, students engage in a series of hands-on labs, where they experiment with the convergence of emerging technologies (for example, generative artificial intelligence [AI], immersive learning platforms, and social learning tools) and research-backed pedagogical frameworks. Students apply concepts from the learning science including dual-coding theory, the zone of proximal development, experiential learning theories, and behavior change models to design technology-enhanced learning experiences that drive deeper engagement and learning outcomes. By the end of the course, students have completed a portfolio of innovative learning designs and experiences and developed a deeper understanding of learning innovation.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course and MUSE E-130 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions, or during assignments. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-597
Digital Media Design Precapstone
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17273 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students develop academically strong, individual or team-based capstone proposals. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, digital media design, who wish to register for DGMD E-599 in the coming spring term. Students develop a capstone proposal through workshopping, collaboration, research, and working with industry partners. They receive guidance on refining project proposals, building the domain knowledge necessary in their selected area, and conducting user research. By the end of the course, each team submits a detailed capstone proposal, including project rationale, literature reviews, scope, target audience/user journeys, timeline, and competitor analysis.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, digital media design, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, DGMD E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-599
Capstone Design Studio
Bakhtiar Mikhak PhD, Co-Founder, Media Modifications, Ltd.
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17274 | Section 1
Description
The capstone course is designed for students whose research projects focus on video production and web development, front-end design, or emerging technologies. Students apply knowledge and skills obtained in the program to design a significant individual or group project in a collaborative environment. At the end of the semester, they make a formal oral presentation to their peers and faculty.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, digital media design. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in February with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, DGMD S-597, in the previous summer term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
DGMD E-599
Capstone Design Studio
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24247 | Section 1
Description
The capstone course is designed for students whose research projects focus on video production and web development, front-end design, or emerging technologies. Students apply knowledge and skills obtained in the program to design a significant individual or group project in a collaborative environment. At the end of the semester, they make a formal oral presentation to their peers and faculty.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, digital media design. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, DGMD E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-60
Designing Online Courses
Adrienne Phelps-Coco PhD, Director of the Program in General Education, Harvard College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16625 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students explore the fundamental elements of online course design and how to be practitioners of pedagogy and instructional design in a world where online learning is constantly changing. Students examine and establish the qualities of a good online course through the lenses of foundational learning theories, design-thinking principles, and the practical realities of course design. Over the course of the semester, students create and workshop an online learning project of their choice. Course topics include working with subject matter experts, creating student connection, planning content, translating face-to-face experiences online, designing assessments, and measuring course success. This course also explores the future of online education, with considerations for artificial intelligence (AI) and the transformation of education. Students may not take both DGMD E-60 and EDUC E-113 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: DGMD E-55, EDUC E-103, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
DGMD E-60
Designing Online Courses
Karina Lin-Murphy EdM, Associate Director of Course Design and Pedagogical Innovation, Roland C. Christensen Center for Teaching Learning, Harvard Business School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26794 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students explore the fundamental elements of online course design and how to be practitioners of pedagogy and instructional design in a world where online learning is constantly changing. Students examine and establish the qualities of a good online course through the lenses of foundational learning theories, design-thinking principles, and the practical realities of course design. Over the course of the semester, students create and workshop an online learning project of their choice. Course topics include working with subject matter experts, creating student connection, planning content, translating face-to-face experiences online, designing assessments, and measuring course success. This course also explores the future of online education, with considerations for artificial intelligence (AI) and the transformation of education. Students may not take both DGMD E-60 and EDUC E-113 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: DGMD E-55, EDUC E-103, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-9
Fundamentals of Digital Photography
Leonie Marinovich BA, Documentary Photographer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16307 | Section 1
Description
This course is aimed at students wishing to master the fundamentals of photography. It gives students the opportunity to learn photography using their digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless) and acquire the skills to use manual settings and use the different shooting modes available on their cameras. Topics covered in this course include the fundamentals of exposure, composition, lighting, editing techniques, color correction, delivery for print and digital media, metadata creation, and digital workflow management. We reference classical art that has heavily influenced photography in the way that images are composed and lighted. The course is helpful to students who wish to explore digital photography as a way to document their field work and other work in progress and enhance their visual literacy, enabling them to assess images and other visual media. Students are taught Lightroom to manage their digital archives and learn to use editing techniques to enhance their images. Coursework is structured along two main components: technical mastery and aesthetic development. During the semester students are first taught the technical skills which they then apply in practical exercises to consolidate those skills. Upon completion of this course, students are expected to have mastered their camera and their images should look more polished. Students have the option to create a learning portfolio to present their work.
Prerequisites: Students do not need to have previous experience as a photographer, but learning the craft also requires a commitment to mastering other associated technologies. Students need to have a digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless) with the ability to manually control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. A compact camera or a smartphone will not be adequate. A tripod suitable for the weight of your camera is required. Students need a computer with Lightroom Classic CC installed. Photoshop is not required. Along with a computer, students need an external hard drive and memory card for their camera.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, September 6-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DRAM E-10
Introduction to Acting
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 12954 | Section 1
Description
Through individual and group exercises, monologues, improvisations, and scene studies, this dramatic arts workshop eclectic in method helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their performing skills. Previous theater study is not required. Students may only take DRAM E-10 or DRAM E-10a and DRAM E-10b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
DRAM E-10
Introduction to Acting
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26372 | Section 1
Description
Through individual and group exercises, monologues, improvisations, and scene studies, this dramatic arts workshop eclectic in method helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their performing skills. Previous theater study is not required. Students may only take DRAM E-10 or DRAM E-10a and DRAM E-10b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
DRAM E-10a
Introduction to Acting I
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17006 | Section 1
Description
Through individual and group exercises, monologues, and improvisations, this active learning weekend helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their performing skills. Previous theater study is not required. Students may only take DRAM E-10 or DRAM E-10a and DRAM E-10b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 10, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Saturday, October 11, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Sunday, October 12, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Term Start Date: October 10, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-10b
Introduction to Acting II
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26669 | Section 1
Description
Through individual and group exercises, monologues, and improvisations, this dramatic arts active learning weekend helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their performing skills. Previous theater study is not required. Students may only take DRAM E-10 or DRAM E-10a and DRAM E-10b for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Students must have earned a grade of satisfactory in DRAM E-10a to enroll in this course.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, March 6, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Saturday, March 7, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Sunday, March 8, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Term Start Date: March 06, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-21
Improvisational Acting
John Kuntz MA, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University and Associate Professor of Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16970 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed not only for students of the theater, but also for those with an interest in politics and debate, public speaking, trial law, and education, as well as a broad range of other careers. Students explore various improvisational techniques that fuse intellect, imagination, voice, and body. Students may only take DRAM E-21 or DRAM E-21a and DRAM E-21b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
DRAM E-21
Improvisational Acting
John Kuntz MA, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University and Associate Professor of Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26636 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed not only for students of the theater, but also for those with an interest in politics and debate, public speaking, trial law, and education, as well as a broad range of other careers. Students explore various improvisational techniques that fuse intellect, imagination, voice, and body. Students may only take DRAM E-21 or DRAM E-21a and DRAM E-21b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
DRAM E-21a
Improvisational Acting I
John Kuntz MA, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University and Associate Professor of Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17437 | Section 2
Description
This course is designed not only for students of the theater, but also for those with an interest in politics and debate, public speaking, trial law, and education, as well as a broad range of other careers. Students explore various improvisational techniques that fuse intellect, humor, imagination, voice, and body. Students may only take DRAM E-21 or DRAM E-21a and DRAM E-21b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 24, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Saturday, October 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Sunday, October 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Term Start Date: October 24, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-33
Acting Alone: The Monologue and Storytelling
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26968 | Section 1
Description
This dramatic arts course explores the rehearsal and performance of theatrical monologues and stories. The ability to work on a monologue or a personal story is a foundational skill for all performers. We explore various techniques to allow greater emotional, vocal, and physical expressiveness in both classical and contemporary material (as well as the student’s own original material/story, if they choose). We study specific approaches to help students act alone creatively, honestly, and spontaneously. We focus on basic acting techniques like character development, scene analysis, incorporating the crucial elements of suspense and surprise, and exploring the fundamentals of effective storytelling through performance.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-45
Directing for the Screen
Catherine Eaton MFA, Director and Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26840 | Section 1
Description
Have you ever wanted to explore film directing, but haven’t known where to begin? In this course, students learn the core elements of directing fiction films, including everything from pre-production, to learning where to put the camera, to working with actors. Students learn how to break down scripts to find and develop a strong directorial point of view (POV) and gain the tools to create an intelligent shot-list and shot-diagram. The course covers various methods to work with and direct actors, and how to identify crew positions and learn how to assemble a crew. Additionally, we cover things like how to prepare for a shoot, expectations on set, and how to protect your creative process throughout the experience of making a fiction film. Sessions include presentations, discussions, scene analysis from various films (looking at camera set-ups, objectives, and directorial POV), interactive exercises, a case study, and shooting and presenting scenes to the class. Please note: this course does not cover the technical use of film cameras, lighting, or audio equipment. Scene exercises may be shot on whatever video camera each student has access to, such as a smartphone or other device, as equipment cannot be provided.
Prerequisites: In order to complete certain course exercises, all students must have use of a cell phone or other camera equipment that shoots video (most modern cell phones fulfill this remit). Students must also have access to simple editing software. Examples are iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or Openshot (which can be downloaded for free), among others. Editing requirements are very simple, so experience with the software should not be a barrier. If you have any questions or concerns about these requirements, please contact the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
ECON E-1000
Essentials of Economics
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16740 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an analytic and applied overview of both microeconomics and macroeconomics. In the microeconomic portion of the course, we examine exactly how prices are determined in competitive markets and what can distort that determination. Market structure is analyzed, including the fundamentals of firm pricing and production decisions. Using examples from various industries, we analyze what happens when market conditions change. Furthermore, we examine how these changes affect overall social welfare. Issues concerning trade are addressed, for example, when should countries, or even individuals, trade? Who gains or loses from trade? Turning to macroeconomics, we investigate the key economic statistics that you read about in the business press and other media, such as gross domestic product (GDP), the consumer price index (CPI), and the unemployment rate. For so many around the world, economic development is literally a matter of life and death. While economic growth is primarily a long-run phenomenon, short-run fluctuations in the economy cycles of expansion and recession are often the focus of short-run planning decisions by consumers, firms, and government. We examine in detail what causes these fluctuations and how government policies monetary and fiscal policy can dampen these cycles. An understanding of the Federal Reserve and monetary policy must be predicated on an understanding of the banking and financial system. Therefore, we delve into that in the course of our study of actions by the monetary authority. Recent events have also thrust fiscal policy to the fore. We talk in detail about how fiscal policy works and its implications for the economy in both the short and long term. Economics is not primarily a set of answers, but rather a method of reasoning. By the end of the course, students are able to use the framework they have learned to form their own judgments about the major economic problems faced by the United States and other countries. Indeed, after completing the course, students often find that they are better able to read and interpret the business press and other media and are better equipped to evaluate the economic policies promulgated by governments and other institutions. More importantly, however, the analytical skills students acquire in the course are instrumental in their continued success in the pursuit of a graduate degree or certificate. Students may not take both ECON E-10a and ECON E-1000 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Exposure to graphing and elementary algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ECON E-1000
Essentials of Economics
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26348 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an analytic and applied overview of both microeconomics and macroeconomics. In the microeconomic portion of the course, we examine exactly how prices are determined in competitive markets and what can distort that determination. Market structure is analyzed, including the fundamentals of firm pricing and production decisions. Using examples from various industries, we analyze what happens when market conditions change. Furthermore, we examine how these changes affect overall social welfare. Issues concerning trade are addressed, for example, when should countries, or even individuals, trade? Who gains or loses from trade? Turning to macroeconomics, we investigate the key economic statistics that you read about in the business press and other media, such as gross domestic product (GDP), the consumer price index (CPI), and the unemployment rate. For so many around the world, economic development is literally a matter of life and death. While economic growth is primarily a long-run phenomenon, short-run fluctuations in the economy cycles of expansion and recession are often the focus of short-run planning decisions by consumers, firms, and government. We examine in detail what causes these fluctuations and how government policies monetary and fiscal policy can dampen these cycles. An understanding of the Federal Reserve and monetary policy must be predicated on an understanding of the banking and financial system. Therefore, we delve into that in the course of our study of actions by the monetary authority. Recent events have also thrust fiscal policy to the fore. We talk in detail about how fiscal policy works and its implications for the economy in both the short and long term. Economics is not primarily a set of answers, but rather a method of reasoning. By the end of the course, students are able to use the framework they have learned to form their own judgments about the major economic problems faced by the United States and other countries. Indeed, after completing the course, students often find that they are better able to read and interpret the business press and other media and are better equipped to evaluate the economic policies promulgated by governments and other institutions. More importantly, however, the analytical skills students acquire in the course are instrumental in their continued success in the pursuit of a graduate degree or certificate. Students may not take both ECON E-10a and ECON E-1000 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Exposure to graphing and elementary algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ECON E-1005
Foundations of Real-World Economics
John Komlos PhD, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, University of Munich
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17286 | Section 1
Description
The course is devoted to analyzing complex economic processes in straightforward terms so that they can be understood without the use of mathematics and without prior knowledge of economics. The focus is on understanding the way the economy works in the real world without relying excessively on assumptions, math, or abstract models of the economy. We use the inductive method, which is a scientific method that considers the empirical evidence first and then infers from the data how people actually behave in real markets where asymmetric information, bounded rationality, transaction costs, and uneven distribution of wealth and income dominates. We apply the concepts we learn to contemporary controversial topics such as minimum wage legislation, the function of unions, and why the free market overcharges for health care. We explore why Noble Prize-winning economists such as Paul Krugman and Joe Stiglitz are so critical of the current economic situation for its dizzying inequality, its endemic underemployment, the humongous trade and government deficits, stagnating wages for the less skilled, the lack of inclusive growth, and its inability to provide a dignified life for scores of millions of its citizens. Most economists do not have the answers to the challenges of globalization, inequality, and technological unemployment because they are unable to think creatively about new institutional structures that would enable the US to transition to a full-employment economy in which the focus is not on production and consumption as much as on the achievement of a high quality of life in capitalism with a human face. In contrast, this course weaves ideas from history, psychology, sociology, and political science into a common-sense economic perspective in order to explore these issues. We also discuss the achievements of Nobel Prize-winning behavioral economists and the impact of the financial crisis of 2008, and the main effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The course ends by outlining the economic roots of the rise of populism.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ECON E-1010
Microeconomic Theory
Zinnia Mukherjee PhD, Professor of Economics, Simmons University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16157 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the fundamental concepts of microeconomics at the intermediate level. Students learn about how individuals make decisions in a world of scarce resources. Students learn about how consumers choose over a range of goods and services given their limited resources and how firms decide on how much output to produce and supply in the market. Our discussion on market structures focuses on the simplest of markets (perfectly competitive markets), single-seller markets (monopolies), and oligopolistic markets where firms are involved in strategic interactions with each other. We explore situations in which markets fail and the role of public policies in addressing these failures. The same principles that govern market-based decisions also govern non-market-based decisions. We apply the principles of microeconomics to understand how individuals make non-market related decisions.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent; MATH E-8, or the equivalent understanding of introductory college-level algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
ECON E-1010
Microeconomic Theory
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23285 | Section 1
Description
This course presents the basic analytical tools of microeconomics. We start by looking at the decision-making of individual consumers and ask how these decisions can be optimized or improved. Next, we look at the ways firms make and coordinate their decisions under varying market structures, including perfect competition and monopoly. Then we look at strategic behavior in imperfectly competitive markets, making use of concepts from game theory such as Nash equilibrium. Finally, we study information economics and measures of social welfare.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent; MATH E-8, or the equivalent understanding of introductory college-level algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ECON E-1017
Financing Community and Economic Development
James Carras MPA, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25617 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an understanding of financing mechanisms, tools, policies, and programs available to community and economic development professionals. The course focuses on access and availability of capital, both public and private, for businesses and real estate development projects that have an impact particularly on low opportunity communities. The course covers how capital markets operate and are structured; challenges for community economic development professionals to access those markets, business, and real estate financing fundamentals; public development finance tools including Opportunity Zone Funds, New Market Tax Credits and Community Development Financial Institutions; and capital access strategies such as Community Reinvestment Act research and advocacy. The course also addresses sustainable development and the role of development finance and impact investing. We explore the relationship between local community economic development, environmental sustainability, cultural vitality, and trends in the regional and national economies. Specifically, we focus on how to make community and economic investments that yield development outcomes that contribute to economic, environmental, and cultural vitality. This approach extends a triple bottom line approach that seeks to benefit profits, people, and the planet.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
ECON E-1035
Behavioral Economics and Decision-Making
David S. McIntosh MBA, Founder, Creative Business Breakthroughs
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15713 | Section 1
Description
In this course we study how people actually make decisions, what rationality lies behind seemingly irrational behavior, and how decision-making can be nudged and influenced. Understanding the predictably irrational behavior of people and the types of common biases that affect our decision-making, we explore how to lead people to outcomes more consistent with their stated desires. We consider how choice architecture including framing, defaults, and information can influence choices and actions. Applying these concepts, we look in greater depth at the health care, marketing, and financial industries. Finally, we examine utility, happiness, and long-term benefits of understanding the behavioral factors that shape our lives.
Prerequisites: Introductory microeconomics (ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or equivalent) required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ECON E-10a
Principles of Economics
Rand Ghayad PhD, Senior Vice President of Policy and Chief Economist, Association of American Railroads
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16609 | Section 1
Description
The course deals with basic economic principles that help us understand the process of decision-making by individuals and societies. We analyze the fundamental economic activities of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption at both the micro and macro level. Besides developing an understanding of the functioning of a free market system, we also critically examine the controversies that surround the use of public policies for the greater common good. Students may not take both ECON E-10a and ECON E-1000 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A working knowledge of elementary algebra and geometry is required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ECON E-10a
Principles of Economics
Stacey Gelsheimer PhD, Senior Lecturer on Economics, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25979 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to current economic issues and to basic economic principles and methods. The economist John Maynard Keynes wrote that, “the ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood.” Economics is not primarily a set of answers, but rather a method of reasoning. By the end of the semester, students are able to use the analysis practiced in the course to form their own judgments about many of the major economic problems faced by the United States and other countries. In the first part of the semester, we focus on microeconomics, which is the study of the interaction of people and firms in markets. Since we live in a market economy, this study helps students to understand how American society organizes its economic affairs. We examine how the forces of supply and demand operate in the markets for goods and services. Students learn powerful tools that enable them to understand a great deal about the economy and how it works. Using these tools, we develop a framework to evaluate social policies. Trade always a controversial subject is analyzed, along with measures, such as tariffs, designed to restrict trade. Theories concerning firm behavior are then examined how companies decide how much to produce, and the profits which result. During the second half of the semester, we focus on macroeconomics, the study of the economy as a whole. We study economic growth and development, business cycles, and the impact of both monetary and fiscal policy on inflation, unemployment, interest rates, investment, the exchange rate, and international trade. Students may not take both ECON E-10a and ECON E-1000 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A working knowledge of elementary algebra and geometry is required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ECON E-1318
Political Economy of the Global South
Bruno S. Sergi PhD, Professor of Political Economy, University of Messina and Associate, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27056 | Section 1
Description
This course adopts a comprehensive approach to examining the Global South’s substantial political economy and societal transformation, altering its historical path and significantly influencing the global system. The young population of the Global South, along with its current and future economic growth, will affect its unique environment where politics and economics are in flux as various governance models and ideologies are effectively integrated. By exploring the wide-ranging impact of the emerging Global South, we delve into this transformative leadership that powerfully leverages influence to challenge the present global economic system while driving significant political economy and sustainability changes. Countries in the Global South have shifted from passive observers to active participants in the global center-periphery dynamic, asserting their influence and making their voices heard. This course provides a broader perspective to create a new vision for the Global South, where it prioritizes the analysis of poverty reduction, equity, ethics, and the sovereign integrity of nations. The course investigates contemporary advancements in the Global South, emphasizing understanding their future trajectories in leadership and sustainability within the political economy framework. We explore current, real-time advancements in the countries of the Global South, pinpoint their national and regional strengths, and identify, analyze, and evaluate emerging trends effectively, as well as their priorities in political economy, technological challenges, and sustainable economic models relevant to these contemporary global actors.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ECON E-1533
Monetary Policy After the Financial and Pandemic Crises
Dorian B. Klein MBA, Managing Partner, Klein Family Office
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26567 | Section 1
Description
This course closely examines the path of public policy, whether fiscal stimulus plans or the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, through the nuts and bolts of the actual operations and from the viewpoint of the capital markets. When the Fed or the European Central Bank announces a monthly $85 billion securities buying program, how exactly does this money flow through the markets? When the government bails out a major bank, how does this action affect the bank, its competitors, the markets, future perceptions, and the economy at large? How can central banks affect the economy in an environment of zero and even negative interest rates? Should regulation influence the behavior of firms or individuals? Using the 2008 financial crisis and policy responses thereto as a backdrop, we explore how (and whether) the new capital markets created over the past thirty years as a result of greatly increased financial innovation, globalization, and communication are distorting the economic effect of traditional government monetary and/or fiscal influence. The role of important constituents (commercial and investment banks, exchanges, regulators, hedge funds, and government interventions) are reviewed and evaluated for both past performance and future relevance. The course addresses important current topics in both economics and public policy, such as too big to fail, moral hazard, globalization of markets, currency unions, liquidity traps, efficiency of markets, the role of credit rating agencies, shadow banking, regulation of derivatives and hedge funds, Glass-Steagall, and the Volcker Rule. Following deliberations and analysis of the financial crisis of 2008-2009, we then examine the monetary and fiscal policy responses to the pandemic crisis of 2020-2022. Were these policy responses even more extreme? Did central banks overshoot? Were lessons learned from the financial crisis? Was it too much, leading to inflation and too much debt?
Prerequisites: ECON E-10a or ECON E-1000, and basic algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ECON E-1536
International Trade and Tariff Economics
Dorian B. Klein MBA, Managing Partner, Klein Family Office
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17383 | Section 1
Description
In this course we explore the fascinating history of trade and tariffs from mercantilism to the Golden Era, from the Smoot Hawley tariffs in the 1930s to the formation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), and then to the current critical debates on these topics. While focusing on the fast-developing current events around globalism versus protectionism, free versus fair trade, and geopolitical alignments around trade and tariffs, this course also thoroughly examines the well-established economic theory of trade, including the comparative advantage theory, the trade trilemma, the central role of the US dollar, and the inflationary effect of tariffs.
Prerequisites: ECON E-10a or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ECON E-1615
Managerial Economics
Aleksandar Tomic PhD, Associate Dean for Strategy, Innovation, and Technology and Director of Master of Science in Applied Analytics and Applied Economics, Woods College of Advancing Studies, Boston College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17277 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of economic tools and analytic approaches available to the manager for business decision-making. It includes such topics as pricing, forecasting, demand analysis, production and cost analysis, and macroeconomic policy as it affects the business environment. The purpose of this course is to develop an economic perspective that is appropriate for students aspiring to manage business units or entire companies in a wide variety of industries. Students may not take both ECON E-1600 and ECON E-1615 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ECON E-1615
Managerial Economics
Aleksandar Tomic PhD, Associate Dean for Strategy, Innovation, and Technology and Director of Master of Science in Applied Analytics and Applied Economics, Woods College of Advancing Studies, Boston College
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27051 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of economic tools and analytic approaches available to the manager for business decision-making. It includes such topics as pricing, forecasting, demand analysis, production and cost analysis, and macroeconomic policy as it affects the business environment. The purpose of this course is to develop an economic perspective that is appropriate for students aspiring to manage business units or entire companies in a wide variety of industries. Students may not take both ECON E-1600 and ECON E-1615 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 9:45pm-11:45pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ECON E-1720
Affordable Housing Development
James Carras MPA, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17406 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of affordable housing, examining the policies and financing mechanisms that shape development strategies. We analyze different types of affordable multifamily housing, including supportive housing, public housing, low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) developments, senior housing, housing for very low-income and homeless populations, and special needs housing. Additionally, we explore demand-side tools such as housing vouchers and their role in increasing access to affordable housing. A key focus of the course is the critical analysis of government housing policies and their impact on neighborhoods and cities. We evaluate the metrics used to assess affordability, such as area median income (AMI) restrictions, housing cost burden, and affordability thresholds. Our discussions extend to government initiatives that provide subsidies, federal and local tax incentives (for example, the mortgage interest deduction), and density bonuses aimed at increasing affordable housing production. The course also examines affordable housing financing, including the role of banks subject to Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) responsibilities, mission-driven investors, and community development financial institutions (CDFIs). We compare the advantages and limitations of government-produced housing versus privately developed affordable housing, assessing the roles of both for-profit and nonprofit developers. Students gain insights into the affordable housing development process, covering land use and zoning strategies; community engagement and political navigation; public-private partnerships; regulatory constraints and financing models; design, construction, and long-term operations; and integration of essential social services. Through case studies, policy analysis, and real-world applications, students develop a deep understanding of affordable housing challenges, opportunities, and solutions that drive equitable and sustainable communities.
Prerequisites: Foundational knowledge in housing policy, economics, finance, and development recommended, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ECON E-1920
Capital Markets and Investments
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14510 | Section 1
Description
Students are exposed to the framework of modern portfolio theory and investment analysis with which they can critically evaluate alternatives relating to investing in financial securities and construct portfolios with desired risk/return characteristics. The course examines capital markets and fundamental models used in securities analysis and portfolio management. Topics include financial instruments, the organization of securities markets and trading, modern portfolio theory, asset pricing models, market efficiency, behavioral finance and technical analysis, bond valuation and the management of bond portfolios, valuation of equities, active versus passive investing, the role of derivative securities in investing, and performance evaluation.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000 or the equivalent course or experience; a course or courses in quantitative methods such as basic statistics or college algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ECON E-1920
Capital Markets and Investments
Aleksandar Tomic PhD, Associate Dean for Strategy, Innovation, and Technology and Director of Master of Science in Applied Analytics and Applied Economics, Woods College of Advancing Studies, Boston College
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26916 | Section 1
Description
Students are exposed to the framework of modern portfolio theory and investment analysis with which they can critically evaluate alternatives relating to investing in financial securities and construct portfolios with desired risk/return characteristics. The course examines capital markets and fundamental models used in securities analysis and portfolio management. Topics include financial instruments, the organization of securities markets and trading, modern portfolio theory, asset pricing models, market efficiency, behavioral finance and technical analysis, bond valuation and the management of bond portfolios, valuation of equities, active versus passive investing, the role of derivative securities in investing, and performance evaluation.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000 or the equivalent course or experience; a course or courses in quantitative methods such as basic statistics or college algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 80 students
ECON E-1925
Emerging Markets: Investment Theories and Practice
Peter Marber PhD, Managing Director, Emerging and Frontier Markets, Global Evolution USA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16930 | Section 1
Description
Globalization is no longer an academic theory; it is a reality that affects all of our lives. From the foods we eat to the goods we buy, the ubiquity of developing countries from Latin America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and former Soviet Union those frequently referred to as emerging markets intensifies daily. Yet beyond the well-documented commercial and cultural impacts of globalization, there are strong but less visible trends toward greater global financial and investment integration. What makes emerging financial markets different from those in the US, Europe, or Japan? What are the benefits of adding these markets to a traditional investment portfolio? How do policies shape these markets? Why invest in certain countries versus others? Within a country, which asset class should we invest in? How do hedge funds approach these markets vs. traditional investors? How has COVID-19 pandemic altered the trajectories of developing and industrialized countries? From the practical perspective of a US institutional investor, this course is geared to help answer these questions.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of finance and a modest competency with Microsoft Excel and/or a financial calculator. Prior course work or work experience in finance would also be useful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ECON E-1944
History of Financial Crises 1637 to Present
John Komlos PhD, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, University of Munich
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26443 | Section 1
Description
The goal of this course is to discuss the almost 400 year history of financial crisis from the tulip bubble through the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 and culminating in the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank in 2023. We ascertain recurring historical patterns of financial bubbles without, however, overlooking critical differences. If history repeats itself, why can’t we avoid making the same mistakes repeatedly? The meltdown of 2008 happened at a time when most macroeconomists (including the former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke) were writing about how great the economy was since business cycles had vanished for all practical purposes. Theirs was not a minor slip-up, but a blunder of historical proportions with major repercussions that extend into the present day. The historical evidence enables us to gain a more thorough understanding of global finance which influences our lives to such a great extent. Our primary aim is not to concentrate on facts, theorems, or math, but rather to see the big picture in a multidisciplinary and very-long-run perspective, integrating the knowledge gained from the work of such Nobel-Prize-winning behavioral economists as Robert Shiller and Daniel Kahneman. We also explore our current economic situation, including the great recession and the aftermath of the Wall Street bailouts that forgot the people on main street and stood by as nine million families were evicted from their homes. The course ends by discussing the main impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial sector and how the 2008 financial crisis contributed to the rise of populism.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
EDUC E-103
Introduction to Instructional Design
Stacie Cassat Green MEd, Principal, 64 Crayons
Denise Snyder ALM, Director of Learning Design and Digital Innovation and Academic Affairs Campus Diversity Officer Liaison, Union College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14021 | Section 1
Description
Behind every good learning tool be it a website, application, webinar, online course, workshop, or interactive museum exhibit is the work of an instructional designer. Instructional design is a creative process that uses learning theories and frameworks, project planning, content expertise, communication, writing, and technology to architect experiences for today’s learners. The best instructional designers are agile and adaptable; they can quickly synthesize unfamiliar content, evaluate new technologies, and develop learning solutions that best meet the needs of a diverse audience. In this course, students work together to produce learning experiences using today’s media and technologies. The gap between theory and practice is an issue in many fields. By using a project-based approach, we work to close that gap by learning about instructional design theories and frameworks while developing a series of products. This course is helpful for those professionals who work directly or indirectly to support and improve learning in their organizations, or those lifelong learners who want to better understand how to use technology to manage their own learning.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
EDUC E-103
Introduction to Instructional Design
Stacie Cassat Green MEd, Principal, 64 Crayons
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25190 | Section 2
Description
Behind every good learning tool be it a website, application, webinar, online course, workshop, or interactive museum exhibit is the work of an instructional designer. Instructional design is a creative process that uses learning theories and frameworks, project planning, content expertise, communication, writing, and technology to architect experiences for today’s learners. The best instructional designers are agile and adaptable; they can quickly synthesize unfamiliar content, evaluate new technologies, and develop learning solutions that best meet the needs of a diverse audience. In this course, students work together to produce learning experiences using today’s media and technologies. The gap between theory and practice is an issue in many fields. By using a project-based approach, we work to close that gap by learning about instructional design theories and frameworks while developing a series of products. This course is helpful for those professionals who work directly or indirectly to support and improve learning in their organizations, or those lifelong learners who want to better understand how to use technology to manage their own learning.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
EDUC E-113
Applied Learning Design
Stacie Cassat Green MEd, Principal, 64 Crayons
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24800 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students use a design thinking methodology to design and develop an authentic learning product or experience. Each student prepares a product, such as a course or workshop, social learning community, website, or software application. Using rapid prototyping, students present several iterations of their designs to the class, participate in peer critiques, and continually improve their products over the semester. As instructional designers work in a team, each student contributes to, and benefits from, a class consulting bank. They use their skills to help others and to gain currency that they can exchange for help on their own projects. Students also explore additional instructional design frameworks and learning theories to improve fluency and flexible thinking in the field. Students may not take both EDUC E-113 and DGMD E-60 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: DGMD E-55, EDUC E-103, EDUC E-111, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
EDUC E-115
Inspiring the Adult Learner: Theory and Practice
Cindy M. Joyce MA, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Pillar Search and Human Resources Consulting
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16407 | Section 1
Description
Why is adult learning so important? When you understand adult learning, you have the knowledge and tools needed to tailor learning, training, and even feedback, ensuring that adult learners or team members are motivated to learn, grow, and connect with the learning experience, making them eager to learn the material. Learning opportunities for adults are often modeled after how children are taught in grade school and high school. However, adults learn much differently from children, and their motivation to learn is vastly different as well. This course explores adult learning practices, theories, how to engage the adult learner, and how to provide learning opportunities that are meaningful. Human resources practitioners, trainers, instructional designers, managers, and leaders alike benefit from this course.
Prerequisites: Educational or work experience in education, teaching, organizational behavior, human resources, training, or instructional design.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ENGL E-102
Introduction to Old English Language and Literature
Daniel Donoghue PhD, John P. Marquand Professor of English, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16766 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the earliest English literature, starting with basic grammar and building up to selections from various prose texts and poems such as The Wanderer and The Dream of the Rood. Because the language has changed so much over 1,000 years, Old English has to be learned as a foreign language (hence the emphasis on grammar), but by the end of one term of study, students read the most challenging and beautiful literature it has to offer. Secondary readings supplement the Old English texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENGL E-106
Beowulf and Seamus Heaney
Daniel Donoghue PhD, John P. Marquand Professor of English, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27032 | Section 1
Description
Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf has provoked renewed interest in the poem among the general public and, among medievalists, in his principles of translation. This seminar includes a detailed study of the Old English poem and a crash course on the language to allow students to translate set passages on their own. We put Heaney’s translation in the context of his other poems and poetic translations.
Prerequisites: Prior knowledge of Old English is helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ENGL E-126
Shakespeare’s Tragedies
Elliott Turley PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26831 | Section 1
Description
This course surveys William Shakespeare’s tragedies, including famous works such as Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, as well as less produced plays like Coriolanus and Titus Andronicus. Although the primary focus of study is the plays themselves, we also use them as launching points to consider a variety of topics and questions. Discussions and supplemental readings address the nature of tragedy and its purpose(s), the historical and political context for these plays in early modern England, their performance history and afterlives on stage and screen, and the role of Shakespeare as a cultural touchstone.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ENGL E-161
American Theater Since 1950
Elliott Turley PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17387 | Section 1
Description
In the second half of the twentieth century and the first quarter of the twenty-first, drastic technological, artistic, and social shifts have played out on the American stage. From national events such as the Civil Rights Movement and the end of the Cold War to technological innovations in film, television, and computers, American theater artists in the past seventy-five years have explored an ever-wider range of issues across ever-expanding modes of performance. In this course, we survey an array of dramatic works and playwrights, including Tennessee Williams, Luis Valdez, Sam Shepard, Tony Kushner, Suzan-Lori Parks, and Kristoffer Diaz as they experiment with ways to stage the American experience in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Our focus is primarily on non-musical works, though we also include a few major works of musical theater, as we explore how theater has responded to American history and what it might mean for future Americans.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ENGL E-168
The Papa Paradox: Hemingway, Art, and Fame
Margaret Deli PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26825 | Section 1
Description
When Ernest Hemingway died in 1961, his work was already beginning to fall out of critical favor and off university syllabi. And yet he was indisputably the most famous writer in the world: the winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature and the best-selling author of The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea. The ensuing decades have done little to dampen Hemingway’s popular appeal (there are Hemingway writing contests, Hemingway drinking contests, and even a Hemingway furniture line). What are we to make of the longstanding rift between Hemingway’s critical fortunes and his contemporary celebrity? Our course takes a broad view of Hemingway’s life and work to explore these and other questions related to his literary craftsmanship and popular appeal. Students should expect to read extensively, not just the novels and short stories of Ernest Hemingway but the work of mentors and rivals like Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ENGL E-182h
Poetry in America: Whitman and Dickinson
Elisa New PhD, Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature, Harvard University
Jesse Benjamin Raber PhD, Writer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17186 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the poetry of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, two influential and iconic American poets of the nineteenth century. First, we encounter Walt Whitman, a quintessentially American writer whose work continues to bear heavily upon the American poetic tradition. We explore Whitman’s relationship to the city, the self, and the body through his life and poetry. Then, we turn to Emily Dickinson, one of America’s most distinctive and prolific poets. While Dickinson wrote nearly 2,000 poems during her lifetime, she chose never to publish, opting instead to revisit and revise her works throughout her lifetime. Keeping this dynamic of self-revision in mind, we consider a number of Dickinson’s poems concerned with nature, art, the self, and darkness. We travel virtually to the Dickinson Collection at Harvard’s Houghton Library, and to Amherst, Massachusetts, paying a visit to the house in which the poet lived and wrote until her death in 1886.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit, undergraduate, graduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is offered in partnership with the Poetry in America initiative.
ENGL E-183b
Seeing Nature in the Twentieth Century
Collier Brown PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16901 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students survey important contributions to modern American environmental literature. From the gritty social realism of the early 1900s to the post-pastoral lyricism of the early 2000s, we consider the diverse ways in which Americans have grappled with environmental issues in fiction, poetry, and even some photography. Our readings include writers like Mary Austin, Annie Dillard, Leslie Marmon Silko, Helena Mar a Viramontes, and Rachel Carson.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ENGL E-192
Poetry at the End of the World
Collier Brown PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26666 | Section 1
Description
In this era of global environmental degradation what we are growing accustomed to calling the later Anthropocene many poets have turned their attention to the subject of human kinship and interdependency with the non-human world. And in this course, we read a number of poets, from the early twentieth century to the present, from A.R. Ammons to Ada Lim n, whose poems insist on a different way on an ecological way of seeing and talking about nature. This course may interest not only poetry enthusiasts but students of the environmental humanities more broadly: sustainability, literature, history, theater, and creative writing.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ENGL E-207
The Culture of Capitalism
Martin Puchner PhD, Byron and Anita Wien Professor of Drama and of English and Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16442 | Section 1
Description
The course asks how cultural products, including literature, theater, and film have captured the spirit of capitalism fueling its fantasies, contemplating its effects, and chronicling its crises. More than just an economic system, capitalism created new habits of life and mind as well as new values, forged and distilled by new forms of art. Core readings by Franklin, O’Neill, Rand, Miller, and Mamet and background readings by Smith, Marx, Taylor, Weber, Keynes, and Schumpeter.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the 2013 Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Culture and Belief 56.
ENGL E-234
Art of the Personal Essay
Collier Brown PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26543 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we look at the art of the essay from the sixteenth-century to the present, making important stops along the way at the works of Michel de Montaigne (who first popularized the genre), William Hazlitt, Virginia Woolf, and James Baldwin, right up to today’s most innovative essayists writers like Rebecca Solnit, Janet Malcolm, and Ross Gay. This course would be of interest to nonfiction writers curious about the history of their craft and the evolution of the form over time.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENGL E-245
The End of Longing: The Great Gatsby, To the Lighthouse, and Giovanni’s Room
Theoharis C. Theoharis PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26962 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on three classic twentieth-century novels: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, and James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room. The plot in each of these novels pivots on satisfaction deferred or denied for too long, and on repeatedly postponed or indefinitely delayed access to some longed for good: adventure, knowledge, beauty, love, or thriving. All three novels take a complex stance toward longing, toward its immersing the mind in the imagined presence of the absent good in part portraying longing’s ennobling, developmental power; in part revealing its self-serving, fraudulent vanity; and in part honoring its innocent hope. This course analyzes that complexity and probes its ambiguities to discover their thematic and stylistic power.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ENGL E-250
Unreliable Narrators
Ian Shank MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27011 | Section 1
Description
Among the first lessons of any introductory writing workshop is the importance of cultivating authority on the page; of not only charming your readers, but making them trust you. What to do, then, with our culture’s seemingly boundless appetite for stories that do precisely the opposite? For narrators that are deluded? Deranged? Downright deceptive? In this course, we consider a broad range of unreliable narrators, asking ourselves how deploying this unstable narrative posture can reconfigure the meaning of our stories. Along the way, we also study the mechanics of this peculiar point of view and use what we learn to craft unreliable narrators of our own.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENGL E-259
What Was American Transcendentalism?
Ross Martin PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26617 | Section 1
Description
The transcendentalists can be described in a word: firebrands. From civil disobedience to heresy, from abolitionism to utopianism, this course explores how transcendentalism takes root in New England to generate some of the most radical experiments in Antebellum America life. However, regardless of transcendentalism’s fame, or how illustrious its members, or how canonical its texts, we have no satisfactory way to define the movement or its achievements. What does it even mean to transcend? Transcend what and to where? In this course, we attempt to figure out what transcendentalism is and why it matters by traversing its theological, historical, and literary contexts. Tracing (or perhaps dissolving) the boundary between human, world, and god, we investigate how intellectual and social revolution happens without distinguishing poetry from science, religion from politics, accident from fate, and perhaps even transcendence from immanence. We ask, among other questions, what are our obligations to ourselves and our neighbors or to animals and plants? Are we bound to respect what violates our conscience? How do we embrace both individualism and collectivism? All said, what do the transcendentalists teach us about rights and responsibilities in our own time?
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ENGL E-261
George Saunders: A Survey
Ian Shank MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16993 | Section 1
Description
In just over two decades, George Saunders has achieved the kind of literary prominence that eludes most writers for life. Widely recognized as the best short-story writer in English alive today, Saunders has won the Man Booker Prize, the National Book Award, a MacArthur Fellowship, and a Guggenheim Fellowship not to mention four National Magazine Awards among numerous other accolades for his fiction, nonfiction, and teaching. In this course, we take a broad view of Saunders’ life and work, asking ourselves what his writing can teach us about voice, prose style, and the state of contemporary American literature more broadly. Over the term, students should expect to read extensively in service to a final creative or analytical essay on a related topic of their choosing.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENGL E-262
(Re)Imagining the Prison
Isabel P. Lane PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17368 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on literary, creative, and philosophical responses to the prison as an answer to crime and as a means of social control. We look at the history of state responses to transgression from corporal and capital punishment to mass incarceration in order to understand the modern carceral system and how it is represented and reimagined in literature and art. In surveying fiction, poetry, comics, film, and memoir, we see how writers and artists respond to the challenges of representing carceral time and space: indeterminate sentences and six-by-eight cells, plantations turned into prisons, the death penalty turned into a spectator sport, and speculative worlds without prisons at all. Readings include authors and thinkers like Michel Foucault, Angela Davis, George Jackson, Varlam Shalamov, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Rachel Kushner, and Jesmyn Ward.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ENGL E-266
Fantasy and Folklore from East to West
Sheza Alqera Atiq MTS, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26967 | Section 1
Description
This course embarks on an interdisciplinary exploration of how fantasy literature both draws from, and transforms, local cultural traditions. By engaging with canonical texts such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind alongside influential works from outside the Western canon including the Japanese Konjaku Monogatarish , Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita, and S.A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad series students investigate the intricate interplay between folklore and fantasy. The curriculum unpacks how folklore not only inspires fantastical narratives but also offers deep insights into cultural beliefs, traditional values, and the collective psychological imprints of diverse societies. Thus this course not only interrogates the interplay between fantasy literature and local folklore, but also challenges students to critically define what counts as fantasy and what we mean by folklore. In addition, the curriculum explores the transformative dynamics of fantasy in relation to its source material whether it appropriates, extends, or undermines original cultural narratives and/or beliefs. Our analysis of primary texts is enriched by secondary scholarship that critically interrogates the role of fantasy, while also exploring its intersection with the related literary genres of science, religion, and history. The course considers whether fantasy appropriates and develops local folklore or, conversely, undermines its inherent cultural significance. The primary focus of this course is the analysis of seminal texts within the fantasy genre; however, in our concluding unit we consider the sustained appeal of fantasy within the digital realm. This final inquiry explores the widespread prevalence of fantasy in contemporary film and television, critically investigating underlying cultural dynamics that inform its enduring resonance as a genre.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ENGL E-268
Choosing the Good: Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov
Theoharis C. Theoharis PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17307 | Section 1
Description
Fyodor Dostoevsky’s saga of familial love and strife prompted this praise from Sigmund Freud, who called it, “the most magnificent novel ever written.” Albert Einstein offered similar kudos, calling the novel “…the most wonderful book I have ever laid my hands on.” The Brothers Karamazov, published in 1880, and set in provincial Russia, is the story of four brothers and their father. That story includes intra-familial sexual obsession and infidelity, financial dishonesty, murder and a court case. It also includes, on a higher plane, religious and philosophical inquiry into whether human happiness flows from strict obedience to absolute authority or from loving kindness nurtured by freedom. Freud’s and Einstein’s praises are for the volatile relation in the novel of its two planes the earthy, sometimes squalid life of the body and the spiritual, sometimes tormented life of the soul. Sordid and sublime even merge, at times in this novel. The course is a group exploration, largely through discussion, of the relation of sordid and sublime reality in the book. The main focus is on how Dostoevsky, in this familial saga, heroically and tenderly presents the close struggle in the human heart between aspiration and spite and how he urgently and intimately dramatizes the moral struggle assailing any conscience trying to do good in the world.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 44 students
ENGL E-270
Tragic Art and the Human Experience
Keating Patrick Joseph McKeon PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27026 | Section 1
Description
Why is suffering central to so much entertainment? This is a question that great artists, writers, and filmmakers have inspired their audiences to ask throughout history. In this course, we undertake a unique survey of tragic art spanning the ancient and contemporary worlds to explore the work of classic tragedians like Euripides and Henrik Ibsen, as well as their more recent counterparts in Claire Keegan, Lars von Trier, and Francis Ford Coppola. We begin from the (in)famous guidelines for tragedy demanded by Aristotle, and then move to challenge and expand them as we engage with drama, novels, and film and their receptions throughout the semester. During the course we consider the unique use of tragedy in service of diverse political, religious, and aesthetic agendas, while simultaneously grappling with a deceptively simple question: why can’t humans bear to be happy?
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENGL E-275
Illustration in American Children’s Literature
Emily Gowen PhD, Lecturer on History and Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17374 | Section 1
Description
This course traces the history of illustrated books for children from early colonial America to the present, inviting students to explore intersections between a text’s visual elements and its didactic aims. Beginning with the New England Primer, we work chronologically through a range of pamphlets, chapbooks, dime novels, comic books, fairy tales, toy books, and early readers in order to develop an understanding of the history and evolution of one of literature’s most beloved and familiar forms. What is the relationship between illustration and literacy education? How do images affect the way books are bought and sold? What kinds of reading do illustrations invite children and their caregivers to perform? What do works published by Isaiah Thomas (an eighteenth-century publisher who popularized children’s literature in New England) have in common with stories by Margaret Wise Brown, Ezra Jack Keats, and Christian Robinson? How do the first books we encounter shape us and what can they help us understand about the culture at large? We explore these and other questions throughout our time together, as we map the relationship between today’s market for children’s books and the rich and contested history of the form.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
ENGL E-305
Poetry in America for Teachers: Earth, Sea, Sky
Elisa New PhD, Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature, Harvard University
Jesse Benjamin Raber PhD, Writer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17272 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed specifically for secondary school educators interested in deepening their expertise as readers and teachers of literature. In the course, we consider the evolving relationship of American poets to the environment from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Emily Dickinson, whose poems on the landscape of rural Massachusetts from the 1850s to 1880s drew from the science and the incipient environmental movements of that century, is a touchstone for the course. But her sparse lyrics are only one of the poetic technologies of looking at, caring for, and mourning the destruction of, the natural world that we explore together: from haiku, to African American poems of exploitative agrarianism and fantastical gardening, to poems that expand the scope of nature from the vast and inhuman to the birdcalls echoing in urban backyards. Through virtual field trips, classroom visits, and conversations with ecologists, scientists, gardeners, farmers and other guest interpreters, this course familiarizes students with a variety of canonical and contemporary American poets: Robert Frost, Jean Toomer, Lorine Niedecker, Gary Snyder, A.R. Ammons, Robinson Jeffers, Juliana Spahr, Ross Gay, and more.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit, undergraduate, graduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is offered in partnership with the Poetry in America (PiA) initiative. The course is also offered in partnership with the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Teachers enrolled for noncredit who are interested in professional development can earn certificates of participation for 90 professional development hours from HGSE’s Professional Education.
ENGL E-597
English Precapstone: The Novel and Its Contexts
Katherine Ann Kennedy PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15775 | Section 1
Description
This course prepares students to write their Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) capstone project. We read novels from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that both reflected and shaped the historical moment of their creation. In doing so we attended to the history and evolution of the novel as a form while also exploring the different approaches literary critics have taken to interpreting and analyzing works of narrative fiction. As we read these novels closely, we think about how they raise pressing social, economic, and political questions, consider their circulation and reception, and reflect on the role of representation, including questions of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. By the end of the semester, students are equipped with the critical tools to embark on writing an independent scholarly research paper for their capstone project in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, English, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, ENGL E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
ENGL E-599
English Capstone: The Novel and Its Contexts
Katherine Ann Kennedy PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25383 | Section 1
Description
This course guides students through every step of writing their independent research paper. Building on the work done in the prior precapstone course, students work through the progressive stages of writing a research paper, incorporating peer workshop feedback, and skill-building exercises to help them produce work that reaches the high standards of an academic journal article. Students write proposals, conduct a literature review, develop theses and scholarly interventions, and work through multiple drafts, before producing their final capstone paper.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, English, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, ENGL E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
ENVR E-101
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Sustainability and Global Development
Michael Mortimer PhD, Director, Graduate Sustainability Program and Global Development Practice, Harvard Extension School
Nazeli Tonoyan MA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 11925 | Section 1
Description
One of the most challenging aspects of being a modern sustainability professional is that the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development are socially constructed and subject to multiple interpretations of meaning. In other words, there are differing frames by which sustainability and sustainable development can be viewed to define goals, actions, successes, and failures. This course introduces these frames and equips students to be able to make sense of the complex and shifting concepts of sustainability and sustainable development using lectures, discussions, and the development of students’ academic research and writing skills. This writing-focused course helps prepare aspiring degree candidates for successful entry into both the Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice and sustainability programs.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, September 6-December 20, 10:00am-12:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-101
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Sustainability and Global Development
Michael Mortimer PhD, Director, Graduate Sustainability Program and Global Development Practice, Harvard Extension School
Nazeli Tonoyan MA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25505 | Section 1
Description
One of the most challenging aspects of being a modern sustainability professional is that the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development are socially constructed and subject to multiple interpretations of meaning. In other words, there are differing frames by which sustainability and sustainable development can be viewed to define goals, actions, successes, and failures. This course introduces these frames and equips students to be able to make sense of the complex and shifting concepts of sustainability and sustainable development using lectures, discussions, and the development of students’ academic research and writing skills. This writing-focused course helps prepare aspiring degree candidates for successful entry into both the Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice and sustainability programs.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 10:00am-12:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-102
Design of Renewable Energy Projects
Ramon Sanchez ScD, Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17312 | Section 1
Description
This course helps develop the skills to design, fund, and implement renewable energy projects in the United States and around the world. It is aimed at anyone who would like to understand the relationship between energy and the environment, but is particularly helpful for energy developers and current or future professionals in the practice of renewable energy. Students learn the basics of how to design photovoltaic, wind, biomass, geothermal, small-hydro, wastewater to energy, solid waste to energy, and other large scale sustainable energy operations. Students also learn about the best global practices for engaging rural and indigenous communities in renewable energy projects while maximizing economic development and social equity. They learn how to deal with other important issues like negotiating land rights for renewable energy projects, how to encourage public utilities and private corporations to sign long-term agreements for purchasing renewable energies, how to prepare project proposals for international financial institutions and private investors who fund these projects, how to estimate the basic health and environmental benefits derived from proposed renewable energy projects, how to monetize health effects of renewable energy projects, and how to quantify the social benefits of such projects in the community.
Prerequisites: High school math and science.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 72 students
ENVR E-110
Sustainable Ocean Environments
George D. Buckley MS, Consultant
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 21784 | Section 1
Description
The world’s oceans and coastal environments provide vital ecological services such as climate moderation, oxygen, food, energy, habitats, biodiversity, and natural flood control, as well as important services such as fisheries, global transportation, minerals, recreation, and tourism. We study those and other topics and their related environmental impacts such as coastal development and pollution, and related management strategies including the future of blue technologies. We investigate ways to be involved in ocean issues and life-long learning opportunities.
Prerequisites: High school biology.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ENVR E-116
The Carbon Economy: Calculating, Managing, and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Marlon Robert Banta ALM, Director, Product Definition, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation
Richard Goode MBA, Partner, PwC
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17158 | Section 1
Description
The global economy is undergoing a fundamental transformation to low-carbon technologies from electric vehicles becoming mainstream and large-scale solar, wind, and even battery installations. Many countries and companies understand that this fourth industrial revolution will change everything, and face risks as well as opportunities. Some countries are establishing policies that decarbonize their economy to avoid the worst effects of a two degrees Celsius rise in temperatures. Organizations should start to develop and implement a two degrees Celsius strategy by clearly understanding their exposure to climate-related risks and identifying best practices for adapting to new carbon regulation, along with transforming their businesses by deploying sustainable energy practices. Understanding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including how to calculate them and the importance of reporting them publicly, is vital to understanding how to identify sources of emission and how to reduce them. This course teaches students how to measure, report, and reduce GHG emissions with an eye toward understanding the roles that energy choices and usage play in reducing emissions.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
ENVR E-116a
Measuring and Mitigating Indirect Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Michael Macrae PhD, Director, World Resources Institute
Marlon Robert Banta ALM, Director, Product Definition, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation
Richard Goode MBA, Partner, PwC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26810 | Section 1
Description
Mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting is now the law in 40 countries across the world, including the United Kingdom, many European Union member states, North America, Australia, Japan and soon South Africa. This course investigates best practices and approaches to measuring and mitigating indirect GHG emissions, also known as Scope 3 emissions. These emissions include all indirect GHG emissions that occur in a value chain and therefore outside the direct control of a typical organization. Supply chain emissions are frequently the largest overall source of an organization’s GHG emissions and are becoming an increasingly relevant topic as more companies outsource manufacturing, logistics, and other key functions to third parties. Waste, water use, and GHG emissions are still incurred in bringing products and services to consumers, but they are often not fully accounted for. Proper accounting for these emissions that are known contributors to climate change is coming under increasing scrutiny through major disclosure initiatives including the passage of California Senate Bill 253, The Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act and the European Commission’s European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which require businesses to publicly report their GHG emissions. Similar initiatives have also been proposed by the US Securities and Exchange Committee (SEC) and other regions around the world. Students in this course learn the foundational skills necessary for organizations to comply with these GHG emission disclosures, including how to gather data from disparate sources, how to calculate or estimate emissions, and how the procurement of supplies, services, and travel can be managed to mitigate or even reduce indirect emissions. The course also familiarizes students with leading measurement and goal setting standards (the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the Climate Registry, Science Based Targets, and the Carbon Disclosure Project or CDP) and investigates indirect emissions reduction efforts that are underway at several leading Fortune 500 companies as well as universities, municipalities, and government agencies.
Prerequisites: ENVR E-116 is encouraged but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
ENVR E-117
Sustainability Leadership for the Twenty-First Century
Leith Sharp MEd, Director, Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Jack Spengler PhD, Akira Yamaguchi Professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13543 | Section 1
Description
To inspire and enable people to lead effective change towards environmental sustainability, this course is designed to enhance individual change agency skills as applied to a variety of organizational contexts (education, business, government, nonprofit, church, and community). The course explores what change leadership for sustainability is and guides students to advance their related capabilities, competencies, and strategies. The personal, interpersonal, organizational, and technical dimensions of change leadership for sustainability are addressed. A variety of specific case studies and examples of sustainability in practice, including everything from green building design and renewable energy to environmental purchasing are explored. Interdependencies between finance, politics, relationships, capacity building, and technology are discussed. Students get to apply what they learn to an idea of their own choice in addition to undertaking an interview process with a proficient change leader of their choice. Students typically find these projects to be both deeply rewarding and central to the development of their knowledge and confidence as change managers.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Required sections Wednesdays, 7:40-9:40 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ENVR E-118c
Sustainable Tourism
Wendy Purcell PhD, Professor, School of Public Health, Rutgers University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17299 | Section 1
Description
Travel and tourism account for a significant percentage of global domestic product (GDP) over 10.4 percent before the COVID-19 pandemic, with recovery well underway. However, its negative impacts on people and planet demand that sustainability is positioned as a strategic driver. The sector has enormous potential to drive fulfillment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advance quality of life for all through the pursuit of sustainable development. The interdependency of travel and tourism with other sectors such as energy, transport, buildings, and food create challenges and opportunities to advance sustainability. This course presents frameworks and insights, illustrated by research case studies and guest speakers drawn widely from across the sector. Students are encouraged to recognize technical, organizational, economic, and political barriers to scaling sustainability solutions and understand the trade-offs and dilemmas of pursuing sustainability at a strategic level. As a sector, travel and tourism is widening its view of sustainability beyond immediate operational impacts to consider the broader systems in which it operates, adopting sustainability practices for the twenty-first century and beyond. To accelerate sustainability, more attention is being paid to leadership and change efforts in collaboration with other stakeholders. Travel and tourism has enormous potential to educate the traveler and sustain global communities and cultures and make a fuller contribution to creating a world that leaves no-one behind.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-119d
Decarbonizing the Building Sector
Paul Ormond MS, Efficiency Engineer, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24776 | Section 1
Description
It is within reach to decarbonize the building sector within the next few decades. This can be accomplished with a combination of better buildings (such as Passive House), electrification, and a renewably-powered electrical grid. Buildings can also be built with their own on-site renewables to create a net zero energy building. This course provides a comprehensive exploration of our greening grid, zero energy buildings, and Passive House buildings. Topics include grid fundamentals, building energy dynamics, emissions profiles, renewable systems, energy economics, passive architecture, energy budgets, site and source energy, policy, codes, financing, and incentive structures. A variety of assignments, projects, and teaching tools are used in this course, including analysis assignments, a team pitch, weekly report-outs, a textbook and numerous references, live guest speakers, and a guest speaker library.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ENVR E-119g
Sustainable Cities
Nora Libertun de Duren PhD, Head of Knowledge in Urban Development and Housing, Inter-American Development Bank
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17185 | Section 1
Description
More than half of the world’s population 54 percent according to the World Health Organization currently lives in urban areas, a figure projected to rise to 65 percent by 2050 according to the United Nations. However, cities face mounting sustainability challenges, including increased exposure to natural and environmental disasters and limited resources to address these risks. The future of urban societies and, by extension, the majority of the global population depends on our ability to design, build, and govern cities sustainably. Against this backdrop, this course explores the complexities of sustainable urban development by examining the challenges cities face and the strategies to address them. Key topics include governance, social and economic development, national and regional planning, risk and vulnerability reduction, and access to urban services and infrastructure. By analyzing how these challenges vary across different urban contexts, students develop both a broad understanding of urban sustainability and critical insights into the governance mechanisms that drive sustainable urban development.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-128
Food and Greed: Implications for Human Health and Sustainability
Jennifer Rivers Cole PhD, Associate Professor, American University of Afghanistan
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26814 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the complex relationship between food and greed, focusing on its implications for human health and sustainability. It examines the dark side of industrialized agriculture and poses simple yet powerful interdisciplinary solutions. The course highlights problems associated with affluence and the resultant expectation of any food at any time. We investigate market distortions, health risks, government subsidies making processed food cheaper than healthy food, fair trade, ethics and equitable distribution of food, alternative farming techniques (integrated pest management and permaculture), corporations and big agriculture (Monsanto and Cargill), climate change and carnivores, factory farming and animal feed, habitat destruction and land use conversion including prioritization based on ecosystem services to humanity, agrochemical and pesticide biomagnification, high density farming techniques (vertical farming), fast food, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Emphasis is placed on US and global food subsidies, including origins and underpinnings. Participants solve a problem within the industrialized food system by critically analyzing how the pursuit of profit, excessive consumption, and unethical practices within the global food system impact both individual well-being and the long-term viability of our planet. By examining case studies, research findings, and policy frameworks, students gain a deep understanding of the multifaceted issues surrounding food and greed, and develop the knowledge and skills necessary to address these challenges.
Prerequisites: ENVR E-131 is recommended, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-131
Food Systems and Global Supply Chains
Jennifer Rivers Cole PhD, Associate Professor, American University of Afghanistan
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17168 | Section 1
Description
This course is intended for students interested in the supply-chain side of sustainable food. Of all the activities humans engage in on Earth, agriculture has the single biggest environmental impact. This course looks in detail at the supply chain of food production and the impact assessment of global food production. Together we investigate how food passes from production to distribution and consumption and what the sustainability ramifications are, specifically on air, water, soil, energy, mining, and human health. This is a research-based course where participants choose related food scenarios and quantify their impact on greenhouse gases and climate change; energy use; air, water, and soil degradation; and solid waste disposal. Topics include genetic modification of food for increased productivity, meat and dairy, additives for shelf stability, organic and local food, the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing hemp, food subsidies, aquaculture, packaging and transportation, fast food, and food safety. The first part of the course is a series of lectures covering the principles of economics as they pertain to agriculture; agricultural styles and practices; soil resources and problems; and the myriad ways we pollute the Earth’s air, soil, and water as we obtain food. The second part of the course is a series of papers and discussion on supply-chain management and simple modeling scenarios designed to quantify the economics and sustainability of common food items.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-132
How to Decarbonize the Energy Sector: Real-World Implications in Power and Transportation
James Koehler MA, Partner and Renewable Energy Practice Lead, Renewables and Innovation, Daymark Energy Advisors
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17194 | Section 1
Description
Climate change cannot be adequately addressed without decarbonizing the energy sector, given that it is the largest source of US greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) around 50 percent of the total. But what does that entail? How does this transition to renewable sources happen while maintaining system reliability, expanding access, and limiting cost impacts to customers? The goal of this course is to prepare students to work in this sector as it undergoes these rapid changes. Whether students are making a career transition or just embarking on their careers, understanding the unique structures, markets, and challenges of this industry is essential to increasing their competitive value in the workforce. The primary focus is the United States, with the concepts being globally applicable. This course examines the robust ecosystem of renewable and traditional energy companies, investors, regulators, and customers that comprise the power and transportation sectors. Some of the key questions that are addressed include: what are the unique characteristics of the power sector? How do they differ from the structure, markets, and policy that govern the transportation sector? How do these unique structures, markets, financial risks, and regulatory responsibilities dictate the renewable options available? How can government policy shape this outcome? And perhaps most importantly, how do financial considerations and investors influence this transition?
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ENVR E-135b
Sustainable Business in the Twenty-First Century
Matthew Gardner PhD, Managing Partner, Sustainserv, Inc.
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25745 | Section 1
Description
This course explores corporate sustainability through a collaboration with Harvard Business School Online. Leveraging HBS Online materials, including videos and case studies, we explore a variety of critical questions about how corporations are key actors in the drive towards a sustainable world. The course is organized around three modules from the HBS Online course Sustainable Business Strategy. These three modules (the business case for change, driving change at scale, and purpose driven systemic change) are expanded upon with guest speakers, real world case studies, and in-depth discussions. Each week students analyze examples from companies in a variety of industries to show how sustainability is integrated into their business models and to explore what opportunities still exist for companies to improve. The course uses case studies from publicly traded companies, augmented by links to various forms of information for students to compare and contrast throughout the semester. Information is presented from academic research, white papers published by respected scholars and experts, and the actual disclosures of major multinational companies. The case method is used to provide a participative and realistic forum that enables students to learn about sustainability while also developing the skills to use the information. In addition to receiving course credit, students who successfully complete this course for undergraduate or graduate credit can earn a certificate of completion from Harvard Business School Online.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-138a
Making the Sustainable Investment Case
Graham Sinclair MBA, Adjunct Professor, Sustainable Engineering, Villanova University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26244 | Section 1
Description
Making the sustainable investment case is a crucial skill for every type of professional, whether in the private, public, or not-for-profit sectors. This course takes lessons from the theories and practices of sustainable investment in the professional investment industry and makes them accessible to other disciplines and fields. Every investment has implicit environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, because every decision made relies upon humans to make, do, buy, or sell something, and relies upon the rule of law to govern contractual relationships between businesses and protect minority investors. In every sector and situation, one is increasingly expected to identify, measure, and report material ESG risks, returns, and impact. Investment decisions are made daily for more than US $100 trillion in assets under management professionally in the global investment industry. Bloomberg Intelligence forecasts investment decisions explicitly including ESG factors will reach, “US $35 trillion assets under management by 2030…factoring in an 85% growth slowdown, showing resilience against a widening backlash”. The headwinds from political regimes have had an impact, but the field still grows, especially in Europe and Asia-Pacific. This course explores capital allocation decisions more broadly, translating the practices from the investment context to other situations of capital allocation. In a world with interconnected decision-making processes and consequences, more stakeholders demand greater transparency, customers have expectations of their vendors, reputation and litigation risks are profligate, and regulators seek to reduce negative impacts on society. Sustainable investment proactively considers themes and issues such as climate pollution, workplace safety, employee health and wellness, local community relationships, diversity, executive compensation, business ethics, corruption, and new markets for zero pollution innovation. Climate is the meta-theme overarching all investment strategies. This course is grounded in industry experience and cross-disciplinary academic and practitioner literature. We employ the Socratic method, empowering students to express their agency in covering the materials. We blend practitioner literature with current academic research to ensure students learn from the most relevant material, including Harvard Business School case studies, case examples drawn from the food and beverage sector, and expose students to current practice in Fund Labs (beta) with sustainable investment fund managers. We explore critiques of sustainable investment to better understand the gaps in theory and practice. We provide access to experts from across the spectrum so students may learn from multiple perspectives and engage with different roles. We promote students’ experiential learning by building up components of simulated investment recommendations.
Prerequisites: Students are recommended to undertake this course toward the end of their graduate study. Students recommend the course as a solid foundation for work in the capstone course for the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability. A familiarity of sustainability, economics, finance, and/or business will be useful. This course is not recommended for undergraduates.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-139
Natural Disasters in a Global Environment
Jennifer Rivers Cole PhD, Associate Professor, American University of Afghanistan
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26805 | Section 1
Description
This course covers disaster preparedness and response, as well as possible prevention and mitigation of: volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, fires, landslides, hurricanes, famines, pandemic diseases, meteorite impacts, and climate fluctuations. The course presents basic science, along with detailed case studies of past and present events. Lectures and discussions highlight the role of science in preparing for and responding to natural disasters. Elements of history, engineering, architecture, land use planning, climate change science, public policy, and emergency management are threaded through the discussions and laboratory exercises. This is a case study-based course, and highlights preparedness and response in developing nations, as part of global development practice.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-140
Fundamentals of Ecology for Sustainable Ecosystems
Aaron Hartmann PhD, Research Associate, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 12779 | Section 1
Description
Conserving and managing biodiversity and ecosystem services in diverse landscapes across the globe is a major sustainability challenge of this century. Solutions critically rest on fundamental concepts and principles in ecology. This course adopts an unusual, holistic approach by embedding understanding and integration of these principles through a series of ecosystem case studies focused on desert, savanna, and mountain ecosystems; wetlands and other aquatic systems; boreal, temperate, and tropical forests; and agroecosystems. These ecosystems and specific sites exemplify different challenges but similar ecological processes at work for successful management, whether the goal is protection of natural systems and biodiversity, ecological restoration, or maintaining ecosystem services in agricultural and other human-dominated landscapes. Through this approach, the fundamental topics covered in typical ecology courses are exemplified. The historical, evolutionary, and ecological processes determining the distribution of ecosystems, habitats, and species are introduced. Evolutionary processes responsible for the adaptations of individuals are examined to understand the diversity of species and their features. Ecological processes of competition, predation, disease, and mutualism help explain the functioning of biological communities and larger ecosystems. Among other activities, teams of students conduct background research on specific ecosystem sites to understand the ecological, economic, sociocultural, and multistakeholder context of sustainability challenges and integrated solutions.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-143
Evaluating Sustainable Food Systems and Other Enterprises in Rural Areas, With a View from Tuscany
Mark Leighton PhD, Associate Director and Senior Research Advisor, Sustainability, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25371 | Section 1
Description
Globally, metropolitan areas have prospered economically while rural areas have been left behind. The course focuses on sustainability opportunities and enterprises in these rural landscapes. Emphasis is on the benefits of regenerative farming and small-scale organic farm enterprises, typically with diverse production systems, common historically and now resurgent in the farm to table and local food movements as alternatives to industrial agriculture. The course focuses on comparisons between New England and Tuscany; in both of these regions, ecological and economic sustainability challenges in the rural landscape include producing food and forest products for niche markets, managing watersheds, conserving biodiversity and other environmental services, such as carbon sequestration, and diversifying income streams with ecotourism. Optimizing this mix of functions while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution addresses sustainability goals. Online required class sessions discuss readings on models and analysis of sustainable food production systems, including organic, permaculture, and forest farming systems. Assignments and readings develop skills in spreadsheet modeling of production integrated with financial analysis of small-scale enterprises. The centerpiece of the course is an intensive and mandatory week long learning experience, May 3-May 10, in residence at Spannocchia, a historical Tuscan farming estate near Sienna. Field exercises and discussions at Spannocchia are augmented with an all-day field trip to a nearby biodynamic winery and onward for the afternoon to the hill town of San Gimignano, and then a half-day trip to Tenuta San Carlo in southwestern Tuscany, a very different agro-ecosystem. Students should not have other work or study commitments during this period. The course involves some hiking and fieldwork on several days over uneven ground; because these are critical course activities, students must be physically able to participate. Students are housed at Spannocchia in either the Fattoria or Villa rooms in the main building; rooms are typically shared doubles, spacious and historical. Meals feature organic products from the estate. View the Spannocchia website for photos and descriptions of accommodations, programs, and the estate property. Students with documented disabilities should contact the Accessibility Services Office no later than two weeks before the course begins. In addition to completing all required assignments for the course, students must attend the entire week at Spannocchia to pass the course (you cannot arrive late or leave early). If you neglect to register with Spannocchia, pay their separate deposit, or miss their deadlines, you may not be able to register, complete, or pass the course. Harvard Extension School (HES) spring term registration, drop, and withdrawal deadlines apply to ENVR E-143. See the calendar. If students drop the course, HES will refund tuition payment according to standard refund policy. HES is not responsible for payments made to Spannocchia, travel, or other expenses that students may incur. In addition to the course tuition, students are responsible for: Approximately $1,200-$1,400 USD paid to Spannocchia by January 10. This includes room and board for May 3-May 10 (seven nights) and educational fees. Course members rendezvous in Siena on Sunday, May 3, and then share taxis to Spannocchia after a group lunch. Note that up to 45 days before the program start date (May 3) at Spannocchia, a student withdrawing from the course will have their prepaid Spannocchia fee reimbursed less a $250 nonrefundable deposit and credit card processing fees. However, cancellations within 45 days of the start date are not refundable. US health insurance that provides coverage outside the United States. Transportation to and from Spannocchia (via Siena). Shared per capita cost of bus/van rental and driver for the field trip, and shared taxi or van to and from Siena or Florence to Spannocchia. (Students also have some miscellaneous individual costs: for example, a $7 hotel tax, meals in Siena and San Gimignano, and a wine tasting fee if students participate). The cost of passports and visas (if the latter is needed). Costs of any required COVID-19 vaccinations, boosters, and tests, both in home country and Italy, depending on regulations at the time.
Prerequisites: No previous courses are required; however, ENVR E-129 (offered previously), ENVR E-129a, ENVR S-129b, ENVR E-129c, ENVR E-140, and ENVR E-210 are relevant sustainability courses providing background. Familiarity with Excel spreadsheets is helpful, but not required. Students must be at least 18 years old.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
This course meets via live web conference Wednesdays, 7:40-9:40 pm; and in Tuscany, Italy, May 3-10, 2026.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 21 students
ENVR E-149
Environmental Conservation
Aaron Hartmann PhD, Research Associate, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26641 | Section 1
Description
Preserving and recovering populations, communities, and ecosystems is the core goal of conservation biology. But achieving this goal requires much more than an understanding of biology. It requires that we evaluate humanity’s place in nature through numerous lenses, including those seemingly far afield from the natural world. This course integrates evolutionary and ecological theory into resource management, economics, sociology, business, psychology, and law to explore conservation strategies, the value of ecosystem services, evidence-based management, and the challenges of decision-making under conflicting interests. As this list underscores, conservation biology is inherently interdisciplinary, and this means that each student’s training and perspective is integral as we build a comprehensive understanding of this complex discipline.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-151
Life Cycle and Supply Chain Sustainability Assessment
Julien Walzberg PhD, Researcher III, Strategic Energy Analysis Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17206 | Section 1
Description
Through advanced tools and methods, industrial ecology aims to assist in reorganizing industrial systems and human activities to be more ecologically and socially sound. Life cycle assessment (LCA) which involves the systemic analysis of products, services, and supply chains environmental impacts is an essential method of industrial ecology. Socioeconomic impacts can also be included in assessments, leading to the definition of life cycle sustainability assessment. LCA can be used to verify sustainability and circularity claims and guide decision-making. This course is designed to equip participants with a hands-on, in- depth understanding of the frameworks, principles, tools, and applications of LCA. As part of the course, students learn to use and apply professional software tools and databases addressing supply chains’ environmental impacts. We also review the current state of LCA practices, developments, and initiatives. The course is grounded on providing students with the skills to identify solutions which would make human activities more sustainable.
Prerequisites: College math and/or chemistry are helpful, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-158b
Applied Circular Economics
Manuel Maqueda MS, JD, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SUPER.ngo
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16829 | Section 1
Description
This course gives students the essential concepts, tools, and skills needed to take part in the transition to a circular economy in a wide variety of economic sectors and areas of human activity. Ecosystems tend toward a stable equilibrium, or homeostasis, and have the ability to regenerate and thrive for thousands of years. Likewise, the circular economy seeks to maintain the value and preserve the stocks of materials, components, and goods, while eliminating waste, toxicity, and pollution and restoring natural capital. The circular economy allows for a better economic and ecological performance than today’s prevailing economy, which follows a take-make-waste linear model that destroys value, depletes stocks, and degrades living systems. The transition to a circular economy is mandated by the ecological and physical boundaries of our planet. Without an accelerated transition it will be impossible to meet the Paris Agreement targets. At the same time, the transition to a circular economy is a tremendous opportunity that would unleash global economic growth and create an estimated 95 million new jobs worldwide while also boosting economic resilience. The European Union, China, and dozens of leading economies have outlined aggressive roadmaps towards a circular economy. In the United States, 60 percent of chief executive officers plan to transition to a circular economy framework. This course challenges not only what, but how students think about sustainability. Students are encouraged to think in systems and material flows, while embracing a radical collaboration mindset. Along the way we visit different areas of opportunity that range from biomass management to industrial symbiosis; examine circularity in sectors as diverse as food, electronics, and plastics; outline the role of related disciplines such as biomimicry and permaculture; and discuss innovative business models where products are servitized or dematerialized and completely redesigned to foster repair, upgrades, refurbishment, remanufacture, and cradle-to-cradle life cycles.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 72 students
ENVR E-158c
Toxics in Consumer Products
Kate Sellers MS, Technical Partner, Sustainable Products and Supply Chain, Environmental Resources Management
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26471 | Section 1
Description
Concerned about toxics in consumer products? Join this course to examine the topic from multiple perspectives: the science of hazard and risk, the factors that drive outrage, and the regulations designed to protect us. The course content is designed to demystify underlying scientific concepts. Case studies of headline issues and guest speakers from the industry make abstract concepts come alive. This course provides students with the tools to support effective action to make products more sustainable and to make better choices as a consumer.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-158f
Regenerative Economics
Manuel Maqueda MS, JD, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SUPER.ngo
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26427 | Section 1
Description
In this course we examine ways to accelerate the transition towards an economy that, by design, regenerates the Earth’s biosphere and its ability to provide the ecosystem services that sustain the economy itself and all life. This course uses the circular economy framework as a departure point, delving into the interconnection between geo-biology and the economy. Although regenerative economics is still an emerging field, this course focuses on praxis rather than on theory, seeking to equip students with key concepts and tools to address real-world problems from a regenerative perspective and to create innovative, regenerative economy initiatives in a variety of sectors. To this effect, we illustrate the course topics with case studies and are joined by notable guest speakers who are leading practitioners in their domains. In this course, we visit different areas of regenerative opportunity that include regenerative agriculture and permaculture; agroforestry; ecosystem restoration and rewilding; bio-based materials and products (grown instead of made); seaweed and fungi-based businesses; and novel sources of food. In addition to the circular economics framework, we discuss the planetary boundary framework and look at several large-scale human-Earth models that integrate human activity and geo-biological cycles. Using a precautionary and critical lens, we also examine technologies that can help us measure, manage, or foster regeneration, both locally and at a planetary scale, such as Earth observation, the Internet-of-Things, artificial intelligence, blockchain, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, and geo-engineering.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 72 students
ENVR E-166
Water Resources Policy and Watershed Management
Scott Horsley MA, Lecturer, Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, Tufts University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14545 | Section 1
Description
This course presents a comprehensive approach to water resources management by integrating environmental science (geology, soils, and hydrology) and policy (planning and regulatory analysis). It is intended for both students with and without technical backgrounds. We use numerous case studies from the instructor’s experience as a consultant to the US Environmental Protection Agency, state and local governments, industry, and nongovernmental organizations. The course examines groundwater, lake, riverine, wetland, and coastal management issues at the local, state, tribal, regional, national, and international levels and relies heavily on practical case studies. We focus on an integrated water management approach that links drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater management seeking opportunities to keep water local and for re-use, balancing hydrologic budgets, and minimizing costs in the face of climate change. A broad range of water resource management strategies is examined including structural/nonstructural, regulatory/nonregulatory, and prevention/restoration approaches. Smart growth and low impact development techniques are presented as effective growth management and climate adaptation techniques. Incentive-based management strategies are presented to modify behaviors and to optimize public participation. Green infrastructure is presented as an innovative and alternative approach to conventional grey technologies and includes shellfish aquaculture, bioretention, reforestation of riparian buffers, ecotoilets, and wetlands restoration.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-195
Sustainability Accelerator: Practicing Community Empowerment and Local Leader Development
Justin Allen MBA, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Sustainability Accelerator
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26802 | Section 1
Description
As global sustainability crises escalate, the world needs local sustainability leaders who have the capacity to create change. This course teaches skills, introduces tools, and provides experiential learning opportunities that teach change agents how to accelerate local leader development and empower community action. The course begins with an overview of theory and research on community empowerment and a review of successful sustainability initiatives. Then, utilizing an experiential act-to-learn model (rather than a traditional learn-to-act approach), students are assigned to teams and paired with external sustainability practitioners (for example, change leaders working on social justice, climate, education, infrastructure, or health initiatives). Students learn community engagement skills and praxis (creating space for reflection and collective action) with practitioners’ target community beneficiaries. After engaging with beneficiaries, students provide partners with a clearer picture of the community’s needs and collaborate to co-create an updated community-centric theory of change and a draft a proposed community-led project charter. Throughout the course, students learn practical skills and tools associated with community empowerment and local leadership development. Students also learn and practice reflective coaching and engage in weekly coaching sessions.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
ENVR E-196
Designing Sustainability Research
Michaela J. Thompson PhD, Lecturer in Anthropology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17361 | Section 1
Description
Research projects in sustainability are complex and transcend the boundaries of conventional disciplines such as economics, international relations, and sociology. Sustainability and carbon issues affect and interact with monetary stability, industrial policy, and more; comprise different analytical foci, including human behavior, politics, and power conflicts; and operate across multiple units of analysis such as individuals, groups, organizations, states, and relationships between states. Research designs must integrate distinct components coherently and logically to adequately capture this multidimensionality. A good research project has both good ideas and good design. While good ideas can be hard to pin down, a longstanding set of rules and design principles can help us turn compelling ideas into excellent research. Good design makes ideas more accessible, persuasive, and likely to achieve their aims. This course provides students with the fundamental principles for designing research projects in the sustainability field, including how to link empirical data to concepts, concepts to theory, and theory to research strategy. This includes articulating a problem, question, or research puzzle and providing a rationale for it; reviewing the relevant literature; advancing a hypothesis or argument; constructing a theoretical framework; defining concepts, variables, and relationships; and designing a test of the hypothesis or argument. Once students learn the principles of research design, their reading and comprehension of even the densest academic writing will improve. When one knows what to expect from the research design of an article, report, or book one is better able to distinguish the argument from the evidence, the logic from the information, and the normative issues (that is, what should be done) from underlying and wider practical and theoretical implications. We explore current issues in sustainability research through a number of cases that bring the full array of research design, including cross-sectional, longitudinal, and comparative designs. The particular order in which these designs are introduced throughout the course follows a cumulative rationale (that is, starting with most descriptive designs to most deductive designs). While the methodological focus is on qualitative approaches, we also look at nested designs, deploying qualitative and quantitative analytical tools simultaneously. This involves hands-on practice. By drafting a research design for a sustainability project, justifying their strategy, and examining their work for potential flaws, students’ research critical thinking improves. At the same time, students gain further insights through peer and diagnostic review processes and illustrations of common research designs in sustainability studies.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-196
Designing Sustainability Research
Leela Velautham PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Climate and Sustainability Consortium, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26837 | Section 1
Description
Research projects in sustainability are complex and transcend the boundaries of conventional disciplines such as economics, international relations, and sociology. Sustainability and carbon issues affect and interact with monetary stability, industrial policy, and more; comprise different analytical foci, including human behavior, politics, and power conflicts; and operate across multiple units of analysis such as individuals, groups, organizations, states, and relationships between states. Research designs must integrate distinct components coherently and logically to adequately capture this multidimensionality. A good research project has both good ideas and good design. While good ideas can be hard to pin down, a longstanding set of rules and design principles can help us turn compelling ideas into excellent research. Good design makes ideas more accessible, persuasive, and likely to achieve their aims. This course provides students with the fundamental principles for designing research projects in the sustainability field, including how to link empirical data to concepts, concepts to theory, and theory to research strategy. This includes articulating a problem, question, or research puzzle and providing a rationale for it; reviewing the relevant literature; advancing a hypothesis or argument; constructing a theoretical framework; defining concepts, variables, and relationships; and designing a test of the hypothesis or argument. Once students learn the principles of research design, their reading and comprehension of even the densest academic writing will improve. When one knows what to expect from the research design of an article, report, or book one is better able to distinguish the argument from the evidence, the logic from the information, and the normative issues (that is, what should be done) from underlying and wider practical and theoretical implications. We explore current issues in sustainability research through a number of cases that bring the full array of research design, including cross-sectional, longitudinal, and comparative designs. The particular order in which these designs are introduced throughout the course follows a cumulative rationale (that is, starting with most descriptive designs to most deductive designs). While the methodological focus is on qualitative approaches, we also look at nested designs, deploying qualitative and quantitative analytical tools simultaneously. This involves hands-on practice. By drafting a research design for a sustainability project, justifying their strategy, and examining their work for potential flaws, students’ research critical thinking improves. At the same time, students gain further insights through peer and diagnostic review processes and illustrations of common research designs in sustainability studies.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-199
Environmental Law and Policy
David Mears JD, Attorney, Tarrant, Gillies and Shems, LLP
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17015 | Section 1
Description
United States’ environmental laws and policies have grown in importance and complexity in response to our increased knowledge of the risks and challenges associated with our present trajectory. We are experiencing the stark challenge of shifting the cultural and economic drivers of unsustainable patterns of living on the land at a time of a deep ideological divide in our democratic institutions. This divide is interfering with the ability of our elected leaders to develop long-term, systemic strategies for change. On the other hand, we have a better societal understanding of the risks of failing to address the unsustainability of the ways that humans are currently living on our planet. In response, local, state, tribal, and national-level leaders are open to new policy approaches, giving rise to the opportunity for environmental professionals to participate in the development of improved systems. In this course, we explore the ways that the United States has made important progress in addressing many environmental problems through its laws and policies. However, this exploration also reveals that those solutions have tended to exist in isolation, not addressing or perhaps masking larger system declines that we can see in the form of climate change, loss of biodiversity, inequitable allocation of the benefits and burdens of environmental degradation, and permanent disruption to the ability of the land, air, and water to regenerate. The fact that these trends are not abating in response to the strategies employed over the past fifty years of the modern American environmental movement suggests a need to explore what has worked, what has not worked, and how we view our current challenges through an ecological lens in order to adjust our strategy in response to that knowledge. Students in this course explore the major areas of US environmental and natural resources law and policy, with a focus on the areas of water quality and quantity, biodiversity, hazardous waste and toxic substances, and land use. Students review examples that demonstrate the interplay of local, state, tribal, and federal governmental decision-making processes. In addition, students gain experience in reading case law, statutes, and regulations, as well as policy analyses. Finally, students are invited to bring their own personal and professional experiences to bear as we explore the importance of collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking to solve complex environmental issues.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 24 students
ENVR E-210
Analytical Methods in Sustainability
Linda Powers Tomasso PhD, Research Associate, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13757 | Section 1
Description
Understanding the dynamics of complex ecological and environmental systems and designing policies to promote their sustainability is a formidable challenge that requires analytical and measurement savvy. Both the practitioner and policymaker must be able to evaluate scientific research, recognizing fundamental pitfalls in research design data interpretation, and contextual relevance. Computational modeling tools have allowed for more dynamic and accurate predictions of complex environmental and ecological systems, though simulation output is only as valid as the quality of the input data. Analyzing the integrity of measurement scenarios is critical; what omissions and limitations might bias an outcome, and how might human behavioral interactions cause scenario modeling to differ from quantitative predictions? To learn these skills, students enrolled in this course conduct practical exercises illustrating a range of measurement and modeling techniques, including statistical analysis of ecological and environmental data and system dynamics modeling. Building on these methods, skill development also includes scientific writing, critiquing primary research literature, negotiating environmental resource rights, and accurately communicating environmental science in non-technical language. Course activities are rooted in core issues of environmental and sustainability sciences, climate change, human population dynamics, population viability analysis of endangered species, economic appraisal of projects that impact natural resources, impacts of built and natural environments on human health, and climate justice. Quantitative techniques are taught at an introductory level; some data analysis and simulation modeling are conducted using Excel spreadsheets.
Prerequisites: Experience manipulating data and algebraic equations on spreadsheets is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-210
Analytical Methods in Sustainability
Linda Powers Tomasso PhD, Research Associate, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23614 | Section 1
Description
Understanding the dynamics of complex ecological and environmental systems and designing policies to promote their sustainability is a formidable challenge that requires analytical and measurement savvy. Both the practitioner and policymaker must be able to evaluate scientific research, recognizing fundamental pitfalls in research design data interpretation, and contextual relevance. Computational modeling tools have allowed for more dynamic and accurate predictions of complex environmental and ecological systems, though simulation output is only as valid as the quality of the input data. Analyzing the integrity of measurement scenarios is critical; what omissions and limitations might bias an outcome, and how might human behavioral interactions cause scenario modeling to differ from quantitative predictions? To learn these skills, students enrolled in this course conduct practical exercises illustrating a range of measurement and modeling techniques, including statistical analysis of ecological and environmental data and system dynamics modeling. Building on these methods, skill development also includes scientific writing, critiquing primary research literature, negotiating environmental resource rights, and accurately communicating environmental science in non-technical language. Course activities are rooted in core issues of environmental and sustainability sciences, climate change, human population dynamics, population viability analysis of endangered species, economic appraisal of projects that impact natural resources, impacts of built and natural environments on human health, and climate justice. Quantitative techniques are taught at an introductory level; some data analysis and simulation modeling are conducted using Excel spreadsheets.
Prerequisites: Experience manipulating data and algebraic equations on spreadsheets is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-212
Global Land Conservation Practice
Henry Tepper MA, Conservation Consultant
Jill Haley Murphy JD, Sustainability Consultant
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17358 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of the history, philosophical origins, tools, strategies, and practice of land conservation around the world. We begin with the historical overview of changing attitudes towards the natural world, as humans moved from unfettered exploitation to a gradual recognition of resource scarcity to taking steps to protect land, species, and habitats. The sweep of our historical overview ranges from the sacred groves of India to the Calakmul Bioreserve in Mexico to the New York City watershed. We review the growth of the conservation movement in the United States, which encompasses visionary but flawed leaders like John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and Gifford Pinchot, as well as Indigenous perceptions of the natural environment. We also examine the globally influential US trend of creating public parks, forests, and nature preserves, including emblematic landscapes like the Boston Common, Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks, and the Adirondack State Forest Preserve. Our focus then shifts to what has become one of the best-kept secrets in conservation the growth, effectiveness, and practicality of private land conservation which, as it increases in the size of the properties being protected, often includes public-private partnerships. We discuss the practices of land trusts in the US and also address rapidly expanding private lands conservation initiatives around the world. The course is organized around law and policy, conservation priorities, and finance. Within these three broad areas, topics include land conservation as a response to scarcity; north-south and east-west conservation needs, responses, and sometimes conflicts; public and private protected areas and strategies; emblematic and historic land conservation projects, trends, and achievements; environmental advocacy and its relationship to land conservation; wild lands and urban conservation; the critical role of science in land conservation, including strategic conservation planning, land protection criteria, protected area design, project implementation, and long-term land stewardship; land conservation in Indigenous regions and communities; the dramatic growth of private lands conservation from the US to Australia; innovative land conservation finance tools and strategies; land conservation in the era of climate change; and land conservation as a professional discipline.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required section to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-216
Climate Adaptation: Planning and Policy
Paul Wagner PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17338 | Section 1
Description
Climate adaptation is critical to sustainability across social and geographic scales. Through this course, students learn the importance of climate adaptation, its costs and benefits, and how to develop an adaptation plan at whatever scale is needed and for a broad array of communities. Students learn about the steps involved in assessing vulnerabilities and how to take the necessary steps to reduce those vulnerabilities through adaptation planning. Because we cannot adapt infinitely, students learn how to find and implement carbon mitigation opportunities. The implementation and effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation actions necessary to stabilize the climate and create a sustainable environment depend significantly on climate policy. The promulgation of climate policy alone, however, is not sufficient and depends on planning methods capable of fostering actions that meet policy goals. Therefore, students also develop a broad understanding of current domestic and international climate policies and agreements, as well as planning frameworks that help structure actions, hold parties accountable, and create incentives and mechanisms toward climate adaptation. Understanding climate policy is necessary for describing legal standards, regulatory attainment, the terms of treaties and agreements, and how to meet such benchmarks.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-216
Climate Adaptation: Planning and Policy
William Farmer PhD, Acting Drought Science Coordinator, Water Mission Area, US Geological Survey
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26817 | Section 1
Description
Climate adaptation is critical to sustainability across social and geographic scales. Through this course, students learn the importance of climate adaptation, its costs and benefits, and how to develop an adaptation plan at whatever scale is needed and for a broad array of communities. Students learn about the steps involved in assessing vulnerabilities and how to take the necessary steps to reduce those vulnerabilities through adaptation planning. Because we cannot adapt infinitely, students learn how to find and implement carbon mitigation opportunities. The implementation and effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation actions necessary to stabilize the climate and create a sustainable environment depend significantly on climate policy. The promulgation of climate policy alone, however, is not sufficient and depends on planning methods capable of fostering actions that meet policy goals. Therefore, students also develop a broad understanding of current domestic and international climate policies and agreements, as well as planning frameworks that help structure actions, hold parties accountable, and create incentives and mechanisms toward climate adaptation. Understanding climate policy is necessary for describing legal standards, regulatory attainment, the terms of treaties and agreements, and how to meet such benchmarks.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-217
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for a Sustainable Future
Ahmad Antar PhD, Founder and Executive Director, Digital Emissions
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26843 | Section 1
Description
As the world grapples with a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, the need for scalable sustainable technologies has never been greater. Artificial intelligence (AI) is uniquely positioned to tackle complex climate challenges with a focus on climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. AI-infused solutions are already making strides in the field of sustainability. Recent research suggests that Al environmental applications could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5 to 10 percent by 2030 while boosting the global economy by $5 trillion. This course examines the intersection of AI and sustainability, shedding light on the opportunities and challenges presented by this emerging technology. Students gain a deep understanding of a wide array of generative and agentic AI applications spanning sectors such as energy, waste management, health, transportation, and agriculture. The course also delves into how the new AI wave is accelerating progress towards sustainable development goals (SDGs). It further investigates the potential AI ramifications concerning societal and environmental dimensions. The course draws on case studies and contributions from industry practitioners. Throughout the course, students take part in an immersive learning experience with peer learning opportunities in addition to individual activities.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
ENVR E-219
Visual Storytelling for Sustainability: Crafting Narratives for Impact
Leonie Marinovich BA, Documentary Photographer
Greg Marinovich MS, Master Lecturer, Journalism, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27017 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the power of storytelling as a tool for sustainability communication. Whether they work in policy, business, community engagement, or research, students learn how to translate complex environmental challenges into narratives that connect with a wide range of audiences. Using accessible approaches to photography, video, audio, and text, we guide students step by step through the process of shaping compelling stories with the tools they already have. Students leave with a project that can be applied directly to their professional or academic work.
Prerequisites: No prior experience with media production is required. Students should be prepared to experiment with accessible tools (such as a smartphone, laptop camera, or free editing software) and bring an interest in connecting sustainability ideas to broader audiences.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-230
Getting to Action: The Art and Science of Sustainable Decision-Making
Marianne Langridge PhD, Owner and Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Synthesis Limited, PBC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27010 | Section 1
Description
The modern concept of sustainable development is said to have begun in 1972 with the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, although the concept of sustainability has been part of ancient and native cultures across the globe throughout history. Why is it then, that over 50 years after entering the conversation on the global policy stage, that our society seems less sustainable? What decisions have been and are being made, what drives those decisions and what actions are resulting from those decisions? This course explores the fundamentals of decision science as they relate to environmental and sustainability efforts, and the link between decision-making and action-taking. Students explore tools and techniques beginning at the personal level and incrementally apply these same concepts for more complex decision-making and action-taking scenarios at the group, company, state, national, and international levels. We review how people make decisions, decision heuristics, rational decision-making frameworks, and the spectrum of decision support tools from decision trees to complex analytical modeling and artificial intelligence. Discussions and activities consider the influence of cognitive biases, probability theory, and cost-benefit analysis as we create projects and processes that move from decision-making to action planning and implementation.
Prerequisites: Basic college-level probability and statistics.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-234
Tracking Sustainability Performance: From Data to Strategy
Dinah A. Koehler PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17184 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a thorough introduction to analytical methods for evaluating corporate sustainability strategies and for guiding capital allocation decisions. Students explore what defines a sustainable company by engaging with a variety of real-world data sources, including voluntary disclosure data, mandated reporting, financial statements, independent datasets, and asset location information. With an emphasis on teamwork, critical thinking, and hands-on analysis, the course helps students develop strong data analysis skills for assessing and presenting corporate sustainability performance. Throughout the course, students learn to interpret and manipulate internal and external performance metrics and their links to scientific evidence. Additionally, students gain a deeper understanding of the broader sustainability information ecosystem and learn about the roles of key players such as corporate entities, auditors, regulators, information intermediaries, and investors. The course is structured into three interactive modules culminating in an independent final project. The first focuses on understanding corporate sustainability data and learning how to detect greenwashing by identifying instances of misleading or false disclosures and claims. Then, we cover identifying and mitigating sustainability risks by anticipating and managing risks, including extreme weather, regulatory changes, and shifting market expectations. Finally, we explore modeling trade-offs by conducting modeling exercises to understand the trade-offs involved in sustainability decisions. The final independent project synthesizes course learnings, offering students the opportunity to analyze a corporate sustainability strategy based upon examples explored in class.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with Excel.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ENVR E-235
Fundamentals of Sustainable Investing
Cary Krosinsky BA, Lecturer, Yale College and Adjunct Lecturer, New York University Stern Executive Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16969 | Section 1
Description
Twenty-first century businesses and investors face a broadening and deepening array of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities. Climate change, water scarcity, community conflict, resource depletion, supply chain breakdowns, worker well-being, and economic inequality pose material challenges that make sustainability an imperative for successful corporations and investors. This course examines the theory and practice of sustainable investing. We explore related investment and corporate strategies, industry trends across all asset classes, future scenarios, industry players, and frameworks and while reviewing the viability of practical investment performance analysis, available ESG data, and impact metrics, as well as diversification, geopolitics, and asset allocation considerations. Students may not take both ENVR E-138 and ENVR E-235 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
ENVR E-240
Environmental Entrepreneurship: Start-Up Essentials for Success
Alice E. Nichols MEd, Principal, Integrated Strategies International
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17203 | Section 1
Description
In a world where performance and societal and environmental impacts are often seen as at odds, it is hard to imagine having the best of both worlds. This course is not just for students with business backgrounds, nor only for those who have a well-formed idea that they think is worthy of putting forth into a venture plan straight away. This course is for students who would like to breathe life into an eco-opportunity that will environmentally move the needle by creating a venture plan. This is a new venture plan, which is quite different from a traditional business plan. Your idea may feel ill formed, or you may need support in formulating an eco-opportunity that will make social impact, for profit or nonprofit activity. We address questions such as: how do you select an opportunity? How do you take an idea and turn it into a value proposition with a target market? How do you build a model for an enterprise? This is not a conceptual course, but a hands-on, practical, experiential, and interactive course to learn to transpose an idea into an entrepreneurial venture. Students learn how to do customer discovery, thereby avoiding the biggest pitfall of start-up ventures nobody caring or no market.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-300
Global Sustainability Practicum
Michael Mortimer PhD, Director, Graduate Sustainability Program and Global Development Practice, Harvard Extension School
Alexander Puutio PhD, Senior Expert, Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17327 | Section 1
Description
The global sustainability practicum is a unique opportunity for students to hone their skills and gain valuable experience in advancing the work and enhancing the capacity of client organizations in an international setting. During the course, students take on the role of consultants who are tackling tangible challenges on behalf of their clients. The course is designed to equip students with practical project management skills as well as subject matter expertise in sustainability and development. This course offers excellent preparation for sustainability and global development practice consulting capstones, providing additional opportunities for students to work in teams and in an international setting. This course focuses on developing practical skills that are valued by today’s employers, enhancing analytical skills and interdisciplinary problem-solving abilities, fostering teamwork and leadership skills, cultivating cross-cultural competence and adaptability, and strengthening professional communication skills. The course culminates in an international immersion experience in Spain from November 23-December 1, 2025, in the city of Barcelona and the autonomous community of Galicia. Students should not have other work or study commitments during this period. This portion of the course is dedicated to engaging directly with the clients and other stakeholders in the project delivery environment. We kick things off in Barcelona, a global hub for sustainable urban innovation, before heading to Galicia to work hand-in-hand with local clients. Expect deep immersion, high impact, and unforgettable fieldwork with the consulting clients for the remainder of the stay. We are partnering with the Barcelona Urban Research Institute (IDRA) to deliver this innovative masters course. Educational programs are conducted in English. No prior knowledge or fluency in Spanish or Gallego is required. Students are housed in various hotels in Barcelona and Galicia. Students with documented disabilities should contact the Accessibility Services Office no later than two weeks before the course begins. In addition to completing all required assignments for the course, students must attend the entire immersive experience in Spain to pass the course (you cannot arrive late or leave early). Harvard Extension School (HES) fall term registration, drop, and withdrawal deadlines apply to ENVR E-300. See the calendar. If students drop the course, HES will refund tuition payment according to standard refund policy. HES is not responsible for payments made to IDRA, travel, or other expenses that students may incur. In addition to the course tuition, students are responsible for: Approximately $2,000 paid to IDRA. This covers lodging, ground transportation, breakfasts, Spanish support staff, client and translation support, logistics support, and educational fees. Note that up to 45 days before the program starts on November 23 (that is, before October 8), a student withdrawing from the course may have their prepaid fee to IDRA reimbursed less a $250 nonrefundable deposit and credit card processing fees (students work directly with IDRA on refund requests; refunds are not automatic based upon HES course withdrawal). However, cancellations within 45 days of the start date are not refundable. US health insurance that provides coverage outside the United States if you are from the US. Transportation to Barcelona, Spain, and return travel to your home location. Miscellaneous costs such as some meals, tourist activities, and shopping. The cost of passports and visas (if the latter is needed). The IDRA program fee is due on September 9, 2025. Waitlisted students should wait to pay the program fee to IDRA until they are fully registered for this course. If you neglect to register with IDRA, pay their separate deposit, or miss their deadlines, you will be dropped from the course. Students are required to register with Harvard’s Global Support Services (GSS) and complete the Harvard Assumption of Risk and General Release form prior to travel. If you do not register with GSS and complete the release form, you will be dropped from the course.
Prerequisites: Registration is open to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability, global development practice, and management programs. It is well-suited for students interested in the sustainability and global development practice consulting capstone tracks, particularly for students wishing to develop their project management, team management, cross-cultural, and international competencies.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Sundays, September 7-December 20, 10:30am-12:30pm
This course meets via live web conference Sundays, 10:30 am -12:30 pm; and in Spain, November 23-December 1, 2025. Optional sections Thursdays, 5-6 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
ENVR E-496
Crafting the Thesis Proposal in Sustainability
Mark Leighton PhD, Associate Director and Senior Research Advisor, Sustainability, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25105 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students develop critical thinking, scholarly writing skills, and research abilities while developing their individual thesis proposals. Class meetings feature lectures and discussions on different scientific approaches, group discussions, and intensive, constructive discussion of proposed student thesis research projects and proposals, from definition of research goals and hypotheses through research design and expected data analysis and presentation. Students are encouraged to contact their research advisor well before the required CTP application is due to discuss possible thesis topics and should not register for this course unless they are ready to engage in the entire thesis process. They should consider if this is the right time to start independent research, as the goal of the course is to move from crafting the thesis proposal to thesis registration with no extended breaks. Students should begin the thesis project during the next semester.
Prerequisites: Registration is restricted to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability who have submitted the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) application by the required deadline of September 1. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. All students must be in good academic standing, have completed eight degree courses (32 credits), and fulfilled their research methods requirement. For candidates who are enrolled in prerequisite coursework in the prior term, registration in ENVR E-496 is conditional until prior term grades can be review for course eligibility. Candidates who do not earn the minimum required grade(s) or whose CTP application is denied are dropped from the course. See application guidelines for details.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 10:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 202
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
ENVR E-597a
Consulting for Sustainability Solutions Precapstone
Neil Hawkins ScD, President, Michigan Sustainability Associates
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17341 | Section 1
Description
This course sets the foundation for academically strong consulting capstones starting with client identification. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability, who wish to enroll in ENVR E-599a in the following semester. The course covers critical issues in developing a client, a project charter, mastering research methods, and executing research in collaboration with fellow student consultants.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability, consulting capstone track, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, ENVR E-599a, in the upcoming term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet degree requirements will be dropped from the course
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 26 students
ENVR E-597a
Consulting for Sustainability Solutions Precapstone
Brad Allen PhD, Professor of Marketing, School of Business, Plymouth State University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27074 | Section 1
Description
This course sets the foundation for academically strong consulting capstones starting with client identification. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability, who wish to enroll in ENVR E-599a in the following semester. The course covers critical issues in developing a client, a project charter, mastering research methods, and executing research in collaboration with fellow student consultants.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability, consulting capstone track, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, ENVR S-599a, in the upcoming summer term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet degree requirements will be dropped from the course
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 22 students
ENVR E-597b
Innovation in Sustainability and Global Development Practice Precapstone
Ramon Sanchez ScD, Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17315 | Section 1
Description
This course serves as foundational preparation for Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) sustainability and global development practice capstone track candidates, enabling them to conceptualize, structure, and propose a comprehensive plan for their capstone project in the innovation and sustainability field. Students explore fundamental principles of sustainable product and service design, emphasizing aligning business practices with climate, environmental, health, and social goals. Additionally, the course introduces the essentials of assessing a regional innovation ecosystem, drafting a compelling business plan, and selecting an appropriate business or social model for start-ups addressing sustainability and global development challenges. Key focus areas include understanding the architecture and dynamics of regional innovation and sustainability ecosystems, which form the backbone of modern sustainable development practices. Students gain preliminary insights into the roles and characteristics of innovation investors, including angel investors, venture capital funds, and venture philanthropists. By the course’s end, candidates deliver a detailed, actionable plan for their capstone project, combining creative innovation with practical strategies to foster sustainable solutions worldwide.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability or global development practice capstone track, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, ENVR E-599b, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENVR E-597b
Innovation in Sustainability and Global Development Practice Precapstone
Ramon Sanchez ScD, Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26971 | Section 1
Description
This course serves as foundational preparation for Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) sustainability and global development practice capstone track candidates, enabling them to conceptualize, structure, and propose a comprehensive plan for their capstone project in the innovation and sustainability field. Students explore fundamental principles of sustainable product and service design, emphasizing aligning business practices with climate, environmental, health, and social goals. Additionally, the course introduces the essentials of assessing a regional innovation ecosystem, drafting a compelling business plan, and selecting an appropriate business or social model for start-ups addressing sustainability and global development challenges. Key focus areas include understanding the architecture and dynamics of regional innovation and sustainability ecosystems, which form the backbone of modern sustainable development practices. Students gain preliminary insights into the roles and characteristics of innovation investors, including angel investors, venture capital funds, and venture philanthropists. By the course’s end, candidates deliver a detailed, actionable plan for their capstone project, combining creative innovation with practical strategies to foster sustainable solutions worldwide.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability or global development practice capstone track, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, ENVR S-599b, in the upcoming summer term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENVR E-597c
Sustainability and Global Development Practice Case Study Precapstone
Michaela J. Thompson PhD, Lecturer in Anthropology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17344 | Section 1
Description
Case studies are a cornerstone of sustainability and global development scholarship and practice, grounding abstract theories and concepts in real-world examples. This course familiarizes students with the case study model and provides guidance in producing a research proposal to produce their own case. The course aims to provide students with an immersion in existing case studies, with the ultimate goal of informing their own projects. Students read case studies from a range of authors, both at Harvard and beyond, and discuss and analyze what the components are of a successful case study. The course provides guidance in best practices in primary research; students learn how to select a case topic and format, choose methodologies, and manage scope and scale. Finally, the course aims to help students produce an actionable research proposal that balances their interests with achievable research goals.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability or global development practice capstone track, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, ENVR E-599c, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENVR E-597c
Sustainability and Global Development Practice Case Study Precapstone
Michaela J. Thompson PhD, Lecturer in Anthropology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26999 | Section 1
Description
Case studies are a cornerstone of sustainability and global development scholarship and practice, grounding abstract theories and concepts in real-world examples. This course familiarizes students with the case study model and provides guidance in producing a research proposal to produce their own case. The course aims to provide students with an immersion in existing case studies, with the ultimate goal of informing their own projects. Students read case studies from a range of authors, both at Harvard and beyond, and discuss and analyze what the components are of a successful case study. The course provides guidance in best practices in primary research; students learn how to select a case topic and format, choose methodologies, and manage scope and scale. Finally, the course aims to help students produce an actionable research proposal that balances their interests with achievable research goals.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability or global development practice capstone track, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, ENVR S-599c, in the upcoming summer term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENVR E-599
Independent Research Capstone
Jennifer Rivers Cole PhD, Associate Professor, American University of Afghanistan
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17197 | Section 1
Description
This course offers students the overview, direction, and support for completing an individual capstone project, creatively engaging their professional and personal interests. Lectures and discussions explore challenges and opportunities in project scoping, boundary delineation, stakeholder inclusion, impact assessment, and sampling design; logical consistency, lateral thinking, and case study analysis; prototyping, benchmarking, and bet hedging; effective writing, editing, graphic presentation, and information search; and public presentation and network building. Students are asked to prepare a poster of their work to present to the wider graduate community at the end of the semester. Listings of prior projects may be viewed at the Independent Research Capstone website.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in February with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, ENVR S-598, in the previous summer term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Saturday, Sunday, September 13-14, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENVR E-599a
Consulting for Sustainability Solutions Capstone
Neil Hawkins ScD, President, Michigan Sustainability Associates
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14533 | Section 1
Description
This course is a capstone for students earning a Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability degree. Course deliverables include a detailed actionable/measurable sustainability action plan (SAP) as well as a presentation to be given to the class and to client stakeholders. Appropriate clients may include communities, corporations, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), governmental agencies, schools, universities, and hospitals. Students work with a client to develop and deliver a customized SAP focused on reduction of operating costs, minimization of the environmental footprint, brand differentiation and improvement of environmental sustainability practices. Class time is devoted to addressing client requirements and developing actionable solutions. Listings of prior projects may be viewed at the Consulting with Clients for Sustainability Solutions Capstone website.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability, consulting track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in February with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone, ENVR S-598a, in the previous Harvard Summer School term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Friday, September 12, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Saturday, September 13, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, September 14, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENVR E-599a
Consulting for Sustainability Solutions Capstone
Neil Hawkins ScD, President, Michigan Sustainability Associates
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26497 | Section 1
Description
This course is a capstone for students earning a Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability degree. Course deliverables include a detailed actionable/measurable sustainability action plan (project report) as well as a presentation to be given to the class and to client stakeholders. Appropriate clients may include communities, corporations, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), governmental agencies, schools, universities, and hospitals. Students work with a client to develop and deliver a customized set of sustainability recommendations focused on minimization of the environmental footprint, brand differentiation, strategy changes to meet sustainability opportunities, change management efforts, and improvement of environmental sustainability practices. Class time is devoted to addressing client requirements and developing actionable solutions. Listings of prior projects may be viewed at the Consulting with Clients for Sustainability Solutions Capstone website.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability, consulting track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone tutorial, ENVR E-597a, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Friday, February 6, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, February 7, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, February 8, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENVR E-599b
Innovation in Sustainability and Global Development Practice Capstone
Ramon Sanchez ScD, Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26965 | Section 1
Description
This course is the final step for Master of Liberal Arts (ALM), sustainability and global development practice candidates, designed for those interested in innovation in sustainability. It provides an immersive, hands-on learning experience focused on creating detailed, actionable plans in one of two areas: a sustainable start-up business plan, whether for-profit or social enterprise, or a strategic plan to accelerate the development and maturity of a regional innovation and sustainability ecosystem. Students collaborate with appropriate clients, including corporations, start-ups (their own or external), Tribal communities, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), governmental agencies, schools, universities, and hospitals to develop tailored solutions addressing real-world sustainability challenges. Topics include advanced methods for pitching and closing deals with innovation investors (for example, angel investors and venture capital funds), intellectual property mechanisms to safeguard technological ideas or brand identities, and reverse engineering coupled with market intelligence-driven benchmarking to design around competitors’ products or services. Additionally, students explore techniques to save costs and expedite prototype development, along with methods for fostering the rapid evolution of innovation ecosystems from decades-long timelines to mere years. Course deliverables for students include presenting their plans to classmates, client stakeholders, and potential innovation investors, gaining valuable exposure, feedback, and practical experience that prepare them to lead transformative initiatives in global sustainability and development practices.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability or global development practice, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone, ENVR E-597b, in the previous term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Saturday, April 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, April 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ENVR E-599c
Sustainability and Global Development Practice Case Study Capstone
Michaela J. Thompson PhD, Lecturer in Anthropology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26994 | Section 1
Description
Case studies are a cornerstone of sustainability scholarship and practice, grounding abstract theories and concepts in real-world examples. During this course, students produce a bounded case study a narrative focusing on a community, organization, or field site that illustrates and engages with one or more critical sustainability themes. This course provides support and guidance for students on their case study journey as they research, analyze, and write their sustainability case study project. To that end, the course instructs students regarding best practices in conducting research, organizing and analyzing results, and writing, with goal of informing the completion of the case study capstone. The course provides support throughout the capstone process, including project troubleshooting and draft workshopping. Students also submit progressive draft sections, designed to break the case study into manageable deliverables and to allow sufficient time for revision. We provide a community aspect to the capstone process in which students benefit from the diverse experiences and perspectives of their cohort, facilitating a more well-rounded and accessible project.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, sustainability or global development practice, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone, ENVR E-597c, in the previous term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Saturday, Sunday, February 7-8, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
EXPO E-105
Essentials of Editing
Christina Thompson PhD, Editor, Harvard Review, Harvard College Library
Laura Healy MA, Editor and Literary Translator
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16948 | Section 1
Description
This course offers an overview of editing theory and practice. Topics to be covered include line editing, copyediting, common syntactic and grammatical pitfalls, word choice, paragraph structure, clarity, and concision. The emphasis is on learning to identify and correct errors that commonly appear in professional writing. Students may only take one of the following for degree or certificate credit: EXPO E-105, EXPO E-160, EXPO E-170, or JOUR E-105.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, September 26, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Saturday, September 27, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, September 28, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: September 12, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Matthew Davis PhD, Associate Professor of English, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15944 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Alicia Anstead MA, Associate Director for Programming and Communications, Office for the Arts and Producer, Harvard Arts Festival, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17199 | Section 2
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Steven Wandler PhD, Senior Lecturer, Writing Studies, University of Minnesota
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14356 | Section 3
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Janet Sylvester PhD, Instructor, English Department, Endicott College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15549 | Section 4
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Randy S. Rosenthal MTS, Writer and Editor
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15916 | Section 5
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Paul A. Thur MA, Director of the Writing Center, College of General Studies, Boston University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13498 | Section 6
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Jodi Johnson PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17440 | Section 7
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Keating Patrick Joseph McKeon PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17442 | Section 8
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Cody Carolina Brown Musselman PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26842 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 10:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Janet Sylvester PhD, Instructor, English Department, Endicott College
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26535 | Section 2
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Steven Wandler PhD, Senior Lecturer, Writing Studies, University of Minnesota
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26722 | Section 3
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Allyson K. Boggess MFA, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23434 | Section 4
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Judith A. Murciano MA, Associate Director and Director of Fellowships, Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising, Harvard Law School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27008 | Section 5
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Randy S. Rosenthal MTS, Writer and Editor
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26947 | Section 6
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
MG Prezioso PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27109 | Section 7
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Susan Mary Gilroy PhD, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27114 | Section 8
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-15
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Eileen Mary O’Connor PhD, Assistant Lecturer, University College Cork
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27115 | Section 9
Description
This course is designed for students seeking preparation for EXPO E-25 and for others wanting to review such basics of academic argument as thesis, evidence, and structure. Short writing assignments help students develop the skills essential for producing well-reasoned and substantiated academic essays. Students also learn strategies for reading and analyzing difficult texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Fae Monaghan PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17093 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Fae Monaghan PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17302 | Section 2
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Jen Nguyen PhD, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Bucknell University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17173 | Section 3
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Sarah Ahrens PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17161 | Section 4
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Gillian M. Sinnott SJD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17389 | Section 5
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Geraldine Grimm PhD, Lecturer, German Studies, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14620 | Section 6
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Thomas A. Underwood PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26953 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Fae Monaghan PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26823 | Section 2
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Eileen Mary O’Connor PhD, Assistant Lecturer, University College Cork
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27041 | Section 3
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Joan Feinberg MA, Consultant
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25386 | Section 4
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Sarah Ahrens PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24751 | Section 5
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Paul A. Thur MA, Director of the Writing Center, College of General Studies, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 22801 | Section 6
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-25
Academic Writing and Critical Reading
Jodi Johnson PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27113 | Section 7
Description
This course introduces students to the demands and conventions of academic reading and writing. It focuses on analyzing texts, building effective arguments, and using evidence and secondary source material. Instruction on the stages of the writing process, from prewriting exercises through rough drafts and revisions, forms a key part of the curriculum. Students applying to the undergraduate program at the Extension School must complete this course, but it is open to any student interested in gaining an understanding of academic writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Franklin J. Schwarzer JD, Attorney, Schlesinger and Buchbinder, LLP
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15544 | Section 1
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Thomas Akbari MA, Lecturer in English, Northeastern University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17157 | Section 2
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Virginia Maurer MA, Consultant
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17187 | Section 3
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Joan Feinberg MA, Consultant
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15546 | Section 4
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Randy S. Rosenthal MTS, Writer and Editor
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15784 | Section 5
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Franklin J. Schwarzer JD, Attorney, Schlesinger and Buchbinder, LLP
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26800 | Section 1
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Franklin J. Schwarzer JD, Attorney, Schlesinger and Buchbinder, LLP
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27053 | Section 2
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Thomas Akbari MA, Lecturer in English, Northeastern University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25089 | Section 3
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Virginia Maurer MA, Consultant
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25570 | Section 4
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Randy S. Rosenthal MTS, Writer and Editor
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26791 | Section 5
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-34
Business Rhetoric
Tamara A. Griggs PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27045 | Section 6
Description
This course helps business professionals improve their writing so that they are better equipped to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Students practice some of the essential forms of business writing, including e-mail messages, cover letters, memoranda, proposals, and presentations. Through frequent writing assignments of various kinds and regular feedback from the instructor and from peer reviewers, students learn to construct clear and precise sentences, develop coherent paragraphs, organize documents effectively, and use sources responsibly.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-42a
Writing in the Humanities
Thomas A. Underwood PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17324 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the humanities. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at the Harvard Extension School or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the work of reading, writing about, and conducting research on literary texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42a
Writing in the Humanities
Thomas A. Underwood PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25736 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the humanities. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at the Harvard Extension School or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the work of reading, writing about, and conducting research on literary texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 12:00pm-3:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42a
Writing in the Humanities
Jeffrey Robert Wilson PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25910 | Section 2
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the humanities. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at the Harvard Extension School or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the work of reading, writing about, and conducting research on literary texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Erin Danielle Routon PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Department of Comparative Cultural Studies, University of Houston
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16887 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Janling Fu AM
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15782 | Section 2
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Thomas A. Underwood PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16884 | Section 3
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Briana J. Smith PhD, Program Manager, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of Minnesota
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17401 | Section 4
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Janling Fu AM
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17443 | Section 5
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Janling Fu AM
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24826 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Thomas A. Underwood PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26789 | Section 2
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Erin Danielle Routon PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Department of Comparative Cultural Studies, University of Houston
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26731 | Section 3
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42b
Writing in the Social Sciences
Briana J. Smith PhD, Program Manager, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of Minnesota
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26532 | Section 4
Description
This course is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills developed in EXPO E-25 in order to produce more advanced research and writing in the social sciences. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere. Students are introduced to the various social science disciplines and their approaches, while also learning how to become critical consumers of social science research. Students develop their own independent research project in the social science field of their choosing. This project lasts the entire semester and involves developing a viable research question; learning how to find, analyze, and interpret resources appropriately; and, finally, developing and refining an original argument in a final paper.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42c
Writing in the Sciences
Thomas Akbari MA, Lecturer in English, Northeastern University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16865 | Section 1
Description
This course provides instruction in writing for students considering careers or advanced study in the natural, computational, or applied sciences. Through critical reading of key examples of the genres of scientific literature, students study how scientific texts address an audience, make claims, invoke prior claims, deploy key terms, and engage quantitative and visual evidence. The course’s workshop approach fosters skills in revision, peer review, and research into the scientific literature. The course offers writing strategies for successful communication in the field, including concise sentences, coherent paragraphs, and well-ordered documents. Projects include an academic research paper on a topic of a student’s choice in a form common to most scientific disciplines. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-42c
Writing in the Sciences
Kristen Starkowski PhD, Lecturer in Rhetoric, Writing, and Professional Communication, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26488 | Section 2
Description
This course provides instruction in writing for students considering careers or advanced study in the natural, computational, or applied sciences. Through critical reading of key examples of the genres of scientific literature, students study how scientific texts address an audience, make claims, invoke prior claims, deploy key terms, and engage quantitative and visual evidence. The course’s workshop approach fosters skills in revision, peer review, and research into the scientific literature. The course offers writing strategies for successful communication in the field, including concise sentences, coherent paragraphs, and well-ordered documents. Projects include an academic research paper on a topic of a student’s choice in a form common to most scientific disciplines. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at Extension or graduate study elsewhere.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-44
Advanced Expository Writing: Writing and Artificial Intelligence
Suzanne T. Lane PhD, Senior Lecturer, Engineering Communications Program, Cornell University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17319 | Section 1
Description
As generative artificial intelligence (AI) becomes ubiquitous in our search engines, email, social media, and word processing systems, it is important to understand how the output of large language models (LLMs) differ from that of human communicators, as well as understanding the harms they might produce. This course explores AI through the disciplines of rhetoric and ethics, analyzing definitions, testing claims and evidence, considering social and ethical effects, and developing policy arguments. Students study issues of copyright and intellectual property, bias and fairness, security, sustainability, and transparency in AI systems, and apply them to case studies. Students also work on teams to perform an ethical analysis of an AI system for a specific use case, and they learn to analyze the output of generative AI systems in terms of rhetorical situation, genre, discourse, audience awareness, and information design. Readings are drawn from leaders in the field of AI, scholars in the ethics of technology, and rhetoricians.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-44
Advanced Expository Writing: Writing and Artificial Intelligence
Suzanne T. Lane PhD, Senior Lecturer, Engineering Communications Program, Cornell University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26974 | Section 1
Description
As generative artificial intelligence (AI) becomes ubiquitous in our search engines, email, social media, and word processing systems, it is important to understand how the output of large language models (LLMs) differ from that of human communicators, as well as understanding the harms they might produce. This course explores AI through the disciplines of rhetoric and ethics, analyzing definitions, testing claims and evidence, considering social and ethical effects, and developing policy arguments. Students study issues of copyright and intellectual property, bias and fairness, security, sustainability, and transparency in AI systems, and apply them to case studies. Students also work on teams to perform an ethical analysis of an AI system for a specific use case, and they learn to analyze the output of generative AI systems in terms of rhetorical situation, genre, discourse, audience awareness, and information design. Readings are drawn from leaders in the field of AI, scholars in the ethics of technology, and rhetoricians.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-49
Introduction to Strategic Communication and Public Relations
Terry Gipson MFA, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17207 | Section 1
Description
This course is a theoretical and practical introduction to the role of strategic communication and public relations in corporate, nonprofit, and political spheres. It includes analysis and practical application of the skills involved in building strategic communication relationships with various publics and core audiences.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-49
Introduction to Strategic Communication and Public Relations
Terry Gipson MFA, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16914 | Section 2
Description
This course is a theoretical and practical introduction to the role of strategic communication and public relations in corporate, nonprofit, and political spheres. It includes analysis and practical application of the skills involved in building strategic communication relationships with various publics and core audiences.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-49
Introduction to Strategic Communication and Public Relations
Terry Gipson MFA, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26712 | Section 1
Description
This course is a theoretical and practical introduction to the role of strategic communication and public relations in corporate, nonprofit, and political spheres. It includes analysis and practical application of the skills involved in building strategic communication relationships with various publics and core audiences.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
EXPO E-5
Fundamentals of Grammar
Judith A. Murciano MA, Associate Director and Director of Fellowships, Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising, Harvard Law School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13175 | Section 1
Description
This course is a review of the elements of grammar. We examine sentence structure, correct verb forms, case of pronouns, agreement, punctuation, and restrictive and nonrestrictive (that/which) clauses. Along the way, we learn something of the power and the pleasure of controlling grammar to make our words work for us exactly as we want them to. Short readings illustrate the basic elements and the beauties of grammar and style. Short writing assignments offer students opportunities to practice the lessons of the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-5
Fundamentals of Grammar
Virginia Maurer MA, Consultant
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26829 | Section 1
Description
This course is a review of the elements of grammar. We examine sentence structure, correct verb forms, case of pronouns, agreement, punctuation, and restrictive and nonrestrictive (that/which) clauses. Along the way, we learn something of the power and the pleasure of controlling grammar to make our words work for us exactly as we want them to. Short readings illustrate the basic elements and the beauties of grammar and style. Short writing assignments offer students opportunities to practice the lessons of the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
EXPO E-90
Principles of Legal Writing
Franklin J. Schwarzer JD, Attorney, Schlesinger and Buchbinder, LLP
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15801 | Section 1
Description
No matter who you are, or what your background is, you will one day have to encounter legal writing. This course is designed for students interested in law school and those interested in improving their technical and analytical writing skills. Students are expected to draft and edit a variety of legal writings through exposure to litigation pleadings, transactional documents, and journalistic and academic articles regarding legal issues. The goal of the course is to teach students how to read, analyze, and write effectively about the law. Students also learn how to brief a case, how to read a statute, the basics of legal citation, and major schools of legal reasoning and analysis. There are many different kinds of legal writing. Any given day, an attorney may need to draft a complaint to initiate a lawsuit, an indemnity provision in a lease, an opinion letter to advise a client of the legal risks inherent in a particular course of action, or an appellate brief arguing why a judge should agree with a contested interpretation of the law. Each of these tasks requires writing that is clear, concise, and convincing. Each also requires slightly different approaches to writing. Ultimately though, whatever the task, good legal writing should never be legalese.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
FREN E-1
Intensive Elementary French I
Kimberlee Anne Campbell PhD, Consultant
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16457 | Section 1
Description
Students learn basic French grammar, vocabulary, and conversational skills. This course features one-on-one conversations with the instructor and small group discussions with other students. Assessment is by portfolio, oral and written quizzes, and conversations with the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Required half-hour conversation sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
FREN E-1a
Elementary French I
Anne Taieb MA, Senior Lecturer in French, Tufts University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15360 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to French with an emphasis on communication though various interactive activities and role-playing. Students practice all four activities (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). At the end of the semester, students are able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions, to introduce themselves and others, and to ask and answer questions about their daily activities.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
FREN E-1b
Elementary French I
Anne Taieb MA, Senior Lecturer in French, Tufts University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25004 | Section 1
Description
This course develops the basic communicative skills of listening, reading, and writing with an emphasis on speaking the language. Students improve their conversational French though various interactive activities. They are introduced to French and Francophone culture.
Prerequisites: FREN E-1a, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
FREN E-2
Intensive Elementary French II
Kimberlee Anne Campbell PhD, Consultant
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26022 | Section 1
Description
Students continue to develop their communication skills, building on the materials from FREN E-1. This course features one-on-one conversations with the instructor and small group discussions with other students. Assessment is by portfolio, short written and oral quizzes, and conversations with the instructor.
Prerequisites: FREN E-1.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Required half-hour conversation sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
GOVT E-1008
Global Ethnic Politics
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25700 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comparative, global analysis of race and ethnicity, and is designed to help students understand the history, dynamics, and salience of ethnic inequality and political cleavage. Issues under consideration include definitions of race and ethnicity, colonization, nationhood, the politics and political history of indigenous peoples, the history and persistence of white supremacy, multiculturalism, legacies of slavery, ethnic political mobilization, panethnicity, diasporas and transnationalism, migration, ethnic cleansing and genocide, contemporary racial stratification, causes of ethnic conflict and violence, and responses to ethnic conflict.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
GOVT E-1020
Res Publica: A History of Representative Government
Daniel Carpenter PhD, Allie S. Freed Professor of Government, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26799 | Section 1
Description
“A republic, if you can keep it.” So did Benjamin Franklin characterize his hopes for American government. What did Franklin and others mean by republic, and why did he and so many others worry that it might be something hard to hold onto? This course provides the theoretical basis and historical evolution of republics so that students can understand the American system of a democratic republic, now spread widely around the planet even as it is considered under threat. Students read Alexander Hamilton alongside Thomas Jefferson, Niccolo Machiavelli alongside Baron de Montesquieu, and Angelina Grimk alongside Frederick Douglass. We consider systems of governance in Republican Rome, medieval Europe, early modern England and France, Native American nations, and the United States. The thinkers and founders we read thought long and hard about what freedom is, how to balance executive and legislative power, and why republics and democracies can be unstable. As a democratic republic, the United States places great faith in the capacity of voters to choose their rulers, who in turn make most of our policies. Is this faith misplaced? What is the role for virtue in a republic, and what is virtue? How does inequality undermine republican stability, and what might be done about it?
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1032. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 3-4:15 pm starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
GOVT E-1035
Money, Markets, and Morals
Michael J. Sandel DPhil, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25941 | Section 1
Description
What should be the role of money and markets in our society? Are there some things that money should not be able to buy? Should people be permitted to buy sex, votes, babies, citizenship, or college admission? What about buying and selling the right to pollute, procreate, immigrate, discriminate, or to hunt endangered species? Should we use markets to govern health care, education, privacy, or criminal law? The course considers what moral limits, if any, the law should impose on market exchanges. Drawing upon classical philosophical works and contemporary moral and political controversies, we attempt to determine what goods and social practices should not be up for sale.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the video series for the Institute of New Economic Thinking.
GOVT E-1045
Justice
Michael J. Sandel DPhil, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16357 | Section 1
Description
This course explores critical analysis of classical and contemporary theories of justice, including discussion of present-day applications. Topics include affirmative action, income distribution, same-sex marriage, the role of markets, debates about rights (human rights and property rights), arguments for and against equality, and dilemmas of loyalty in public and private life. The course invites learners to subject their own views on these controversies to critical examination. The principal readings for the course are texts by Aristotle, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and John Rawls. Other assigned readings include writings by contemporary philosophers, court cases, and articles about political controversies that raise philosophical questions.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the HarvardX course.
GOVT E-1048
Human Rights and International Politics
Mathias Risse PhD, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23673 | Section 1
Description
This seminar is an introduction to human rights and the role they have come to play in international politics. The goal is to provide basic human rights literacy and to put students in a position to debate questions about human rights and dilemmas that arise about them.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
GOVT E-1063c
Democracy and Its Discontents: Philosophical Foundations, Tensions, and Critiques
Nicolas Prevelakis PhD, Associate Senior Lecturer on Social Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26997 | Section 1
Description
Democracy is often regarded as the most legitimate form of political rule, yet its philosophical foundations remain contested. What justifies the rule of the many? Can democratic equality coexist with individual freedom? Does democracy embody the collective pursuit of the good or is it merely a mechanism for managing conflict? This course examines democracy as a philosophical problem, tracing its conceptual development from ancient Athens to modern liberal democracies. Through the works of Plato, Aristotle, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Alexis de Tocqueville, John Stuart Mill, Hannah Arendt, and John Rawls, we explore enduring questions concerning legitimacy, deliberation, representation, and the nature of political authority. We consider key tensions between freedom and equality, knowledge and opinion, and unity and pluralism and evaluate the most significant philosophical critiques of democracy. Ultimately, students are invited to reflect on whether democracy’s value lies in its substantive outcomes, its procedural fairness, or its ability to accommodate human plurality and disagreement.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
GOVT E-1068
Foundations of Political Theory
Sergio Imparato PhD, Lecturer on Government, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17306 | Section 1
Description
This course examines foundational questions in political theory concerning the nature of political community, the meaning of freedom, and the role of civic virtue in democratic life. What binds citizens together in a political community and how does democracy cultivate or undermine shared civic commitments? What forms of freedom political, personal, and economic are central to democratic life and how should they be balanced? What virtues and responsibilities must citizens cultivate to sustain self-government? Is democracy a necessary condition for human flourishing or can other regimes better secure justice and the common good? How do race, globalization, and historical injustices shape the practice of democracy?
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Government 10. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
GOVT E-1111
Political Corruption
Jeeyang Rhee Baum PhD, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15794 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comparative analysis of political corruption in rich and poor countries around the world. Why do countries vary in the extent of corruption they experience and with what consequences? This course explores this question using empirical data, as well as related issues. For example, how and why do public officials abuse the public trust and engage in illegal actions while in office? Why is corruption so prevalent in poor countries? Does political corruption decline with economic development? What do politicians gain from political corruption? Under what conditions do countries adopt anti-corruption strategies and how effective have they been? We examine case studies including Afghanistan, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Nigeria, South Korea, and the US.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
GOVT E-1113
Democratic Transitions in Comparative Perspective
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17152 | Section 1
Description
This course addresses the question of challenges faced by transitions toward democracy in governing systems. We focus on two interrelated questions, drawing upon both theoretical literature and case studies: what conditions are propitious or deleterious for durable democratic consolidation? And, in the latter instance, are there ways of overcoming less than ideal starting points? Posing these questions requires distinguishing between the process of democratization and the outcome of a stable, well-functioning democratic regime. In doing so, we examine problematic cases, historic and contemporary, where democracy has survived and thrived despite the initial odds. We also look at democratic reversals, where hopes of competitive elections and representative governance have been thwarted. The point of doing so is to have students think critically about democratic theory and the process of regime change to properly assess contemporary events, evaluating what factors are unfavorable to democracy, as well as whether these issues might be overcome through institutional design or other means.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
GOVT E-1116
Populism and the Erosion of Democracy
Jeeyang Rhee Baum PhD, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27069 | Section 1
Description
What is populism and how much of a threat is it to democracy? The recent rise of authoritarian-populism, across both long-established and developing democracies, has posed new challenges for good governance. This course explores the conditions for the rise of populism, evaluates how much of a threat it poses for democracy, and examines the different forms it takes. Topics include the role of economic grievances, immigration trends, civic culture, electoral rules, and party competition. We examine these topics through a range of comparative country cases including the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Hungary, Turkey, the Philippines, and India.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 30-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
GOVT E-1117
Nationalist Resurgence in America and Around the World
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27039 | Section 1
Description
Globally and regionally, trajectories of liberal democracy, open and globalized trade and migration, and cultural and economic policies of integration prevailed as a pattern in the late-twentieth century and the first decade or so of this century. But a return of nationalism has interrupted trends in domestic policies of established democracies like the United States and European Union countries, as well as countries with less stable democracies (such as in India and eastern Europe) and also authoritarian states like Russia and China, that had been trending towards cosmopolitan liberal economics and, to an extent, politics. This course examines how the return of nationalism, an older set of ideas about identity and power related to democracy but disconnected from liberalism, has been a major cause of such turns. We examine the changes wrought by the return of nationalism in democratic and electoral politics in the United States and several European countries, as well as in places like India, Russia, China, and Latin America. Nationalist ideas have transcended prevailing liberal-conservative dichotomies and upended party systems. The final portion of the course examines how nationalism has affected the international system, degrading architectures of post-World War II stability, and catalyzing or exacerbating conflict in places like Ukraine and Israel-Palestine.
Prerequisites: GOVT E-20 or an equivalent comparative politics course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
GOVT E-1135
Democracy: Breakthroughs and Breakdowns
Daniel Ziblatt PhD, Eaton Professor of the Science of Government, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27047 | Section 1
Description
What gives rise to democracy? What leads it to die? This course has a broad comparative and global sweep, seeking to answer these questions by analyzing the development of democracy in Europe, the United States, and Latin America. The course introduces students to competing conceptions of democracy, competing theories of when democracy is created and barriers to democratic survival, and analyzes major episodes of democratic breakthrough and breakdown ranging from the fall of the Berlin wall to the rise of Nazism and the collapse of democracy in cold war Latin America.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1204. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12-1:15 pm starting January 27 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
GOVT E-1192
Democracy, Diversity, and Development in South Asia
Mashail Aman Malik PhD, Assistant Professor of Government, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27094 | Section 1
Description
This course explores major political and economic developments in South Asia, with a special focus on India and Pakistan. Since the partition and independence of British India in 1947, these two nations have followed divergent trajectories while grappling with shared challenges. India is famously known as the world’s largest democracy even as some worry about contemporary democratic backsliding while Pakistan has alternated between military and civilian governments since its inception. Religion and ethnic diversity have profoundly shaped the political and social landscapes of both nations. Through the lens of nearly eight decades of post-colonial politics, this course introduces students to various social scientific theories concerned with the interplay of democracy, diversity, and development. Drawing on interdisciplinary materials from the social sciences, alongside journalistic nonfiction, and fiction, students engage critically with the historical and contemporary dynamics that define South Asia.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Government 1192. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:30-5:45 pm starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
GOVT E-1204
Capitalism, Democracy, and War in Central and Eastern Europe in Historical Perspective
Grzegorz Ekiert PhD, Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Government, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27009 | Section 1
Description
The last one hundred years of east central European history represents a fascinating case for students of comparative politics interested in political transitions and regime changes, as well as social and economic transformations and their political consequences. During this period new states emerged, disappeared, and re-emerged in the region. Democratic, fascist, and communist regimes were established and dismantled. Economic systems were destroyed and rebuilt. Countries experienced wars, foreign invasions, revolutions and civil wars, state- and nation-building processes, economic and political crises, rapid social and cultural transformations, and modernization. This course examines critical periods in central and east European history and politics: the emergence and experiences of newly restored independent states in the aftermath of the First World War, the devastations of the Second World War and subsequent imposition of communist regimes, their evolution and their rapid and largely unanticipated collapse in 1989, subsequent transitions to democracy and a market economy, the accession to the European Union (EU) and the recent slowdown in economic reforms, democratic backsliding, the largely unexpected authoritarian turn in some of the new EU member states and Russian invasion of Ukraine. The course is designed to provide a general introduction to central and east European politics; survey existing interpretations of social, political and economic developments in the region; and examine these developments within the framework of the contemporary literature in comparative politics.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Government 1203. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
GOVT E-1235
Authoritarianism
Sarah Hummel PhD, Lecturer on Government, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17310 | Section 1
Description
By most definitions, half of the world’s countries fail to meet the standards of democracy, and there are troubling global tendencies in an authoritarian direction. This course introduces students to basic patterns and trends in authoritarian politics, with an emphasis on identifying similarities and differences across a broad set of cases. In the first half, students learn about the various mechanisms authoritarian leaders use to control their citizens and retain power. In the second half, students examine and evaluate various threats to the stability of authoritarian regimes. Students have the opportunity to study one authoritarian regime in detail as part of a semester long research project. In addition, the course surveys major theories in the study of authoritarian politics and introduces a variety of common methodological approaches in political science, including game theory, qualitative research, and quantitative methods.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Government 1249. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting September 3 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
GOVT E-1250
Transatlantic Relations after the Ukraine War
Francesca Giovannini DPhil, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26658 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the impact of the conflict in Ukraine on the security of Europe and North America. The course explores the various security challenges faced by the transatlantic community, including Russian aggression, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, cyber attacks, and energy security. The course also examines the role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in addressing these challenges and maintaining stability in the region. The course begins with an overview of the causes and consequences of the Ukraine war, including the annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. It then explores the various diplomatic and military responses to the conflict, including sanctions, military exercises, and the deployment of NATO troops to eastern Europe. The course also examines the political and economic implications of the conflict, including the impact on NATO and the EU, the rise of nationalist movements in Europe, and the emergence of new alliances and partnerships. The course also covers the challenges posed by Russian aggression, including its military intervention in Ukraine, its support for separatist movements in the region, and its efforts to undermine Western democracies. The course examines the various strategies adopted by the transatlantic community to counter these challenges, including sanctions, military exercises, and diplomatic initiatives. The course also delves into the issue of energy security in the region, exploring the role of natural gas and oil in shaping the transatlantic security landscape. The course examines the implications of Europe’s dependence on Russian energy, the impact of the shale gas revolution on the energy market, and the role of alternative energy sources in promoting energy security. The course concludes with a discussion of the future of transatlantic security, including the prospects for conflict resolution in Ukraine, the future of NATO and the EU, and the role of new actors such as China and India in shaping the security landscape. The course emphasizes the importance of transatlantic cooperation in addressing the security challenges faced by the region and the need for a comprehensive approach that combines diplomatic, military, and economic tools.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 26-March 14, 6:00pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
GOVT E-1251
Contemporary Russian Foreign Policy
Nikolas K. Gvosdev DPhil, Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26985 | Section 1
Description
This course examines how the Russian state that emerged from the collapse of the Soviet Union defines its interests in a post-Cold War world. We explore which theaters and regions of the world matter most to modern day Russia and what tools of national power it uses to pursue these interests.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
GOVT E-1297
African Politics in Perspective: Groups, Governance, and Growth
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16966 | Section 1
Description
Africa is a diverse continent, rich in human and natural resources. According to recent projections, Africa will account for more than half of global population growth in the coming decades, doubling its current population of 1.2 billion people by the year 2050. With rapid urbanization across the continent, Africa is primed to become a key player in the global economic order and the center of the world’s urban megalopolises. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to wide-ranging issues that shape contemporary politics in Africa. To understand the complexity of cultures and dynamic social structures, the nature and development of political systems on the continent, Africa’s place in the geopolitical arena, and the economic prospects for individual nations and the continent as a whole, we critically explore issues related to group identity and social cohesion, examine pre-colonial structures, European colonialism and imperialism, and legacies of colonialism, and evaluate how post-colonial states have grappled with democratization, nation-building, political violence, conflict, and security issues. The following guiding questions frame our study of African politics: how has Africa been shaped by colonialism and its legacies? What factors drive economic growth and development on the continent? What accounts for the relatively high levels of political violence in some African states? What are the socioeconomic and political prospects for shaping Africa’s future? To answer these questions, we examine broad patterns across the continent and consider the political, economic, and social contexts in individual countries. Key thematic areas that are the foundation for this course are pre-colonial political structures; European colonialism and imperialism; nationalism and decolonization; race and ethnic identity; gender politics in Africa; neocolonialism and African economy; ethnic conflict and violence; post-conflict reconstruction; democratization; transitional justice in Africa; Africa in the geopolitical arena; diaspora and transnational solidarity; and economic dimensions of African politics. This course draws from different academic disciplines, including political science, economics, anthropology, sociology, and history.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
GOVT E-1313
Race, Film, and American Politics
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25677 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the multifaceted ways in which racial and ethnic identity has been represented in American film. Drawing on political science, sociology, anthropology, and film and media studies, we assess the ways in which the mainstream media in the United States focusing primarily on the Hollywood film industry has portrayed different population groups and shaped our understanding of what it means to be American. The course addresses issues of social stratification and considers the intersection of identity and politics by analyzing historical shifts in cinematic representation in the United States.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
GOVT E-1620
The Geopolitics of Technology
Francesca Giovannini DPhil, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17189 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students delve into various geopolitical dynamics influenced by technological advancements. These dynamics encompass a broad range of areas where technology and geopolitics intersect, creating new challenges and opportunities for states and non-state actors alike. We explore technology and power shifts in order to understand how technology contributes to shifts in global power. This includes the rise of new technological superpowers, the impact of technology on economic and military capabilities, and how digital platforms can influence global narratives and public opinion. We discuss cybersecurity and cyber warfare, examining the increasing role of cyberspace in geopolitical strategies, including cyber espionage, cyber warfare, and information warfare. The course explores how nations protect their digital infrastructure and the implications of cyber attacks on national security and international relations. We devote time to examining digital sovereignty and internet governance, investigating how countries are asserting control over their digital spaces, the fragmentation of the internet, and the battle for control over data flows and digital infrastructure. We analyze how technology is at the forefront of trade wars and economic competitions, including issues related to technology transfer, intellectual property rights, and the race for technological supremacy in fields like artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and 5G internet. The course delves into the geopolitical implications of surveillance technologies and data collection practices, includes state surveillance for national security, the role of technology companies in data collection, and the impact on privacy and human rights. We explore how technological developments lead to the formation of new alliances and rivalries, both among states and between states and non-state actors. This includes technology-sharing agreements, standards-setting bodies, and the geopolitics of technology supply chains. Time is spent assessing how emerging technologies like autonomous weapons systems, drones, and AI are changing the nature of warfare and defense strategies. The course explores the ethical, strategic, and operational implications of these technologies. Finally, we cover the impact of technology on global issues by investigating how technology can both exacerbate and solve global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and humanitarian crises. This includes the role of clean energy technologies, biotechnology, and digital health solutions.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 59 students
GOVT E-1720
Climate Politics
Jonathan Masin-Peters PhD, Lecturer on Social Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27092 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the history and politics of anthropogenic climate change the warming of the planet driven by human activity. We take a historically grounded approach to political institutions, tracing how European industrialization emerged amid the climatic shift from the medieval warm period to the little ice age (1300-1850), followed by the post-1945 great acceleration in carbon emissions and energy use. We analyze how commitments to fossil fuels became embedded in laws, markets, and institutions, shaping both obstacles to and strategies for climate action. Frameworks such as policy drift, path dependence, and institutional conversion guide our case studies, including the US Clean Air Act, central bank climate finance, and the Montreal Protocol. Contemporary issues renewable energy transitions, geo-engineering, climate litigation, and Indigenous-led justice movements round out the course. Class sessions combine discussion, mini-lectures, film clips, and presentations.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
GOVT E-1722
The Politics of Climate Change and the Environment
Dustin Tingley PhD, Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Government, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16910 | Section 1
Description
Climate change, as well as a host of environmental challenges like access to clean water, pose an existential threat to our planet. This course studies how politics can be both an obstacle and a solution to solving these problems. Students may not count both GOVT E-1722 and GOVT S-1511 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
GOVT E-1722
The Politics of Climate Change and the Environment
Dustin Tingley PhD, Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Government, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26246 | Section 1
Description
Climate change, as well as a host of environmental challenges like access to clean water, pose an existential threat to our planet. This course studies how politics can be both an obstacle and a solution to solving these problems. Students may not count both GOVT E-1722 and GOVT S-1511 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
GOVT E-1726
Intelligence and International Security
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16120 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the opaque world of intelligence and international security. The course begins with a survey of disciplines and methods of analysis before reviewing intelligence requirements as a component in policy processes that drive and inform decision-making within the national security system. We consider various intelligence related topics including espionage, covert action, politicization, counterintelligence, public oversight, intelligence failure, and reform. The course strikes a balance between contemporary issues and the storied histories of intelligence systems around the world. Though predominantly focused on the United States, the course also considers intelligence activities in the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and elsewhere. Students grapple with historical and hypothetical problem sets based on real-world scenarios to develop assessment capabilities. Required readings and assignments draw on classic and influential work in addition to declassified documents which illuminate the historical narrative in a tangible way. The course concludes with reflections on how past experience informs current perspectives and might elucidate future intelligence requirements to better anticipate and understand the changing world.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
GOVT E-1726
Intelligence and International Security
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26077 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the opaque world of intelligence and international security. The course begins with a survey of disciplines and methods of analysis before reviewing intelligence requirements as a component in policy processes that drive and inform decision-making within the national security system. We consider various intelligence related topics including espionage, covert action, politicization, counterintelligence, public oversight, intelligence failure, and reform. The course strikes a balance between contemporary issues and the storied histories of intelligence systems around the world. Though predominantly focused on the United States, the course also considers intelligence activities in the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and elsewhere. Students grapple with historical and hypothetical problem sets based on real-world scenarios to develop assessment capabilities. Required readings and assignments draw on classic and influential work in addition to declassified documents which illuminate the historical narrative in a tangible way. The course concludes with reflections on how past experience informs current perspectives and might elucidate future intelligence requirements to better anticipate and understand the changing world.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
GOVT E-1739
Leadership in War and Peace
Joan Johnson-Freese PhD, Senior Fellow, Women in International Security
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27055 | Section 1
Description
This course considers the pivotal role of the personalities of leaders who take their nations into war or avoid such and the military leaders who advise those individuals and execute operations once war has commenced. In others words, this course examines the premise that individuals and personalities matter. It bookends the more often studied macro considerations regarding the root causes of war and peace, such as foreign policies and the international system. Additionally, the course examines the relationship between civilian authorities and the military as related to consideration of war and peace, and how that relationship can affect directions taken. And finally, the course considers key premises of leadership: What makes a leader successful? Are leaders born or made? Does the environment make a leader or will a leader be a leader in any environment?
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Saturday, Sunday, February 7-8, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
GOVT E-1743
Cyberspace and International Security
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25629 | Section 1
Description
In a very short time, individuals and companies have harnessed cyberspace to create new industries, a vibrant social space, and a new economic sphere that are intertwined with our everyday lives. At the same time, individuals, subnational groups, and governments are using cyberspace to advance interests through malicious activity. Terrorists recruit, train, and target through the internet, hackers steal data, and intelligence services conduct espionage. Still, the vast majority of cyberspace is a civilian space used by individuals, businesses, and governments for legitimate purposes. This course examines current and future threats to cyberspace, studies various approaches to advance and defend national interests, and contrasts the US approach with European, Russian, and Chinese approaches in cyberspace.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
GOVT E-1743a
Cyber Attack Meets Cyber Policy
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16978 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students wrestle with the challenges of different cyber futures. Students are cast as key members of the US national security community to discuss cyber vulnerabilities, current US cyber policy, and the challenges associated with recovering from a major cyber attack.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, November 7, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Saturday, November 8, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Sunday, November 9, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Term Start Date: October 24, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
GOVT E-1748
Agents of Change: Mastering Policy for Impact
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Don Parker ALM
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26820 | Section 1
Description
This course offers students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of public policy while simultaneously empowering them to engage and shape domestic and foreign policy issues of interest to them. It provides a foundational grounding in policy approaches in addition to professional training in core instruments of the policy process. We consider topics from the local to state and federal level in addition to national security challenges and strategy development. Participants learn and apply specific tools that are successfully used in government and policy. Class meetings include discussion of society’s most pressing issues, analytical methodologies, the policy toolbox, and critical communication, feedback, and evaluation strategies. We examine case studies that reflect lessons for how to successfully innovate or orchestrate new ways to solve old problems. The course integrates critical perspectives including public-private sector cooperation, federal versus state approaches, and effective tools for shaping change at the local level. Students are permitted choose and focus on a specific policy topic for their assignments and final paper in addition to a short briefing provided to the class on the last day. Individuals engaged with the policy process at any level, or those considering public service, will find this course beneficial.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 17, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Saturday, April 18, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, April 19, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: April 03, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
GOVT E-1750
International Organization
Don Babai PhD, Associate, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27035 | Section 1
Description
Can states work out cooperative solutions to problems of human injustice and environmental degradation? What is the record of the United Nations in conflict management? What has been the impact of World Bank programs on the alleviation of poverty? Why are the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization regarded as necessities by some and as obstacles by others? These are some of the questions addressed in an exploration of the potentials and limitations of international organizations in the world system.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
GOVT E-1786
Globalization and the Nation-State
Nicolas Prevelakis PhD, Associate Senior Lecturer on Social Studies, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17201 | Section 1
Description
As globalization faces challenges and backlashes, the nation-state and nationalism have resurged, influencing global and local politics. This course examines why, focusing on the nature of nationalism, ethnic conflicts, the rise of populism and authoritarianism, and their implications for global issues such as inequalities, global migration, security, or climate change. Through both theories and case studies from various regions, including the US, Europe, and China, students learn to assess how the renewed importance of nationalism and the nation-state affect the current global landscape.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
GOVT E-1787
International Dimensions of Law, Politics, and Policy
Gloria Y.A. Ayee PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17370 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the complex intersections of law, justice, politics, and public policy, and focuses on examining compelling case studies from around the world. Through a comparative lens, students delve into diverse legal systems and political structures to understand how they shape policy outcomes and influence society. Key themes under consideration include human rights, governance, and the nexus between liberty and security in both democratic and authoritarian regimes. This course emphasizes critical thinking and global awareness and equips students with the analytical tools needed to assess contemporary challenges such as climate change, migration, and cybersecurity. This course is particularly tailored towards students who are interested in law, international relations, human rights, political science, public administration, and public policy, and offers a comprehensive understanding of global justice dynamics.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
GOVT E-1796a
Future Foreign Policy and Defense Strategy
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26618 | Section 1
Description
Students use their experience wrestling with the most pressing national security challenges to inform how the US government should be positioned to advance and defend national interests. Students are cast as key participants in the interagency process to debate the salience of national security challenges, discuss the ways those challenges have an impact on US national security, and outline future directions for US foreign policy.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, February 13, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Saturday, February 14, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, February 15, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: January 30, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
GOVT E-1799
The Situation Room: A National Security Council Exercise
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17181 | Section 1
Description
This active learning weekend simulates the working experience of the United States National Security Council (NSC). Students role play as an individual member of the NSC: as either a statutory participant of the Principals Committee (PC), Deputies Committee (DC), or an ad hoc policy member from across government. These roles are assigned prior to the weekend for advanced familiarly on their responsibilities on the NSC. Students are required to work in teams and subunits grappling with real-world problems under the impetus of time as a hypothetical yet realistic crisis scenario unfolds. Breakout sessions require the production of key documents, memorandum, briefing content, and the development of policy options. PC meetings require briefing the National Security Advisor (APNSA) on potential courses of action along with updates concerning policy developments. DC meetings foster tough discussion and appreciation for the various departments, agencies, and outcomes of large bureaucracies zeroed in on complex problems. Policy discussion examines precedent, produces realistic assessments, and sparks creativity in solving challenges many deem unsolvable. Consideration for decision-making, policy implementation, and communication highlight known and under-appreciated organizational dynamics. Required readings in advance of the weekend, dedicated lecture time, and special guests illuminate national security history in a tangible way that explores the challenges of planning and managing a crisis unfolding in near real time.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, November 21, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, November 22, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, November 23, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: November 07, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
GOVT E-1799
The Situation Room: A National Security Council Exercise
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26992 | Section 1
Description
This active learning weekend simulates the working experience of the United States National Security Council (NSC). Students role play as an individual member of the NSC: as either a statutory participant of the Principals Committee (PC), Deputies Committee (DC), or an ad hoc policy member from across government. These roles are assigned prior to the weekend for advanced familiarly on their responsibilities on the NSC. Students are required to work in teams and subunits grappling with real-world problems under the impetus of time as a hypothetical yet realistic crisis scenario unfolds. Breakout sessions require the production of key documents, memorandum, briefing content, and the development of policy options. PC meetings require briefing the National Security Advisor (APNSA) on potential courses of action along with updates concerning policy developments. DC meetings foster tough discussion and appreciation for the various departments, agencies, and outcomes of large bureaucracies zeroed in on complex problems. Policy discussion examines precedent, produces realistic assessments, and sparks creativity in solving challenges many deem unsolvable. Consideration for decision-making, policy implementation, and communication highlight known and under-appreciated organizational dynamics. Required readings in advance of the weekend, dedicated lecture time, and special guests illuminate national security history in a tangible way that explores the challenges of planning and managing a crisis unfolding in near real time.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 3, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Saturday, April 4, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, April 5, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: March 20, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
GOVT E-1886
The Role of Nuclear Weapons in the Twenty-First Century
Francesca Giovannini DPhil, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14188 | Section 1
Description
Nuclear weapons have played a significant role in shaping the international security landscape since their development in the mid-twentieth century. The deployment of nuclear weapons by superpowers during the cold war created a system of deterrence and their potential for mass destruction remains a major concern for international security to this day. In this course, we explore the history and evolution of nuclear weapons, the strategic and political implications of nuclear deterrence, and current efforts to reduce and eliminate nuclear weapons. The course begina with a brief history of the development of nuclear weapons, including the Manhattan Project and the events leading up to their deployment during World War II. We also examine the cold war arms race, including the strategy of mutual assured destruction (MAD), and the impact of nuclear weapons on international relations. Next, we focus on the political and strategic implications of nuclear deterrence. We explore the ways in which nuclear weapons have influenced state behavior, including their role in preventing major wars between nuclear-armed states. We also examine the impact of nuclear weapons on regional and global security, including the potential for nuclear escalation and the spread of nuclear weapons to other states. The course examines in particular the evolving relation between the United States and the Russian Federation, the expanding nuclear arsenal of China, the North Korea threat, and the proliferation risks of Iran. We also discuss possible escalation risks between India and Pakistan and explore how Taiwan and Ukraine might both lead to dangerous confrontations among major nuclear players. In addition to discussing the historical and political aspects of nuclear weapons, the course also examines current efforts to reduce and eliminate them. This includes a discussion of arms control and disarmament negotiations, such as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), as well as non-proliferation efforts aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to new states. Throughout the course, we also consider the ethical and moral dimensions of nuclear weapons, including the debate over just war theory and the humanitarian consequences of their use. This includes an examination of the arguments for and against nuclear deterrence and the role of civil society in shaping public opinion on nuclear weapons.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
GOVT E-1889
Evolution of Deterrence Theory
Nikolas K. Gvosdev DPhil, Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26984 | Section 1
Description
Deterrence is the use of threats to convince an adversary from taking an action and is part of a larger concept of coercion. Throughout history, deterrence has been used by people and states to manage conflict. The formal development of deterrence theory came about after World War II specifically to find ways to think about and utilize nuclear weapons. This course examines the foundational concepts of deterrence theory and how that theory has evolved since 1945, with a particular emphasis on how theory has informed practitioners both military and civilian who manage the nuclear enterprise. In addition, we consider the application of deterrence to international security in the cold war and post-cold war years. Finally, we assess current nuclear arsenals and strategy along with the role deterrence continues to play in the future of nuclear weapons, as well as application of deterrence theory to non-nuclear strategic weapons. This course is designed especially for national security professionals, although it is open to anyone.
Prerequisites: HIST E-1960 is strongly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
GOVT E-1978
The Politics and Ideology of Post-Revolutionary Iran
Payam Mohseni PhD, Lecturer on Islamic Studies, Harvard Divinity School and Director of the Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17198 | Section 1
Description
The significance of Iran in Middle Eastern and global affairs is now more important than ever. From its internal domestic politics to its role across the region in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the political trajectory of Iran is critical for the future of peace and conflict in the Middle East. To contextualize and understand these processes, this course examines the intricacies of Iranian politics since the 1979 revolution. It explores a broad range of topics including the causes of the Iranian revolution; the institutional architecture of the Iranian political system; competitive factional dynamics within the ruling elite; Iranian foreign policy, Iran-US relations, and the implications of the violated nuclear agreement; and contemporary Shi’a political ideology.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
GOVT E-1979
Shi’a Islam and Politics in the Middle East
Mohammad Sagha PhD
Payam Mohseni PhD, Lecturer on Islamic Studies, Harvard Divinity School and Director of the Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26737 | Section 1
Description
From the rise of the Axis of Resistance and US-Iran rivalry in the region, to the war in Yemen between the Shi’a Ansarallah (Houthis) and Saudi Arabia and the battle over the future of Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, the rise of Shi’a political actors has been one of the most significant developments in the recent history of the Middle East. While Shi’a Islam is a minority sect within the larger Islamic World, Shi’a Muslims are estimated to comprise some 35-40 percent of the population of the Middle East. The rise of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq, and the world’s only theocracy in Iran all represent major changes in the politics, society, and trajectory of the region linked to Shi’a Islamic revival and mass movements that include both political parties and armed wings. This course addresses the role of Shi’a Islam in the contemporary Middle East especially after the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran through to the 2003 Iraq War, the Iran-Saudi rivalry, fluctuation of sectarian identities, civil conflict, proliferation of non-state actors and Shi’a militias, and the current geopolitical competition over the security architecture of the Middle East. The course further focuses on the foundations and varieties of modern Shi’a political thought and theology; the history of religious clerical institutions (the system of Grand Ayatollahs); Shi’a political parties and paramilitaries in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen; and Iran’s Islamic Revolution, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and the Basij paramilitary organization.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
GOVT E-1980
Ballots, Borders, and Billionaires: Populism and Political Economy in Eastern Europe
Albana Shehaj PhD, Program Manager and Seminar Chair, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17419 | Section 1
Description
Nationalism and populism have reshaped the political economy of Eastern Europe and the Balkans, challenging the European Union (EU), global markets, and democratic institutions. While nationalist leaders advocate economic sovereignty, they often rely on foreign investment, trade, and geopolitical alliances to sustain power. This course examines the economic contradictions of populist governance, exploring how nationalist governments navigate EU funding, Russian energy dependence, and Chinese infrastructure investments while resisting external influence. Moving beyond traditional theoretical discussions, this course offers a data-driven and hands-on approach to understanding economic nationalism. Students engage in empirical research using economic and survey data, critically analyze trade policies, investment flows, and nationalist economic strategies, and participate in real-world policy simulations that place them in the roles of Balkan policymakers, EU officials, foreign investors, and populist strategists. Throughout the semester, students also interact with leading experts from international institutions, think tanks, and regional policymakers, gaining firsthand insights into the competing economic and political interests at play. In addition to case studies on Hungary, Poland, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, students explore how nationalist governments balance economic nationalism with global economic dependencies leveraging EU funds while rejecting its influence, courting Russian energy investments, and navigating China’s infrastructure projects through the Belt and Road Initiative. By analyzing the economic contradictions within nationalist governance, students develop policy-relevant skills in economic risk assessment, political strategy, and geopolitical forecasting. Designed for students interested in international affairs, policy consulting, and economic development, this course offers a critical, applied understanding of how nationalist movements leverage and contradict global economic forces in pursuit of power.
Prerequisites: Students are expected to have a foundational understanding of international political economy, comparative politics, or international relations, equivalent to GOVT E-20 or GOVT E-40. Prior experience with quantitative or qualitative research methods is beneficial but not required, as the course will introduce relevant analytical tools.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
GOVT E-2004
Policy Communication: Writing, Engaging, and Shaping Decisions
Andrew Joseph Pope PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17156 | Section 1
Description
Scholarly research has the potential to transform public policy only if the research is used by policymakers. The course takes up crucial questions about how research moves from academia into policymaking, including: how do American policymakers use research evidence in their day-to-day work? How can academic researchers increase the likelihood that their work is used by policymakers? What types of writing and engagement are most persuasive to policy audiences? The course endeavors to better understand how policymakers and practitioners use research evidence and how researchers can increase the likelihood that their own work can reach audiences outside of the academy. Throughout the course, students learn how to write, engage, and communicate scholarly research with diverse audiences outside of academia. Students gain subject-matter expertise in the study of how research evidence is used in policymaking. Each week, we examine debates from the use of research evidence field to hone our own knowledge and expertise. Guest lectures from scholars and policymakers give us a first-hand opportunity to learn and ask questions. Then, students write one work of scholarly translation for a policy audience: either a policy brief or a research-based op-ed. Although students pick just one to write for the final assignment, every student learns how to write both a policy brief and an op-ed. The in-person weekend provides an opportunity to workshop their ideas and drafts with their peers and the teaching team. The weekend culminates with an oral presentation of their policy contribution.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Saturday, October 4, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, October 5, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
GOVT E-40
International Conflict and Cooperation
Dustin Tingley PhD, Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Government, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15054 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to the analysis of the causes and character of international conflict and cooperation. Theories of international relations are presented and then applied to contemporary and historical cases. The course begins with a foundational review of the different levels at which states interact and the primary theoretical paradigms in the field. It then addresses how states achieve cooperation in the face of international anarchy, a question that has attracted the attention of scholars since Thucydides. The course next addresses basic bargaining theory, which uses insights from economics to explore how bargaining breakdowns, commitment problems, and incomplete information can lead to war. Thereafter we examine three popular topics in contemporary international relations research: the roles that psychology, leaders, and domestic politics play in explaining international conflict and cooperation. We also explore the sources and effects of international institutions such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization. We spend a week studying terrorism, a problem of particular significance in the modern world. We also look at trade, foreign aid, international development, and climate change. We conclude with international law and an exploration of the future of international relations.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
GOVT E-40
International Conflict and Cooperation
Dustin Tingley PhD, Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Government, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24799 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to the analysis of the causes and character of international conflict and cooperation. Theories of international relations are presented and then applied to contemporary and historical cases. The course begins with a foundational review of the different levels at which states interact and the primary theoretical paradigms in the field. It then addresses how states achieve cooperation in the face of international anarchy, a question that has attracted the attention of scholars since Thucydides. The course next addresses basic bargaining theory, which uses insights from economics to explore how bargaining breakdowns, commitment problems, and incomplete information can lead to war. Thereafter we examine three popular topics in contemporary international relations research: the roles that psychology, leaders, and domestic politics play in explaining international conflict and cooperation. We also explore the sources and effects of international institutions such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization. We spend a week studying terrorism, a problem of particular significance in the modern world. We also look at trade, foreign aid, international development, and climate change. We conclude with international law and an exploration of the future of international relations.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
GOVT E-595
Policy Writing and Analysis Precapstone
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17163 | Section 1
Description
The aim of the course is to provide students with the critical and analytical skills to evaluate, design, and write a policy paper. A policy paper is a scholarly work that analyzes a relevant policy issue and provides evidence-based, actionable recommendations. Emphasis is placed on the identification of policy problems, the use of methodological tools to analyze them, and the design and presentation of potential solutions. Class meetings feature presentations of policy papers that address the students’ topics of interest, discussions of research strategies employed by policy analysts, and assignments that bolster written and oral communication. Students learn about all aspects of policy paper design, including the identification of relevant data sources, techniques for analysis, and the proper method of presenting policy paper findings. Examples of policy paper topics include migration and refugee policies, social and economic inequality issues, environmental and sustainability issues, gender equality and gender-based violence issues, cyberwarfare strategies, counterterrorism strategies, and issues of international security and nuclear proliferation.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
GOVT E-595
Policy Writing and Analysis Precapstone
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15493 | Section 2
Description
This course prepares students for advanced study, writing, and research in policy analysis. Lectures and in-class activities prioritize diagnosis and communication of problems followed by the development of methodological policy prescriptions. Topical readings encompass the foreign and domestic spectrum including historical case studies to illustrate dynamics in motion. Coursework stresses tangible skills to better evaluate, design, and write policy papers. A policy paper is a scholarly work that analyzes a relevant issue and provides evidence-based, actionable recommendations for decision-makers and organizational leaders. Emphasis is placed on the identification of policy challenges, the use of methodological tools to analyze them, and the design and presentation of potential solutions. This course further explores public policy including a comprehensive review of processes that drive and inform decision-making at the local, state, federal, and international levels. Students are provided ample writing and research opportunities to explore issues of personal and professional interest in the production of a high-quality policy paper. Assignments include practical tools and skills most frequently used in policy settings such as memos and briefings, but also longer analytical papers and presentations.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
GOVT E-597
National Security Writing and Analysis Precapstone
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16317 | Section 1
Description
This course prepares students for advanced study, writing, and research in national security. This course explores the national security system and policy processes that drive and inform decision-making. Readings span current affairs and historical cases to illustrate dynamics of strategic decision-making. Assignments include the development of practical tools and skills most frequently used in national security settings such as memos, briefings, and working group presentations. There is individual and in-class group work that simulates the experience of real-world practitioners working in national security from the front lines of the military, intelligence community, and civilian workforce to top-level decision-making inside the White House.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599b, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 24 students
GOVT E-597a
Strategies to Advance Social Change Precapstone
Flavia Perea PhD, Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16632 | Section 1
Description
How can we make change? In this course we explore the ethical foundations, principles, methods, tools, and skill-set essential for designing strategies to advance social change. We explore various perspectives and practices for students to equip themselves with the tools to imagine and design novel, rigorous, and equity-centered strategies to make progress towards justice in society. Together we engage with various ideas and materials drawn from law and policy, community organizing, advocacy, the social sciences, journalism, documentary film, community health, and personal narrative, as well as scholarly literature, both contemporary and historical, with an eye towards the future. The course emphasizes collaborative approaches for advancing social change through partnership, movement and coalition building, collective agency, empowerment, and organizing to cultivate and sustain collaborative efforts that leverage individual and collective agency and capacity for our liberation. Interrogating and dissecting harmful systems of power is central to our work, as students each develop individual projects that leverage inquiry for purposeful transformative action to help dismantle structures of domination and oppression. Students may not take both GOVT E-597a and GOVT E-1072 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, anthropology, government, international relations, or religion, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, GOVT E-599a, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
GOVT E-599
Policy Analysis Capstone
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26801 | Section 1
Description
This course offers candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in GOVT E-595 to conduct independent policy analysis and write a professional policy paper. In consultation with the instructor, students select a concrete policy problem, produce autonomous research to analyze it, and provide a set of actionable recommendations to solve it. Throughout the semester, students receive feedback both from their peers and the instructor to aid the development of their projects. Class meetings include the development of writing schedules, discussions focused on policy analysis methodology, and peer-review analysis of student projects. Emphasis is placed on the identification of potential target audiences, such as governmental agencies, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), and policymakers and practitioners. The capstone project culminates with a formal presentation of the students’ projects to a panel of experts.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-595, with the same instructor in the prior fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
GOVT E-599
Policy Analysis Capstone
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25115 | Section 2
Description
This course offers candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in GOVT E-595 to conduct independent policy analysis, write a comprehensive paper, and brief a professional audience. In consultation with the instructor, students select a concrete policy problem, conduct autonomous research to analyze the topic in detail, and provide a set of actionable recommendations for consideration by an outside panel of experts. Throughout the semester students receive feedback from their peers, instructors, and staff to aid project development. Class meetings include the creation of writing schedules, discussions focused on policy analysis methodology, and peer-review analysis of student projects. As time permits special guests are invited to share insights on policy related issues. Students are provided ample writing and research opportunities to explore topics of personal and professional interest in the production of high-quality policy papers worthy of publication outside of the course. Projects are team oriented reflecting a real-world approach seen at the local, state, federal, and international levels on policy matters foreign and domestic. Emphasis is placed on the identification of potential target audiences, such as governmental agencies, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), policymakers, and practitioners. The capstone project culminates with a formal presentation of projects to a panel of policy experts and includes detailed feedback and consideration of the arguments, ideas, and recommendations.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-595, with the same instructor in the prior fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
GOVT E-599a
Social Justice Capstone: Equity and the Struggle for Justice
Flavia Perea PhD, Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25071 | Section 1
Description
In this course, candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government, international relations, or religion further develop and implement the project they began designing in GOVT E-597a, as students move from concepts, theory, and aspirations to their concrete applications in the real world. Projects require a strong conceptual foundation ground in evidence, best practices, as well as the principles and methods integral for the formulation of equitable, impactful, and transformative strategies to advance social change. The course takes a workshop approach where students work in small groups, continually supporting each other to further develop individual projects that engage collaborators, communities, stakeholders, or the broader public to plan and carry out action. Students share their work and progress in their small groups and with the whole class throughout the term.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, anthropology, government, international relations, or religion, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-597a, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
GOVT E-599b
National Security Analysis Capstone
Derek Reveron PhD, Lecturer in Extension and Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25112 | Section 1
Description
This course provides candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, an opportunity to complete a national security policy research project. The students frame a problem for analysis, complete an in-depth research project, and present their findings to senior representatives from a government organization.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or international relations, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, GOVT E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
GRGN E-1
Beginning Georgian
Mzia Shanava MA, Teaching Assistant in Slavic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University
Stephen Francis Jones PhD, Associate, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University and Professor of Modern Georgian History, Ilia State University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27104 | Section 1
Description
This intensive course provides a comprehensive introduction to the modern Georgian language and culture for those who would like to speak Georgian or use the language for reading and research. Designed for students without any previous knowledge of Georgian, the course stresses all four major communicative skills (speaking, listening and viewing comprehension, reading, and writing). Students are introduced to Georgian culture through readings, screenings, and class discussions. This course prepares students to continue in Georgian at the intermediate level, for future study or travel abroad. For this course our focus is concentrated on vocabulary and pronunciation. Students also listen and comprehend natural spoken language and are exposed to as many of the introductory phrases and sentences as possible. With hard work and enthusiasm, this ancient and notoriously difficult language comes to a perfect, orderly, comprehensible, and beautiful system.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
HARC E-195
History of Photography
Collier Brown PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26609 | Section 1
Description
This course surveys the history of photography from its origins in 1839 to present, from Louis-Jacques-Mand Daguerre to Sally Mann and Dawoud Bey. We begin in France with the story of the daguerreotype and follow that narrative as it introduces not only new techniques and technologies but new schools of thought around the way we see and describe our world.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
HARC E-202
Discovering Degas: Close Encounters with a Complex Artist
Mary Crawford-Volk PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17331 | Section 1
Description
Edgar Degas (1834-1917), central to the modernist movement in Paris during the second half of the nineteenth century, produced a body of work that extended over five decades, from about 1855 to 1905. Presented in a range of diverse media painting, pastel, drawing, prints, and sculpture his work resulted from a highly original, individualistic response to the contemporary world that he expressed through innovative choices in both subjects and technique. In his work, Degas created many masterpieces that stand as unforgettable images of life at the time, within Paris and beyond. They range from portraits, horse racing, the ballet, and the theater to cafe culture, women bathing and grooming, and travel. However, conspicuously absent is any sustained interest in landscape, the preferred subject of Degas’ Impressionist colleagues, especially Claude Monet. Using a contextual approach, this course looks closely at some of these major areas in Degas’ work between about 1860 and 1900, considering examples like The Bellelli Family (1858), Racehorses at Longchamp (18871), In the Terrace of a Cafe, Evening (1877), Little Dancer (1879), After the Bath (1884), Visit to the Museum (1885), and Four Dancers (1896-8). Degas’ originality and versatility continues to attract scholars, curators, and general admirers of modernism, so the course incorporates recent as well as established viewpoints.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
HARC E-204
Picasso’s Progeny: Masterpieces, MoMA, and American Modernism
Mary Crawford-Volk PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26990 | Section 1
Description
Spanish-born artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) enlarged the scope and transformed the character of every medium he addressed during his long professional career. Studies continue on how and why he continues to be regarded as the single most important artist of the twentieth century, with deepening understanding of the complex texture and breadth of his achievement. This course focuses on specific examples of his groundbreaking progeny works of art that endure as inspiring, innovative statements and the continuing attention they attract. These include paintings like Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), Three Musicians (1925), Guernica (1937), and The Joy of Life (1946), but also more personal works like Family of Saltimbanques (1905), Portrait of Gertrude Stein (1906), Man and Sheep (1943), and The Bull (1946). Painting was Picasso’s most sustained medium and acts as our dominant focus, but sculpture and printmaking also yielded major masterpieces, as even this short list shows. Considered also are ways Picasso extended his reach beyond the studio, from involving his art in contemporary politics as well as theater and music, to encouraging interest among modernist groups beyond France. We look at American artists inspired by his work, such as Stuart Davis, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns, as well as the important part played by the young Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
HIST E-10a
World History I: The Dawn of Civilization to 200 CE
Donald Ostrowski PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17379 | Section 1
Description
This course analyzes developments in, and controversies about, the study of world history to AD 200. Topics include theories of the origins of the universe and of life on earth, as well as the development of human societies. Among the societies discussed are ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Israel, Persia, China, Greece, and Rome, as well as the origins of Christianity. Film and literature will be utilized as introductions to these topics.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
HIST E-10b
World History II: The Rise of the East, 200-1500
Donald Ostrowski PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27033 | Section 1
Description
This course analyzes developments in, and controversies about, the study of world history from AD 200 to 1500. Topics include theories of the fall of the Roman and Byzantine Empires; the rise and fall of Mayan civilization; the development of Christianity, Confucianism, and Buddhism; the rise of Islam; African monarchies and trade; Tang and Sung cultural and technological innovations; impact of the Mongol empire; origins of the Ottoman Empire; the nature of the European Middle Ages; and the origins of the Renaissance.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
HIST E-1425
Jane Austen’s World in History, Literature, and Film
Maura A. Henry PhD, Professor of History, Holyoke Community College and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17169 | Section 1
Description
In 2025, the world commemorates the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. In this course, students explore the life and works of Austen, a relatively obscure spinster who lived a quiet life in rural England and died at the age of 41. Whilst prevailing gender and social rank norms disadvantaged her, Austen navigated these constraints and penned some of the most popular and insightful novels in the English language. Through the lens of Austen’s novels and letters, students examine the cultural attitudes, institutions, and social practices of England during the period 1750-1850. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we consider topics such as social rank, gender, race and ethnicity, landed society, economics, and culture, as well as the ways in which the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries view the past and seek to chronicle it through film and television adaptations. Students view and debate selected adaptations of Austen’s novels (notably, Pride and Prejudice [1940, 1995, and 2005]; Emma [1996 and 2020]; Sense and Sensibility [1995]; and Persuasion [1995, 2007 and 2022]) as well as the most recent biopics of Austen, including Becoming Jane (2007) and Miss Austen (2025).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
HIST E-1437
Agatha Christie’s England Through History, Literature, and Film
Maura A. Henry PhD, Professor of History, Holyoke Community College and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26996 | Section 1
Description
Agatha Christie’s novels are not only terrific murder mysteries (and the best selling and most translated works of all time), they are also windows into early twentieth-century English society. In her fictional world, Christie explored contemporary social relations shaped by rank, class, gender, age, and marital status, as well as the tangled web of ties among nostalgic country villages, seaside resort towns, and the London metropolis. Students read the Miss Marple novel The Body in the Library (1942), and watch two British television adaptations of the famed elder spinster detective solving the same crime. Students also analyze several Miss Marple short stories (1927-1939) and curated historical sources, including newspaper reporting on Christie’s own mysterious disappearance in 1926. More broadly, students investigate the ways individuals and institutions experienced, maintained, and/or challenged prevailing norms of detective work and policing, Englishness, class, gender, and generational divides during the 1920s-1940s.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 17, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, April 18, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, April 19, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: April 03, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
HIST E-1438
Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol Through History, Literature, and Film
Maura A. Henry PhD, Professor of History, Holyoke Community College and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17337 | Section 1
Description
Since it was first published in 1843, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol has never been out of print, been translated into more than three dozen languages, and been adapted into hundreds of radio, stage, and film productions over the past 180 years. For millions of people around the world, (re)reading or (re)watching A Christmas Carol is an annual tradition. Our course applies an interdisciplinary approach to deepen and enrich our understanding of Dickens’s classic tale about nineteenth-century British society, notably questions of power, wealth, inequality, and ethics. We analyze A Christmas Carol by closely reading the novella, placing it within its historical context among pertinent primary sources, and analyzing a selection of the modern film adaptations that reimagine and reconstruct Dickens’s story.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 24, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, October 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, October 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: October 10, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
HIST E-1439
Charles Dickens’s London Through History, Literature, and Film
Maura A. Henry PhD, Professor of History, Holyoke Community College and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26995 | Section 1
Description
A vibrant multi-class, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic jigsaw puzzle, nineteenth-century London was a capital city, the center of a vast empire, the largest city on the planet, and a place of both danger and opportunity. Charles Dickens called London his “magic lantern:” he used a series of lenses to project the lives of the metropolis and its inhabitants onto the page. Using an interdisciplinary approach, students examine London through the writings of Dickens (novels, short stories, journalism, and letters focused on London), recent historical scholarship, and modern film and television adaptations of Dickens’s novels. Students analyze Dickens’s London through a series of analytical such as urbanization, industrialization, theater and leisure, crime and punishment, class, gender, sexuality, and race and ethnicity.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
HIST E-1572
The Holocaust in History, Literature, and Film
Kevin Madigan PhD, Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Harvard Divinity School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27099 | Section 1
Description
This course approaches the Nazi persecution of European Jewry from several disciplinary perspectives. Initially, we explore the topic historically, using a variety of historical materials dealing with the history of European anti-semitism, German history from Otto von Bismarck to the accession of Adolf Hitler, the evolution of anti-Jewish persecution in the Third Reich, and the history of the Holocaust itself. We use primary sources produced by the German government 1933-1945, by Jewish victims-to-be or survivors, documentary films, and secondary interpretations. The aims of this part of the course are to understand the basic background and narrative of the Holocaust, to introduce students to the critical use of primary historical sources, and to familiarize them with some of the major historiographical debates. Then we ponder religious and theological reactions to the Holocaust, considering the historical question of the role played by the Protestant and Catholic churches and theologies. The course concludes with an assessment of the role played by the Holocaust in today’s world, specifically in the United States. Throughout the course, students use various literary and cinematographic sources and test their limits in helping to understand and to represent the Holocaust.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
HIST E-1588
History of the Jewish People
Susan Martha Kahn PhD, Associate Director, Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, Harvard Law School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17205 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a survey of the main features of the Jewish historical and cultural landscape from ancient times to the present. Students examine the origins, development, and cultural significance of Judaism, as well as the experiences of Jewish communities worldwide. Sources are drawn from the rich scholarly literature on Jewish history, theology, philosophy, mysticism, and social thought. Through the study of key historical events, religious texts, cultural practices, and socio-political movements, students gain a deeper understanding of the diverse and rich tapestry of Jewish history.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
HIST E-1606
After 1776: Life in the Early American Republic
Robert J. Allison PhD, Professor of History, Suffolk University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26976 | Section 1
Description
What was life like in the newly-independent United States from the time of the Revolution to the Civil War? We discuss the establishment of the federal government and of the party system; relations between Native Americans and the US; wars with France, Algiers, Tripoli, the Miami, the Creeks, the Shawnee, Britain, the Seminoles, and Mexico; the development of the American economy; the development of American intellectual and cultural life; and the expansion of slavery.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
HIST E-1607s
Boston Under Siege
Robert J. Allison PhD, Professor of History, Suffolk University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26975 | Section 1
Description
We explore the siege of Boston from the arrival of British troops in June 1774 to their evacuation on March 17, 1776. How did Boston and the surrounding communities respond to British occupation? How did this military action turn colonial resistance into revolution? In addition to time in the classroom, we visit crucial sites for Boston in the revolution in Cambridge, Boston, Charlestown, South Boston, Dorchester, and Roxbury to get a better understanding of the social, political, and military aspects of the American Revolution.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 24, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, April 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, April 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: April 10, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
HIST E-1629
History of Native America
Robert J. Allison PhD, Professor of History, Suffolk University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26977 | Section 1
Description
This course is a survey of Native American history, from the beginning of recorded history to the twentieth century. We consider the structures of Native American society, encounters of Native people with one another, and their encounters with Europeans. There is a particular focus on the Native people of the eastern part of North America in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, in the southern and western parts of North America in the nineteenth century, and throughout the United States in the twentieth century. Topics include Native American healing and religious practices, the rise of the Iroquois confederation or Haudenosaunee league, war and religion in colonial New England, the Creek and Cherokee in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa’s league in the nineteenth century, the Trail of Tears, the Lakota and the Cheyenne in the nineteenth century, the Indian Rights League and Indian New Deal, and the revival of Indian identity in the twentieth century.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
HIST E-1651
The American Constitution from the 14th Amendment to Today
Robert J. Allison PhD, Professor of History, Suffolk University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17320 | Section 1
Description
How has the Constitution, written in 1787, adapted or been adapted in the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries? We discuss Constitutional change the Civil War amendments, response to industrialization, the Progressive era, court-packing, the Constitution in war time, the expansion of executive power, and other issues which are always relevant to the nature of our political system.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
HIST E-1665
Race and Ethnicity in Twentieth-Century American Thought
Nicholas F. Bloom PhD, Lecturer on History and Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26989 | Section 1
Description
In his 1903 book The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois famously wrote that “the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.” This course is a survey of the work of intellectuals, artists, and activists in the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries who took this problem seriously and sought to understand its origins, its functions, and how it ought to be addressed. It exposes students to certain foundational ideas, problems, and debates in the study of race and ethnicity in twentieth century America. Readings may include works by C.L.R. James, William Faulkner, Zora Neale Hurston, Hannah Arendt, Leslie Marmon Silko, Gloria Anzaldua, James Baldwin, Cedric Robinson, bell hooks, and Toni Morrison. Most importantly, the course aims to provide students the opportunity to develop their own critical and historical acumen to study those aspects of race and ethnicity that they find most urgent or fascinating.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
HIST E-1680
Riots, Strikes, and Conspiracies in American History
Andrew Joseph Pope PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16857 | Section 1
Description
The course examines the history of riots, strikes, and conspiracies in America from the 1600s to the present. This course uses readings and discussions to focus on a series of short-term events that shed light on American politics, culture, and social organization. It emphasizes finding ways to make sense of these complicated, highly traumatic events, and on using them to understand larger processes of change in American history. While race has been an important element to every riot, strike, and conspiracy in American history, most of these events represented overlapping interests of race, gender, class, and even sexuality. As such, we consider events that occurred in a variety of circumstances. The present conditions of poverty, policing, and protest always inform our starting point when we engage the readings. A central thesis of this course is that the present is best understood through a deliberate examination of the past.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
HIST E-1682
White Rage: Progress and Backlash in American History
Andrew Joseph Pope PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26379 | Section 1
Description
This course examines how people struggled to achieve the full-promise of freedom throughout American history. The organizing theme of this course is the cycle of progress and retrenchment, of revolutions and counter-revolutions, that has come to define American life. The course begins with enslaved people’s struggles for freedom, and the white planters who created a form of representative government to maintain the institution. From there, we proceed chronologically through American history to the present, exploring changing notions of community, strategies used to gain freedom, and the range of violent responses that groups seeking liberation encountered. Our readings include a play by Suzan Lori-Parks, manifestos by white power advocates, George Schuyler’s novel Black No More, essays by Toni Morrison, political speeches, and oral history interviews with formerly enslaved people and migrant workers, among many other historical and literary sources. While race has been an important element to every debate about political representation in American history, most debates represented overlapping interests of race, gender, class, and even sexuality. As such, we take up each issue throughout the semester.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Saturday, February 28, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, March 1, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
HIST E-1683
Slavery and Historical Memory
Nicholas F. Bloom PhD, Lecturer on History and Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17330 | Section 1
Description
This course considers some of the ways that scholars, artists, and activists have attempted to address key problems in the study of Black life and slavery in the early Americas, especially the early United States. Namely, how can one begin to tell the story and the legacy of a people whose lives have been so severely distorted and erased by primary historical records records which were primarily composed by people invested in maintaining and reproducing Black enslavement? And to what extent should one trust those primary documents in telling the story of even the most powerful people and institutions in these societies? The course is organized around key phenomena and themes in the history of slavery and early Black Atlantic history, including: the transatlantic slave trade; Black self-determination and revolt; slavery and the formations of race, gender, and sexuality in the West; slavery, capitalism, and liberalism; and abolitionism and emancipation. We pay particular attention to how artists, activists, and scholars have informed one another in their approaches to studying these phenomena and how they have challenged, drawn from, and changed traditional scholarly historical methodology. In addition to the political and cultural documents produced out of and contemporaneous to slavery’s historical milieu, sources may include writings from Martin Delaney, Harriet Jacobs, W.E.B. Du Bois, Herman Melville, Toni Morrison, and James McBride, and scholarship from C.L.R. James, Stephanie Smallwood, Vincent Brown, Walter Johnson, and Saidiya Hartman.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
HIST E-1825
Power and Civilization: China
Peter K. Bol PhD, Charles H. Carswell Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University
William C. Kirby PhD, T.M. Chang Professor of China Studies, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Spangler Family Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, and Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16900 | Section 1
Description
Modern China presents a dual image: a society transforming itself through economic development and infrastructure investment that aspires to global leadership; and the world’s largest and oldest bureaucratic state, with multiple traditions in its cultural, economic, and political life. The modern society and state that is emerging in China bears the indelible imprint of China’s historical experience, of its patterns of philosophy and religion, and of its social and political thought. These themes are discussed in order to understand China in the twenty-first century and as a great world civilization that developed along lines different from those of the Mediterranean. The course introduces online features to make the riches of Harvard’s visual collections and the expertise of its faculty more accessible to Extension School students.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the HarvardX course.
HIST E-1827
The United States and China: Opium War to the Present
Erez Manela PhD, Francis Lee Higginson Professor of History, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17385 | Section 1
Description
This seminar focuses on the history of Sino-American relations and interactions since the Opium War (1840s). It examines these relations through the lens of major events such as the Boxer intervention, the first and second world wars, the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Mao-Nixon rapprochement, and the post-Mao transformations. Central themes include trade, diplomacy, conflict, mutual perceptions, cultural influences, and migration.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
HIST E-1900
Not Like US? Americans as Occupiers and Nation Builders
Erez Manela PhD, Francis Lee Higginson Professor of History, Harvard University
Andrew Gordon PhD, Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Professor of History, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27036 | Section 1
Description
The United States has launched numerous projects of military occupation and nation-building in foreign lands since the late nineteenth century. These have been contradictory enterprises, in which Americans often sought to make other peoples more like them, while at the same time insisting on their difference. This course assesses the meanings and legacies of these projects by examining the ideas, strategies, policies, and outcomes of occupations ranging from the Philippines and Haiti early on to Japan, Germany, and Korea in mid-century to, most recently, Afghanistan and Iraq. The course focuses on American activities and ideas but also examines the responses of the occupied.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1017. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting January 27 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
HIST E-1960
The History of the Cold War
Nikolas K. Gvosdev DPhil, Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17325 | Section 1
Description
The cold war was the crucible by which the United States was transformed into a global superpower and laid the basis for the national security state. The ideological and geopolitical competition between the United States and the Soviet Union shaped the global and regional makeup of the modern world and its legacies continue to influence global politics in the twenty-first century. This course charts the origins of the cold war; provides an overview of the ideological and geopolitical drivers of the conflict; examines how the cold war was played out in Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and the Third World; assesses its impact as a driver for the development of both conventional and nuclear forces; and charts the mechanisms that developed in Washington and Moscow for managing the cold war. The course concludes with charting how the cold war wound down and the legacies it has left for the twenty-first century. It provides students with an overview and general survey of the key developments of the period from 1945 to 1990. This course is designed especially for national security professionals, although it is open to anyone. This is primarily a political-security history of the cold war with a focus on how this shapes and defines the national security enterprise.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
HIST E-21
Labor, Liberty, and Conflict in US History
Joel Suarez PhD, Assistant Professor of History and of Social Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27088 | Section 1
Description
This course surveys the labor history of the United States from the colonial period to the present. It covers the transition to capitalism, class formation and class conflict, slavery and capitalism, and industrialization and deindustrialization, as well as the relationship between unwaged labor and the development of markets. We examine the lives of workers men and women, slave and free, union and non-union, and agricultural, industrial, and service sector and how they were shaped by, and how they shaped, economic history. As such, while primarily a course in the social history, we engage with the political, economic, and cultural history of US as it pertains to the workplace and the history of class conflict.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course History 21. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 3-4:15 pm starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
HIST E-597
Key Issues and Events in American Social Change Precapstone
Stephen Shoemaker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15772 | Section 1
Description
This course inherently espouses an interdisciplinary approach. We consider the multi-century narrative of social reform movements in the United States by emphasizing the materials and methods used in government, history, and religion. Topics include abolition, suffrage, temperance, the New Deal, civil rights, and Great Society initiatives of the 1960s. While together studying the primary sources relevant to the weekly topics, students assemble their own topics and produce an analysis of the literature relevant to their research topic.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government, history, or religion, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, HIST E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HIST E-597b
Precapstone: Historical Biography
Ariane Liazos PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16603 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches students the research and writing skills they need to write historical biography. It is interdisciplinary, drawing on the research skills of history and political science as well as narrative writing skills. We read and discuss excerpts from biographies as well as articles on the craft of biography. Students develop research and writing skills through short assignments and oral presentations. Students submit an annotated bibliography and proposal for their spring capstone as their final assignment for the course.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or history, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, HIST E-599b, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HIST E-599
Key Issues and Events in American Social Change Capstone
Stephen Shoemaker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25381 | Section 1
Description
This course continues the work done in HIST E-597. The course shifts to a workshop model, where presentations are given each week by students as they work toward the production of a substantive scholarly article. The article must incorporate all the elements required by academic peer-reviewed journals. Students make presentations on argument, their theory component, scholarly context, and genres of evidence. In this workshop context, students also engage in review of each other’s writing. At the end of course, each student delivers a professional quality article suitable for submission to a scholarly journal in their respective field.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government, history, or religion, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, HIST E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HIST E-599b
Capstone: Historical Biography
Ariane Liazos PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26191 | Section 1
Description
This course builds on the work done in HIST E-597b. Students use the research and writing skills they have developed to produce a sample chapter of a biography, one that could be submitted as part of a book proposal or a biographical article for an academic journal. Students include a bibliography and endnotes with their final submission. This semester predominantly consists of workshops of student writing-in-progress; students are evaluated on the feedback they provide for each other.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, government or history, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, HIST E-597b, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HSCI E-145
Medicine and the Self in China and in the West
Shigehisa Kuriyama PhD, Reischauer Institute Professor of Cultural History, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17305 | Section 1
Description
Why is there a history to medicine? We generally assume that the human body was the same in ancient China as it was in ancient Greece, and that it was essentially the same, too, two thousand years ago as it is today. What explains, then, the striking differences in the ways that Chinese and Western doctors perceived this same reality or the great chasm between ancient medicine and modern medicine? How can we understand the astounding historical diversity of medical beliefs and practices, when we believe the human body to be one and unique? This is the fundamental puzzle of the history of medicine, and it is puzzle at the heart of this course. We explore this puzzle through the specific lens of the history of medicine and the self in China and in the West. In the first part of the course, we focus on questions of contrast and radical difference. We study, for instance, why imagining a body mapped by acupuncture points uniquely made sense in China, and why muscles came to loom so large in the imagination of the body in the West and only in the West. We then go to trace the fascinating history of connections that eventually developed between the two medical traditions how Chinese tea, for example, became an indispensable drink in the West and American ginseng came to be widely consumed in China. The last third of the course is devoted to modern developments. We consider the spread of Western medicine to East Asia and the altered experience of the body that it inspired. But we also ponder the strange and significant but often unnoticed convergence of beliefs in the late nineteenth century how and why the conceptions of body and mind in modern Western medicine became curiously similar to traditional Chinese conceptions. We conclude our adventure with a glimpse into the possible postmodern futures of our bodies. Students may not take both HSCI E-145 and HSCI E-146 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course East Asian Languages and Civilization 170. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting September 3 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
HUMA E-100
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in English and Religion
Collier Brown PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16627 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar focuses on the research, writing, critical and analytical skills necessary to produce a successful graduate-level research project in the humanities. Attention is paid to the development of competency in close-reading and to the strategies of textual analysis. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-100
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in English and Religion
Stephen Shoemaker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 12944 | Section 2
Description
This proseminar focuses on the research, writing, critical and analytical skills necessary to produce a successful graduate-level research project in the humanities. Attention is paid to the development of competency in close-reading and to the strategies of textual analysis. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-100
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in English and Religion
Stephen Shoemaker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25780 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar focuses on the research, writing, critical and analytical skills necessary to produce a successful graduate-level research project in the humanities. Attention is paid to the development of competency in close-reading and to the strategies of textual analysis. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-100
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in English and Religion
Stephen Spencer PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26978 | Section 2
Description
This proseminar focuses on the research, writing, critical and analytical skills necessary to produce a successful graduate-level research project in the humanities. Attention is paid to the development of competency in close-reading and to the strategies of textual analysis. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-101
Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
Bryan Delaney MA, Playwright and Screenwriter
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17410 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive course in the craft and analysis of prose from a writer’s perspective. The focus of this course is to teach prose writers how to read well. Students explore the potential and possibilities of different approaches to writing, and, by the end of the course, apply their close reading to their own fiction and nonfiction. The goal of this course is to build a deep understanding of key elements of craft through close reading and textual analysis of the work of master prose writers. We analyze the work of these writers, discussing how they employ structure, character, setting, dialogue, point of view, and other aspects of craft. Students write critically and creatively, both in class and out of class, about the works under discussion and about possible applications to their own creative writing. Students examine the conscious choices about craft that published writers make in order to fully realize a piece of writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. Students in this course are expected to have a firm command of grammar, syntax, and prose composition, and to have read widely.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-101
Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
Anne Elliott MFA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15449 | Section 2
Description
This is an intensive course in the craft and analysis of prose from a writer’s perspective. The focus of this course is to teach prose writers how to read well. Students explore the potential and possibilities of different approaches to writing, and, by the end of the course, apply their close reading to their own fiction and nonfiction. The goal of this course is to build a deep understanding of key elements of craft through close reading and textual analysis of the work of master prose writers. We analyze the work of these writers, discussing how they employ structure, character, setting, dialogue, point of view, and other aspects of craft. Students write critically and creatively, both in class and out of class, about the works under discussion and about possible applications to their own creative writing. Students examine the conscious choices about craft that published writers make in order to fully realize a piece of writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. Students in this course are expected to have a firm command of grammar, syntax, and prose composition, and to have read widely.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-101
Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
Lindsay Mitchell MFA, Senior Editor, Harvard Magazine
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17364 | Section 3
Description
This is an intensive course in the craft and analysis of prose from a writer’s perspective. The focus of this course is to teach prose writers how to read well. Students explore the potential and possibilities of different approaches to writing, and, by the end of the course, apply their close reading to their own fiction and nonfiction. The goal of this course is to build a deep understanding of key elements of craft through close reading and textual analysis of the work of master prose writers. We analyze the work of these writers, discussing how they employ structure, character, setting, dialogue, point of view, and other aspects of craft. Students write critically and creatively, both in class and out of class, about the works under discussion and about possible applications to their own creative writing. Students examine the conscious choices about craft that published writers make in order to fully realize a piece of writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. Students in this course are expected to have a firm command of grammar, syntax, and prose composition, and to have read widely.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-101
Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17350 | Section 4
Description
This is an intensive course in the craft and analysis of prose from a writer’s perspective. The focus of this course is to teach prose writers how to read well. Students explore the potential and possibilities of different approaches to writing, and, by the end of the course, apply their close reading to their own fiction and nonfiction. The goal of this course is to build a deep understanding of key elements of craft through close reading and textual analysis of the work of master prose writers. We analyze the work of these writers, discussing how they employ structure, character, setting, dialogue, point of view, and other aspects of craft. Students write critically and creatively, both in class and out of class, about the works under discussion and about possible applications to their own creative writing. Students examine the conscious choices about craft that published writers make in order to fully realize a piece of writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. Students in this course are expected to have a firm command of grammar, syntax, and prose composition, and to have read widely.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-101
Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
Leah De Forest MFA, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26854 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive course in the craft and analysis of prose from a writer’s perspective. The focus of this course is to teach prose writers how to read well. Students explore the potential and possibilities of different approaches to writing, and, by the end of the course, apply their close reading to their own fiction and nonfiction. The goal of this course is to build a deep understanding of key elements of craft through close reading and textual analysis of the work of master prose writers. We analyze the work of these writers, discussing how they employ structure, character, setting, dialogue, point of view, and other aspects of craft. Students write critically and creatively, both in class and out of class, about the works under discussion and about possible applications to their own creative writing. Students examine the conscious choices about craft that published writers make in order to fully realize a piece of writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. Students in this course are expected to have a firm command of grammar, syntax, and prose composition, and to have read widely.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-101
Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
Lindsay Mitchell MFA, Senior Editor, Harvard Magazine
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27022 | Section 2
Description
This is an intensive course in the craft and analysis of prose from a writer’s perspective. The focus of this course is to teach prose writers how to read well. Students explore the potential and possibilities of different approaches to writing, and, by the end of the course, apply their close reading to their own fiction and nonfiction. The goal of this course is to build a deep understanding of key elements of craft through close reading and textual analysis of the work of master prose writers. We analyze the work of these writers, discussing how they employ structure, character, setting, dialogue, point of view, and other aspects of craft. Students write critically and creatively, both in class and out of class, about the works under discussion and about possible applications to their own creative writing. Students examine the conscious choices about craft that published writers make in order to fully realize a piece of writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. Students in this course are expected to have a firm command of grammar, syntax, and prose composition, and to have read widely.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 30-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-101
Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25074 | Section 3
Description
This is an intensive course in the craft and analysis of prose from a writer’s perspective. The focus of this course is to teach prose writers how to read well. Students explore the potential and possibilities of different approaches to writing, and, by the end of the course, apply their close reading to their own fiction and nonfiction. The goal of this course is to build a deep understanding of key elements of craft through close reading and textual analysis of the work of master prose writers. We analyze the work of these writers, discussing how they employ structure, character, setting, dialogue, point of view, and other aspects of craft. Students write critically and creatively, both in class and out of class, about the works under discussion and about possible applications to their own creative writing. Students examine the conscious choices about craft that published writers make in order to fully realize a piece of writing.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42a is strongly recommended. Students in this course are expected to have a firm command of grammar, syntax, and prose composition, and to have read widely.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 26-March 14, 12:15pm-2:45pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
HUMA E-103
Sea Monsters Throughout the Ages: Fables, Films, and Facts
Pete Girguis PhD, Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16875 | Section 1
Description
There have always been tales of sea monsters. For as long as we humans have ventured into the ocean, our imaginations have conjured images of serpents, krakens, leviathans, and other creatures, all of whom seem bent on the destruction of those who dare set foot into the sea. Humankind’s conviction that sea monsters are real is so powerful that even today rumors abound of sea monsters lurking in the depths. Indeed, every major religion eastern and western features sea monsters. Are these declarations true? Do giants roam the deep sea? Did the explorers of centuries ago see creatures from their small wooden boats that we do not see today? During this course we explore sea monsters through a social, spiritual, literary, and scientific lens. We study the sea monsters that flourish on ancient maps to understand the minds of sixteenth century scholars. We examine the bodies of real sea monsters, and consider the world in which such grotesque creatures might evolve. We read tales of creatures from classic and contemporary literature. Most importantly, we develop a better understanding of how humans perceive the world, and how our consciousness can simultaneously embrace our wildest dreams and cower from our greatest fears. Sea monsters, both real and imagined, tell us much about life in the deep sea, and even more about humankind.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, September 2-October 25, 5:10pm-7:25pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 32 students
HUMA E-110
Masterpieces of World Literature
Martin Puchner PhD, Byron and Anita Wien Professor of Drama and of English and Comparative Literature, Harvard University
David Damrosch PhD, Ernest Bernbaum Professor of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26011 | Section 1
Description
This course surveys world literature from the Epic of Gilgamesh to the present, with an emphasis on different cultures and writing traditions. Produced by HarvardX, the course is based not on lectures but on a more vivid dialogue format between instructors Martin Puchner and David Damrosch. The course also includes travel footage from Istanbul and Troy to Jaipur and Weimar and interviews with authors, such as Orhan Pamuk, and other experts.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the HarvardX course.
HUMA E-134
Introduction to German Literature and Thought
John T. Hamilton PhD, William R. Kenan Professor of German and Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27020 | Section 1
Description
This is a survey course on major works in German literature, philosophy, and critique from the mid-eighteenth century to the twentieth century. Close reading of representative texts opens onto broader ramifications in cultural and intellectual history with further consideration of societal and political tensions. Periods and themes covered include the enlightenment and the rise of the bourgeoisie, romanticism, idealism, and the problem of identity; realism and nationhood; language and political crises; and the guilt, responsibility, and existential angst that mark the postwar period.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Comparative Literature 100X. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Wednesdays, 3-5:00 pm starting January 28 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
HUMA E-211
Mexican Postcards: An Introduction to Mexico’s Histories, Cultures, and Traditions
María Luisa Parra PhD, Senior Preceptor in Romance Languages and Literatures, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26679 | Section 1
Description
This introductory course allows students to explore and become acquainted with Mexico’s ethnic, cultural, and linguistic richness and historical and social complexity. In doing so, students learn about Mexico’s many contributions to the world as a crossroads between continents, oceans, historical times, world events, and global forces. The course includes pre-work, co-construction of knowledge through in-class discussion, a final creative project, and a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where students explore Mexican art of the periods of their choice in the museum’s American wing.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 24, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Saturday, April 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Sunday, April 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Term Start Date: April 10, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
HUMA E-212
Literature on Trial: Kafka in Paris
John T. Hamilton PhD, William R. Kenan Professor of German and Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17362 | Section 1
Description
This course is a close study of Franz Kafka’s major stories and novels and how this body of work was received, explicated, and interpreted by key figures in post-war France. Relevant excerpts from Kafka’s diaries and correspondence supplement the primary texts, as well as discussions relating to French existentialism, the student movement, and post-structuralism. Students may not take both FORE E-212 (offered previously) and HUMA E-212 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Comparative Literature 212. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Wednesdays, 12:45-2:45 pm starting September 3 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
HUMA E-220
Frida Kahlo’s Mexico: Women, Arts, and Revolution
María Luisa Parra PhD, Senior Preceptor in Romance Languages and Literatures, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16936 | Section 1
Description
This course revolves around the short and creative life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, as a window to explore the cultural and political revolution that shaped Mexico’s identity in the twentieth century and continues to influence Mexican’s daily lives. Kahlo lived at a time when Soviet politics and French surrealism merged with national agendas that sought to redefine Mexico’s identity through the integration of their indigenous heritage. The result was a time of booming creativity in the arts, radical expansion of educational and political agendas, as well as a redefinition of women’s identity, sexuality, and the Mexican family. We trace Kahlo’s romantic and artistic relationship with Diego Rivera as we learn about the Mexican muralism and graphic arts traditions along with the beauty of Mexican music and popular culture. We also become familiar with the works of some of Kahlo’s female artist friends, such as Lola lvarez Bravo, Tina Moditti, Aurora Reyes, and Mar a Izquierdo, who gave voice to the voiceless: women, indigenous communities, and the disabled. Finally, we explore topics of Kahlo’s representations in media, the commodification of her persona, and how and why she has become a global icon.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
HUMA E-300
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation
Keating Patrick Joseph McKeon PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17372 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates, and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Students must have completed HUMA E-100 or SSCI E-100a with a grade of B or higher in order to take this course. HUMA E-300 must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to the precapstone course for capstone-track students.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, September 12, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 104
Saturday, September 13, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 104
Sunday, September 14, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 104
Friday, September 19, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 104
Saturday, September 20, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 104
Sunday, September 21, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 104
This course meets on campus in two consecutive weekends. See syllabus for additional information.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of HUMA E-300, PSYC E-300, and SSCI E-300 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
HUMA E-300a
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation I
Stephen Shoemaker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17024 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates, and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Students must have completed either HUMA E-100 or SSCI E-100a (for anthropology students) with a grade of B or higher to enroll in this course. HUMA E-300a and HUMA E-300b must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to the precapstone course for capstone-track students. We strongly advise students to complete the two weekends in the same academic year with same instructor (part one in fall and part two in spring).
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, November 14, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 202
Saturday, November 15, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 202
Sunday, November 16, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 202
Term Start Date: October 31, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of HUMA E-300a, PSYC E-300a, and SSCI E-300a may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
HUMA E-300b
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation II
Stephen Shoemaker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26665 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates, and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Only students who have successfully completed HUMA E-300a in the fall with a grade of B-minus or higher may take this course. HUMA E-300a and HUMA E-300b must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to the precapstone course for capstone-track students. We strongly advise students to complete the two weekends in the same academic year with same instructor (part one in fall and part two in spring).
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 10, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 202
Saturday, April 11, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 202
Sunday, April 12, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 202
Term Start Date: March 27, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of HUMA E-300b, PSYC E-300b, and SSCI E-300b may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
IORP E-1501
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Adam Smith PhD, Global Business Psychologist, Global Talent Management, TJX Companies
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16845 | Section 1
Description
How would you choose the ideal worker out of 400 applicants? Is it possible to predict employee motivation? Are virtual teams more effective than in-person teams? Questions like these can be answered through the help of industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology, which is the application of psychological theories and principles to the workplace. Examining decades of research from psychology, sociology, management, and statistics, we discuss a wide range of theories and practices which have had an impact on I/O psychology applications. We also focus on how organizations currently use I/O principles in everyday scenarios and evaluate practical examples of how the field continues to influence talent management. Examined through the scientist-practitioner lens, course material covers both theoretical and real-world applications and addresses the gap between the two. Course topics include job/worker analysis, organizational research methods, employee selection, motivation, attitudes, health and stress, and leadership. Students may not take both IORP E-1501 and PSYC E-1501 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
IORP E-1501
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Carmine P. Gibaldi EdD, Professor of Management and Organizational Psychology, St. John’s University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17416 | Section 2
Description
How would you choose the ideal worker out of 400 applicants? Is it possible to predict employee motivation? Are virtual teams more effective than in-person teams? Questions like these can be answered through the help of industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology, which is the application of psychological theories and principles to the workplace. Examining decades of research from psychology, sociology, management, and statistics, we discuss a wide range of theories and practices which have had an impact on I/O psychology applications. We also focus on how organizations currently use I/O principles in everyday scenarios and evaluate practical examples of how the field continues to influence talent management. Examined through the scientist-practitioner lens, course material covers both theoretical and real-world applications and addresses the gap between the two. Course topics include job/worker analysis, organizational research methods, employee selection, motivation, attitudes, health and stress, and leadership. Students may not take both IORP E-1501 and PSYC E-1501 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
IORP E-1501
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Adam Smith PhD, Global Business Psychologist, Global Talent Management, TJX Companies
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26452 | Section 1
Description
How would you choose the ideal worker out of 400 applicants? Is it possible to predict employee motivation? Are virtual teams more effective than in-person teams? Questions like these can be answered through the help of industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology, which is the application of psychological theories and principles to the workplace. Examining decades of research from psychology, sociology, management, and statistics, we discuss a wide range of theories and practices which have had an impact on I/O psychology applications. We also focus on how organizations currently use I/O principles in everyday scenarios and evaluate practical examples of how the field continues to influence talent management. Examined through the scientist-practitioner lens, course material covers both theoretical and real-world applications and addresses the gap between the two. Course topics include job/worker analysis, organizational research methods, employee selection, motivation, attitudes, health and stress, and leadership. Students may not take both IORP E-1501 and PSYC E-1501 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
IORP E-1501
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Carmine P. Gibaldi EdD, Professor of Management and Organizational Psychology, St. John’s University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26885 | Section 2
Description
How would you choose the ideal worker out of 400 applicants? Is it possible to predict employee motivation? Are virtual teams more effective than in-person teams? Questions like these can be answered through the help of industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology, which is the application of psychological theories and principles to the workplace. Examining decades of research from psychology, sociology, management, and statistics, we discuss a wide range of theories and practices which have had an impact on I/O psychology applications. We also focus on how organizations currently use I/O principles in everyday scenarios and evaluate practical examples of how the field continues to influence talent management. Examined through the scientist-practitioner lens, course material covers both theoretical and real-world applications and addresses the gap between the two. Course topics include job/worker analysis, organizational research methods, employee selection, motivation, attitudes, health and stress, and leadership. Students may not take both IORP E-1501 and PSYC E-1501 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
IORP E-1502
Psychometric Theory and Assessment
Daniel A. Schroeder DPhil, President and Chief Executive Officer, Organization Development Consultants, Inc.
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17032 | Section 1
Description
This course exposes the student to the basic principles of test construction and interpretation, including issues related to reliability and validity. Additionally, issues related to test administration, scoring, and reporting are explored, with emphasis given to the ethical uses of tests. Attention is also given to emerging trends in the practical uses and applications of tests. Students may not take both IORP E-1502 and PSYC E-1502 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
IORP E-1502
Psychometric Theory and Assessment
Leanne Tortez PhD, Supervising Research Specialist, Department of Public Social Services, County of Riverside and Assistant Professor, Organizational and Leadership Psychology Department, William James College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17233 | Section 2
Description
This course exposes the student to the basic principles of test construction and interpretation, including issues related to reliability and validity. Additionally, issues related to test administration, scoring, and reporting are explored, with emphasis given to the ethical uses of tests. Attention is also given to emerging trends in the practical uses and applications of tests. Students may not take both IORP E-1502 and PSYC E-1502 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
IORP E-1502
Psychometric Theory and Assessment
Daniel A. Schroeder DPhil, President and Chief Executive Officer, Organization Development Consultants, Inc.
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26672 | Section 2
Description
This course exposes the student to the basic principles of test construction and interpretation, including issues related to reliability and validity. Additionally, issues related to test administration, scoring, and reporting are explored, with emphasis given to the ethical uses of tests. Attention is also given to emerging trends in the practical uses and applications of tests. Students may not take both IORP E-1502 and PSYC E-1502 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
IORP E-1520
Leading for Workplace Well-Being and Organizational Health
Maren Wright Voss PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17369 | Section 1
Description
This course examines how leaders can create and sustain healthy work environments that drive organizational success. It introduces students to the field of occupational health psychology, a specialty within industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology that conducts research and consulting for business. Drawing from the fields of management, behavioral science, and occupational health, students identify workplace risks, measure well-being outcomes, and analyze case-based studies to effectively prioritize worker well-being. Topics range from fundamentals in occupational safety and health compliance to the strategic role of leadership in building cultures of trust, psychological safety, and resilience. Special attention is given to how demographic shifts, remote and hybrid work models, and rapid technological changes create both challenges and opportunities for occupational and organizational health. The goal is to equip human resource professionals, leaders, and management with the knowledge and skills to foster workplaces where employees thrive ultimately creating sustainable, high-performance organizations
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ISMT E-599
Capstone Seminar in Digital Enterprise
Zoya Kinstler PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24470 | Section 1
Description
This interactive, fast-paced course focuses on digital technologies as tools for achieving business goals. A digital enterprise is defined as an organization that uses digital technologies for operating its business processes; interacting with customers, employees, and partners; and/or making connected, smart products and services. Through readings and case studies, we learn how companies transform their organizations and their information technology (IT) platforms by taking advantage of such capabilities as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, robotic automation, and internet-of-things (IoT) connectivity. Then we roll up our sleeves and build a capstone project, architecting a digital solution for a realistic business scenario. The course brings together topics learned throughout the students’ graduate coursework and creates a collaborative learning experience via lectures, readings, case studies, independent research, and intensive teamwork. The course addresses topics that cross the domains of software engineering and enterprise architecture. It focuses on IT practices in business organizations, blending managerial and technical perspectives in each topic. A special emphasis is placed on the transformative impact by current digital technologies on the enterprise-scale, complex software systems. Among the terms covered in the course are enterprise architecture, software application, business process, digital platforms and technologies, service management, and technology implementation framework.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates for the Master of Liberal Arts, information management systems. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be good academic standing and have completed at least nine courses toward the degree, including all the core degree requirements. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Friday, February 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, February 21, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, February 22, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ITAL E-1
Intensive Elementary Italian I
Antonio Di Sanzo PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14477 | Section 1
Description
Conducted in Italian, this course is designed for beginners with no knowledge of Italian. The aim of the course is to develop oral expression, listening comprehension, reading, and writing skills. Class time is devoted to paired, group, and cultural activities.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ITAL E-2
Intensive Elementary Italian II
Antonio Di Sanzo PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25529 | Section 1
Description
This course is conducted in Italian. Aural-oral skills and conversational patterns are further developed through in-class paired and group activities and discussion of current events.
Prerequisites: ITAL E-1 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
JAPA E-1
Elementary Japanese I
Ikue Shingu MA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16324 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for people with little or no background in Japanese. It covers Lessons 1-6 of volume one of the textbook Genki, third edition. Students develop basic conversational skills as well as basic reading and writing skills necessary for situations in daily life.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
JAPA E-2
Elementary Japanese II
Ikue Shingu MA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25912 | Section 1
Description
This course aims to further develop a basic foundation in modern Japanese, leading to proficiency in the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. It covers Lessons 7-12 of volume one of the textbook Genki, third edition.
Prerequisites: JAPA E-1, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
JOUR E-100
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Journalism
June Carolyn Erlick MSJ, Publications Director, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, and Editor-in-Chief, ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15913 | Section 1
Description
This graduate proseminar introduces students to the fundamentals and practices of journalism at the graduate level research, interviewing, reporting, and writing by exposing them to a variety of reporting assignments. Students learn how to construct a lead as well as how to structure a story. They experience the difference between a feature story and a news story by having to write them both.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-100
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Journalism
Matthew Hay Brown MS, Americas Editor, The Washington Post
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26477 | Section 1
Description
This graduate proseminar introduces students to the fundamentals and practices of journalism at the graduate level research, interviewing, reporting, and writing by exposing them to a variety of reporting assignments. Students learn how to construct a lead as well as how to structure a story. They experience the difference between a feature story and a news story by having to write them both.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-110
The Constitution and the Media
Franklin J. Schwarzer JD, Attorney, Schlesinger and Buchbinder, LLP
Elisabeth J. Ryan MPH, JD, Policy Counsel, Everytown for Gun Safety
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 22424 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the concept of freedom of the press the basis for it and the restrictions on it in the United States. We begin by examining the concept of free speech and free press as used in the First Amendment of the US Constitution and trace its historical development to the present. We discuss the ways the Supreme Court has addressed three contentious press issues: the conflict between disclosure and national security (for example, the Pentagon Papers case); the defamation of public figures in news reporting (New York Times Co. v. Sullivan); and reporters’ shield laws and the limits of the journalist’s privilege to keep sources confidential. We examine the role of social media and the spread of misinformation and the ways that freedom of the press can clash with an individual’s right to a fair trial and right to privacy. We also examine the constitutional basis for governmental regulation of broadcast content, campaign finance, advertising, and copyright.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
JOUR E-112
Journalism Ethics in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
June Carolyn Erlick MSJ, Publications Director, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, and Editor-in-Chief, ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27013 | Section 1
Description
How can a reporter balance a public figure’s right to privacy against the public’s right to know? To what degree can anonymity be accepted, especially when it is to protect a vulnerable source like an undocumented immigrant? Should bloggers and influencers be subject to the rules of journalistic ethics? This course examines journalism ethics and responsibilities in the evolving media landscape. We consider core journalistic values truth with accuracy and fairness and then examine a wide range of current ethical issues, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence and social media. Students are expected to keep up with current news and ethical debates through reading community and national legacy newspapers and by following the work of nonprofit journalism organizations that track these issues. We use readings, movies, workshopping, and discussions to explore the role of journalism in democracy.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-135
Commentary and Op-Ed Writing
Matthew Hay Brown MS, Americas Editor, The Washington Post
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16994 | Section 1
Description
The media is awash in opinions. From legacy news organizations to social media to open platforms to podcasts, everyone has access to a megaphone. This course helps students develop the skills they need to be heard above the din. We discuss exemplary editorials, op-ed pieces, reported essays, and criticism and produce our own, focusing on factual reporting, well-supported argument, and powerful, persuasive writing. We meet with practitioners and learn how to pitch our pieces for professional publication.
Prerequisites: An introductory journalism course, some journalism experience, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-137
Feature Writing
Denise Hruby BA, Climate Reporter, The Miami Herald
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17388 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students learn to find and research stories that make good features, conceptualize narratives, and plan reporting trips including identifying compelling characters and approaching and interviewing them, whether they are everyday people, politicians, or experts. By workshopping their stories, students learn to structure engaging narratives, distill key information from their research and interviews, and vividly describe scenes and characters in their writing. While readings and classroom discussions focus on innovative and best practice examples, guest lecturers by both feature writers and editors share insights into their work and the process of creating award-winning features. The course also addresses strategies for getting work published, including successfully communicating with editors and crafting a pitch that draws their attention.
Prerequisites: An introductory journalism course, some journalism experience, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-137
Feature Writing
Ruth Tam BA, Journalist and Podcast Host
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26972 | Section 1
Description
This section of Feature Writing focuses specifically on first-person journalism. Personal essays have been a part of journalism and nonfiction literature for generations. But recently, the heightened interest in creators, and the growth in outlets for personal expression, have caused a boom of first-person storytelling. From TikToks and Instagram reels to essay collections and podcasts, first-person stories are dominating our cultural conversations. But what does it take to tell your own story well? How can you use the tools of journalism to report on yourself and contribute to the larger conversation? In this course, students learn the elements of successful first-person writing and develop their own style and voice. In analyzing others’ work and writing their own short and longform essays, students learn how to weave reporting with first-person narrative storytelling. Writers we read and discuss include Jennifer Senior, Cathy Park Hong, and Kiese Laymon.
Prerequisites: An introductory journalism course, some journalism experience, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-137
Feature Writing
Kim Cross MA, Author
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26490 | Section 2
Description
Feature writing combines the literary craft of fiction with the fact-gathering skills of the journalist, historian, and documentary filmmaker. The best feature stories are both timely and timeless, using a narrative as a vehicle to touch upon something expansive, some universal truth or subtle meaning. Feature stories can take many forms. In this course, we focus on two: a first-person personal narrative (2,000 words) and a third-person reconstructed narrative (3,000 words). A sequence of weekly writing exercises build up to both. Students learn the publishing process from pitch to publication, with emphasis on immersion reporting, interviewing, story structure, editing, and fact-checking. Students also learn organizational techniques essential for stories with many sources and tools that enable them to reconstruct scenes they are not able to witness as a writer. The end goal of this course is to complete and polish two feature stories to submit to a target publication.
Prerequisites: An introductory journalism course, some journalism experience, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-140a
News Reporting and Writing
Matthew Hay Brown MS, Americas Editor, The Washington Post
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17345 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students develop the knowledge and skills needed to cover news. Participants are required to think, report, and write as working journalists. The course operates in the manner of a newsroom. We consider events in real time, break down exemplary coverage across platforms, conceive and develop our own reporting targets, and report, write, and critique pieces. We also discuss ethics and law, the media landscape and the role, rights, and responsibilities of the journalist.
Prerequisites: Basic journalism course or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-161
Podcasting
Iris Adler MA, Journalist and Podcast Consultant
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17352 | Section 1
Description
There are millions of podcasts currently available, and the number of podcasts and the audience for them continues to grow. It has become essential for journalists to gain the skills necessary to create compelling audio stories. In this course, students choose a topic they would like to explore in the podcast format and they develop the skills necessary to produce it: reporting, audio storytelling, scripting, interviewing, and basic audio production.
Prerequisites: Basic journalism course or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Saturday, Sunday, November 8-9, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-170
Food Writing
Ruth Tam BA, Journalist and Podcast Host
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17318 | Section 1
Description
Food writing is often associated with restaurant reviews or top ten lists. But, as a journalistic genre, food writing is less about defining taste or awarding rankings. It is an opportunity to examine one’s self, senses, and surroundings. In this course, students practice food writing with this goal in mind. We discuss the ways food writing weaves the personal and political to critique the systems that govern the way we eat. We study the work of writers like Ruth Reichl, Jessica B. Harris, Siddartha Deb, Jiayang Fan, and Anthony Bourdain. Assigned readings cover personal identity, familial heritage, geopolitical conflict, environmental justice, business practices, and labor standards. We also identify and critique common food writing tropes to surface new ways of discussing what, and how, we eat. Over the course of the semester, students develop their own voice by crafting first-person essays, profiles, features, and recipes inspired by assigned readings, as well as completing one longform project.
Prerequisites: An introductory journalism course, some journalism experience, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-173
Video Storytelling for Social Media
Marisa N. Palmer MA, Communications Specialist, Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16973 | Section 1
Description
What type of content makes the internet tick? 27,000 new users join the internet every hour and digital journalists need to capture their attention by identifying compelling topics and reporting on them from every angle. In addition, real news requires real coverage. Video documentaries provide a multi-sensory insight into the news happening right now. In this light, students select a topic of personal interest (such as social justice, the arts, food, or community), interview a diverse array of experts on that topic, and use basic, accessible camera equipment and professional editing software to produce a final project of a short documentary. Along the way, students develop a fundamental understanding of social video metrics, looking behind the curtain of high-performing videos published on well known platforms. Guest lecturers include producers behind some of the internet’s most eye-catching stories and members of social distribution teams who know how to make videos go viral. By the end of this course, students have a completed video documentary to add to their portfolio.
Prerequisites: Basic journalism course or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-179
Covering Washington
Matthew Hay Brown MS, Americas Editor, The Washington Post
Jessica Gresko MA, News Manager, The Associated Press
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26574 | Section 1
Description
Decisions made in Washington affect every American and the journalism produced in the nation’s capital is some of the most important and impactful work we do. In this course, students conceive, develop, report, and write the investigative story of their choice under the guidance of two veteran Washington journalists and teachers. We study exemplary coverage of Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, federal agencies, lobbying, campaign finance, and politics. Students pitch their story ideas for peer feedback. We meet for a weekend in the capital to visit with newsmakers, professionals, and journalists, and report our stories on the ground.
Prerequisites: A basic journalism course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Saturday, February 28, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Sunday, March 1, 9:00am-5:00pm
Monday, March 2, 9:00am-12:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency (Saturday-Monday) in Washington, DC. Please see syllabus for details about the weekend meeting locations and schedule. Students must be present for the entire weekend session in Washington, DC to earn credit for the course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the weekend session. International Students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
JOUR E-597
Precapstone: Finding and Developing Your Story
Austin B. Bogues MA, News Desk Editor, USA Today
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17418 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students prepare for the work of the capstone project by defining their topic, identifying sources, conducting interviews, and collecting data, facts, and information. The culminating work of the precapstone is a detailed reporting plan and a draft of the first part of the project. Students also complete a self-assessment of their skills as reporters and writers and develop a plan of action for building on them. The precapstone features guest speakers who focus on long-form journalism, interviewing, and investigative reporting skills.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, journalism, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, JOUR E-599a, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
June Carolyn Erlick MSJ, Publications Director, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, and Editor-in-Chief, ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, Harvard University
June Carolyn Erlick MSJ, Publications Director, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, and Editor-in-Chief, ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, Harvard University
JOUR E-599a
Capstone: Crafting Your Story and Engaging Your Audience
Austin B. Bogues MA, News Desk Editor, USA Today
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27078 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students produce the capstone project that they planned in JOUR E-597. We focus on workshopping drafts of the projects, which students revise and edit with the advice of the instructor and peers. The capstone also features guest speakers, including editors of legacy and other publications. The final portion of the course focuses on strategies for pitching and publishing students’ work.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, journalism. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone, JOUR E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
LATI E-1a
Beginning Latin I
Ivy Livingston PhD, Senior Preceptor in Classics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14239 | Section 1
Description
This course is a first step in reading Latin, which was the language not only of ancient Rome, but also of science, culture, and more in Europe until the early modern era and is still in use today. The course focuses on classical Latin (as it would have been written, for example, by Julius Caesar), but engages with a variety of texts including inscriptions and graffiti. Ancient texts are supplemented with modern ones to help develop not only fluency in reading continuous narratives but also the cultural knowledge that is necessary to understand Latin literature.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
LATI E-1b
Beginning Latin II
Ivy Livingston PhD, Senior Preceptor in Classics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25493 | Section 1
Description
This course continues to develop reading ability in Latin, building on the skills learned in LATI E-1a. Readings include inscriptions and short texts mainly from the classical period (such as the poetry of Martial), as well as longer mythological stories written for learners.
Prerequisites: LATI E-1a or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
LATI E-2a
Intermediate Latin I
Ivy Livingston PhD, Senior Preceptor in Classics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16590 | Section 1
Description
This course follows LATI E-1a and LATI E-1b. Students progress from the straightforward narratives and short inscriptions of the introductory courses to more complex authentic and adapted texts. Readings are from the classical period to the middle ages and from various genres, including lyric poetry and history. After this course, students have experience with most of the standard forms and syntax of Latin and should be prepared for further literature courses or independent study.
Prerequisites: LATI E-1a and LATI E-1b or equivalent background; please consult with the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
LATI E-2b
Intermediate Latin II
Ivy Livingston PhD, Senior Preceptor in Classics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26172 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students transition to reading more extensive passages of unadapted literature, beginning with a passage from the Vulgate (the fourth-century Latin translation of the Bible). The main texts are a mythological story of transformation from Ovid’s epic poem, Metamorphoses and part of Julius Caesar’s account of Gallic War. This course is intended for students who have begun (or are beginning) to read classical Latin texts that include all the standard grammatical structures of the language.
Prerequisites: LATI E-2a or equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
LSTU E-130
Introduction to American Law
Havva Guney-Ruebenacker SJD, Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17249 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a general introduction to the law and legal system of the United States, including its history and institutions. Topics include historical background and development of US law, sources of law, the interaction of state and federal law, the structure of the US court system, basic principles and doctrines of common law, the adversary process, and trial by jury. The course also surveys substantive law in a range of selected subject areas and issues, such as Constitutional law, contracts, torts, criminal law, family law, separation of powers, freedom of speech, due process, equal protection, and law and religion. Students are also introduced to some of the most important cases in US legal history.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
LSTU E-131
Start-Ups from the Perspective of Business and Intellectual Property Law
Tiffany Nichols PhD, JD, Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of History, Princeton University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26964 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the intersection between start-ups, entrepreneurship, and intellectual property (IP) law. Students gain skills with navigation of major tenets of intellectual property law including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets as these concepts relate to start-ups and entrepreneurship. Students also gain experience in presenting shark tank and more formal pitches that incorporate references to the IP holdings of start-ups or small businesses. Further, students receive an introduction to the basics of contract instruments which allow for sharing of IP with entities outside of a start-up while protecting the IP of the start-up. Lastly, students are exposed to the IP litigation landscape that start-ups face using actual litigation matters. For example, students are provided with an overview of discovery and gain deposition skills through a hands-on approach. Upon completing the course, students are able to perform basic legal research, understand basic case law, and interpret basic legal documents, such as patent applications and simple confidentiality agreements, which are relevant to start-ups during their funding and growth periods.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
LSTU E-135
Comparative Law
Havva Guney-Ruebenacker SJD, Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26890 | Section 1
Description
This course is a general introduction to the theory and practice of comparative law, with a broad overview of the major legal systems in the world. Based on a comparative study of different legal institutions and traditions in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, the course explores topics such as debates around similarities and differences between civil law and common law, between continental Europe and Anglo-American legal systems, different comparative legal methodologies, and the points of convergence and divergence of different legal systems. Our comparative analysis also includes several examples of global case studies of comparative law in practice, such as legal reception and globalization of law and legal thought, and legal reforms in the areas of law and development, economic reforms, constitutional reforms, democratization, rule of law, human rights, equality, family law reforms, and church-state relationship.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MATH E-10
Precalculus
Carolyn Gardner-Thomas PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 12572 | Section 1
Description
An intensive course for students with superior algebra skills who want to enroll in MATH E-15 the following term. During the semester, linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, polynomial, and rational functions are discussed. Requires the use of a graphing calculator. Students enrolling for graduate credit participate in weekly pedagogical seminars designed for current and future K-12 teachers.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory placement test score.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-10
Precalculus
Carolyn Gardner-Thomas PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 22379 | Section 1
Description
An intensive course for students with superior algebra skills who want to enroll in MATH E-15 the following term. During the semester, linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, polynomial, and rational functions are discussed. Requires the use of a graphing calculator. Students enrolling for graduate credit participate in weekly pedagogical seminars designed for current and future K-12 teachers.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory placement test score.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-115
Introduction to Complex Analysis
Aubrey Clayton PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26355 | Section 1
Description
Complex analysis is the study of functions of a complex variable. A complex variable (z) can take on the value of a complex number (x + iy), where i is the unit imaginary number and x and y represent real numbers. Differentiation and integration of complex functions involve procedures used to differentiate and integrate functions of real numbers. Thus, if you enjoyed calculus of real variables, you would enjoy complex analysis. During the semester, we discuss limits, continuity, differentiation, and integration involving exponential, logarithmic, power, trigonometric, hyperbolic, inverse trigonometric, and inverse hyperbolic complex functions. Cauchy-Riemann equations, analytic functions, harmonic functions, Cauchy-Goursat theorem, Taylor series, Laurent series, and Cauchy’s residue theorem are also discussed.
Prerequisites: Math E-21a or equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-116
Mathematical Modeling
Zhiming Kuang PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Science and of Applied Mathematics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26846 | Section 1
Description
Mathematical models are ubiquitous, providing a quantitative framework for understanding, prediction, and decision-making in nearly every aspect of life, ranging from the timing of traffic lights, to the control of the spread of disease, to resource management, to sports. They also play a fundamental role in all natural sciences and increasingly in the social sciences as well. This course provides an introduction to modeling through in-depth discussions of a series of examples and hands-on exercises and projects that make use of a range of continuous and discrete mathematical tools. Students may not take both APMA E-115 (offered previously) and MATH E-116 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: MATH E-21a and MATH E-21b or permission of instructor. Knowledge of some programming language is helpful, but not necessary, as we introduce Matlab to those with no previous experience. Students must have Matlab installed on their computers. Students proficient in Python are welcome to use that language instead of Matlab.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Applied Mathematics 115. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting January 27 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
MATH E-142
Mathematics for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Kristiaan B. Lokere ALM
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27005 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches the mathematics needed to understand how artificial intelligence (AI) works under the hood. As machine learning becomes more ubiquitous and the software libraries easier to use, developers may become unaware of the underlying design decisions, and therefore the limitations and possible biases, of machine learning algorithms. This course aims to bridge the gap between a thorough knowledge of mathematics and the machine learning methods that are based on it. We start with an intensive review of concepts from linear algebra, analytic geometry, vector calculus, optimization, and probability, and then apply them in detail to machine learning methods such as regression, dimensionality reduction, density estimation with Gaussian mixture models, and classification with support vector machines.
Prerequisites: At least two of the following courses or their equivalent: MATH E-21a, MATH E-23a, and STAT E-150.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
MATH E-15
Calculus 1
Eric C. Towne AB, Curriculum Advisor, Advanced Placement Calculus, The College Board
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 10436 | Section 1
Description
This is a complete course in first-semester calculus. Topics include the meaning, use, and interpretation of the derivative; techniques of differentiation; applications to curve sketching and optimization in a variety of disciplines; the definite integral and some applications; and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Students enrolling for graduate credit participate in weekly pedagogical seminars designed for current and future K-12 teachers.
Prerequisites: MATH E-10, or the equivalent, or satisfactory placement test score. The graduate-credit option is available only to students participating in the Extension School’s mathematics for teaching program.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections for graduate-credit students to be arranged. Optional sections for all students Thursdays, 7-8 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MATH E-15
Calculus 1
Eric C. Towne AB, Curriculum Advisor, Advanced Placement Calculus, The College Board
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 20399 | Section 1
Description
This is a complete course in first-semester calculus. Topics include the meaning, use, and interpretation of the derivative; techniques of differentiation; applications to curve sketching and optimization in a variety of disciplines; the definite integral and some applications; and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Students enrolling for graduate credit participate in weekly pedagogical seminars designed for current and future K-12 teachers.
Prerequisites: MATH E-10, or the equivalent, or satisfactory placement test score. The graduate-credit option is available only to students participating in the Extension School’s mathematics for teaching program.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections for graduate-credit students to be arranged. Optional sections for all students Thursdays, 7-8 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MATH E-156
Mathematical Statistics
Dmitry V. Kurochkin PhD, Senior Research Analyst, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Office for Faculty Affairs, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16470 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to mathematical statistics and data analysis. It starts by introducing central concepts of probability theory (events, probability measure, random variables, distributions, joint distributions, and conditional distributions) and then moves on to the development of mathematical foundations of statistical inference. Topics covered in the course include random variables, expectations, parameter estimation (method of moments, method of maximum likelihood, and Bayesian approach), properties of point estimators (bias, variance, consistency, and efficiency), confidence intervals, hypotheses testing, likelihood ratio test, data summary methods, and introduction to linear regression. A class of distributions, including chi-squared, t, and F distributions, the distributions derived from normal that occur in many applications of hypothesis testing and statistical inference, is introduced.
Prerequisites: MATH E-15 or equivalent. No prior knowledge of probability is assumed. Students are required to take a short pretest at the beginning of the course. The pretest score does not count toward the final grade but helps students understand whether their background in calculus positions them for success in this course.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 8:00pm-10:00pm, 1 Story Street 306
Optional sections Fridays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-16
Calculus 2 with Series and Differential Equations
Srdjan Divac MA, Lecturer on Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 10437 | Section 1
Description
This course covers integration, differential equations, and Taylor series with applications. It covers most of the topics in a second-semester calculus course with the emphasis on applications as well as graphical and numerical work. The use of a graphing calculator with the capability of computing (approximating) definite integrals is required. Students enrolling for graduate credit participate in weekly pedagogical seminars designed for current and future K-12 teachers.
Prerequisites: MATH E-15, or the equivalent in other words, an excellent working knowledge of first-semester calculus, including the trigonometric and logarithmic functions, or satisfactory placement test score.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Optional sections Mondays, 6-7:30 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-16
Calculus 2 with Series and Differential Equations
Srdjan Divac MA, Lecturer on Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 20395 | Section 1
Description
This course covers integration, differential equations, and Taylor series with applications. It covers most of the topics in a second-semester calculus course with the emphasis on applications as well as graphical and numerical work. The use of a graphing calculator with the capability of computing (approximating) definite integrals is required. Students enrolling for graduate credit participate in weekly pedagogical seminars designed for current and future K-12 teachers.
Prerequisites: MATH E-15, or the equivalent in other words, an excellent working knowledge of first-semester calculus, including the trigonometric and logarithmic functions, or satisfactory placement test score.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Optional sections Mondays, 6-7:30 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-21a
Multivariable Calculus
Robert Winters PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 11648 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the following topics: calculus of functions of several variables; vectors and vector-valued functions; parameterized curves and surfaces; vector fields; partial derivatives and gradients; optimization; method of Lagrange multipliers; integration over regions in R2 and R3; integration over curves and surfaces; Green’s theorem, Stokes’s theorem, Divergence theorem.
Prerequisites: MATH E-16, or the equivalent; placement test is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:00pm-10:00pm, Harvard Hall 101
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-21b
Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
Robert Winters PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 21474 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the following topics: solving systems of linear equations; matrices and linear transformations; image and kernel of a linear transformation; matrices and coordinates relative to different bases; determinants; eigenvalues and eigenvectors; discrete and continuous dynamical systems; least-squares approximation; applications, differential equations, and function spaces.
Prerequisites: MATH E-16 or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor; some familiarity with vectors; general familiarity with matrix-capable calculators or mathematical software; the placement test is recommended but not required.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:00pm-10:00pm, Harvard Hall 101
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-21c
Ordinary Differential Equations
Robert Winters PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16432 | Section 1
Description
This course covers ordinary differential equations (ODEs); continuous models; analytic, graphical, and numerical solutions; input-response formulation of linear ODEs; systems of first-order ODEs and matrix exponentials; and nonlinear systems and phase-plane analysis.
Prerequisites: One variable calculus; some familiarity with multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and complex numbers.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-23a
Linear Algebra and Real Analysis I
Kristiaan B. Lokere ALM
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17219 | Section 1
Description
This is the first half of an integrated treatment of linear algebra, real analysis, and multivariable calculus. By combining these disciplines into one course, we show important relations between each, which allows us to use results from one topic to gain deeper understanding of other topics. We cover matrices, eigenvectors, dot and cross products, limits, continuity, and differentiability, all in multiple dimensions, with an introduction to manifolds. This course covers both mathematical proofs as well as applications. Students learn to write more than twenty important proofs and see how proof-based mathematics prepares them for applications in engineering, economics, data science, and artificial intelligence.
Prerequisites: A grade of A in MATH E-16 or the equivalent. Some experience with multivariable calculus and linear algebra is not necessary but preferred.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
MATH E-3
Quantitative Reasoning: Practical Math
Graeme D. Bird PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 12500 | Section 1
Description
This course reviews basic arithmetical procedures and their use in everyday mathematics. It also includes an introduction to basic statistics covering such topics as the interpretation of numerical data, graph reading, hypothesis testing, and simple linear regression. No previous knowledge of these tools is assumed. Microsoft Excel is introduced and some practical uses of it are demonstrated. Recommendations for calculators are made during the first class.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:00pm-10:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-3
Quantitative Reasoning: Practical Math
Graeme D. Bird PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 20389 | Section 1
Description
This course reviews basic arithmetical procedures and their use in everyday mathematics. It also includes an introduction to basic statistics covering such topics as the interpretation of numerical data, graph reading, hypothesis testing, and simple linear regression. No previous knowledge of these tools is assumed. Microsoft Excel is introduced and some practical uses of it are demonstrated. Recommendations for calculators are made during the first class.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:00pm-10:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-300
Mathematical Foundations for Teaching Secondary School Math
Andrew Engelward PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13787 | Section 1
Description
Why do students have such a difficult time with basic math concepts such as working with fractions and negative numbers? It could be because arithmetic is significantly more complex than we initially suspect. For instance, the symbol ½ has at least four different interpretations, and students need to be able to quickly figure out which interpretation will be of most use for solving a particular problem. This course was created for middle and high school mathematics teachers to give them a chance to explore the inner workings of fundamental mathematical concepts involved in arithmetic as well as the basis for working with a variety of number systems. The course deconstructs basic math concepts that many people often take for granted, but yet which can continue to give students difficulties throughout their school years. The course emphasizes mathematical reasoning rather than memorizing facts and formulas. In addition to the mathematical content, we also discuss how different methods of teaching affect students differently and we explore a variety of activities and games that teachers can bring to their own classrooms to enhance their students’ understanding and enjoyment of mathematics.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with K-12 mathematics.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-301
Elementary Number Theory
Aubrey Clayton PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16762 | Section 1
Description
Number theory can be used to find the greatest common divisor, determine whether a number is prime, and solve Diophantine equations. With the improvement of computer technology, number theory also helps us to protect private information by encrypting it as it travels through the internet. During the course, we discuss mathematical induction, division and Euclidean algorithms, the Diophantine equation ax + by = c, the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, prime numbers and their distribution, the Goldbach conjecture, congruences, the Chinese remainder theorem, Fermat’s theorem, Wilson’s theorem, Euler’s theorem, and cryptography. Additional topics may include number-theoretic functions, primitive roots, and the quadratic reciprocity law.
Prerequisites: MATH E-8 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-305
Mathematical Connections: Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry
Paul G. Bamberg DPhil, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27075 | Section 1
Description
Algebra is often considered the language of mathematics, for good reason. In this advanced algebra course we conduct a series of in-depth explorations of this rich, fascinating subject, taking on topics involving the form and function of polynomials, such as analyzing polynomials using difference tables (connecting with ideas leading to calculus), and touching on the concept of infinite polynomials. We also investigate sequences and series arithmetic, geometric, as well as other types; explore complex numbers and their geometry; and thoroughly develop trigonometric functions and identities.
Prerequisites: Proficiency in solving algebraic equations and familiarity with K-12 mathematics.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-345
Math Teacher Leadership
Carolyn Gardner-Thomas PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16409 | Section 1
Description
This course supports math teacher leadership knowledge and skill development through investigations of practice, reflections, design, and implementation of programs oriented to address dynamic contextual school situations. Using research-based frameworks for teacher leadership development, we explore strategies to drive school improvement efforts in mathematics teaching, learning, and school culture. Students engage with collaborative and system-based approaches for timely, relevant, data-informed, and sustainable mathematics education improvement. The course is designed for math teachers and administrators interested in formal and informal coaching and mentoring of math teachers, the design and facilitation of professional development experiences for math teachers, and transformational leadership in mathematics education.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of number systems, algebra, and other standard precalculus mathematics. A minimum of three years of teaching mathematics is assumed.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-599
Teaching Projects: Math for Teaching Capstone
Carolyn Gardner-Thomas PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27073 | Section 1
Description
This course is intended to give current and aspiring secondary math teachers an opportunity to become engaged in a variety of teaching-related projects. In the first part of the course, participants research a current topic in mathematics education through the use of journal articles, presenting their findings to the math for teaching community. In the second part, students design and present teaching activities using the current research and learning technologies that support students’ mathematical thinking. In addition, students contribute blog entries to a math for teaching blog.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates for the Master of Liberal Arts, mathematics for teaching, capstone track. Prospective degree candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May, with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-6
Mathematics and the Greeks
Graeme D. Bird PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23689 | Section 1
Description
In this course we seek to understand how the ancient Greeks thought about mathematics by focusing on three activities: finding solutions and proofs for simple numerical problems, drawing geometrical constructions using compasses and straightedge, and reading brief historical abstracts by and about early Greek mathematicians. Students also learn the Greek alphabet to enable them to read a few common mathematical terms. Graduate-credit students either write a research paper on some aspect of Greek mathematics or prepare a series of lesson plans showing how a section of the course material could be taught in high schools.
Prerequisites: High school algebra, MATH E-8, or a grade of B-plus or higher in MATH E-3.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:00pm-10:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-8
College Algebra
David Abbruzzese, Jr. BSEE
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17376 | Section 1
Description
This course reviews arithmetic and covers algebraic expressions and equations; their manipulation and use in problem solving; word problems; and an introduction to inequalities, absolute values, and graphing. This course features some of the same topics as MATH E-10, but at a slower pace and more introductory level. In addition, it does not cover trigonometry and sinusoidal functions, which are discussed in depth in MATH E-10.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory placement test score.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 pm, and Sundays, 6-7 pm.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MATH E-8
College Algebra
David Abbruzzese, Jr. BSEE
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 20393 | Section 1
Description
This course reviews arithmetic and covers algebraic expressions and equations; their manipulation and use in problem solving; word problems; and an introduction to inequalities, absolute values, and graphing. This course features some of the same topics as MATH E-10, but at a slower pace and more introductory level. In addition, it does not cover trigonometry and sinusoidal functions, which are discussed in depth in MATH E-10.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory placement test score.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 pm, and Sundays, 6-7 pm.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MGMT E-10
HBS CORe: Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15074 | Section 1
Description
The Credential of Readiness (CORe program) is a primer on the fundamentals of business offered through Harvard Business School Online. Developed and taught by Harvard Business School faculty, this course covers business analytics, economics for managers, and financial accounting the essentials to contribute to business discussions and decision-making. The business analytics portion is taught by Janice Hammond and introduces quantitative methods used to analyze data and make better management decisions. The economics for managers portion is taught by Bharat Anand and applies fundamental economic principles to business decisions, covering customer demand, supplier cost, pricing, markets, and differentiation. The financial accounting portion is taught by V.G. Narayanan and teaches key accounting concepts and principles to illuminate financial statements and unlock critical insights into business performance and potential. All learning materials and instructor and participant interaction take place within the online HBS Online learning environment. Although the professors do not have direct real-time interaction with students, they have developed short video lectures, cases, exercises, and other interactive learning elements to create a highly engaging educational experience. Participants typically learn as much (if not more) from thoughtful participation and from peers in this active learning ecosystem as they do from faculty content. For more information see HBS Online’s CORe webpage. Students who have previously enrolled in HBS Online’s Financial Accounting, MGMT E-10 (or MGMT S-10), HBS Online’s CORe, or the HBS Online section of MGMT E-1000 (or MGMT S-1000), and were still enrolled after the 100% refund deadline are not eligible to enroll in MGMT E-10.
Prerequisites: To register for this course, students must apply to and be admitted by HBS Online for the September cohort. Apply now. If accepted, registration transactions must all be done on the HBS Online website. For more information, visit the HBS Online support portal. After registering with HBS Online, students receiving financial aid or any other type of financial assistance (for example, consortium agreements) should contact the Extension School Student Financial Services office at studentfinance@extension.harvard.edu.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 03, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $4,320.
Credits: 8
Notes:
This course is graded pass/fail with grades of high honors, honors, pass, or fail. Extension of time (EXT) grades are not available. Harvard University’s Tuition Assistance Plan (TAP) cannot be used. Certain other tuition discounts and scholarships are also excluded. Admission, registration, refund, make-up exam, and grading policies are determined by the HBS Online CORe administration and have precedence over corresponding Extension School policies.
- Last day to apply: August 25
- Last day to register: August 28
- Course start date: September 3
- Last day to drop for 100% tuition refund, minus the HBS Online $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee: September 4
MGMT E-10
HBS CORe: Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24586 | Section 1
Description
The Credential of Readiness (CORe program) is a primer on the fundamentals of business offered through Harvard Business School Online. Developed and taught by Harvard Business School faculty, this course covers business analytics, economics for managers, and financial accounting the essentials to contribute to business discussions and decision-making. The business analytics portion is taught by Janice Hammond and introduces quantitative methods used to analyze data and make better management decisions. The economics for managers portion is taught by Bharat Anand and applies fundamental economic principles to business decisions, covering customer demand, supplier cost, pricing, markets, and differentiation. The financial accounting portion is taught by V.G. Narayanan and teaches key accounting concepts and principles to illuminate financial statements and unlock critical insights into business performance and potential. All learning materials and instructor and participant interaction take place within the online HBS Online learning environment. Although the professors do not have direct real-time interaction with students, they have developed short video lectures, cases, exercises, and other interactive learning elements to create a highly engaging educational experience. Participants typically learn as much (if not more) from thoughtful participation and from peers in this active learning ecosystem as they do from faculty content. Students registered in CORe will be required to keep up with the course material during the Harvard Extension School’s Spring Break. For more information see HBS Online’s CORe webpage. Students who have previously enrolled in HBS Online’s Financial Accounting, MGMT E-10 (or MGMT S-10), HBS Online’s CORe, or the HBS Online section of MGMT E-1000 (or MGMT S-1000), and were still enrolled after the 100% refund deadline are not eligible to enroll in MGMT E-10.
Prerequisites: To register for this course, students must apply to and be admitted by HBS Online for the January cohort. Apply now. If accepted, registration transactions must all be done on the HBS Online website. For more information, visit the HBS Online support portal. After registering with HBS Online, students receiving financial aid or any other type of financial assistance (for example, consortium agreements) should contact the Extension School Student Financial Services office at studentfinance@extension.harvard.edu.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 13, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $4,320.
Credits: 8
Notes:
This course is graded pass/fail with grades of high honors, honors, pass, or fail. Extension of time (EXT) grades are not available. Harvard University’s Tuition Assistance Plan (TAP) cannot be used. Certain other tuition discounts and scholarships are also excluded. Admission, registration, refund, make-up exam, and grading policies are determined by the HBS Online CORe administration and have precedence over corresponding Extension School policies.
- Last day to apply: January 5
- Last day to register: January 8
- Course start date: January 13
- Last day to drop for 100% tuition refund, minus the HBS Online $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee: January 14
MGMT E-1000
Financial Accounting Principles
Andrew Azer MS, Assurance Senior Manager, CohnReznick
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16426 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the generally accepted principles that govern an entity’s financial accounting system and the income statement and balance sheet that are the principal end products of the system. Students learn how accounting information is used to evaluate the performance and financial status of an organization, both by managers within the organization and by shareholders, lenders, and other outside parties. Students who have completed MGMT E-10 may not count this course toward the ALB degree. Students may not take both MGMT E-1000 and ECON S-1900 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MGMT E-1000
Financial Accounting Principles
V.G. Narayanan PhD, Thomas D. Casserly, Jr. Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
Michele Jurgens MBA, PhD, Senior Researcher, HBS Online, Harvard Business School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15877 | Section 2
Description
Financial accounting is the backbone of any well-run business. Be it a Fortune 500 company, a start-up, or a nonprofit, having a solid understanding of financial accounting is essential for business success. This course teaches students the fundamentals of financial accounting. Starting with the basics of recording transactions as journal entries and posting them to T-accounts, students learn how to prepare a balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Equipped with an understanding of the building blocks of financial statements, students learn how to analyze them and calculate and interpret critical ratios. The course concludes with an introduction to forecasting and valuation where students learn to prepare forecasted financial statements and make capital budgeting decisions using tools such as net present value and internal rate of return calculations. Throughout the course both United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and international financial reporting standards (IFRS) are considered. This course is delivered through the HBS Online Core platform and the Harvard Canvas platform. It features the educational material developed by Harvard Business School (HBS) and HBS Online for use by students seeking to become proficient in financial accounting principles and practices. In addition to the fully online pre-recorded portion, the course features eight live review sessions led by teaching fellows on Zoom, allowing students to apply and deepen their understanding of the basic accounting concepts. The review sessions, homework assignments, and additional elements in the course are delivered through Canvas. Students who have previously enrolled in HBS Online’s Financial Accounting, MGMT E-10 (or MGMT S-10), HBS Online’s CORe, or the HBS Online section of MGMT E-1000 (or MGMT S-1000), and were still enrolled after the 100 percent refund deadline are not eligible to enroll in this section of MGMT E-1000. They will be dropped from the course. Students may not count this course toward the HBS Online noncredit CORe or the HBS Online Financial Accounting Certificate. Students may not take both MGMT E-1000 and ECON S-1900 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged. Sections meet roughly every other week via live web conference starting the first week of classes. Students sign up for sections (first come, first served) on the Canvas course website. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Registration for this section of MGMT E-1000 ends on August 28 for all students.
- Last day to register: August 28
- Last day to make credit status changes or drop for 100% tuition refund: September 9
- Last day to drop for 50% tuition refund: September 16
- Last day to withdraw for WD grade: November 21
MGMT E-1000
Financial Accounting Principles
James F. White MBA, Executive Director and System Controller, Boston Medical Center Health System
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26859 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the generally accepted principles that govern an entity’s financial accounting system and the income statement and balance sheet that are the principal end products of the system. Students learn how accounting information is used to evaluate the performance and financial status of an organization, both by managers within the organization and by shareholders, lenders, and other outside parties. Students who have completed MGMT E-10 may not count this course toward the ALB degree. Students may not take both MGMT E-1000 and ECON S-1900 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 300 students
MGMT E-1000
Financial Accounting Principles
V.G. Narayanan PhD, Thomas D. Casserly, Jr. Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
Michele Jurgens MBA, PhD, Senior Researcher, HBS Online, Harvard Business School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25179 | Section 2
Description
Financial accounting is the backbone of any well-run business. Be it a Fortune 500 company, a start-up, or a nonprofit, having a solid understanding of financial accounting is essential for business success. This course teaches students the fundamentals of financial accounting. Starting with the basics of recording transactions as journal entries and posting them to T-accounts, students learn how to prepare a balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Equipped with an understanding of the building blocks of financial statements, students learn how to analyze them and calculate and interpret critical ratios. The course concludes with an introduction to forecasting and valuation where students learn to prepare forecasted financial statements and make capital budgeting decisions using tools such as net present value and internal rate of return calculations. Throughout the course both United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and international financial reporting standards (IFRS) are considered. This course is delivered through the HBS Online Core platform and the Harvard Canvas platform. It features the educational material developed by Harvard Business School (HBS) and HBS Online for use by students seeking to become proficient in financial accounting principles and practices. In addition to the fully online pre-recorded portion, the course features eight live review sessions led by teaching fellows on Zoom, allowing students to apply and deepen their understanding of the basic accounting concepts. The review sessions, homework assignments, and additional elements in the course are delivered through Canvas. Students who have previously enrolled in HBS Online’s Financial Accounting, MGMT E-10 (or MGMT S-10), HBS Online’s CORe, or the HBS Online section of MGMT E-1000 (or MGMT S-1000), and were still enrolled after the 100 percent refund deadline are not eligible to enroll in this section of MGMT E-1000. They will be dropped from the course. Students may not count this course toward the HBS Online noncredit CORe or the HBS Online Financial Accounting Certificate. Students may not take both MGMT E-1000 and ECON S-1900 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged. Sections meet roughly every other week via live web conference starting the first week of classes. Students sign up for sections (first come, first served) on the Canvas course website. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Registration for this section of MGMT E-1000 ends on January 22 for all students.
- Last day to register: January 22
- Last day to make credit status changes or drop for 100% tuition refund: February 2
- Last day to drop for 50% tuition refund: February 9
- Last day to withdraw for WD grade: April 17
MGMT E-104
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for Economics and Finance
Sudhakar Raju PhD, Professor of Finance and Data Science, Rockhurst University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16613 | Section 1
Description
This course is a rigorous introduction to quantitative methods for students intending to study economics, finance, accounting, marketing, and management science. Examples are drawn from these areas. Topics covered include probability distributions, statistical inference, multiple linear regression, logistic regression, optimization, and machine learning. This course focuses on applications, illustrating concepts with datasets. The statistical programming language, R, is completely integrated into the course. Students may count one of the following courses toward a degree or certificate, but not more than one: MGMT E-104, STAT E-100, STAT E-101 (offered previously), STAT E-102, or STAT E-104.
Prerequisites: Prior college-level course in statistics, and prior courses in economics or finance recommended. Familiarity with Excel. Familiarity with R is desirable but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
MGMT E-104
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for Economics and Finance
Alexis Montecinos PhD, Assistant Professor, Finance, Suffolk University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27076 | Section 1
Description
This course is a rigorous introduction to quantitative methods for students intending to study economics, finance, accounting, marketing, and management science. Examples are drawn from these areas. Topics covered include probability distributions, statistical inference, multiple linear regression, logistic regression, optimization, and machine learning. This course focuses on applications, illustrating concepts with datasets. The statistical programming language, Python, is completely integrated into the course. Students may count one of the following courses toward a degree or certificate, but not more than one: MGMT E-104, STAT E-100, STAT E-101 (offered previously), STAT E-102, or STAT E-104.
Prerequisites: Prior college-level course in statistics, and prior courses in economics or finance recommended. Familiarity with Excel. Familiarity with Python is desirable but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-104
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for Economics and Finance
Sudhakar Raju PhD, Professor of Finance and Data Science, Rockhurst University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26002 | Section 2
Description
This course is a rigorous introduction to quantitative methods for students intending to study economics, finance, accounting, marketing, and management science. Examples are drawn from these areas. Topics covered include probability distributions, statistical inference, multiple linear regression, logistic regression, optimization, and machine learning. This course focuses on applications, illustrating concepts with datasets. The statistical programming language, R, is completely integrated into the course. Students may count one of the following courses toward a degree or certificate, but not more than one: MGMT E-104, STAT E-100, STAT E-101 (offered previously), STAT E-102, or STAT E-104.
Prerequisites: Prior college-level course in statistics, and prior courses in economics or finance recommended. Familiarity with Excel. Familiarity with R is desirable but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
MGMT E-1300
Nonprofit and Governmental Accounting
James F. White MBA, Executive Director and System Controller, Boston Medical Center Health System
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26675 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the fundamentals of accounting and finance associated with governmental and nonprofit organizations. It emphasizes the issues related to fund accounting including general and special revenue funds, debt service funds, capital project funds, internal service funds, and enterprise and fiduciary funds. It emphasizes the issues related to net asset accounting including unrestricted net assets and restricted net assets (temporarily and permanently restricted). A detailed review of the complete preparation of financial statements for both governmental and nonprofit organizations is a core concept in the course. There is a review of the concepts associated with long-term debt and fixed-asset accounting, planning and control of cash and temporary investments, budgeting and budgetary control, management control and financial reporting, strategic planning, program analysis, measurement of output, reporting on performance, external auditing cost determination, and tax levies.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000 is helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-1600
Managerial Accounting
Andrew Azer MS, Assurance Senior Manager, CohnReznick
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16398 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the basic principles, methods, and challenges of modern managerial accounting. It covers traditional topics such as job-order costing, cost-volume-profit analysis, budgeting and variance analysis, profitability analysis, relevant costs for decision-making, and cost-plus pricing, as well as emerging topics such as activity-based cost (ABC) accounting. The material is examined from the perspective of students preparing to use management accounting information as managers, to support decision-making such as pricing, product mix, sourcing, and technology decisions, and short- and long-term planning; and to measure, evaluate, and reward performance. This course emphasizes the relationships between accounting techniques and other organizational activities, such as strategy and motivation. Students may not take both MGMT E-1600 and ECON S-1901 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MGMT E-1600
Managerial Accounting
Andrew Azer MS, Assurance Senior Manager, CohnReznick
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26844 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the basic principles, methods, and challenges of modern managerial accounting. It covers traditional topics such as job-order costing, cost-volume-profit analysis, budgeting and variance analysis, profitability analysis, relevant costs for decision-making, and cost-plus pricing, as well as emerging topics such as activity-based cost (ABC) accounting. The material is examined from the perspective of students preparing to use management accounting information as managers, to support decision-making such as pricing, product mix, sourcing, and technology decisions, and short- and long-term planning; and to measure, evaluate, and reward performance. This course emphasizes the relationships between accounting techniques and other organizational activities, such as strategy and motivation. Students may not take both MGMT E-1600 and ECON S-1901 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 9:45pm-11:45pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MGMT E-2000
Principles of Finance
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13407 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introductory survey of the field of finance. It examines the agents, instruments, and institutions that make up the financial system of the modern economy, such as bonds, the stock market, derivatives, and the money market. Along the way, standard concepts and tools of financial analysis are introduced: present discounted value, option value, and the efficient markets hypothesis. Recent developments in the field in particular, the application of psychology to financial markets (called behavioral finance) are also discussed. The course is designed to equip students with the tools they need to make their own financial decisions with greater skill and confidence. Specifically, we see how insights from academic finance can inform and improve students’ own investing decisions.
Prerequisites: High school algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MGMT E-2000
Principles of Finance
Gregory Sabin DBA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16378 | Section 2
Description
This course provides an introductory survey of the field of finance. It examines the agents, instruments, and institutions that make up the financial system of the modern economy, such as bonds, the stock market, derivatives, and the money market. Along the way, standard concepts and tools of financial analysis are introduced: present discounted value, option value, and the efficient markets hypothesis. Recent developments in the field in particular, the application of psychology to financial markets (called behavioral finance) are also discussed. The course is designed to equip students with the tools they need to make their own financial decisions with greater skill and confidence. Specifically, we see how insights from academic finance can inform and improve students’ own investing decisions.
Prerequisites: High school algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MGMT E-2000
Principles of Finance
Gregory Sabin DBA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26202 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introductory survey of the field of finance. It examines the agents, instruments, and institutions that make up the financial system of the modern economy, such as bonds, the stock market, derivatives, and the money market. Along the way, standard concepts and tools of financial analysis are introduced: present discounted value, option value, and the efficient markets hypothesis. Recent developments in the field in particular, the application of psychology to financial markets (called behavioral finance) are also discussed. The course is designed to equip students with the tools they need to make their own financial decisions with greater skill and confidence. Specifically, we see how insights from academic finance can inform and improve students’ own investing decisions.
Prerequisites: High school algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MGMT E-2000
Principles of Finance
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23258 | Section 2
Description
This course provides an introductory survey of the field of finance. It examines the agents, instruments, and institutions that make up the financial system of the modern economy, such as bonds, the stock market, derivatives, and the money market. Along the way, standard concepts and tools of financial analysis are introduced: present discounted value, option value, and the efficient markets hypothesis. Recent developments in the field in particular, the application of psychology to financial markets (called behavioral finance) are also discussed. The course is designed to equip students with the tools they need to make their own financial decisions with greater skill and confidence. Specifically, we see how insights from academic finance can inform and improve students’ own investing decisions.
Prerequisites: High school algebra.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MGMT E-2020
Managerial Finance
Bulent Aybar PhD, Professor of International Finance, Southern New Hampshire University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16043 | Section 1
Description
The objective of the course is to provide the student with the basic analytical tools required to make value-creating financial decisions. The student is provided with an introduction to theoretical foundations and practical applications in financial decision-making. Topics covered in the course include analysis of financial and operating performance, assessment of financial health, financial planning, working capital and growth management, the time value of money, risk-return trade off, valuation of financial and real assets, investment, funding, and distribution decisions in the context of nonfinancial firms.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-2035
Principles of Real Estate
Teo Nicolais MS, Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14821 | Section 1
Description
This course offers practical, real-world knowledge for investing in real estate. It is designed both for those pursuing an active career in the industry as well as individuals interested in building wealth through passive real estate holdings. Students learn what really drives land values, explore how market forces shape a city, and where to look for future growth. Students practice spotting investment opportunities in the lifecycles of properties, neighborhoods, and cities and study the four phases of the 18-year cycle that shapes the real estate investment landscape. Students receive hands-on training building financial models, analyzing cash flows, and measuring investment returns. Finally, students learn how entrepreneurs raise capital through debt and equity partnerships and explore strategies for successful investing.
Prerequisites: High school algebra.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional synchronous sections Wednesdays, 7:40-8:40 pm or Thursdays, 6-7 pm. These optional sessions give students the opportunity to interact live with the instructor and peers and are recorded for students who are unable to attend.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MGMT E-2035
Principles of Real Estate
Teo Nicolais MS, Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24792 | Section 1
Description
This course offers practical, real-world knowledge for investing in real estate. It is designed both for those pursuing an active career in the industry as well as individuals interested in building wealth through passive real estate holdings. Students learn what really drives land values, explore how market forces shape a city, and where to look for future growth. Students practice spotting investment opportunities in the lifecycles of properties, neighborhoods, and cities and study the four phases of the 18-year cycle that shapes the real estate investment landscape. Students receive hands-on training building financial models, analyzing cash flows, and measuring investment returns. Finally, students learn how entrepreneurs raise capital through debt and equity partnerships and explore strategies for successful investing.
Prerequisites: High school algebra.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional synchronous sections Wednesdays, 7:40-8:40 pm or Thursdays, 6-7 pm. These optional sessions give students the opportunity to interact live with the instructor and peers and are recorded for students who are unable to attend.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MGMT E-2037
Real Estate Finance and Investment
Teo Nicolais MS, Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24505 | Section 1
Description
This course presents a toolkit for maximizing risk-adjusted investment returns. Students closely examine the four sources of real estate returns (cash flow, appreciation, loan amortization, and tax advantages) which have an impact on their investment strategy. They develop an investment scorecard for scrutinizing new investment opportunities. They practice a rigorous, rational approach to deciding when to hold, sell, refinance, or renovate a property. They study strategies for raising capital from investors and work through examples of successful partnership structures. Finally, students learn how to efficiently manage a growing portfolio of cash-flowing assets.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2035 is strongly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional synchronous sections Wednesdays, 6-7 pm or Thursdays, 7:40-8:40 pm. These optional sessions give students the opportunity to interact live with the instructor and peers and are recorded for students who are unable to attend.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MGMT E-2600
Financial Statement Analysis
James F. White MBA, Executive Director and System Controller, Boston Medical Center Health System
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17427 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed to prepare students to interpret and analyze financial statements for tasks such as credit and security analyses, lending and investment decisions, and other decisions that rely on financial data. This course explores in greater depth financial reporting from the perspective of financial statement users. Students develop a sufficient understanding of the concepts and recording procedures and therefore are able to interpret various disclosures in an informed manner. Students learn to compare companies financially, understand cash flow, and grasp basic profitability issues and risk analysis concepts. Ultimately, students who complete this course develop a more efficient and effective approach to researching, interpreting, and analyzing financial statements.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000 and MGMT E-2000, or the equivalent required; MGMT E-1600 and MGMT E-2020 helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 80 students
MGMT E-2600
Financial Statement Analysis
Andrew Azer MS, Assurance Senior Manager, CohnReznick
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17400 | Section 2
Description
This course is designed to prepare students to interpret and analyze financial statements for tasks such as credit and security analyses, lending and investment decisions, and other decisions that rely on financial data. This course explores in greater depth financial reporting from the perspective of financial statement users. Students develop a sufficient understanding of the concepts and recording procedures and therefore are able to interpret various disclosures in an informed manner. Students learn to compare companies financially, understand cash flow, and grasp basic profitability issues and risk analysis concepts. Ultimately, students who complete this course develop a more efficient and effective approach to researching, interpreting, and analyzing financial statements.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000 and MGMT E-2000, or the equivalent required; MGMT E-1600 and MGMT E-2020 helpful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-2600
Financial Statement Analysis
Surjit Tinaikar PhD, Associate Professor of Accounting, College of Management, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26865 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed to prepare students to interpret and analyze financial statements for tasks such as credit and security analyses, lending and investment decisions, and other decisions that rely on financial data. This course explores in greater depth financial reporting from the perspective of financial statement users. Students develop a sufficient understanding of the concepts and recording procedures and therefore are able to interpret various disclosures in an informed manner. Students learn to compare companies financially, understand cash flow, and grasp basic profitability issues and risk analysis concepts. Ultimately, students who complete this course develop a more efficient and effective approach to researching, interpreting, and analyzing financial statements.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000 and MGMT E-2000, or the equivalent required; MGMT E-1600 and MGMT E-2020 helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-2600
Financial Statement Analysis
Andrew Azer MS, Assurance Senior Manager, CohnReznick
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25065 | Section 2
Description
This course is designed to prepare students to interpret and analyze financial statements for tasks such as credit and security analyses, lending and investment decisions, and other decisions that rely on financial data. This course explores in greater depth financial reporting from the perspective of financial statement users. Students develop a sufficient understanding of the concepts and recording procedures and therefore are able to interpret various disclosures in an informed manner. Students learn to compare companies financially, understand cash flow, and grasp basic profitability issues and risk analysis concepts. Ultimately, students who complete this course develop a more efficient and effective approach to researching, interpreting, and analyzing financial statements.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000 and MGMT E-2000, or the equivalent required; MGMT E-1600 and MGMT E-2020 helpful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-2620
Business Analysis and Valuation
Surjit Tinaikar PhD, Associate Professor of Accounting, College of Management, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17308 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing and interpreting the financial statements of publicly traded firms, with a strong emphasis on valuation and performance evaluation. Students learn how to assess a company’s strategies, risks, competitive positioning, and macroeconomic environment by examining its financing, investing, and operating activities. Through this analysis, students forecast pro forma financial statements, estimate free cash flows and earnings, and determine the weighted average cost of capital. These projections serve as inputs for a range of valuation models based on earnings, cash flows, dividends, and market multiples to estimate the intrinsic and fair value of the firm and its common equity. The course equips students with the tools to evaluate both corporate and managerial performance and forecast future financial outcomes.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000, and either MGMT E-2020 or MGMT E-2700, or the equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 47 students
MGMT E-2620
Business Analysis and Valuation
Laurie G. Richardson DBA, Adjunct Professor of Finance, Fairfield University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26869 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing and interpreting the financial statements of publicly traded firms, with a strong emphasis on valuation and performance evaluation. Students learn how to assess a company’s strategies, risks, competitive positioning, and macroeconomic environment by examining its financing, investing, and operating activities. Through this analysis, students forecast pro forma financial statements, estimate free cash flows and earnings, and determine the weighted average cost of capital. These projections serve as inputs for a range of valuation models based on earnings, cash flows, dividends, and market multiples to estimate the intrinsic and fair value of the firm and its common equity. The course equips students with the tools to evaluate both corporate and managerial performance and forecast future financial outcomes.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000, and either MGMT E-2020 or MGMT E-2700, or the equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 37 students
MGMT E-2700
Corporate Finance
James F. White MBA, Executive Director and System Controller, Boston Medical Center Health System
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17224 | Section 2
Description
The goal of this course is to develop skills for making corporate investment and financing decisions. Topics include discounted cash flow and other valuation techniques; risk and return; capital asset pricing model; corporate capital structure and financial policy; capital budgeting; mergers and acquisitions; and investment and financing decisions in the international context, including exchange rate/interest rate risk analysis. Students may not count both MGMT E-2700 and MGMT E-2710 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000, or MGMT E-2000, or the equivalent is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
MGMT E-2700
Corporate Finance
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23462 | Section 1
Description
The goal of this course is to develop skills for making corporate investment and financing decisions. Topics include discounted cash flow and other valuation techniques; risk and return; capital asset pricing model; corporate capital structure and financial policy; capital budgeting; mergers and acquisitions; and investment and financing decisions in the international context, including exchange rate/interest rate risk analysis. Students may not count both MGMT E-2700 and MGMT E-2710 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000, or MGMT E-2000, or the equivalent is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MGMT E-2720
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Restructurings
Viktoria Dalko PhD, Professor of Finance, Hult International Business School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17230 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with a deep understanding of the strategic, economic, and financial aspects related to mergers and acquisitions (M A). We explore the entire M A process, from identifying potential targets to post-deal integration. The course emphasizes not only the technical and the negotiation skills required for successful M A execution. Key topics covered include strategic consideration, valuation, deal structure and design, negotiation skills, and post-deal integration. The course is designed to keep students engaged and involved in real time, offering a variety of learning formats, including negotiation with artificial intelligence bots, role plays, self-reflection, breakout room discussions, and other experiential learning tools, in addition to group projects of a recent deal evaluation, lectures, building financial models, and interacting with industry leaders.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000 and MGMT E-2000, or the equivalent; business analysis and valuation helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, October 28-December 20, 11:00am-1:15pm
Term Start Date: October 27, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
MGMT E-2720
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Restructurings
Viktoria Dalko PhD, Professor of Finance, Hult International Business School
Francesco Campione DBA, Adjunct Professor of Finance, SAA – School of Management, University of Torino
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25743 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with a deep understanding of the strategic, economic, and financial aspects related to mergers and acquisitions (M A). We explore the entire M A process, from identifying potential targets to post-deal integration. The course emphasizes not only the technical and the negotiation skills required for successful M A execution. Key topics covered include strategic consideration, valuation, deal structure and design, negotiation skills, and post-deal integration. The course is designed to keep students engaged and involved in real time, offering a variety of learning formats, including negotiation with artificial intelligence bots, role plays, self-reflection, breakout room discussions, and other experiential learning tools, in addition to group projects of a recent deal evaluation, lectures, building financial models, and interacting with industry leaders.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-1000 and MGMT E-2000, or the equivalent; business analysis and valuation helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 10:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
MGMT E-2725
Global Mergers and Acquisitions Design: Digital Business Model Innovation and Cross-Border Deals
Bulent Aybar PhD, Professor of International Finance, Southern New Hampshire University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26495 | Section 1
Description
In rapidly evolving markets and industries with patterns of digital disruption, business model innovation, and global value chain strategies are paramount to increasing shareholder value and propelling growth. Business strategies have to be sensitive to their specific ecosystem and should be tailor-made. Mergers and acquisitions (M As) are a specific approach to leverage growth and value by redesigning corporate portfolios or by creating a competitive advantage at the business unit level. The dark side of these strategies is that they have significant risk profiles, and they tend to under-deliver on promised synergies and may seriously diminish shareholder value. This course focuses on the strategic and technical challenges of M A process in the international context and offers a rich toolbox for prospective analysts and managers.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000, MGMT E-2020, or MGMT E-2700, or equivalent courses in finance.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-2784
Hedge Funds: History, Strategies, and Practice
Peter Marber PhD, Managing Director, Emerging and Frontier Markets, Global Evolution USA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26575 | Section 1
Description
While beating the markets was long thought to be impossible, hedge funds have seemingly challenged many financial theories, cracked the mysteries of Wall Street, and made fortunes in the process. They are also one of the fastest growing and least understood areas in the asset management industry. What exactly are hedge funds? How has the sector developed? What do hedge fund managers strive to capture and how do they do it? What are the major hedge fund strategies and their mechanics? What are their hidden risks and unique limitations? How important are hedge funds to investors, regulators, and the public? From both a theoretical and practical perspective, this course is geared to help answer these questions. It surveys the hedge fund industry from its origins in the 1940s and explores hedge fund strategies including long/short, event-driven, market neutral, relative value, dedicated short-bias, convertible arbitrage, emerging markets, fixed income arbitrage, global macro, managed futures, and multi-sector investing. Students develop an understanding of how hedge fund managers as well as hedge fund investors think, operate, and invest. The course tracks a live multi-sector hedge fund portfolio throughout the semester and analyzes current events and price action.
Prerequisites: The course requires a basic knowledge of finance and modest competency in MS Excel. Prior coursework or work experience in finance would also be useful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 80 students
MGMT E-2790
Private Equity
Viney Sawhney MS, President, Boston National Capital Partners
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26390 | Section 1
Description
This course provides the intellectual framework used in the private equity process: valuation in private equity settings, creating term sheets, and the process of due diligence and deal structuring. Other learning objectives include building an understanding of harvesting through initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions, public-private partnerships, and sovereign wealth funds. The final objective is to show how corporate governance, ethics, and legal considerations factor into private equity deals.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-2795
Venture Capital
Viney Sawhney MS, President, Boston National Capital Partners
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16798 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the venture capital cycle and typical venture-backed start-up companies. It covers the typical venture fund structure and related venture capital objectives and investment strategies, intellectual property, and common organizational issues encountered in the formation of start-ups. It covers matters relating to initial capitalization and early stage equity incentive and compensation arrangements, valuation methodologies, challenges of fundraising, due diligence, financing strategies, and harvesting. Students critically examine investment terms found in term sheets and the dynamics of negotiations between the owners and the venture capitalist. The course examines the role of venture capitalists in adding value during the growth phase for portfolio companies. Alternate financing channels that include incubators, accelerators, crowd-funding, angels, and super-angels are studied in depth. The system of rules, practices, and processes by which start-ups are directed and controlled and the typical dynamics that play out between the venture capitalist and the entrepreneur are an integral part of this course.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-3012
The Art of Communication
Mimi Goss PhD, President, Mimi Goss Communications
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25976 | Section 1
Description
Today’s leaders must convey their messages concisely, confidently, and memorably. This course is for students to strengthen their public speaking and writing skills, and their authentic voices as professionals. We explore speechwriting, public speaking in victory and crisis, communicating from values, and working with social media and the news media. How can you make every communication a dialogue? How can you advance your goals and those of your listeners? How does speaking from the best of yourself give you confidence? How do you distill a message into one memorable sentence that captures your listeners’ attention, moves your ideas forward, focuses the problem, and helps you achieve your goals? The course emphasizes weekly practical assignments. The goal of the course is for students to create final projects based on their specific interests and useful in their professional lives.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
MGMT E-3310
Grant Proposal Writing
George T. Kosar PhD, Associate Vice President of Development, The Everglades Foundation
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13610 | Section 1
Description
This project-based course covers the complete process of grant proposal development: identification of an achievable and fundable project, research and assessment of viable funding sources, funder relations, proposal writing, budget development, preparation of a full proposal package for submission, and post-award or rejection follow-up with funders. The course emphasizes grants to private, community, and corporate foundations. Students gain an understanding of the nonprofit philanthropic environment and become familiar with tools and resources available to assist them as they seek funds for their projects, institutions, or causes.
Prerequisites: Students must have a specific project or a fairly well-developed idea that they build upon as the basis for their coursework and final grant proposal. This project or idea cannot be for a for-profit business. Solid writing skills and experience or coursework in nonprofit sector/management highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Jaylon Sherrell MBA, Doctoral Candidate in Organizational Behavior, Harvard Business School
Erin Shirtz MA, Doctoral Candidate in Organizational Behavior, Harvard Business School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17413 | Section 1
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Tonya Echols PsyD, Managing Principal, Vigere and Adjunct Faculty, Leadership and Organizational Behavior, William Mary
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17228 | Section 2
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Lee G. Bolman PhD, Professor and Marion Bloch/Missouri Chair in Leadership Emeritus, Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri – Kansas City
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14515 | Section 3
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Paul Green DBA, Assistant Professor of Management, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15733 | Section 4
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 80 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Tonya Echols PsyD, Managing Principal, Vigere and Adjunct Faculty, Leadership and Organizational Behavior, William Mary
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26940 | Section 1
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Lee G. Bolman PhD, Professor and Marion Bloch/Missouri Chair in Leadership Emeritus, Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri – Kansas City
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26668 | Section 2
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Ellen Harris EdM, Executive Leadership and Career Coach, Harvard Business School and Senior Director, Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound Professional
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23220 | Section 3
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 32 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Carmine P. Gibaldi EdD, Professor of Management and Organizational Psychology, St. John’s University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27057 | Section 4
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4000
Organizational Behavior
Paul Green DBA, Assistant Professor of Management, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26053 | Section 6
Description
This course deals with human behavior in a variety of organizations. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Topics include communications, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, power, and organizational design and development. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that managers need to improve organizational relationships and performance.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 75 students
MGMT E-4030
Leading Through Change
Ryan Taylor Ward McCreedy PsyD, Senior Principal, Organizational Effectiveness, Slalom Consulting
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23860 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed to be an introduction to navigating the challenges of adapting to the rapidly changing conditions that we all face as the nature of work becomes increasingly complex and assumptions surrounding our skill sets become outdated. As new additions to the decision-making process such as big data and generative artificial intelligence (AI) increase the need to cope with exponential complexity, leaders require a new toolkit. This course proposes an approach to understanding what it means to adapt and remain flexible that extends to almost every profession; it is creating a mindset that supports diversity of viewpoints by remaining open to new ways of thinking in order to facilitate creativity and innovation. From a macro-perspective, students are made aware of alternative ways of framing change initiatives either as incremental or transformational events within an organization or social system. From this viewpoint they are then able to search for appropriate strategies designed to optimize present and future resources. Over the years, management theory has evolved from a prescriptive approach as best practice to adopting an approach that incorporates the latest research in psychology and neuroscience to deconstruct the issues and generate multiple alternatives that address present concerns. Students explore how their personal relationship with change influences their ability to lead systemic, adaptive, and transformational change. A learning experience of this type poses many interesting philosophical perspectives and provides a foundation for better understanding the complex decision-making matrices that drive most organizational dynamics.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4100
Managing Yourself and Leading Others
Margaret C. Andrews MS, Managing Director, Higher Ed Associates and Founder, The MYLO Center
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15413 | Section 1
Description
Managing others may not be complex, but it is certainly not easy. Simple, straightforward management principles can often be deceptively difficult to implement. This course teaches the fundamentals of management from different angles managing oneself, managing organizational life, and managing others (managing upward, downward, and sideways). Using a variety of readings, written assignments, in-class exercises, and case discussions, the class focuses on understanding individual strengths, preferences, and blind spots our own and others’ and working with other people to advance career goals and organizational objectives. Management requires judgment and students should expect to grapple with ambiguous situations that do not have simple solutions.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4105
Cultivating Authentic Leadership
Anne N. Occhipinti MA, Assistant Dean for Professional Education, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16617 | Section 1
Description
Self-awareness is essential on your path to authentic leadership. This course uses a variety of self-assessment tools, lectures, readings, discussions, and simulations to help us understand work styles and preferences, strengths, and goals, and how those factors contribute to the type of leader we want to be. It is important for people to have a clear idea of who they are and their purpose in life in order to navigate their work-life and become confident and inspiring leaders. Authenticity is about the true self; having clarity about and acting based on one’s deepest interests, values, and motivations, and most importantly how we can bring our authentic selves into all corners of our lives. Students apply what they have learned from the course to their personal development through in-depth self-exploration (done via journaling and classroom discussions). Students learn and use peer coaching which allows them to explore areas of growth, as well as to develop this important skillset. The course aims to help students understand who they want to be as authentic leaders and to create a plan to help them move in that direction.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
MGMT E-4122
Influence and Power in Organizations
Laura M. Downing MBA, Chief Executive Officer, CLIR Coaching
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17222 | Section 1
Description
In a world of flattening organizations and expanding networks, success accrues to those who understand how to influence effectively and use power to their advantage. Unfortunately, very few know what influence and power are or how to build skills in these areas. In this course, students learn how to use influence and power as tools for understanding environments, crafting agendas, and reaching personal goals. The course is designed to uncover individual views and feelings about personal presence and influence and power, and develop practical perspectives and approaches to overcome problems and capitalize on opportunities. Through lecture, case discussions, and weekly application assignments, students learn how to grow influence and power in their own organizations.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 38 students
MGMT E-4152
Building Leadership Skills
Laura M. Downing MBA, Chief Executive Officer, CLIR Coaching
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26857 | Section 1
Description
In today’s workplace, leadership skills have never been more important they are essential to managerial success, especially at senior levels across all sectors and industries. But as early to mid-career professionals become seasoned in their roles, they often grow overly reliant on their technical or functional expertise. Unfortunately, this focus on technical skills has the opposite effect it prevents people from moving into leadership roles because what managers need to advance are conceptual, not technical, skills. This course covers the essential leadership skills managers need to advance in their careers in the areas of strategy and results, talent and teams, and change and communication. The course is designed to facilitate concept review, case study analysis, and real-time practical application in each student’s workplace. Through lectures, background reading, case discussion, and weekly application assignments students, learn to improve their leadership skills at work.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4160
Creating and Leading Team Dynamics
Ryan Taylor Ward McCreedy PsyD, Senior Principal, Organizational Effectiveness, Slalom Consulting
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13375 | Section 1
Description
In today’s complex organizational environments, working within a team format, whether in a leadership role or as an active participant, requires a distinct set of skills compared to acting individually. This course focuses on the role of teaming as an executive function and the challenges of developing an effective team. Building off of foundational management theories of teaming, students learn applicable theories from psychology, neuroscience, and innovation disciplines. Conflict resolution, facilitating innovation, and building a climate of accountability are some themes explored in establishing conditions that provide flow and high performance. The course is highly interactive with case-based exercises intended to build students’ skills as effective, contributing team members and leaders. Deep self-reflection about one’s own teaming behavior is a central activity during the semester, in service of unlocking one’s ability to better influence and lead team dynamics.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4178
Optimizing Leadership
Ashley Lorraine Prisant MBA, PhD, Portfolio Chief Human Resources Officer, LFM Capital
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27062 | Section 1
Description
Leadership takes many forms, and the challenges that the inexperienced new manager and highly tasked frontline manager faces can be considered significant to the individuals. Topics include communication, motivation, perception, personality, difficult employees, career engagement, change management, traits and characteristics, and talent management. Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are applied to each topic. Class sessions and assignments are intended to help participants acquire the skills that new and frontline managers need to improve leadership skills, team relationships, and performance.
Prerequisites: At least one to three years of job experience plus experience in influencing others either past or present are recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4189
Nonprofit Leadership and Community Engagement
Madeline Dupre McNeely MEd, Principal and Founder, Conditioning Leaders
Harry Harding ALM, Owner and Lead Instructor, LeaderFULL Life Works, LLC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26877 | Section 1
Description
In a world marked by growing disparities and interconnected challenges, the need for innovative leadership and community engagement practices has never been more urgent. This course provides a dynamic space to cultivate twenty-first century leadership skills, values, and habits, blending theoretical foundations with hands-on experiential learning. At its core, the course emphasizes a collaborative, justice-centered, and participatory approach to leadership, ensuring that students are equipped to foster meaningful, sustainable change in both local and global contexts. Central to the course is a community engagement project where students grapple with the complexities of real-world initiatives grounded in principles of belonging, fairness, accessibility, and the celebration of diverse perspectives. Through this project, students bridge theory and practice, applying insights from thought leaders such as Ronald Heifetz (adaptive leadership), Adrienne Maree Brown (Emergent Strategy), and john a. powell (The Belonging and Othering Institute). These frameworks guide students to navigate the nuanced realities of leadership and community work. We create space for experiential, collaborative learning anchored by David Ehrlichman’s book Impact Networks and also feature guest lectures from expert field leaders, offering students firsthand insights from practitioners shaping the nonprofit and community engagement landscape. Ultimately, this course creates the conditions for student empowerment as they become leaders who champion belonging, justice, and accessibility in every space they inhabit and every community they influence.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4225
Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution
Diana Buttu MBA, JD, Lawyer
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15130 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept and types of negotiation. It is designed for students who wish to manage individual and organizational conflict and negotiations more effectively based on the premise that those in management positions engage in some form of negotiation daily. Students discuss the meaning, types, and different strategies of negotiation with an emphasis on an integrative, collaborative, win-win negotiation approach. A variety of topics are discussed including, but not limited to, workplace conflict, strategies for diagnosing conflict situations, power, culture and diversity in negotiation, emotional elements in approaching negotiation and conflict resolution, psychological sub-processes, social contexts, individual differences, multiparty situations, and dealing with impasses. Students learn theories of interpersonal and organizational conflict and its resolution as applied to personal, corporate, historical, and political contexts. The course brings out the significance of leadership in approaching and managing a negotiation situation and organizational conflict resolution.
Prerequisites: Registration in this section of MGMT E-4225 is restricted to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, management or industrial-organizational psychology.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4225
Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution
Maurie Kelly PhD, Director of Informatics, Institutes of Energy and the Environment and Instructor, Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16525 | Section 3
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept and types of negotiation. It is designed for students who wish to manage individual and organizational conflict and negotiations more effectively based on the premise that those in management positions engage in some form of negotiation daily. Students discuss the meaning, types, and different strategies of negotiation with an emphasis on an integrative, collaborative, win-win negotiation approach. A variety of topics are discussed including, but not limited to, workplace conflict, strategies for diagnosing conflict situations, power, culture and diversity in negotiation, emotional elements in approaching negotiation and conflict resolution, psychological sub-processes, social contexts, individual differences, multiparty situations, and dealing with impasses. Students learn theories of interpersonal and organizational conflict and its resolution as applied to personal, corporate, historical, and political contexts. The course brings out the significance of leadership in approaching and managing a negotiation situation and organizational conflict resolution.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4225
Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17041 | Section 4
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept and types of negotiation. It is designed for students who wish to manage individual and organizational conflict and negotiations more effectively based on the premise that those in management positions engage in some form of negotiation daily. Students discuss the meaning, types, and different strategies of negotiation with an emphasis on an integrative, collaborative, win-win negotiation approach. A variety of topics are discussed including, but not limited to, workplace conflict, strategies for diagnosing conflict situations, power, culture and diversity in negotiation, emotional elements in approaching negotiation and conflict resolution, psychological sub-processes, social contexts, individual differences, multiparty situations, and dealing with impasses. Students learn theories of interpersonal and organizational conflict and its resolution as applied to personal, corporate, historical, and political contexts. The course brings out the significance of leadership in approaching and managing a negotiation situation and organizational conflict resolution.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, September 2-October 25, 6:00pm-8:15pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4225
Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26370 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept and types of negotiation. It is designed for students who wish to manage individual and organizational conflict and negotiations more effectively based on the premise that those in management positions engage in some form of negotiation daily. Students discuss the meaning, types, and different strategies of negotiation with an emphasis on an integrative, collaborative, win-win negotiation approach. A variety of topics are discussed including, but not limited to, workplace conflict, strategies for diagnosing conflict situations, power, culture and diversity in negotiation, emotional elements in approaching negotiation and conflict resolution, psychological sub-processes, social contexts, individual differences, multiparty situations, and dealing with impasses. Students learn theories of interpersonal and organizational conflict and its resolution as applied to personal, corporate, historical, and political contexts. The course brings out the significance of leadership in approaching and managing a negotiation situation and organizational conflict resolution.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4225
Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution
Diana Buttu MBA, JD, Lawyer
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26667 | Section 2
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept and types of negotiation. It is designed for students who wish to manage individual and organizational conflict and negotiations more effectively based on the premise that those in management positions engage in some form of negotiation daily. Students discuss the meaning, types, and different strategies of negotiation with an emphasis on an integrative, collaborative, win-win negotiation approach. A variety of topics are discussed including, but not limited to, workplace conflict, strategies for diagnosing conflict situations, power, culture and diversity in negotiation, emotional elements in approaching negotiation and conflict resolution, psychological sub-processes, social contexts, individual differences, multiparty situations, and dealing with impasses. Students learn theories of interpersonal and organizational conflict and its resolution as applied to personal, corporate, historical, and political contexts. The course brings out the significance of leadership in approaching and managing a negotiation situation and organizational conflict resolution.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4225
Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution
Maurie Kelly PhD, Director of Informatics, Institutes of Energy and the Environment and Instructor, Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24082 | Section 3
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept and types of negotiation. It is designed for students who wish to manage individual and organizational conflict and negotiations more effectively based on the premise that those in management positions engage in some form of negotiation daily. Students discuss the meaning, types, and different strategies of negotiation with an emphasis on an integrative, collaborative, win-win negotiation approach. A variety of topics are discussed including, but not limited to, workplace conflict, strategies for diagnosing conflict situations, power, culture and diversity in negotiation, emotional elements in approaching negotiation and conflict resolution, psychological sub-processes, social contexts, individual differences, multiparty situations, and dealing with impasses. Students learn theories of interpersonal and organizational conflict and its resolution as applied to personal, corporate, historical, and political contexts. The course brings out the significance of leadership in approaching and managing a negotiation situation and organizational conflict resolution.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 39 students
MGMT E-4225
Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution
Nicholas Coburn-Palo PhD, Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26936 | Section 4
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept and types of negotiation. It is designed for students who wish to manage individual and organizational conflict and negotiations more effectively based on the premise that those in management positions engage in some form of negotiation daily. Students discuss the meaning, types, and different strategies of negotiation with an emphasis on an integrative, collaborative, win-win negotiation approach. A variety of topics are discussed including, but not limited to, workplace conflict, strategies for diagnosing conflict situations, power, culture and diversity in negotiation, emotional elements in approaching negotiation and conflict resolution, psychological sub-processes, social contexts, individual differences, multiparty situations, and dealing with impasses. Students learn theories of interpersonal and organizational conflict and its resolution as applied to personal, corporate, historical, and political contexts. The course brings out the significance of leadership in approaching and managing a negotiation situation and organizational conflict resolution.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, January 27-March 14, 6:00pm-8:15pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4230
Advanced Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Strategies
Maurie Kelly PhD, Director of Informatics, Institutes of Energy and the Environment and Instructor, Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24814 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students build on their existing knowledge and experience and grow into a more agile, creative, and focused negotiators. This highly interactive course delves into the strategic System 2 Thinking and planning that drive success in multiple arenas including multiparty negotiations, international coalitions, and multiphase situations. We explore challenging negotiations, impossible situations, deadlocked conflicts, and interpersonal, organizational, and international disputes and learn the skills required to address these scenarios. Students develop more sophisticated negotiating skills, learn how to avoid the most serious pitfalls, and emerge prepared to conduct a wider range of complex negotiations and resolve conflicts with confidence.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-4225, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4232
Mediation: Problem-Solving across Differences
Eugene B. Kogan PhD, Managing Director, Kogan Global Advisory, LLC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26882 | Section 1
Description
In organizations, institutions, and teams, harnessing diverse perspectives toward common goals is among the top management challenges. This is an area where mediation convening people across differences in service of responsible problem-solving can play a constructive role. Among alternative dispute resolution (ADR) approaches, mediation is distinctive in creating spaces (virtual or physical) where people feel empowered to explore the sources of their differences and envision sustainable solutions. As such, it can be an effective part of a manager’s day-to-day organizational development toolkit. In this course, we discuss how to design and lead a mediation process, uncover the roots of conflict, acknowledge the parties’ needs, identify workable solutions, and overcome common traps, while ensuring professional and personal ethical standards. Topics covered include creating an inclusive company culture through mediation; designing spaces physical and virtual that enable diverse perspectives to be acknowledged and explored; diagnosing and addressing psychological biases that inhibit collaboration; the role of gender and culture in mediating disputes; developing and exercising leadership with a mediation mindset; in-person, online, and hybrid mediation; and the emotional dimensions of mediation.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4240
Human Resource Management
Michael K. Thomas EdD, President and Chief Executive Officer, New England Board of Higher Education
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13365 | Section 1
Description
Human resource management (HRM) can be defined as the effective use of human resources in an organization, through the management of people-related activities. It is a strategic organizational activity of increasing complexity and importance. This introductory course covers the range of critical HR issues and core activities that all managers need to understand, including strategic HRM, legal issues, talent acquisition, performance management, employee development, and compensation and rewards. Through interactive lectures and case studies, students become familiar with the basic principles and techniques of strategic HRM. The course takes a practical view that integrates contemporary management thought with practical aspects of implementing HR functions in the real world. It enables students to be effective talent managers and to ensure that people are a source of an organization’s competitive advantage. Additionally, the course focuses on a set of emerging, innovation-oriented issues that are applicable across all of the core topics. These include HR and people analytics to better justify investments in HRM and people, leaders are increasingly looking for ways to leverage data and analytics to drive individual and collective performance; and coaching, mentoring, and performance improvement leaders and managers are tasked with helping to improve employee satisfaction, growth, and performance, but leaders and managers need support in learning to provide sustained and effective feedback in its various forms. We also cover continuous learning the organization that learns the most and the fastest will have a competitive advantage; the changing world of work and contemporary issues the global pandemic and other forces are quickly changing work and organizations, pushing HR professionals to learn and lead in new ways; and equity, diversity, and inclusion the workforce is changing to reflect societal diversity and organizations face new pressures to demonstrate their commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 80 students
MGMT E-4240
Human Resource Management
Denise Kestner MA, Chief Human Resources Officer, HomeTown Services
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17384 | Section 2
Description
Human resource management (HRM) can be defined as the effective use of human resources in an organization, through the management of people-related activities. It is a strategic organizational activity of increasing complexity and importance. This introductory course covers the range of critical HR issues and core activities that all managers need to understand, including strategic HRM, legal issues, talent acquisition, performance management, employee development, and compensation and rewards. Through interactive lectures and case studies, students become familiar with the basic principles and techniques of strategic HRM. The course takes a practical view that integrates contemporary management thought with practical aspects of implementing HR functions in the real world. It enables students to be effective talent managers and to ensure that people are a source of an organization’s competitive advantage. Additionally, the course focuses on a set of emerging, innovation-oriented issues that are applicable across all of the core topics. These include HR and people analytics to better justify investments in HRM and people, leaders are increasingly looking for ways to leverage data and analytics to drive individual and collective performance; and coaching, mentoring, and performance improvement leaders and managers are tasked with helping to improve employee satisfaction, growth, and performance, but leaders and managers need support in learning to provide sustained and effective feedback in its various forms. We also cover continuous learning the organization that learns the most and the fastest will have a competitive advantage; the changing world of work and contemporary issues the global pandemic and other forces are quickly changing work and organizations, pushing HR professionals to learn and lead in new ways; and equity, diversity, and inclusion the workforce is changing to reflect societal diversity and organizations face new pressures to demonstrate their commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4240
Human Resource Management
Carlos Echalar MBA, Chief Human Resources Officer, CDM Smith
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17251 | Section 3
Description
Human resource management (HRM) can be defined as the effective use of human resources in an organization, through the management of people-related activities. It is a strategic organizational activity of increasing complexity and importance. This introductory course covers the range of critical HR issues and core activities that all managers need to understand, including strategic HRM, legal issues, talent acquisition, performance management, employee development, and compensation and rewards. Through interactive lectures and case studies, students become familiar with the basic principles and techniques of strategic HRM. The course takes a practical view that integrates contemporary management thought with practical aspects of implementing HR functions in the real world. It enables students to be effective talent managers and to ensure that people are a source of an organization’s competitive advantage. Additionally, the course focuses on a set of emerging, innovation-oriented issues that are applicable across all of the core topics. These include HR and people analytics to better justify investments in HRM and people, leaders are increasingly looking for ways to leverage data and analytics to drive individual and collective performance; and coaching, mentoring, and performance improvement leaders and managers are tasked with helping to improve employee satisfaction, growth, and performance, but leaders and managers need support in learning to provide sustained and effective feedback in its various forms. We also cover continuous learning the organization that learns the most and the fastest will have a competitive advantage; the changing world of work and contemporary issues the global pandemic and other forces are quickly changing work and organizations, pushing HR professionals to learn and lead in new ways; and equity, diversity, and inclusion the workforce is changing to reflect societal diversity and organizations face new pressures to demonstrate their commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, September 3-October 25, 5:30pm-7:45pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4240
Human Resource Management
Michael K. Thomas EdD, President and Chief Executive Officer, New England Board of Higher Education
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23214 | Section 1
Description
Human resource management (HRM) can be defined as the effective use of human resources in an organization, through the management of people-related activities. It is a strategic organizational activity of increasing complexity and importance. This introductory course covers the range of critical HR issues and core activities that all managers need to understand, including strategic HRM, legal issues, talent acquisition, performance management, employee development, and compensation and rewards. Through interactive lectures and case studies, students become familiar with the basic principles and techniques of strategic HRM. The course takes a practical view that integrates contemporary management thought with practical aspects of implementing HR functions in the real world. It enables students to be effective talent managers and to ensure that people are a source of an organization’s competitive advantage. Additionally, the course focuses on a set of emerging, innovation-oriented issues that are applicable across all of the core topics. These include HR and people analytics to better justify investments in HRM and people, leaders are increasingly looking for ways to leverage data and analytics to drive individual and collective performance; and coaching, mentoring, and performance improvement leaders and managers are tasked with helping to improve employee satisfaction, growth, and performance, but leaders and managers need support in learning to provide sustained and effective feedback in its various forms. We also cover continuous learning the organization that learns the most and the fastest will have a competitive advantage; the changing world of work and contemporary issues the global pandemic and other forces are quickly changing work and organizations, pushing HR professionals to learn and lead in new ways; and equity, diversity, and inclusion the workforce is changing to reflect societal diversity and organizations face new pressures to demonstrate their commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 80 students
MGMT E-4240
Human Resource Management
Adriana Bokel Herde PhD, Chief People Officer, Risepoint
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27063 | Section 2
Description
Human resource management (HRM) can be defined as the effective use of human resources in an organization, through the management of people-related activities. It is a strategic organizational activity of increasing complexity and importance. This introductory course covers the range of critical HR issues and core activities that all managers need to understand, including strategic HRM, legal issues, talent acquisition, performance management, employee development, and compensation and rewards. Through interactive lectures and case studies, students become familiar with the basic principles and techniques of strategic HRM. The course takes a practical view that integrates contemporary management thought with practical aspects of implementing HR functions in the real world. It enables students to be effective talent managers and to ensure that people are a source of an organization’s competitive advantage. Additionally, the course focuses on a set of emerging, innovation-oriented issues that are applicable across all of the core topics. These include HR and people analytics to better justify investments in HRM and people, leaders are increasingly looking for ways to leverage data and analytics to drive individual and collective performance; and coaching, mentoring, and performance improvement leaders and managers are tasked with helping to improve employee satisfaction, growth, and performance, but leaders and managers need support in learning to provide sustained and effective feedback in its various forms. We also cover continuous learning the organization that learns the most and the fastest will have a competitive advantage; the changing world of work and contemporary issues the global pandemic and other forces are quickly changing work and organizations, pushing HR professionals to learn and lead in new ways; and equity, diversity, and inclusion the workforce is changing to reflect societal diversity and organizations face new pressures to demonstrate their commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 38 students
MGMT E-4418
Meritocracy and Inclusion in 2025: A Crucial Discussion
Peter M. Williams MPA, Principal and Founder, PW Consulting Group, LLC
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17336 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the topics of meritocracy and social and economic inclusion, providing a deep understanding of the erosion of inclusion within the context of our economy, corporate America, and the nation. According to the World Bank, social inclusion is the process of improving the terms on which individuals and groups participate in society improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged based on their identity. Mckinsey views economic inclusion as when people have their basic subsistence needs met and are productive, fulfilled, and fully empowered to make choices about their lives. Meritocracy is a system, organization, or society in which people are chosen and moved into positions of success, power, and influence on the basis of their demonstrated abilities and merit. These three ideas are discussed and examined during the course. We dissect the role of anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy directives and other factors contributing to the erosion of inclusion in America. This analysis not only sheds light on the impact on the competitiveness of US corporations and the nation, but also empowers students with practical insights that they can apply directly to their professional lives, enhancing their understanding and decision-making in the workplace.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4422
Institutions and Equitable Transformation
Erica Jacqueline Licht MSc, Research Project Director, Institutional Antiracism and Accountability Project, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17247 | Section 1
Description
This course examines diverse types of institutions in American life, the driving systems of power that maintain structural inequities, and examples of real-life effective interventions and strategies for change. Set in the context of history and data on social and racial inequities, classes are based around case studies in education, local government, philanthropy, medium-size nonprofits, and tribal sovereignty. Readings draw from core pedagogy in organizational behavior and change management as well as contemporary literature by industry leaders and guest lectures from practitioners. What gets in the way of creating change? And what is required for creating resilient organizations? Students explore key tools used in the field and apply concepts to their own work experience.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4425
Harnessing Employee Talent: The Diversity Advantage
Samantha Nicole Smith BA, Doctoral Candidate in Organizational Behavior, Harvard Business School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26881 | Section 1
Description
This course offers a comprehensive examination of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) within organizational contexts, focusing on practical strategies for fostering inclusive environments and driving positive change. Furthermore, this course provides working professionals with frameworks and tools to understand and leverage motivational factors in promoting inclusive workplaces. Through a blend of behavioral economics, psychology, and organizational theory, students examine how diverse perspectives and inclusive practices can enhance the effectiveness of incentive systems and drive value creation within organizations. Through case studies, interactive discussions, and practical exercises, students gain the knowledge and skills needed to foster inclusive environments, leverage diversity for organizational success, and design incentive systems that promote value creation while embracing the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
MGMT E-4500
Work and Well-Being
Maren Wright Voss PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27023 | Section 1
Description
This course orients students to the new view of human resources (HR) as people management, putting worker well-being at the forefront. Students are enabled to think strategically by examining the nature of well-being within multi-level structures (organizations, management, teams, and individuals). This course draws from multiple disciplines to examine the complex relationship between human labor and human flourishing. Topics include orienting well-being within the history and evolution of work; measurement of well-being at work and making the business case; individual well-being through health promotion, job crafting, and work-life balance; and people management and well-being through relationships, team dynamics, and conflict. We also cover organizational dynamics and well-being (culture, engagement crisis, multigenerational teams, diversity, and job design) and the future of work (technology, trust, and psychological safety). The course integrates the contributions of the behavioral sciences to organizational management in the real world. The course supports HR professionals, leaders, managers, and employees seeking to understand the practical role of the organization in fostering well-being of workers.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4505
Purpose by Design: Crafting a Meaningful Career and Life
Dustin Liu MEd, Senior Associate Director, Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing, New York University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17381 | Section 1
Description
How do you design a career and a life that feels meaningful, fulfilling, and aligned with who you are? In this course, students engage in an interactive and experiential journey of self-discovery, creativity, and career exploration. Drawing from design thinking, career theory, and the science of purpose and flourishing, this course equips students with practical tools to navigate career decisions with confidence and clarity.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, September 3-October 25, 6:00pm-8:15pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4520
The Science of Happiness and Well-Being
Mukul Kumar PhD, Chief Innovation Officer, Hult International Business School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16863 | Section 1
Description
The course translates findings from academic research, particularly in positive psychology and behavior change, into attitudes, behaviors, and practices that students can adopt to have happy, fulfilling, and meaningful lives. We explore the foundation of happiness and what makes us happy, set goals, and chart a path for achieving a greater sense of happiness. The course goes beyond knowledge acquisition and requires hands-on student engagement with weekly reflections and practices for behavior change. We also survey the growing range of happiness technology tools and technologies that support individuals in their quest for a more fulfilling life and explore entrepreneurial ideation for creating new happiness technology ventures.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, October 27-December 20, 2:00pm-4:15pm
Term Start Date: October 27, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-4600
Exploring the Coaching Landscape in Business
Tonya Echols PsyD, Managing Principal, Vigere and Adjunct Faculty, Leadership and Organizational Behavior, William Mary
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26863 | Section 1
Description
Coaching has become an emerging area of interest in personal and professional circles, and a sought-after skillset in business settings. As coaching has grown in popularity, it is often confused with other forms of developmental activity such as formal supervision, consulting, mentoring, and even therapy. This course provides a foundational understanding of the distinct purpose, skills, and applications of coaching and the role it plays in business settings. Students learn how coaching has evolved as a recognized profession with specific ethics, competencies, and certification processes. We explore the academic research that supports coaching as a vehicle for change and growth, including insights from psychology, human performance studies, and neuroscience. While not a certification course, the content provides students with opportunities to learn core coaching tenants and frameworks and actively practice key coaching skills of self- and other-awareness, listening, inquiry, reframing, and exploring options. Other topics may include emerging areas in the coaching field such as team coaching, somatics, and systems approaches. This course is well suited for students who already do some coaching in their personal and/or work settings and would like a more fundamental understanding of what coaching is, how it works, and why. This course is also useful for students who are considering more formal training in the coaching field.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5000
Strategic Management
Joshua Brand MBA, Senior Director of Corporate Learning, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17278 | Section 1
Description
To succeed in the future, managers must develop the resources and capabilities needed to gain and sustain advantage in competitive markets both traditional and emerging. The way in which organizations attempt to develop such competitive advantage constitutes the essence of their strategy. This course introduces the concept of strategic management through case analyses, and considers the basic direction and goals of an organization, the environment (social, political, technological, economic, and global factors), industry and market structure, and organizational strengths and weaknesses. The emphasis is on the development and successful implementation of strategy in different types of firms across industries.
Prerequisites: Course work in accounting and two other functional areas.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5000
Strategic Management
Henrik Totterman DSc, Professor of Practice, Entrepreneurship and Management, Hult International Business School and Chief Executive Officer, Lead X3M, LLC
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17414 | Section 2
Description
To succeed in the future, managers must develop the resources and capabilities needed to gain and sustain advantage in competitive markets both traditional and emerging. The way in which organizations attempt to develop such competitive advantage constitutes the essence of their strategy. This course introduces the concept of strategic management through case analyses, and considers the basic direction and goals of an organization, the environment (social, political, technological, economic, and global factors), industry and market structure, and organizational strengths and weaknesses. The emphasis is on the development and successful implementation of strategy in different types of firms across industries.
Prerequisites: Course work in accounting and two other functional areas.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MGMT E-5000
Strategic Management
Areen Shahbari MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Executive and Corporate Training and Consulting, Cactus International
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23354 | Section 1
Description
To succeed in the future, managers must develop the resources and capabilities needed to gain and sustain advantage in competitive markets both traditional and emerging. The way in which organizations attempt to develop such competitive advantage constitutes the essence of their strategy. This course introduces the concept of strategic management through case analyses, and considers the basic direction and goals of an organization, the environment (social, political, technological, economic, and global factors), industry and market structure, and organizational strengths and weaknesses. The emphasis is on the development and successful implementation of strategy in different types of firms across industries.
Prerequisites: Course work in accounting and two other functional areas.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5000
Strategic Management
Shawn P. O’Connor MBA, JD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Reflections Lifestyle Center
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26554 | Section 2
Description
To succeed in the future, managers must develop the resources and capabilities needed to gain and sustain advantage in competitive markets both traditional and emerging. The way in which organizations attempt to develop such competitive advantage constitutes the essence of their strategy. This course introduces the concept of strategic management through case analyses, and considers the basic direction and goals of an organization, the environment (social, political, technological, economic, and global factors), industry and market structure, and organizational strengths and weaknesses. The emphasis is on the development and successful implementation of strategy in different types of firms across industries.
Prerequisites: Course work in accounting and two other functional areas.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5000
Strategic Management
Henrik Totterman DSc, Professor in Entrepreneurship and Management, Hult International Business School, Chief Executive Officer, LEADX3M, LLC, and Honorary Consul of Finland for Boston and New England
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26923 | Section 3
Description
To succeed in the future, managers must develop the resources and capabilities needed to gain and sustain advantage in competitive markets both traditional and emerging. The way in which organizations attempt to develop such competitive advantage constitutes the essence of their strategy. This course introduces the concept of strategic management through case analyses, and considers the basic direction and goals of an organization, the environment (social, political, technological, economic, and global factors), industry and market structure, and organizational strengths and weaknesses. The emphasis is on the development and successful implementation of strategy in different types of firms across industries.
Prerequisites: Course work in accounting and two other functional areas.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MGMT E-5005
Corporate Strategy
Eric H. Chung MBA, Partner, Energy and Utilities, West Monroe
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24503 | Section 1
Description
This course deals with understanding the value created by managing multiple lines of businesses under the ownership of one corporate umbrella that is, a diversified firm. The ultimate goal is to create what we call a corporate advantage by anticipating the challenges a firm faces in managing its diverse businesses, assessing its future performance, and developing alternative strategies. The recognition, development, and deployment of resources across these diverse businesses play a key role in corporate strategy formulation. Limits to firm growth are recognized, specifying boundary conditions of corporate strategy. Business portfolio methodologies are applied to define strategic business units, determine their fit within the corporate parent, allocate resources among them, and influence their corporate development approach. Mergers and acquisitions, decision-making, and transformation are also covered as critical issues in corporate strategy.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5008
Mastering Foresight: Scenario-Based Planning
Robin Champ MA, Vice President, Strategic Foresight, LBL Strategies
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26849 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for professionals looking to build competency in strategic foresight by learning about and practicing the most widely used foresight tool: scenario-based planning. As opposed to forecasting, which seeks to predict one likely event, scenario-based planning is a foresight tool that explores many possible future outcomes to help organizations identify the capabilities necessary to prepare for an uncertain future. During the course, students learn how to construct scenarios and conduct workshops to yield creative solutions and leverage tools to analyze capabilities for investment. This course helps students develop foresight and scenario-based planning competencies, including scanning for signals and trends in the environment, leveraging generative artificial intelligence (AI) for scenario development, and learning how to use key strategic tools to effectively assess an organization’s possible future environments. Students are able to translate capabilities that may be needed in the future to strategy and prioritize projects to drive the right outcomes. Students learn to describe the vital role foresight plays in strategic planning and execution, while selecting the future capabilities that matter most.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5015
Applied Sustainable Corporate Responsibility
Brad Allen PhD, Professor of Marketing, School of Business, Plymouth State University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15748 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the role of corporate responsibility as a strategy to improve products, profits, and brand equity. The idea of corporations as simply wealth-creating organizations with no obligations to the environment is no longer acceptable. Globalization and increased transparency of corporate operations have revealed significant variations in how organizations attempt to balance the pursuit of profits and good corporate citizenship. Expectations for measurable progress of corporate environmental programs addressing natural resources, pollution controls, monitoring ethical supply chains, and expanded training of employees are growing globally. Stakeholder expectations have accelerated the need to monetize these initiatives. However, the lack of standardized methodology and metrics has resulted in confusion within many industries, hindering progress. Tracking sustainability progress within organizations has often revealed tremendous opportunities for growth.
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of Excel or other spreadsheet software.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-5015
Applied Sustainable Corporate Responsibility
Brad Allen PhD, Professor of Marketing, School of Business, Plymouth State University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26209 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the role of corporate responsibility as a strategy to improve products, profits, and brand equity. The idea of corporations as simply wealth-creating organizations with no obligations to the environment is no longer acceptable. Globalization and increased transparency of corporate operations have revealed significant variations in how organizations attempt to balance the pursuit of profits and good corporate citizenship. Expectations for measurable progress of corporate environmental programs addressing natural resources, pollution controls, monitoring ethical supply chains, and expanded training of employees are growing globally. Stakeholder expectations have accelerated the need to monetize these initiatives. However, the lack of standardized methodology and metrics has resulted in confusion within many industries, hindering progress. Tracking sustainability progress within organizations has often revealed tremendous opportunities for growth.
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of Excel or other spreadsheet software.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-5030
Project Management
Eric Pool EdD, Human Resources Technology Analyst 2, Mayo Clinic
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17242 | Section 1
Description
This course guides students through some fundamental project management concepts, practices, and behavioral characteristics needed to successfully launch, lead, and realize benefits from projects. Effective project managers possess the skills necessary to manage teams, schedules, risks, issues, scope, and stakeholders to produce a desired outcome. Students analyze the impact of organizational change management theory and explore project management with a practical, hands-on approach through case studies, team assignments, and individual contributions. Key challenges for project managers include the ability to manage without direct influence, gaining the support of stakeholders, and overcoming resistance to change. The course simulates a project through assignments, group accountability, and schedule deadlines.
Prerequisites: Experience working in a company is advisable.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5030
Project Management
Shannon Pettiford MS, Senior Information Technology Program Manager, Boston Consulting Group
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16400 | Section 2
Description
This course provides an overview of the fundamentals of project management, with an emphasis on the tools, techniques, and processes involved. The course provides an overview of the project management process, focusing on its lifecycle, project definition, scope, planning, and project monitoring. The purpose of this course is to provide students with a basic exposure to the tasks and challenges facing project managers, the tools and techniques used to manage projects, and how to analyze complex projects across multiple functions in a global environment. Project managers must have the abilities and skills to simultaneously manage their teams, schedules, risks, and resources, and deliver a successful outcome and this course is designed to help students learn to do just that. The objective of the course is to learn the skills and tools of the project management discipline, with a practical, hands-on, and real-world approach. Not to be underestimated is the challenge of managing without authority, an essential skill for project managers to gain the support of resources not directly under their management control. Most organizations are matrix-led, which means that resources are shared and temporary. The project manager must be able to use resources efficiently to achieve the goals and objectives required for a successful outcome, on time, within scope, and under budget. Regardless of one’s project management experience, this course is designed to bring project principles to life by practicing the skills and facilitation techniques in an online team environment.
Prerequisites: Experience working in a company is advisable.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 72 students
MGMT E-5030
Project Management
Deb Cote MA, Senior Director, Strategic Planning and Performance, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Brigham
David A. Shore PhD, Adjunct Professor of Organizational Development, Business School, University of Monterrey, Mexico
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23361 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive overview of fundamental project management concepts, tools, techniques, and behavioral characteristics necessary for successfully launching, leading, and delivering projects in organizations. Students explore the project management lifecycle, including project definition, scope, planning, monitoring, and benefits realization. Effective project managers must simultaneously manage teams, schedules, risks, budgets, and stakeholders while delivering desired outcomes within scope, on time, and under budget. The course emphasizes practical, hands-on learning through case studies, team assignments, and individual contributions. Students analyze the impact of organizational change management theory and critical success factors for overcoming resistance to change. Additionally, the course simulates real-world project environments, focusing on group accountability, schedule deadlines, and efficient resource use. Whether a student is new to project management or seeking to refine their skills, this course equips them with the knowledge and facilitation techniques needed to analyze and manage complex projects. By the end of the course, students have practiced and honed the essential skills required for effective project management, bringing project principles to life in an engaging, collaborative team setting.
Prerequisites: Experience working in a company is advisable.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5030
Project Management
Shannon Pettiford MS, Senior Information Technology Program Manager, Boston Consulting Group
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26887 | Section 3
Description
This course provides an overview of the fundamentals of project management, with an emphasis on the tools, techniques, and processes involved. The course provides an overview of the project management process, focusing on its lifecycle, project definition, scope, planning, and project monitoring. The purpose of this course is to provide students with a basic exposure to the tasks and challenges facing project managers, the tools and techniques used to manage projects, and how to analyze complex projects across multiple functions in a global environment. Project managers must have the abilities and skills to simultaneously manage their teams, schedules, risks, and resources, and deliver a successful outcome and this course is designed to help students learn to do just that. The objective of the course is to learn the skills and tools of the project management discipline, with a practical, hands-on, and real-world approach. Not to be underestimated is the challenge of managing without authority, an essential skill for project managers to gain the support of resources not directly under their management control. Most organizations are matrix-led, which means that resources are shared and temporary. The project manager must be able to use resources efficiently to achieve the goals and objectives required for a successful outcome, on time, within scope, and under budget. Regardless of one’s project management experience, this course is designed to bring project principles to life by practicing the skills and facilitation techniques in an online team environment.
Prerequisites: Experience working in a company is advisable.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
MGMT E-5030
Project Management
Luis Sanchez MS, Director of Program Management, Enterprise Project Management Office, Santander Bank
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27095 | Section 4
Description
This course provides a comprehensive overview of fundamental project management concepts, tools, techniques, and behavioral characteristics necessary for successfully launching, leading, and delivering projects in organizations. Students explore the project management lifecycle, including project definition, scope, planning, monitoring, and benefits realization. Effective project managers must simultaneously manage teams, schedules, risks, budgets, and stakeholders, while delivering desired outcomes within scope, on time, and under budget. The course emphasizes practical, hands-on learning through case studies, team assignments, and individual contributions. Students analyze the impact of organizational change management theory and critical success factors for overcoming resistance to change. Additionally, the course simulates real-world project environments, focusing on group accountability, schedule deadlines, and efficient resource use. Whether a student is new to project management or seeking to refine their skills, this course equips them with the knowledge and facilitation techniques needed to analyze and manage complex projects. By the end of the course, students have practiced and honed the essential skills required for effective project management, bringing project principles to life in an engaging, collaborative team setting.
Prerequisites: Experience working in a company is advisable.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5042
Agile Project Management
Shannon Pettiford MS, Senior Information Technology Program Manager, Boston Consulting Group
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16137 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students from all academic and professional backgrounds, including those new to project management or agile principles. In this course, we focus on learning techniques, methodologies, and frameworks within the field of project management, with an application of agile principles using the Scrum methodology. Coping with constant change has become the norm in today’s global organizations, which must continually adapt to ever-evolving environments and challenges. This course comprehensively explores agile techniques and methodologies, equipping participants with the skills, knowledge, and tools needed to ensure successful project outcomes, timely delivery, and enhanced team efficiency. Throughout this course, students distinguish between agile and waterfall project management methodologies, gaining insights into when to apply each approach effectively. Additionally, they evaluate how agile methodology can effectively respond to evolving stakeholder requirements. Participants develop essential project management competencies and best practices to lead agile project teams and deliver solutions with maximum effectiveness. The course delves deep into agile project management principles and practices, covering topics such as self-organizing teams, roles in project management, adaptive planning, value-driven delivery, stakeholder engagement, issue detection and resolution, sprint execution, and retrospective analysis. Current industry trends and best practices are also explored through case studies, providing participants with a holistic view of the field. In team-based settings, participants apply the Scrum framework to understand the agile methodology’s execution better. Regardless of prior project management experience, this course is designed to breathe life into agile principles by enabling hands-on practice of essential skills and facilitation techniques within a collaborative team environment. This is an entry-level course requiring no prior knowledge of project management, agile, or technical or software experience. Students may not take both ISMT E-101 (offered previously) and MGMT E-5042 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5042
Agile Project Management
Shannon Pettiford MS, Senior Information Technology Program Manager, Boston Consulting Group
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25977 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students from all academic and professional backgrounds, including those new to project management or agile principles. In this course, we focus on learning techniques, methodologies, and frameworks within the field of project management, with an application of agile principles using the Scrum methodology. Coping with constant change has become the norm in today’s global organizations, which must continually adapt to ever-evolving environments and challenges. This course comprehensively explores agile techniques and methodologies, equipping participants with the skills, knowledge, and tools needed to ensure successful project outcomes, timely delivery, and enhanced team efficiency. Throughout this course, students distinguish between agile and waterfall project management methodologies, gaining insights into when to apply each approach effectively. Additionally, they evaluate how agile methodology can effectively respond to evolving stakeholder requirements. Participants develop essential project management competencies and best practices to lead agile project teams and deliver solutions with maximum effectiveness. The course delves deep into agile project management principles and practices, covering topics such as self-organizing teams, roles in project management, adaptive planning, value-driven delivery, stakeholder engagement, issue detection and resolution, sprint execution, and retrospective analysis. Current industry trends and best practices are also explored through case studies, providing participants with a holistic view of the field. In team-based settings, participants apply the Scrum framework to understand the agile methodology’s execution better. Regardless of prior project management experience, this course is designed to breathe life into agile principles by enabling hands-on practice of essential skills and facilitation techniques within a collaborative team environment. This is an entry-level course requiring no prior knowledge of project management, agile, or technical or software experience. Students may not take both ISMT E-101 (offered previously) and MGMT E-5042 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5044
Agile Scrum Master
Chris Belknap MBA, Professional Scrum Trainer and Coach, Scrum On, LLC
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17215 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we focus on learning techniques and practices in project management, specifically focusing on the underlying principles of the Scrum framework and the Agile mindset while learning the practices applied by successful Scrum masters and teams. This course prepares students for the Professional Scrum Master (PSM I) certification, and by completing this course students receive up to two free attempts at the PSM I certification exam. In this interactive and activity-based course, students gain a strong understanding of Scrum and Agile theory and principles, the role of the Scrum master as a leader, and why each element of the Scrum framework is important for effective project and product discovery and delivery. Students leave this course with an appreciation for how to deliver value for customers, the importance of self-managing teams, the stances of a successful Scrum master (for example, coaching, facilitating, and removing impediments), and how to deal with common myths and impediments to agility. Discover why Scrum has become the most popular of all the Agile frameworks for project management, used by more than 12 million people daily, and is employed in many industries such as software, marketing, human resources, data science, and biotechnology.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5060
Operations Management
Zal Phiroz PhD, President, Pier Consulting Group
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26581 | Section 1
Description
The role of operations management in business is critical. Every organization, irrespective of size, geography, and industry, aims to compete through operational techniques, cost management, and production growth. The successful management of operations in business is essential in driving organizational success and performance. This course provides a hands-on study of operations management, specifically focusing on the areas that businesses implement. Students explore the design, execution, and improvement of operational business processes through key concepts including supply chain management, sustainability, production planning, and inventory management. Emphasis is placed on the strategic role of operations in measuring performance and achieving organizational success across a variety of industries. Through guest lectures, case studies, and practical applications, students learn to analyze operational challenges, implement effective solutions, and utilize data-driven decision-making tools.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5069
Strategic Business Analytics
Alexis Montecinos PhD, Assistant Professor, Finance, Suffolk University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17407 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of how data analytics can be leveraged strategically to drive business decision-making and enhance organizational performance. Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, practical applications, and case studies, students delve into the fundamental concepts of data-driven decision-making, including data collection, analysis, interpretation, and visualization techniques. The course emphasizes the strategic integration of analytics across various business functions, such as marketing, finance, operations, and human resources, to optimize processes, improve efficiency, and gain competitive advantage. By examining real-world examples and industry best practices, learners develop the skills to identify business opportunities, extract actionable insights from data, and formulate data-driven strategies to address complex challenges and drive sustainable growth in dynamic market environments.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5073
Storytelling with Data
Stacey Gelsheimer PhD, Senior Lecturer on Economics, Boston University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17254 | Section 1
Description
The course begins with a close-up look at raw data and an overview of the various types of data/information that exist in the real world. We then discuss how different types of data are better summarized and visualized with different techniques. Building on this foundation, students explore narrative construction techniques, discovering how to structure information flow and emphasize key points to create cohesive stories from the raw data. Throughout the course, students develop proficiency in both Excel and Tableau Public, a free data visualization tool and community of data enthusiasts. These tools enable students to create visually appealing and interactive presentations. They also learn how to tailor their message to different audiences through audience analysis, considering factors such as expertise level and specific interests. Ethical considerations in data storytelling are discussed, including the importance of accuracy, transparency, and responsible data use to avoid misleading interpretations. This also enable students to detect when others may be using visualizations in a misleading way. Practical application of learned concepts are facilitated through hands-on projects, where students work with real-world datasets to create data-driven narratives addressing relevant issues or topics. By the end of the course, students have gained the skills and confidence to effectively communicate complex data concepts through compelling storytelling across various mediums, including presentations, reports, infographics, and interactive online platforms. They also develop a critical mindset, enabling them to evaluate data sources, identify biases, and continuously improve their data storytelling capabilities in an evolving landscape.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5080
Elevating Management Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Phil Bangayan MBA, Principal Data Scientist, Teradata
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17263 | Section 1
Description
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have long transformed the way companies do business, interact with customers, innovate, and succeed in ever-competitive landscapes. Yet exposure to these concepts has been reserved to technical people with computer programming backgrounds. This course democratizes this knowledge and introduces businesspeople to advanced analytics methods through a much more familiar spreadsheet format, rather than programming languages. This approach eliminates the need for complex mathematics and instead uses conceptual explanations to answer universal business questions. Students perform analyses and make predictions in Excel (with appropriate add-ons) on finance, marketing, and operations examples. Upon completing this course, students can better guide and interact with their machine learning counterparts to make informed, data-driven business decisions.
Prerequisites: High school algebra, basic probability, spreadsheet knowledge, and the ability to form and communicate logical recommendations in a written format such as a memo.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5090
Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness
Arnold M. Howitt PhD, Faculty Co-director, Program on Crisis Leadership and Senior Fellow, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School
Nick Hambridge MA, Institutional Risk and Compliance Officer, Office of Vice President for Finance, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26210 | Section 1
Description
As the world’s struggles with COVID-19 show, crises challenge individuals and organizations to respond creatively to high-stakes and novel circumstances. Today not only traditional emergency responders (police, firefighters, and emergency medical teams) must be ready for crises, but also private and nonprofit organizations, as well as a wider spectrum of public sector responders (for example, public health, transportation, and public works). Through study of cases of a range of actual crises and of conceptual frameworks for understanding the dynamics of crises, this course takes a managerial perspective on crisis management and emergency preparedness. It focuses both on what responders must do during the critical period of crisis response and on how organizations can prepare themselves for high performance in these situations. It examines how individuals and groups make decisions in crises, identifies the skills and management systems crises demand, considers the differences between managing routine emergencies and crises, and asks how organizations can effectively prepare for crises in advance.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5100
Essentials of Management
Carmine P. Gibaldi EdD, Professor of Management and Organizational Psychology, St. John’s University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16622 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the important aspects of managing a business in a global environment. It addresses decision-making in connection with communications, marketing, human relations, managing people, corporate social responsibility and managerial ethics, issues affecting efficiency, and it provides the framework for making sound decisions among competing strategic priorities and objectives. Students weigh the risks and rewards of different types of management decisions while acquiring varied business skills.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 39 students
MGMT E-5110
Business Law
Shawn P. O’Connor MBA, JD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Reflections Lifestyle Center
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26243 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the legal structure of corporations and other business forms such as partnerships and limited liability companies. Topics include the distinction between corporations and other business forms; legal separateness of business enterprises from their owners; formation of corporations; financing of corporations under federal securities law; management duties and powers; shareholder rights; fundamental changes such as mergers, sales of assets, and tender offers; and insider trading. Please note that this course provides a general legal framework and is not suited for those with a strong legal background.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
MGMT E-5310
Leading and Managing Nonprofit Organizations
Patricia H. Deyton MDiv, Senior Advisor, Council of Women World Leaders
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26862 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to the major issues and challenges leaders and managers face in increasing nonprofit organizational effectiveness. Topics include mission statements, ethics and leadership, managerial and financial controls, building organizational capacity, fundraising and revenue generation, marketing and the external environment, volunteer management, governance and boards of directors, evaluation of operations and programs, and sustainability.
Prerequisites: Experience working or volunteering in a nonprofit organization strongly preferred but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
MGMT E-5330
Principles and Practices of Fundraising
George T. Kosar PhD, Associate Vice President of Development, The Everglades Foundation
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26442 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to the field of nonprofit fundraising, also called development or advancement. It is designed for nonprofit executives and managers who are unfamiliar with development, professionals wishing to transition into the nonprofit sector, individuals seeking to get a start in the fundraising field, and others. It covers annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation fundraising, events, and crowdfunding. Topics include case statements, boards, capital campaigns, ethics, donor motivations, fundraising anxieties, volunteers, stewardship, and how to make an ask. While some attention is paid to international fundraising, the overwhelming emphasis of this course is on development practices for nonprofit organizations in the United States.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5395
Execution is Everything: How to Build a Successful Business
Shawn P. O’Connor MBA, JD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Reflections Lifestyle Center
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17058 | Section 1
Description
While many aspiring entrepreneurs spend months or even years agonizing about the idea for their new venture, the vast majority of new business ventures fail. This is because aspiring entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of execution. In this course, students learn how to assemble, grow, and develop the ideal team; how, when, and from whom to raise capital; how to choose the best legal structures and contracting practices for your business; how to trademark your brand and patent any inventions; how to maximize the impact of your start-up marketing spend from public relations to digital marketing; and how to most effectively and efficiently maintain the financial records of a new venture. This course also includes opportunities to put each of these skills into practice so that when students are ready to launch their business, they can maximize the probabilities of success.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
MGMT E-5408
Breakthrough Innovation with Blockchain Technology
Bill Wellman MS, Principal, Davidson Partnership
Paul Quigley MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Liberado
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25067 | Section 1
Description
Blockchain is more than just cryptocurrency it is the backbone of a decentralized revolution transforming business and society. This course delves into how blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet-of-Things (IoT), the metaverse, and other emerging technologies are converging to reshape industries, disrupt traditional models, and drive sustainability by enabling transparent, tamper-proof transactions, reducing operational waste and fostering eco-friendly innovations. We explore AI-powered smart contracts, blockchain-secured IoT ecosystems, AI-powered borderless supply chains, quantum-resistant cryptography, data science-driven insights, autonomous digital economies from decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 to metaverse-driven commerce, and self-sovereign identity. We investigate real-world applications and future breakthroughs and their impact on customers that are driving the next wave of transformation and technology evolution. This course is designed for technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators and providing practical strategies. Providing real-world case studies and actionable insights to leverage decentralized technologies for competitive advantage, this course provides the insights and strategies needed to understand and capitalize on the disruptive transformation that is occurring in an increasingly decentralized world.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
MGMT E-5420
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Jim Fitchett MA, Co-Founder, VODA.ai
Bill Wellman MS, Principal, Davidson Partnership
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13355 | Section 1
Description
Innovation, globalization, and digitalization are transforming every industry. This course focuses on creating new businesses, new markets, and effectiveness through innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital capabilities. Disruptors like Uber, Airbnb and blockchain, outsiders with new, less expensive solutions for customers, threaten entire industries. Apple, Amazon, ChatGPT, and digital currencies have created uncontested markets, delivered higher value, redefined channels, and secured competitive advantages. Blockchain can transform virtually every industry. Entrepreneurs and existing firms are creating innovative environments, products, processes, services, and new business models. Incremental improvements are not enough. We examine successful strategies, business models, frameworks, funding options, barriers, and risks for introducing breakthrough products and services. Topics include business model innovation, artificial intelligence, blockchain, design thinking, lean thinking, organizational learning, agility, and fundraising.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5420
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Jim Fitchett MA, Co-Founder, VODA.ai
Bill Wellman MS, Principal, Davidson Partnership
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25031 | Section 1
Description
Innovation, globalization, and digitalization are transforming every industry. This course focuses on creating new businesses, new markets, and effectiveness through innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital capabilities. Disruptors like Uber, Airbnb and blockchain, outsiders with new, less expensive solutions for customers, threaten entire industries. Apple, Amazon, ChatGPT, and digital currencies have created uncontested markets, delivered higher value, redefined channels, and secured competitive advantages. Blockchain can transform virtually every industry. Entrepreneurs and existing firms are creating innovative environments, products, processes, services, and new business models. Incremental improvements are not enough. We examine successful strategies, business models, frameworks, funding options, barriers, and risks for introducing breakthrough products and services. Topics include business model innovation, artificial intelligence, blockchain, design thinking, lean thinking, organizational learning, agility, and fundraising.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5425
Design Thinking for Social Impact
Katarzyna Bachnik PhD, Professor of Marketing and Innovation, Hult International Business School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17366 | Section 1
Description
The world is changing at an unprecedented pace and ambiguity is everywhere. Traditional problem-solving approaches often fall short in addressing complex societal challenges such as climate change, inequality, health care access, and education gaps. In this course, students explore design thinking as a transformative, human-centered methodology used to tackle these pressing social issues. By fostering empathy, collaboration, and experimentation, design thinking provides a structured yet flexible approach that helps change-makers identify the right problems, generate innovative solutions, and drive meaningful, lasting impact. Through a learning-by-doing approach, students immerse themselves in real-world projects, developing skills in empathy-driven research, ideation, prototyping, and strategic implementation. They learn to define the right problems those at the core of systemic challenges and balance creativity with feasibility to design solutions that have an impact. Collaboration, adaptability, and resilience are key as students navigate complexity, test ideas in uncertain environments, and iterate based on real-world feedback. Beyond just creating solutions, students build skills in storytelling and advocacy and learn how to craft compelling narratives that inspire action and drive meaningful change. Whether they aim to create a nonprofit, influence policy, or innovate within existing organizations, this course equips them with the tools to lead through change with confidence and creativity.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5625
Sustainability and International Business: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies
Maurie Kelly PhD, Director of Informatics, Institutes of Energy and the Environment and Instructor, Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14484 | Section 1
Description
Sustainability and sustainable development are the key issues of our time. This course examines sustainability through an international lens, exploring the most important issues that confront the world today. We discuss major challenges such as climate change, the plastic industry, chemical pollution, food and agriculture, water insecurity, fast fashion and apparel, workers’ rights, child labor, energy, and supply chains. We discuss the intersection of the social, environmental, human, and business aspects of sustainability. We explore different regions of the world and examine the challenges and opportunities across different countries and continents. We look at solutions by discussing organizations and corporations that have created sustainability focused strategies, programs, and tools. This course is designed to be highly interactive for students. A combination of discussion, lectures, guest lectures from experts in the field, and decision-making simulations allow students to immerse themselves in the issues and develop solutions to sustainability challenges. Students emerge from the course with a greater understanding of the complexity of sustainability and sustainable development; an in-depth knowledge of how issues are addressed around the world; and an understanding of the solutions, tools, frameworks, and approaches that will help build a more sustainable future.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5700
Management Consulting
Shawn P. O’Connor MBA, JD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Reflections Lifestyle Center
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16107 | Section 1
Description
This course offers an in-depth view of the management consulting industry. Topics include the structure, conduct, and performance of the management consulting industry; firms in the industry and their competitive strategies; key strategic and organizational issues facing these firms; ideas, tools, and frameworks that these firms have put into practice; problem-solving, communication, and client relation skills that are necessary for success in the industry; management consulting careers; and ethical issues facing management consultants. Conceptual material is illustrated and applied to the real world through rigorous class discussion of business cases, examples, group and individual exercises, and students’ own business and consulting experiences. The course emphasizes hands-on practice and real-time feedback simulating an actual consulting engagement.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
MGMT E-5750
The Art and Science of Decision-Making
Rob Duboff JD, Co-Founder, HawkPartners, LLC
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26487 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students become aware of the factors that really influence decision outcomes. Using cases, readings about the latest scientific research, and discussions, students get both practical and academic insights. They should become better at making decisions and much better at understanding and influencing how others decide.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-5806
Real Estate Development
Teo Nicolais MS, Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16934 | Section 1
Description
Real estate development is the process by which ingenuity and financial capital are transformed into the built environments that shapes our cities and lives. This course takes students through the real estate development process. Starting with inception phase, we walk through the processes of market research, site selection, and working with public and private stakeholders to develop a concept plan for a site. Throughout that process, students learn how developers perform due diligence and manage risks in the pre-development phase. Students practice and implement a series of key financial frameworks for conducting rigorous feasibility analysis. They also learn how developers raise capital through construction loans and complex joint venture partnerships. We explore the regulatory approval process and how successful developers navigate it. Students study construction cost estimating and how to manage the physical construction of the project, including a variety of delivery methods, risk sharing agreements, and the contracts that govern them. Students learn how to undertake multi-phase developments and obtain the special financing they require. At every stage, we learn to balance risk and reward, with a focus on generating investment returns while making a lasting, positive impact on our cities.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2035 strongly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional synchronous sections Wednesdays, 6-7 pm or Thursdays, 7:40-8:40 pm. These optional sessions give students the opportunity to interact live with the instructor and peers and are recorded for students who are unable to attend.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
MGMT E-6000
Marketing Management
Patricia L. Hambrick MBA, Master Lecturer, Marketing, Questrom School of Business, Boston University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16518 | Section 1
Description
In this comprehensive and practical introduction to marketing management, students improve their ability to make effective marketing decisions, including assessing marketing opportunities and developing marketing strategies and implementation plans. Course topics include market-oriented strategic planning, marketing research and information systems, buyer behavior, target market selection, competitive positioning, product and service planning and management, pricing, distribution, and integrated communications including advertising, public relations, internet marketing, social media, direct marketing, and sales promotions. Through a combination of interactive discussions, cases, practical examples, individual assignments, and a group project, the course applies marketing topics to consumer and business-to-business products, services, and nonprofit organizations. Students gain significant experience in communicating and defending their marketing recommendations and building on the ideas of others.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-6000
Marketing Management
Scott Mantie PhD, Interim Executive Director and Associate Professor of Marketing, Applied School of Business, Plymouth State University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15726 | Section 2
Description
In this comprehensive and practical introduction to marketing management, students improve their ability to make effective marketing decisions, including assessing marketing opportunities and developing marketing strategies and implementation plans. Course topics include market-oriented strategic planning, marketing research and information systems, buyer behavior, target market selection, competitive positioning, product and service planning and management, pricing, distribution, and integrated communications including advertising, public relations, internet marketing, social media, direct marketing, and sales promotions. Through a combination of interactive discussions, cases, practical examples, individual assignments, and a group project, the course applies marketing topics to consumer and business-to-business products, services, and nonprofit organizations. Students gain significant experience in communicating and defending their marketing recommendations and building on the ideas of others.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
MGMT E-6000
Marketing Management
Scott Mantie PhD, Interim Executive Director and Associate Professor of Marketing, Applied School of Business, Plymouth State University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24308 | Section 1
Description
In this comprehensive and practical introduction to marketing management, students improve their ability to make effective marketing decisions, including assessing marketing opportunities and developing marketing strategies and implementation plans. Course topics include market-oriented strategic planning, marketing research and information systems, buyer behavior, target market selection, competitive positioning, product and service planning and management, pricing, distribution, and integrated communications including advertising, public relations, internet marketing, social media, direct marketing, and sales promotions. Through a combination of interactive discussions, cases, practical examples, individual assignments, and a group project, the course applies marketing topics to consumer and business-to-business products, services, and nonprofit organizations. Students gain significant experience in communicating and defending their marketing recommendations and building on the ideas of others.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
MGMT E-6000
Marketing Management
Shawn P. O’Connor MBA, JD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Reflections Lifestyle Center
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25786 | Section 2
Description
In this comprehensive and practical introduction to marketing management, students improve their ability to make effective marketing decisions, including assessing marketing opportunities and developing marketing strategies and implementation plans. Course topics include market-oriented strategic planning, marketing research and information systems, buyer behavior, target market selection, competitive positioning, product and service planning and management, pricing, distribution, and integrated communications including advertising, public relations, internet marketing, social media, direct marketing, and sales promotions. Through a combination of interactive discussions, cases, practical examples, individual assignments, and a group project, the course applies marketing topics to consumer and business-to-business products, services, and nonprofit organizations. Students gain significant experience in communicating and defending their marketing recommendations and building on the ideas of others.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
MGMT E-6100
Branding Strategy
Thomas Murphy MBA, Professor of Practice, Graduate School of Management, Clark University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24567 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the principles and practices of brand management. The course content focuses on applied strategies and tactics used by marketers to build and reinforce successful global brands for products, services, and corporate social responsibility.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 30-May 16, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-6605
Luxury Marketing
Sandrine Crener PhD, Partner, 4 Art Partners
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16108 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to the marketing of luxury goods and services. The luxury industry is unlike any other; it is an inspiring and fascinating world that involves a diverse group of competitors. On the supply side, it encompasses a broad range of sectors from hotels to real estate, yachts to private jets, fashion to jewelry, and pits small independent businesses against established multinational conglomerates. On the market side, luxury consumers are extremely demanding and sophisticated; luxury goods and services must not only be of exceptional quality but also provide a complex set of functional, social, and emotional benefits to consumers. The course explores the origin, history, and evolution of luxury and gives an overview of the global luxury industry including markets, major players, and trends. Then it highlights the specificities of marketing in the luxury sector. Luxury brands are an entirely different proposition and require a very specific approach to brand management and marketing. They notably have to manage a number of inherent paradoxes and tensions. We discuss differences in mass versus luxury marketing approaches. The course also focuses on examining the main challenges with which luxury brands are currently confronted.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-6000, MGMT E-6615, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-6615
Digital Marketing: Foundations and Framework for Success
Greg O’Brien DBA, Senior Advisor, McKinsey Company
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27002 | Section 1
Description
Marketing has become digital marketing, with digital ads (as a function of all advertising spending) growing at roughly 15-20 percent annually, and recently having taken over traditional advertising (broadcast television and radio) when measured by ad spend. This course teaches students the foundation elements of digital marketing and advertising from media mix and channels to techniques, economics, and measurement. We review key performance metrics for digital marketing channels including paid search, organic search, email, social, and display. We review techniques and tools for optimizing digital marketing spend across various channels and products.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-6000 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-6620
Digital Marketing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Christina J. Inge EdD, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Thoughtlight
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17236 | Section 1
Description
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly dominating various business functions, with marketing being no exception. From crafting advertisements to developing websites, AI impacts every aspect of creative work. Notably, AI now plays a role in strategic decisions, spanning from campaign inception to product management. In this course, we explore the current role of AI in content-driven digital marketing with a view towards creating marketing strategies that include the most effective uses of AI. Going channel by channel, we learn about tools for refining content, designing visuals, and automating our marketing, all while staying sane. We learn about the impact and current use of AI across a range of marketing channels, such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and content marketing. Through case studies of leading companies such as Coca-Cola and Mercedes, we learn how brands are using AI in forecasting and analytics, as well as for voice of the customer data. We then explore applications of AI to content design. AI ethics are a focal point as we explore algorithmic sources of bias in content, ad targeting, and job displacement and creation.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-6620
Digital Marketing in the Age of AI
Christina J. Inge EdD, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Thoughtlight
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27100 | Section 1
Description
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly dominating various business functions, with marketing being no exception. From crafting advertisements to developing websites, AI impacts every aspect of creative work. Notably, AI now plays a role in strategic decisions, spanning from campaign inception to product management. In this course, we explore the current role of AI in content-driven digital marketing with a view towards creating marketing strategies that include the most effective uses of AI. Going channel by channel, we learn about tools for refining content, designing visuals, and automating our marketing, all while staying sane. We learn about the impact and current use of AI across a range of marketing channels, such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and content marketing. Through case studies of leading companies such as Coca-Cola and Mercedes, we learn how brands are using AI in forecasting and analytics, as well as for voice of the customer data. We then explore applications of AI to content design. AI ethics are a focal point as we explore algorithmic sources of bias in content, ad targeting, and job displacement and creation.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-6630
Sustainability Marketing and Branding
Thomas Murphy MBA, Professor of Practice, Graduate School of Management, Clark University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15433 | Section 1
Description
This course develops the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully market sustainable products and services. At the end of the course students are able to understand the key elements of developing a successful marketing strategy and branding approach for a sustainable market offering. The course also reviews global trends and issues that influence sustainable product success.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-6615 or the equivalent. Introductory marketing or management course or one year of work experience in a business-to-business, business-to-consumer, or nonprofit organization.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-6750
Marketing Analytics: Fundamental Data-Driven Marketing
Christina J. Inge EdD, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Thoughtlight
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24774 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces marketing analytics for non-technical audiences, including web analytics and data modeling. As big data moves into the mainstream, marketers are seeing the opportunity to make the profession more scientific and numbers-driven than ever before. Marketing analytics is one of the largest areas of marketing today. In addition, with measurement at the center of every marketing campaign, marketers have the opportunity to prove the return on investment of their programs with unprecedented accuracy. Yet, this wealth of data can be overwhelming. Every channel has its own metrics, every demographic group’s behavior can be mined for targeting information. What are the numbers that matter? And what are they really telling us? How can we best leverage marketing analytics to optimize results? This course explores the growing role of data in marketing. Taking a two-fold approach, the course focuses on the data of marketing. Students learn how to use the two main categories of data available to marketers: internal, or what is called marketing analytics; and external, or big data. In this course, students learn web analytics fundamentals, creating data dashboards, and predictive analytics. This is a purely data-driven course; it does not teach programming. Using real-world examples and practical exercises, the course allows students to understand the interactions between both kinds of data, and how best to use analytics to improve marketing outcomes, demonstrate return on investment to the c-suite, and create increasingly effective marketing campaigns.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-6000, MGMT E-6615, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-7001
Economic Tools for Business Decision-Making
Dan Deneffe PhD, Managing Director, Deneffe Consulting, and Professor of Economics and Strategy, Hult International Business School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26693 | Section 1
Description
The key distinctive feature of this highly interactive course is that students discover how to use and apply practical, relevant microeconomic tools to make better company decisions. The ability to do so has been proven to be widely effective at improving company bottom-line performance based on numerous real-world strategy, quantitative marketing, and pricing projects. Through practical team exercises, experiments, short cases, and simulations of problems drawn from real-world projects, students learn how to tailor and tweak core microeconomic and game-theoretic concepts and drive results. Students understand how to do so in environments where informational assumptions of microeconomic textbooks rarely hold and where companies and competitors are not as rational as the theory portrays. At the end of the weekend, students leave with a set of effective tools for making evidence-based and customer-centric decisions in the areas of market creation and launch strategy, pricing strategy and tactics, and bid preparation and execution in tenders and auctions.
Prerequisites: Students must have earned a B or higher grade in ECON E-1010, ECON E-1600, ECON E-1615 or MGMT S-8010 in order to enroll in this course.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, February 27, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, February 28, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, March 1, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: February 27, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7035
Emerging Markets: Active Learning Weekend
Peter Marber PhD, Managing Director, Emerging and Frontier Markets, Global Evolution USA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17052 | Section 1
Description
What makes investing in emerging markets countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe different from investing in developed markets in the United States, West Europe, or Japan? What are the benefits of adding these markets to a traditional investment portfolio? How have these markets been shaped by COVID-19 and the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine? How do frontier markets fit into the mix? As a companion course to ECON E-1925, this active learning weekend helps explore emerging markets through a mix of guest speakers, case studies, and problem sets. Students strengthen their quantitative and qualitative skills to improve their investment acumen in these burgeoning markets. Over the weekend, the course dive deep into the practical aspects and limitations of trading and investing in the asset mix covered in ECON E-1925 as both an individual and institutional investor. Students examine investment indices and strategies that professional investors use to outperform them. We also investigate the rise of China and state capitalism, and how this trend may rival traditional market-based systems. Students may not take both ECON E-1925w (offered previously) and MGMT E-7035 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 17, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, October 18, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, October 19, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: October 17, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-7037
Disrupting Economics: New Metrics for a Sustainable Future
Peter Marber PhD, Managing Director, Emerging and Frontier Markets, Global Evolution USA
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17248 | Section 1
Description
Protests over government policies have become more commonplace in both advanced and emerging countries around the world. Angry citizens complain about a wide range issues including inequality, privacy, democracy, immigration, trade, job security, health care, and climate change. Are governments really failing to deliver what societies need and citizens want? Perhaps the answer lies in the way success is measured. Amid globalization and the rise of the digital economy, traditional economic measures like gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment, and stock market performance may be leaving governments and citizens with a distorted worldview and a shaky foundation for policy decisions. This course investigates limitations with conventional yardsticks used for assessing national output, employment, inflation, productivity, and trade, and asks what components of a successful society we fail to measure at all. Public policies that are based on inaccurate or incomplete data are likely to have unintended consequences leading to financial meltdowns, environmental degradation, economic inequality, and pandemics. Moreover, failing to fully account for true costs can skew individual, corporate, and governmental behavior towards short-term versus sustainability. As a response, many scholars from economists to sociologists are formulating new metrics and new philosophies to address such concerns and to utilize the unprecedented amount of data now available for analysis. This course hopes to inspire social entrepreneurs to develop innovative, superior, and sustainable approaches to economics and finance that make the world better for all.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 10, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, October 11, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, October 12, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: October 10, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-7037
Disrupting Economics: New Metrics for a Sustainable Future
Peter Marber PhD, Managing Director, Emerging and Frontier Markets, Global Evolution USA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26889 | Section 1
Description
Protests over government policies have become more commonplace in both advanced and emerging countries around the world. Angry citizens complain about a wide range issues including inequality, privacy, democracy, immigration, trade, job security, health care, and climate change. Are governments really failing to deliver what societies need and citizens want? Perhaps the answer lies in the way success is measured. Amid globalization and the rise of the digital economy, traditional economic measures like gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment, and stock market performance may be leaving governments and citizens with a distorted worldview and a shaky foundation for policy decisions. This course investigates limitations with conventional yardsticks used for assessing national output, employment, inflation, productivity, and trade, and asks what components of a successful society we fail to measure at all. Public policies that are based on inaccurate or incomplete data are likely to have unintended consequences leading to financial meltdowns, environmental degradation, economic inequality, and pandemics. Moreover, failing to fully account for true costs can skew individual, corporate, and governmental behavior towards short-term versus sustainability. As a response, many scholars from economists to sociologists are formulating new metrics and new philosophies to address such concerns and to utilize the unprecedented amount of data now available for analysis. This course hopes to inspire social entrepreneurs to develop innovative, superior, and sustainable approaches to economics and finance that make the world better for all.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, March 6, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, March 7, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, March 8, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: March 06, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-7235
Investing in Real Estate
Teo Nicolais MS, Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17049 | Section 1
Description
This on-campus, active learning weekend is an immersive learning experience for students who want to invest in real estate. Students participate in a property investment simulation based on real-life assets in the Harvard Square area. Working in teams, students gain hands-on experience in conducting market research, identifying acquisition targets, performing financial due diligence, and developing persuasive investment proposals. At the end of the weekend, teams present their investment opportunities to the class, exposing students to a variety of presentation styles and techniques that can strengthen their own investment pitches in the future. Augmented by Harvard Business School case studies, the experience takes students from Harvard’s campus into the neighborhoods beyond as they practice market analysis and real estate investment decision-making. Students may not take both MGMT E-2035w (offered previously) and MGMT E-7235 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Current or previous enrollment in MGMT E-2035 is recommended, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, November 7, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Saturday, November 8, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Sunday, November 9, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: November 07, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
MGMT E-7235
Investing in Real Estate
Teo Nicolais MS, Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26681 | Section 1
Description
This on-campus, active learning weekend is an immersive learning experience for students who want to invest in real estate. Students participate in a property investment simulation based on real-life assets in the Harvard Square area. Working in teams, students gain hands-on experience in conducting market research, identifying acquisition targets, performing financial due diligence, and developing persuasive investment proposals. At the end of the weekend, teams present their investment opportunities to the class, exposing students to a variety of presentation styles and techniques that can strengthen their own investment pitches in the future. Augmented by Harvard Business School case studies, the experience takes students from Harvard’s campus into the neighborhoods beyond as they practice market analysis and real estate investment decision-making. Students may not take both MGMT E-2035w (offered previously) and MGMT E-7235 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Current or previous enrollment in MGMT E-2035 is recommended, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 17, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Saturday, April 18, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Sunday, April 19, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Term Start Date: April 17, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
MGMT E-7272
Mergers and Acquisitions Negotiation Practicum: Dealmaking in Complex Environments
Arvid Bell DPhil, Partner, Negotiation Task Force, and Associate of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27061 | Section 1
Description
This is a four-day, advanced course developed by the Negotiation Task Force (NTF) for corporate leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs who seek to hone their negotiation skills in a highly realistic, immersive training program. The intensive program features an immersive multiparty negotiation exercise in which students take on the roles of executives, lawyers, and other officials in five competing companies negotiating a merger and acquisition (M A) agreement. The exercise simulates the real-world dynamics and complexities of competitive bidding, deal-making, and negotiation processes in Eurasia’s difficult geopolitical terrain. Geared towards experienced mid-level and senior industry leaders who seek to push their deal-making skills to the next level, this simulation exercise is uniquely suited to train participants in advanced multiparty negotiation, leadership, and decision-making concepts.
Prerequisites: Students must complete an onboarding survey prior to the course.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, January 12-15, 9:00am-5:30pm, Harvard Hall 201
Term Start Date: January 12, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
MGMT E-7285
Hedge Funds: Active Learning Weekend
Peter Marber PhD, Managing Director, Emerging and Frontier Markets, Global Evolution USA
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26683 | Section 1
Description
While beating the markets was long thought to be impossible, hedge funds have seemingly challenged many financial theories, cracked the mysteries of Wall Street, and made fortunes in the process. They are also one of the fastest growing and least understood areas in the asset management industry. What exactly are hedge funds? How has the sector developed? What are the major hedge fund strategies and their mechanics? What are their hidden risks and unique limitations? This active learning weekend complements the full term course MGMT E-2784 and helps students develop an understanding of how hedge fund managers, as well as hedge fund investors, think, operate, and invest. The weekend features a variety of guest speakers, case studies, and other activities to further enhance concepts introduced in MGMT E-2784. Students may not take both MGMT E-2784w (offered previously) and MGMT E-7285 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, March 13, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, March 14, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, March 15, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Term Start Date: March 13, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MGMT E-7405
Emotional Intelligence for Impact
Laura Elisabeth Wilcox MA, Director of Management Programs, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17056 | Section 1
Description
This applied active learning weekend focuses on the role emotional intelligence plays in leadership and in decision-making. Students apply emotional intelligence concepts to real-world situations through engaging exercises, in-class discussions, and case studies. In addition, students learn how to identify their own emotional patterns and triggers as well as those in others. At the end of the weekend, students leave with tools for managing derailing emotions, a strategy for connecting with others, and a better appreciation for the role emotional intelligence plays in how we think and lead in our personal and professional life.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, September 19, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, September 20, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, September 21, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: September 19, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 37 students
MGMT E-7405
Emotional Intelligence for Impact
Laura Elisabeth Wilcox MA, Director of Management Programs, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26696 | Section 1
Description
This applied active learning weekend focuses on the role emotional intelligence plays in leadership and in decision-making. Students apply emotional intelligence concepts to real-world situations through engaging exercises, in-class discussions, and case studies. In addition, students learn how to identify their own emotional patterns and triggers as well as those in others. At the end of the weekend, students leave with tools for managing derailing emotions, a strategy for connecting with others, and a better appreciation for the role emotional intelligence plays in how we think and lead in our personal and professional life.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 17, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, April 18, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, April 19, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: April 17, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 37 students
MGMT E-7412
Leadership in Teams and Organizations
Lee G. Bolman PhD, Professor and Marion Bloch/Missouri Chair in Leadership Emeritus, Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri – Kansas City
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26691 | Section 1
Description
Students participate in a series of individual and team activities challenging their skills and strategies in leadership, influence, and negotiation. Learning is primarily experiential, augmented by timely conceptual discussions. Students have rich opportunities for personal reflection and feedback.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, January 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, January 17, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, January 18, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 16, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7412
Leadership in Teams and Organizations
Lee G. Bolman PhD, Professor and Marion Bloch/Missouri Chair in Leadership Emeritus, Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri – Kansas City
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26690 | Section 2
Description
Students participate in a series of individual and team activities challenging their skills and strategies in leadership, influence, and negotiation. Learning is primarily experiential, augmented by timely conceptual discussions. Students have rich opportunities for personal reflection and feedback.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, May 8, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, May 9, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, May 10, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: May 08, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7415
Understanding Organizational Culture
Margaret C. Andrews MS, Managing Director, Higher Ed Associates and Founder, The MYLO Center
Dayna J. Catropa EdM, Consultant
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26692 | Section 1
Description
There is a saying that culture eats strategy for breakfast, meaning that no strategy can succeed if it is not supported by an organization’s culture. Many senior executives want to change the culture of their organizations, yet the popular press tells us that a large percentage of all these initiatives fail. Why is organizational culture so difficult to change? Or is it? Using a series of cases, exercises, and large and small group discussions, we delve into organizational culture what it is, how it forms, why it can be difficult to change, and how to increase the odds of success in evolving an organizational culture.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, January 20-23, 9:00am-5:30pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: January 20, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7421
Negotiating Your Career Success
Paula Gutlove MD, Deputy Director, Institute for Resource and Security Studies
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26694 | Section 1
Description
Today’s professionals understand that to achieve career success they need to know what they want and to be able to negotiate effectively to get it. Yet, studies show that most people embarking on their career journey are unclear about what they want and why they want it. They are reluctant, or unable, to effectively advocate for themselves. These issues can inhibit or derail a career journey, leading to dissatisfaction with roles, responsibilities, pay, and promotion. Ultimately, it can lead to career frustration and burnout. This on-campus, in-person course uses a range of interactive exercises, role plays, games, and simulations. These activities engage students in uncovering their interests, priorities, and career directions and goals. Students learn how to leverage their career assets, including their Harvard networks and career resources, to create effective negotiation opportunities. Skills development includes strategies for empowerment and self-advocacy, approaches to uncovering sources of negotiation power, and tools to recognize and create career negotiation opportunities. Students engage in exercises to develop and practice their own unique and authentic negotiation voice, putting their career journey on a path to success.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, January 20-23, 9:00am-5:30pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 20, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7431
Unlocking Creativity
Margaret C. Andrews MS, Managing Director, Higher Ed Associates and Founder, The MYLO Center
Dayna J. Catropa EdM, Consultant
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27012 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we explore why it seems that some people are full of creative ideas and others are not. We also explore the premise that everyone has creative potential, often untapped, and introduce strategies, tools, and techniques students can use to unlock this potential in themselves. Creativity is on of the most in-demand skills in the workplace. It leads to innovation, better problem-solving, enhanced adaptability, increased productivity, improved teamwork, and better business strategies with faster, more effective implementation. Creativity also enhances well-being and is an enduring resource. As Maya Angelou said, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use it, the more you have.” Throughout this course, we discuss where creative ideas come from, the blocks to creativity, how to overcome these blocks, why some ideas catch on and others don’t, and the approaches and habits that lead to greater creativity. Students learn new approaches and have the opportunity to test them, develop new habits, and understand how to make these approaches and habits stick. In this hands-on, applied course, students discover how seemingly simple behaviors make the difference between reaching their creative potential or not.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, March 27, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Saturday, March 28, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, March 29, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: March 27, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7460
Applied Coaching
Bobbi Wegner PsyD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Groops
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26697 | Section 1
Description
Coaching is an emerging discipline that has applications in many professional fields and even to our personal lives. Navigating this new terrain with its many different approaches can be overwhelming. In this course, students learn solid practices in coaching grounded in evidence-based psychology. Topics include: what is coaching and what it is not, how to structure a coaching relationship, how to hold a coaching stance, understanding self as coach, how to assess for readiness for change, key theories in change, basics skills in coaching, difficult situations, ethics, cross-cultural considerations, and how to terminate a coaching relationship. This course is highly self-reflective and practice-based. Students are given direct, honest feedback on strengths and areas of growth from faculty and peers.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, January 5-8, 9:00am-5:30pm, Harvard Hall 201
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
MGMT E-7461
Applied Group and Team Coaching
Bobbi Wegner PsyD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Groops
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17313 | Section 1
Description
Group and team coaching is a powerful approach for facilitating collective growth, transformation, and performance in professional settings. As organizations increasingly rely on collaborative work, understanding how to effectively coach groups and teams has become essential. In this course, students learn evidence-based practices for coaching groups and teams, grounded in organizational and group psychology. These skills are particularly critical in today’s workplace, where leaders must build cohesive teams across hybrid and virtual environments that lack traditional opportunities for natural connection building. Topics covered include distinguishing group and team coaching from individual coaching and team building, establishing psychological safety, managing group dynamics, structuring team coaching engagements, understanding system dynamics and group development, facilitating collective dialogue, navigating team conflicts, assessing team readiness for change, measuring team effectiveness, cross-cultural considerations in group settings, and how to close group coaching relationships. This course is highly experiential and practice-based, with students participating in both coach and client team roles. Students receive comprehensive feedback on their group coaching competencies from faculty and peers, with particular attention to their ability to hold space for multiple perspectives while maintaining forward momentum.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 24, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Saturday, October 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Sunday, October 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Term Start Date: October 24, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7482
Optimizing Leadership: Applied Strategies
Ashley Lorraine Prisant MBA, PhD, Portfolio Chief Human Resources Officer, LFM Capital
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17057 | Section 1
Description
This intensive, on-campus weekend course focuses on overcoming challenges by leading from the middle and the top. Students are trained in multiple subject matter areas including thinking and acting systematically, resiliency, communication, influence, learning agility, and self awareness, based on research developed by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). Students are also engaged in class and group breakout sessions to immediately practice and use skills learned during the course, and have access to world-class speakers and practitioners on the topics of the sessions.
Prerequisites: Students must have earned a grade of B-minus or higher in MGMT E-4000 or MGMT E-4178 in order to enroll in this course.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, November 21, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Saturday, November 22, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, November 23, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: November 21, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7541
Developing Business Ideas
Areen Shahbari MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Executive and Corporate Training and Consulting, Cactus International
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17405 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students who are driven to solve problems, tackle challenges, capitalize on trends, or seize opportunities, whether they are personal, within the workplace, or on a global scale, and those who are seeking collaborators to join them on entrepreneurial endeavors. We delve into the essentials of idea assessment, ideation techniques, and collaborative entrepreneurship, empowering students to transform their visions into tangible reality. Throughout this course, students explore the fundamentals of innovation and ideation, learning to identify business opportunities and generate creative ideas that drive value; master the art of assessing business ideas using evaluation criteria to ensure feasibility, desirability, and viability; and dive deep into value proposition design and business model canvas methodologies, discovering how to craft compelling value propositions and design robust business models. Students learn to embrace the lean start-up approach, iterating ideas and employing innovation tactics to enhance feasibility, desirability, and viability. The course helps students to validate their business ideas through practical exercises and team collaboration, refining their concepts and ensuring their potential success. Students engage in pitch development exercises, working collaboratively to develop persuasive pitches that demonstrate the desirability, viability, and feasibility of new business ideas. Through a series of interactive exercises, group discussions, and brief presentations, students hone their ideation skills, refine their value propositions, and develop compelling business models. Finally, students have the opportunity to deliver pitches effectively and confidently, gaining buy-in, securing resources, and winning stakeholders’ support for their innovative ventures. Regardless of whether students have a specific business idea in mind, this course equips them with the tools and knowledge to develop innovative concepts and refine their ability to innovate. By the conclusion of the course, students have cultivated entrepreneurial thinking skills and acquired practical frameworks for success.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, September 26, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, September 27, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, September 28, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: September 26, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MGMT E-7543
Applied Introduction to Design Thinking and Innovation
Tessa Tzeitel Forshaw MA, Doctoral Researcher and Co-Founder, Next Level Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Rich Braden BSEE, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, People Rocket
Jacob Hale PhD, Associate Principal Designer, People Rocket
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17257 | Section 1
Description
As the world changes at an unprecedented pace, ambiguity is everywhere. Design thinking, innovation, agile, and many other approaches to problem solving have never been more important. But often these methods are only accessible to an exclusive club of people who are certified in a methodology and allowed to practice design and innovation. In this course, we believe in radical access to design and innovation. We believe that for design and innovation to change the world for the better, it has to be inclusive, human centered, and accessible to everyone everywhere. In this course, students learn how to become innovative and leverage the foundational mindsets and abilities of design thinking and innovation to make change in their lives, organizations, and the world. Students may not take both MGMT E-7542 (offered previously) and MGMT E-7543 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, September 15-18, 8:30am-5:00pm, Innovation Lab 122
Term Start Date: September 15, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets on the Allston campus.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-100
Introduction to Museum Studies
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 10207 | Section 1
Description
All museums share responsibility for preserving and interpreting our cultural and natural heritage for the benefit of the public and society. However, museums are more than the collections they house and the exhibits and programs they present. Each museum is a complex network of individuals whose common goal is to create knowledge and to share information and experiences with others. This course provides a broad introduction to the museum world. Students gain an understanding of the museum and the challenges and responsibilities that museums and their staff members encounter. After discussing what a museum is, the various types of museums, and their roles in the community, we introduce current and emerging issues in museums in a number of areas including governance, management of collections, fundraising, and museum jobs and responsibilities.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MUSE E-100
Introduction to Museum Studies
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27004 | Section 1
Description
All museums share responsibility for preserving and interpreting our cultural and natural heritage for the benefit of the public and society. However, museums are more than the collections they house and the exhibits and programs they present. Each museum is a complex network of individuals whose common goal is to create knowledge and to share information and experiences with others. This course provides a broad introduction to the museum world. Students gain an understanding of the museum and the challenges and responsibilities that museums and their staff members encounter. After discussing what a museum is, the various types of museums, and their roles in the community, we introduce current and emerging issues in museums in a number of areas including governance, management of collections, fundraising, and museum jobs and responsibilities.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
MUSE E-102
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Research in Museum Studies
Margaret Deli PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17367 | Section 1
Description
In this proseminar, students develop the skills necessary to engage in graduate-level research in the field of museum studies. Students read classic scholarly texts in museum studies and complete short assignments designed to hone their academic writing skills including critical reading, textual analysis, and argument development. Students also write a 10-page research essay that reflects a particular area of interest within the field of museum studies. Throughout the semester we consider the theory that informs museum practice. In particular, we examine how museums can powerfully mediate encounters with the collective past and reflect the politics of race, class, and gender as well as individual, communal, and national identities. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course, EXPO E-42a. MUSE E-100 is also recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
MUSE E-102
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Research in Museum Studies
Jeffrey Robert Wilson PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25503 | Section 1
Description
In this proseminar, students develop the skills necessary to engage in graduate-level research in the field of museum studies. Students read classic scholarly texts in museum studies and complete short assignments designed to hone their academic writing skills including critical reading, textual analysis, and argument development. Students also write a 10-page research essay that reflects a particular area of interest within the field of museum studies. Throughout the semester we consider the theory that informs museum practice. In particular, we examine how museums can powerfully mediate encounters with the collective past and reflect the politics of race, class, and gender as well as individual, communal, and national identities. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course, EXPO E-42a. MUSE E-100 is also recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
MUSE E-102
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Research in Museum Studies
Eleanor M. (Sis) Hight PhD, Professor of Art History and Humanities, Emerita, University of New Hampshire
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25244 | Section 2
Description
In this proseminar, students develop the skills necessary to engage in graduate-level research in the field of museum studies. Students read classic scholarly texts in museum studies and complete short assignments designed to hone their academic writing skills including critical reading, textual analysis, and argument development. Students also write a 10-page research essay that reflects a particular area of interest within the field of museum studies. Throughout the semester we consider the theory that informs museum practice. In particular, we examine how museums can powerfully mediate encounters with the collective past and reflect the politics of race, class, and gender as well as individual, communal, and national identities. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course, EXPO E-42a. MUSE E-100 is also recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
MUSE E-105
The Twenty-First Century Museum
Laura B. Roberts MBA, Principal, Roberts Consulting
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16926 | Section 1
Description
Sustainability requires adaptation to a dynamic environment. We examine museums’ fundamental management issues through the lens of change. How can museums become more inclusive institutions? What does it mean to decolonize museum practice? How must our relationships with audiences change to embrace expectations of shared authority and participation? What leadership qualities are needed in the twenty-first century? How has the millennial generation of workers reshaped a profession created by baby boomers? How has the culture of accountability and venture philanthropy changed our case for support?
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-106
The Business of Museums
Lawrence Scott Motz MBA, Adjunct Faculty, Sotheby’s Institute of Art
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26851 | Section 1
Description
Museums, in addition to being repositories for scholarly, educational, and cultural stewardship functions, are businesses, and the astute museum professional benefits from understanding how they operate and how they are structured. This course teaches the basic business of museums, large and small, and provides instruction so that museum professionals can operate in the most efficient manner possible. The course is designed to be enlightening to current or prospective staff in all functional areas within a museum, as every department contributes to operations either directly or indirectly. Though there are discussions that introduce basic financial concepts, this is not a finance course. Rather, this course provides history, theory, and practical management considerations for museums operating in today’s environment.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-107
Museums and the Law
Bonnie R. Clendenning JD, Consultant, Governance and Strategic Planning, Empower Success Corps
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26707 | Section 1
Description
Museums, being complex institutions, encompass not only their collections and exhibits but all the people who contribute to their successes, including trustees, employees, volunteers, donors, members and visitors. Museums are often involved in legal matters relating to governance, operations, personnel, intellectual property including digital media, and cultural heritage. They combine scholarly disciplines with intertwined management and organizational challenges. This course provides an overview of the law and its principles as they relate to museums, which should benefit museum professionals even if they do not anticipate being directly involved in legal matters.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100 is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-109
Exhibit Design Through Narrative
Cesar Zapata MPA, Founder and Designer, Zapata Design Studio
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27058 | Section 1
Description
Students collaborate in groups through a lecture-workshop format, exploring exhibit design history, theory, and practice in how it relates to visitor experience and engagement, culminating in the development of an exhibition design proposal and 3-D scaled model of a narrative-style exhibition. The course introduces practices from multiples disciplines that allows students to understand their role as exhibit designers working with other sectors of the museum fields including architecture, design, fabrication, and new media.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100 or the equivalent is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 3, 6:00pm-9:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Saturday, April 4, 9:00am-5:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Sunday, April 5, 9:00am-1:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Term Start Date: March 20, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
MUSE E-110
Museum Exhibition Content Development
Shelley N. Monaghan CMS, Consultant
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15158 | Section 1
Description
All exhibitions start with a key concept that informs all decisions. This course explores the issues and processes involved in the development of that concept, and the planning of exhibition content in a variety of museum settings. Topics include the development of exhibition themes and educational goals, visitor engagement, intellectual and physical accessibility, universal design, working with designers, and exhibit evaluation methods. The course encourages students to acquire creative communication and problem-solving skills.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-112
Museum Exhibition Design Fundamentals
Robert Steven Checchi MA, Assistant Director of Exhibitions, Collections Management, Harvard Art Museums
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26933 | Section 1
Description
Exhibition design is one of the most multifaceted and creative activities within the museum field. Exhibition design requires the merging of numerous design disciplines in order to create environments that simultaneously protect and display objects, artworks, and artifacts that have an intrinsic artistic, cultural, or historical value, while providing engaging and meaningful experiences for the visitors. This course explores the ways in which the design of an exhibition is conceptualized, developed, and produced from a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach. It provides a detailed look inside the fundamental principles of exhibition design for museums, going through the different layers and roles of planning and designing exhibits from a human-centric approach. Topics include concept design, design development, graphic communication, spatial planning, digital engagement, display fabrication, lighting, and technical specifications.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-110 is recommended, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-115
Collections Management: Issues and Solutions
Lily Catherine Sterling-Thompson ALM, Registrar and Exhibitions Manager, Special Collections, Boston Athenaeum
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17351 | Section 1
Description
The course explores the main issues encountered during museum collection management activities. These activities not only affect collections care, but also curation, research, exhibits, and educational projects. Specific challenges and solutions are examined through case studies and analysis of different scenarios. Topics addressed include acquisitions, documentation, digitizing, storage, disaster planning, ethics, and museum-wide strategies for successful collection management.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-117
Museum Collections Care
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Stevie Kennedy-Gold MA, Curatorial Associate, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
Crystal Maier PhD, Curatorial Associate, Entomology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
Mark Omura MS, Curatorial Associate, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
Jeremiah Trimble ALM, Curatorial Associate, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
Jennifer Winifred Trimble ALM, Curatorial Associate, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26381 | Section 1
Description
This course offers a hands-on training experience in collections care, documentation, and processing at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, Museum of Comparative Zoology, and Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. Students work directly with collections management, curatorial, and archives staff members on specific collections-based projects.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100 or the equivalent is recommended.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 1:00pm-4:30pm, Peabody Museum 12
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of MUSE E-117 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 8 students
MUSE E-117
Museum Collections Care
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Adam J. Aja PhD, Chief Curator, Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
Adam Baldinger MA, Curatorial Associate, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
Christina Byrd MS, Curatorial Associate, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
Josh Gorman PhD, Executive Director of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27024 | Section 2
Description
This course offers a hands-on training experience in collections care, documentation, and processing at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, Museum of Comparative Zoology, and Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. Students work directly with collections management, curatorial, and archives staff members on specific collections-based projects.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100 or the equivalent is recommended.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 1:00pm-4:30pm, Peabody Museum 12
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of MUSE E-117 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
MUSE E-126
Museum Evaluation and Audience Research
Christina Smiraglia EdD
Lynn Baum MEd, Principal, Turtle Peak Consulting
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17403 | Section 1
Description
Research and evaluation are critical for museums and similar institutions, especially in an age of data-driven decisions and public accountability. Organizations cannot learn and improve in any systematic way without some means of assessment. Museum professionals in nearly any position find themselves required to conduct evaluations for their institution or oversee contracted researchers. This course provides students with a general understanding of the entire research process from study design to reporting. The course is appropriate for emerging and experienced professionals, especially those interested in education, exhibitions, marketing, and development in museums and related organizations, who may be involved in the design, oversight, implementation, or use of research and evaluation. Students work in groups to evaluate an actual online informal learning experience and may need to recruit adults to participate in the study.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100 or equivalent museum experience is strongly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 16 students
MUSE E-130
Digital Innovation in Museums: Leveraging Emerging Technologies
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Gloria Tam PhD, Professor, College of Business, Minerva University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23583 | Section 1
Description
Explore how museums are at the forefront of digital innovation, integrating cutting-edge technologies to enhance visitor experiences and operational efficiency. This course delves into the transformative impact of emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning within the museum sector. Discover how these tools, along with data science techniques, are revolutionizing the delivery of programmatic content, marketing strategies, and public engagement. We examine the role of online platforms and social media in expanding reach and facilitating interactions with diverse audiences. Additionally, students gain insights into the back-end systems that underpin the digital infrastructure of museums, including the critical role of databases and content management systems in supporting organizational missions. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the digital landscape and equips students with the knowledge to harness these technologies effectively within cultural institutions.
Prerequisites: Some knowledge of computer systems, especially in the nonprofit sector.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course and DGMD E-57 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions, or during assignments. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-135
The Future of Historic House Museums
Abby Battis ALM, Director, Historic Beverly
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17069 | Section 1
Description
The changing attitudes in historic interpretation along with challenges facing historic house museums today, such as recovering from a worldwide pandemic, shifting demographics, funding, maintenance, and technology have contributed to declining attendance and waning interest in historic house museums around the world. This course examines the traditional methods for historic house museum sustainability, including collections care and exhibit design, and explores feasible and reinvented methods for reinterpreting the historic house museum in order to maintain its relevance in a changing society.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with MLA format. Museum experience is a plus.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-144
Museums as Producers of Meaning
Cynthia A. Fowler PhD, Professor of Art, Emmanuel College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16908 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the various roles played by museums in producing narratives about the objects and creations in their collections. Specifically, we consider factors such as geographical location, museum size, and the mission of the museum in determining what objects end up in museum collections and how those objects are then defined by museum professionals and scholars. Most significantly, the course examines the important role played by local and regional museums in preserving works often not viewed as collectable by large, national museums and how collections in these smaller museums have served revisionist histories of art and culture. Although the course focuses primarily on art museums, it also considers the roles of historic houses, anthropology and cultural museums, libraries, and other collecting institutions in preserving cultural objects. Finally, the course considers alternative ways of considering objects in relation to theories such as the itineraries of objects, challenges to the idea of the masterpiece, and the subject-hood of objects/creations in relation to animacy.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-147
Introduction to Learning in Museums
Christina Smiraglia EdD
Lynn Baum MEd, Principal, Turtle Peak Consulting
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26650 | Section 1
Description
This course examines selected learning theories that have shaped and are shaping the development of educational offerings like programs and exhibitions in museums and similar informal learning environments. We explore a variety of ways that learning happens in these institutions, focusing on the visitors themselves. Students consider informal learning from the lenses of both educator and learner, experiencing and reflecting on educational approaches firsthand before then analyzing and suggesting improvements to an existing educational offering (virtual or onsite) based on the discussed learning theories and approaches.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100 or equivalent museum experience recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 16 students
MUSE E-151
Hidden in Plain Site: Exploring Harvard’s History Through Campus Landscapes and Public Collections
Brenda Tindal MA, Chief Campus Curator, Office of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27080 | Section 1
Description
The iconicity of Harvard University’s campus is informed by its vast memorial ecology and a constellation of public artworks, temporary and permanent exhibitions, garden statuaries, and a unique architectural identity within its historic built environment. Using the campus-as-text methodology, this course explores and reads Harvard’s history through its campus landscape and public-facing collections. In doing so, students have an opportunity to participate in weekly site visits to campus landmarks, exhibitions, and library and museum collections and exhibitions to complement modules that explore how the campus’s design, academic architecture, and its memorial and material culture shape a public history of America’s oldest university. This course endeavors to ask many questions, including but not limited to: in what ways is Harvard’s historic built environment and academic architectural identity in intimate dialogue with the city of Cambridge and other urban centers adjacent to the campus? What institutional narratives are conveyed through Harvard’s constellation of public art, garden statuaries, notable interiors, cultural properties, exhibitions, and broader memorial ecology? How do these visual elements and cultural assets fit within the University’s broader museum and library collections? How do we preserve and care for these inherently public-facing collections? As Harvard prepares for its 400th anniversary, where are their opportunities to introduce new narratives and memories that enhance and/or expand how the University’s history is articulated within the campus landscape?
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 202
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
MUSE E-168
Audience Engagement Through the Historic House Museum
Michael H. Maler ALM, Founder, Crescendo Productions, LLC
Kenneth C. Turino MAT, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search and Reference
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17333 | Section 1
Description
Including a visit to two local historic house museums to use as models, this course features a hands-on approach to understanding the methodologies from strategy to practice that house museums and small cultural institutions employ to attract and engage a diverse range of audiences through marketing, interpretation, and programming.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 24, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, October 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, October 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: October 10, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 26 students
MUSE E-184
Cultural Heritage in Museum Collections: Repatriation, Restitution, and Ethical Stewardship
Kara L. Schneiderman MA, Deputy Director for Collections, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26868 | Section 1
Description
Ethical stewardship is a fundamental responsibility for museums that collect and exhibit cultural heritage, sometimes involving principles that can seem at odds with existing standards and best practices. Whether repatriating a cultural item to an origin community, returning a looted artwork to the heirs of an original owner, or creating a policy to support ceremonial offerings in storage, ethical stewardship enables museums to confront their challenging histories, right historical wrongs, and share stewardship of collections in new ways. This course examines the principles, responsibilities, and practices of ethical stewardship with a focus on repatriation and restitution. We examine the historical context of museum collecting, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and domestic repatriation in the United States, Nazi-era looting and restitution, international repatriation, archival and digital repatriation, and ethical stewardship beyond returns, including collaborative collections care, interpretation, and exhibition. Through lectures, discussions, and case study analyses, students examine the legal and ethical issues involved in repatriation and restitution, consider the diverse perspectives of collaborative care, and reflect on both the challenges and opportunities ethical stewardship brings to museum practice.
Prerequisites: MUSE E-100 is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-190
Art Crime: Implications and Investigations
Anthony Amore MPA, Security Director and Chief Investigator, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Geoffrey Kelly MA, Federal Law Enforcement Official
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26340 | Section 1
Description
Crimes against art are a multi-billion dollar per year illicit activity. They range from thefts from museums and homes to the trafficking of looted antiquities. This course explores the impacts of art crimes and the methods of investigating them through the use of real-world examples.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
MUSE E-597
Museum Futures: Innovation and Impact Precapstone
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17360 | Section 1
Description
This course is crafted to guide students in developing an academically rigorous and innovative capstone proposal, vital for candidates pursuing the Master of Liberal Arts, museum studies. As the museum sector undergoes significant transformation in response to pressing national and international issues encompassing social, economic, and political challenges this course equips students to produce impactful projects and research papers that address these dynamic shifts. The course emphasizes essential elements of project design, including comprehensive research and the progressive development of a capstone proposal, along with the creation of a detailed outline and a robust annotated bibliography. By laying a solid groundwork for subsequent capstone courses, students gain the necessary skills to incorporate cutting-edge approaches that respond effectively to the evolving landscape of museums. Students engage directly with the instructor and participate in collaborative peer review sessions, receiving personalized feedback to advance their work on individual topics. Additionally, they develop proficiency in articulating their ideas through practice presentations, enhancing their ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and persuasively. Ultimately, this course not only prepares students to embark on finely-tuned, operational research paper and projects by the time they enroll in MUSE E-599 in the following spring term, but also fosters a commitment to innovation and scholarship within the museum field.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, museum studies, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective degree candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, MUSE E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $0, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
MUSE E-599
Museum Futures: Innovation and Impact Capstone
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14868 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with the opportunity to complete a capstone project related to their professional interests. Capstone projects can include an analysis of a compelling and hotly debated issue within the field of museum studies or, perhaps, creation of a final product that can be used as demonstration of expertise to future or current employers, such as a museum education curriculum, multimedia design, or exhibit.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, museum studies, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in February with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone, MUSE S-598, in the previous Harvard Summer School term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
MUSE E-599
Museum Futures: Innovation and Impact Capstone
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26521 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with the opportunity to complete a capstone project related to their professional interests. Capstone projects can include an analysis of a compelling and hotly debated issue within the field of museum studies or, perhaps, creation of a final product that can be used as demonstration of expertise to future or current employers, such as a museum education curriculum, multimedia design, or exhibit.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, museum studies, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone, MUSE E-597, in the previous term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 28 students
MUSE E-599
Museum Futures: Innovation and Impact Capstone
Katherine Burton Jones MA, Director, Museum Studies, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24273 | Section 2
Description
This course provides students with the opportunity to complete a capstone project related to their professional interests. Capstone projects can include an analysis of a compelling and hotly debated issue within the field of museum studies or, perhaps, creation of a final product that can be used as demonstration of expertise to future or current employers, such as a museum education curriculum, multimedia design, or exhibit.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, museum studies, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone, MUSE E-597, in the previous term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Friday, February 6, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, February 7, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, February 8, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 21 students
MUSI E-190r
Technomusicology
Wayne G. Marshall PhD, Assistant Professor of Music History, Berklee College of Music
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25695 | Section 1
Description
This course uses hands-on media production, in the form of audio and video art, to examine the interplay between music and technology since the dawn of sound reproduction, especially in the digital age. Embracing such technologies ourselves, we use music software (Ableton Live) to explore new techniques and idioms by composing audio/video artworks. Readings, discussions, and projects focus on significant forms and their histories, including soundscapes, mashups, podcasts, supercuts, and DJ-style mixes. Students develop a fluency in the history of sound studies while cultivating competencies in audio and video editing, sampling and arranging, mixing and remixing, and, in framing their projects, descriptive and poetic forms of writing.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
NUTR E-1036
The Science of Physical Activity for Health and Well-Being
Rachele Pojednic PhD, Adjunct Lecturer of Human Biology, Stanford University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26455 | Section 1
Description
Exercise is medicine and fundamental to good health. Given the current epidemic of disease related to sedentary behavior, it is imperative to train future health-care providers to understand the relationship between physical activity and health. There is also a need to educate health-care professionals on the benefits of prescribing exercise to their patients. While the benefits of exercise are widely known, health-care practitioners, including health and wellness coaches, do not always have the necessary training to counsel their patients on how to incorporate exercise and physical activity into their daily routines. Students may not take both NUTR E-1036 and PSYC E-1036 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
NUTR E-105
Food and Nutrition in Health and Well-Being
Rachele Pojednic PhD, Adjunct Lecturer of Human Biology, Stanford University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14784 | Section 1
Description
Students examine evidence-based relationships between nutrition and the promotion of long-term health and well-being. They become familiar with food-related policy and recommendations, including the US dietary guidelines, FDA food labels, and evidence-based nutrition programs, and gain practical skills to make healthful dietary choices. Moreover, students learn health promotion strategies to help influence other people’s food choices and apply these strategies to specific modifiable chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. After successful completion of this course, students are able to identify the fundamentals of a healthy eating pattern; recognize associations between dietary behaviors and non-communicable diseases and identify evidence-based dietary interventions for those diseases; understand barriers to healthful eating, including cultural, environmental, and social; utilize validated tools to encourage healthful food choices; provide practical advice to improve dietary behaviors; and become adept at accessing evidence-based resources to maintain the most up-to-date knowledge, skills, and tools to promote good nutrition.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PHIL E-105
The Meaning of Life
Mathias Risse PhD, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy, Harvard Kennedy School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16601 | Section 1
Description
Many of us have good reasons for doing this or that, making this decision rather than that, choosing this path over another. There is often a point to these choices that we can identify and sometimes have thought hard about. But is there a point to life as a whole? That is the question about the meaning of life. Though the question is notoriously hard to make precise, one way or another it has animated much literature and art, and also much philosophy. Some philosophers have provided very disheartening answers to the questions of whether life has meaning, including that life is suffering and then it ends; life is absurd and never gains any meaning; life is all about creating hell for each other and we cannot escape. But other philosophers have provided more uplifting answers. Both kinds of answers deserve serious scrutiny. Such scrutiny should be of interest to anybody who wishes to make reflection on their life as a whole part of their education. After reviewing a number of pessimistic and more optimistic approaches to the meaning of life we also turn to the subject of death. We all die eventually. We normally encounter death among family and friends before we have to deal with our own. These themes too are the subject of philosophical reflection. The course finishes with a discussion of an important set of lectures on the topics of this course by a contemporary philosopher. This course is quite wide-ranging and integrates historical figures and references to art and literature as appropriate, but its main focus is on contributions by relatively recent thinkers in the Anglo-American analytical tradition of philosophy. The methodology of this course is philosophical. Some of the topics may touch you quite personally and you should take this into account before enrolling.
Prerequisites: None, but prior exposure to philosophy is a plus.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PHIL E-124
Camus, Sartre, Beauvoir, and Current Social Debates
Raymond F. Comeau PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Tiffany Nancy Lin ALM, Staff Scientist, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26548 | Section 1
Description
The writings of Albert Camus (1913-1960) and Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), both Nobel Prize winners, and Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), winner of the prestigious Goncourt Prize, are all representative of French existentialism and have made a lasting impact. Their ideas resonate today on a number of fronts that still cause lively debate, among them antisemitism, racism, epidemics, terrorism, suicide, feminism, capital punishment, authoritarianism, and ageism. These writers are also masters of thought and expression. We study their creative works aesthetically and intellectually, and follow their mode of philosophical thinking closely as they develop such concepts as freedom, the absurd, revolt, justice, individual responsibility, ethics, authenticity, committed writing and action, and the appeal to the conscience. Among works to be studied by Camus are The Myth of Sisyphus, The Guest, Reflections on the Guillotine, The Plague, and The Fall; by Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism, No Exit, Anti-Semite and Jew, and What is Literature?; and by Beauvoir, The Second Sex, The Monologue, The Ethics of Ambiguity, and The Coming of Age. Most of the works are read in their entirety, the very long ones in carefully selected excerpts. Students write one-page opinion papers to help them crystallize their thoughts and prepare for class discussion.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
PHIL E-150
Philosophy of Technology: From Marx and Heidegger to Artificial Intelligence
Mathias Risse PhD, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26848 | Section 1
Description
Technology shapes how power is exercised in society and thereby also shapes how the present changes into the future. Technological innovation is all around us and new possibilities in fields like artificial intelligence, genome-editing, and geoengineering not only reallocate power, but might transform human life itself considerably, to the point of modifying the essence of what it is to be human. While ethical considerations enter prominently, the philosophy of technology is broader than its ethics. It aims to interpret and critically assess the role of technology for human life and guide us to a more thoughtful integration of technology in our individual lives and in public decision-making. This course aims to teach students to do just that, starting with basic stances and key figures in the field and then progressing towards a number of challenges around specific types of technology as they arise for the twenty-first century. At times it is tech optimism that dominates these debates (sometimes even techno-boosterism that sees technology as key to heaven on earth), at other times it is more low-spirited attitudes from Romantic uneasiness to doom-and-gloom Luddism and technology-bashing. A closer look at these attitudes alongside reflection on how technology and power are intertwined helps generate a more skeptical attitude toward all of them and contribute to more level-headed debates, which are badly needed.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1194. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
PHIL E-155
Happiness
Susanna Rinard PhD, Professor of Philosophy, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17281 | Section 1
Description
Should we pursue happiness, and if so, what is the best way to do it? This course critically assesses the answers to these questions given by thinkers from a wide variety of different places, cultures, and times, including Stoicism, Epicureanism, Buddhism, Daoism, and contemporary philosophy, psychology, and economics.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1025. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
PHIL E-155
Happiness
Susanna Rinard PhD, Professor of Philosophy, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26919 | Section 1
Description
Should we pursue happiness, and if so, what is the best way to do it? This course critically assesses the answers to these questions given by thinkers from a wide variety of different places, cultures, and times, including Stoicism, Epicureanism, Buddhism, Daoism, and contemporary philosophy, psychology, and economics.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1025.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
PHIL E-181
Love, Lust, and Loyalty: The Ethics of Intimacy from Plato to Martin Luther King
Sergio Imparato PhD, Lecturer on Government, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16945 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the moral dimension of love, sex, and friendship through a philosophical lens. Students embark on a historical journey through the philosophical insights of ancient philosophers like Plato, Confucius, Augustine, and Aristotle, examining their perspectives on the nature of love and the virtues of friendship. Building upon this foundation, the course then transitions to modern ethical concerns about sexual ethics and social justice, drawing upon the teachings of Immanuel Kant, Simone de Beauvoir, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Through critical analysis of primary texts, students explore questions concerning the ethics of desire, consent, intimacy, autonomy, social responsibility, and the pursuit of happiness. Case studies include ethical dilemmas concerning polyamorous love, online dating, sex work, and friend rental services. This course empowers students to critically evaluate their own beliefs and behaviors in the ream of intimate relationships, while drawing inspiration from a set of influential ethical theories throughout history.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PHIL E-190
Empiricists, Scientists, and Charlatans: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
Jeffrey McDonough PhD, Professor of Philosophy, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17221 | Section 1
Description
Science has become a defining feature of modern life. But what is science? How did it arise? What are its foundations and implications? In this course, students explore key philosophical ideas such as empiricism, evidence, induction, naturalism, realism, and explanation, as well as the relationships between science, philosophy, and society. They emerge with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the nature of modern science and are positioned to form considered views concerning its presuppositions, commitments, and consequences.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Philosophy 9. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PHYS E-1ax
Physics I (Lecture): Mechanics, Elasticity, Fluids, and Diffusion
Brian Winey PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17000 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to classical mechanics, with special emphasis on the motion in fluids of biological objects, from proteins to people. Topics covered include momentum and energy conservation, kinematics, Newton’s laws of motion, oscillations, elasticity, fluids, random walks, and diffusion. Examples and problem set questions are drawn from the life sciences and medicine. This course does not include a lab; students who need a physics lab should enroll concurrently in PHYS E-1axl.
Prerequisites: Students should have a firm foundation in algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Although we discuss some elementary concepts of calculus in class, we do not expect students to use calculus on homework or examinations.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center B
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1AX, and in PHYS E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
PHYS E-1ax
Physics I (Lecture): Mechanics, Elasticity, Fluids, and Diffusion
Brian Winey PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14586 | Section 2
Description
This course is an introduction to classical mechanics, with special emphasis on the motion in fluids of biological objects, from proteins to people. Topics covered include momentum and energy conservation, kinematics, Newton’s laws of motion, oscillations, elasticity, fluids, random walks, and diffusion. Examples and problem set questions are drawn from the life sciences and medicine. This course does not include a lab; students who need a physics lab should enroll concurrently in PHYS E-1axl.
Prerequisites: Students should have a firm foundation in algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Although we discuss some elementary concepts of calculus in class, we do not expect students to use calculus on homework or examinations.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1AX, and in PHYS E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
PHYS E-1axl
Physics I (Lab): Mechanics, Elasticity, Fluids, and Diffusion
Brian Winey PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17067 | Section 1
Description
A hands-on lab course intended to complement PHYS E-1ax. Students work together in small groups to complete six experiments over the course of the term. Experiments include aspects of measurement and uncertainty, force and momentum, simple harmonic oscillators, fluid mechanics, and diffusion.
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in PHYS E-1ax or prior completion of a comparable course in physics (mechanics).
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center 114
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1AXL and in PHYS E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PHYS E-1axl
Physics I (Lab): Mechanics, Elasticity, Fluids, and Diffusion
Brian Winey PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14592 | Section 2
Description
A hands-on lab course intended to complement PHYS E-1ax. Students work together in small groups to complete six experiments over the course of the term. Experiments include aspects of measurement and uncertainty, force and momentum, simple harmonic oscillators, fluid mechanics, and diffusion.
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in PHYS E-1ax or prior completion of a comparable course in physics (mechanics).
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center 114
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1AXL and in PHYS E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PHYS E-1axl
Physics I (Lab): Mechanics, Elasticity, Fluids, and Diffusion
Brian Winey PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17068 | Section 3
Description
A hands-on lab course intended to complement PHYS E-1ax. Students work together in small groups to complete six experiments over the course of the term. Experiments include aspects of measurement and uncertainty, force and momentum, simple harmonic oscillators, fluid mechanics, and diffusion.
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in PHYS E-1ax or prior completion of a comparable course in physics (mechanics).
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center 114
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1AXL and in PHYS E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PHYS E-1axl
Physics I (Lab): Mechanics, Elasticity, Fluids, and Diffusion
Brian Winey PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14593 | Section 4
Description
A hands-on lab course intended to complement PHYS E-1ax. Students work together in small groups to complete six experiments over the course of the term. Experiments include aspects of measurement and uncertainty, force and momentum, simple harmonic oscillators, fluid mechanics, and diffusion.
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in PHYS E-1ax or prior completion of a comparable course in physics (mechanics).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, September 6-December 20, 9:00am-12:00pm
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1AXL and in PHYS E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PHYS E-1bx
Physics II (Lecture): Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, and Optics
Oliver Saunders Wilder PhD, Research Affiliate, MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26635 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to electromagnetism, circuits, waves, optics, and sound. Topics covered include electric and magnetic fields, electrical potential, analog and digital circuits, wave propagation in various media, microscopy, sound, and hearing. Many questions and examples are drawn from the life sciences and medicine. This course does not include a lab; students who need a physics lab should enroll concurrently in PHYS E-1bxl.
Prerequisites: PHYS E-1ax, or equivalent preparation in physics (mechanics).
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center D
Optional sections to be aranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1BX, and in PHYS E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
PHYS E-1bx
Physics II (Lecture): Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, and Optics
Oliver Saunders Wilder PhD, Research Affiliate, MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24293 | Section 2
Description
This course is an introduction to electromagnetism, circuits, waves, optics, and sound. Topics covered include electric and magnetic fields, electrical potential, analog and digital circuits, wave propagation in various media, microscopy, sound, and hearing. Many questions and examples are drawn from the life sciences and medicine. This course does not include a lab; students who need a physics lab should enroll concurrently in PHYS E-1bxl.
Prerequisites: PHYS E-1ax, or equivalent preparation in physics (mechanics).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Optional sections to be aranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,620.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1BX, and in PHYS E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
PHYS E-1bxl
Physics II (Lab): Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, and Optics
Oliver Saunders Wilder PhD, Research Affiliate, MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26706 | Section 1
Description
This hands-on experimental course is intended to complement PHYS E-1bx. Laboratory experiments include aspects of electric and magnetic fields, analog and digital circuits, wave phenomena, and optics.
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in PHYS E-1bx or prior completion of a comparable course in physics (electricity and magnetism).
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center 114
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1BXL, and in PHYS E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PHYS E-1bxl
Physics II (Lab): Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, and Optics
Oliver Saunders Wilder PhD, Research Affiliate, MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26704 | Section 2
Description
This hands-on experimental course is intended to complement PHYS E-1bx. Laboratory experiments include aspects of electric and magnetic fields, analog and digital circuits, wave phenomena, and optics.
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in PHYS E-1bx or prior completion of a comparable course in physics (electricity and magnetism).
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center 114
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1BXL, and in PHYS E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PHYS E-1bxl
Physics II (Lab): Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, and Optics
Oliver Saunders Wilder PhD, Research Affiliate, MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26705 | Section 3
Description
This hands-on experimental course is intended to complement PHYS E-1bx. Laboratory experiments include aspects of electric and magnetic fields, analog and digital circuits, wave phenomena, and optics.
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in PHYS E-1bx or prior completion of a comparable course in physics (electricity and magnetism).
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center 114
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1BXL, and in PHYS E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PHYS E-1bxl
Physics II (Lab): Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, and Optics
Oliver Saunders Wilder PhD, Research Affiliate, MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24302 | Section 4
Description
This hands-on experimental course is intended to complement PHYS E-1bx. Laboratory experiments include aspects of electric and magnetic fields, analog and digital circuits, wave phenomena, and optics.
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in PHYS E-1bx or prior completion of a comparable course in physics (electricity and magnetism).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 31-May 16, 9:00am-12:00pm
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $540.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course, other sections of PHYS E-1BXL, and in PHYS E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PSYC E-1007
Well-Being from the Inside Out: Working Toward a Healthy Body, Peaceful Mind, and Joyful Heart
Beth Frates MD, Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16805 | Section 1
Description
This course explores how to enhance our state of well-being. We look at what it means to be in a state of health and what it takes to move beyond that into well-being and thriving. The course focuses on the research that helps us understand how to keep our bodies healthy, our minds peaceful, and our hearts joyful. We examine both the science and the art of well-being. Our own experiences help to formulate our own inner wisdom and we work to draw that out in this course as we search for the meaning of well-being.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
PSYC E-1015
Intercultural Perspectives on Trauma
Mayron Piccolo PhD, Lecturer on Psychology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17332 | Section 1
Description
Traumatic experiences vary in part due to the different adversities and experiences people from diverse cultures throughout the world face. And even though most of our understanding of psychological trauma is built on samples found in western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) countries, many researchers generalize these findings to non-WEIRD populations. In this course, we look at psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress through a multicultural lens, beyond the western perspective. Can a global model of trauma fit all cultures? If not, how should we properly assess trauma using culturally valid methods? What is the impact of the cultural experience on perceiving an event as traumatic? After answering these questions, we apply the foundational knowledge acquired during the course to establish a deeper understanding of cross-cultural trauma in veterans, refugees, and women who experience female genital excision.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
PSYC E-1017
Grief
Cynthia A. Meyersburg PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16781 | Section 1
Description
Grief is ubiquitous. At some point in our lives, each of us will grieve, yet it can be a taboo topic. This course provides an overview of the major theories, modern research, and current issues for understanding the phenomenon of grief. We examine psychological as well as anthropological and sociological research articles so we can better address questions such as, what is grief? Why do we grieve? Did Neanderthals grieve? Is grieving over the death of pets a new phenomenon? Is there more than one normal pattern of recovery? Are there effective treatments for people with complicated grief? What are some of the grieving practices of people in different cultures? At different times in history? Is it possible to have a meaningful and worthwhile life, despite grief? What does it mean to be resilient? We read and discuss a fascinating set of materials, enriching our knowledge and understanding of this important, universal topic.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
PSYC E-1018
Psychological Resilience
Shelley H. Carson PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25649 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the field of resilience research, including an examination of evidence-based cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, and self-care skills that have been demonstrated to reduce risk of major psychological disorders, such as major depression and anxiety disorders, in the face of adversity.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
PSYC E-1023
Habits and Habit Change
Shelley H. Carson PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26286 | Section 1
Description
This course examines habits and habit change at several levels of analysis, including the biological (neurobiological), psychological (emotional, cognitive, and behavioral), and socio-cultural levels. Some of the topics we cover include the definition and measurement of habits, individual differences in our propensity to form habits and make changes to them (in other words how our personality affects our habits), the role of IQ, gender, age, and cultural differences in habits, and the relationship of habits to various forms of psychopathology. We also apply what we learn by forming a new habit of our own during the course.
Prerequisites: An introductory psychology course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
PSYC E-1025
Developmental Psychology
Ashley J. Thomas PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17422 | Section 1
Description
Humans are children for longer than any other species on the planet. We are born especially helpless and dependent on others. We start unable to walk, talk, or even grasp objects. Yet, somehow we become people who invent things like airplanes or democracy. In this course, we consider what happens to our minds throughout development. We focus on infancy and childhood. We answer questions such as: what is the experience of a baby? Do they experience their environment as “one great blooming, buzzing confusion,” as William James proposed? Or do they come to the world with knowledge that gives structure to their experience? How do children become experts in their language? How are the minds of children and infants similar to adults and how are they different? This is a communication and analytical thinking intensive course. Students learn about the different ways that scholars have approached these questions and get hands-on experience thinking them through themselves.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Psychology 16. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Wednesdays and Fridays, 12-1:15 pm starting September 3 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
PSYC E-1027
Psychophysiology of Stress and Resilience
Vladimir Ivkovic PhD, Instructor in Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16918 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the concepts of stress and resilience in relation to the underlying psychophysiologic mechanisms that regulate them. Shaped by evolutionary forces, human psychophysiologic, emotional, behavioral, and social performance continuously adapts to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors with the aim of improving fitness. The traditional topics are supplemented with current stress-related research in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These core topics and processes are discussed in the broader context of (mental) health and understanding of the etiology of stress-related psychopathologies, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Contemporary findings from research studies conducted in laboratory (for example, neuroimaging), occupational and extreme (for example, spaceflight), and clinical (for example, mental health clinic) environments are discussed in the context of history, systems, and research paradigms used to study psychophysiology of stress. Theoretical concepts and research findings are evaluated relative to their utility in developing prevention and mitigation strategies for stress-related psychopathologies, and translational implementation in clinical treatments. This course may feature expert guest lecturers (occupational health experts, and NASA and Antarctic researchers) and demonstrations of state-of-the-art experimental methodologies used in psychophysiologic research on stress and resilience.
Prerequisites: An introductory-level courses in psychology and human physiology is recommended prior to taking this course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
PSYC E-1032
Family, School, and Society: Shaping the Developing Child
Selva Lewin-Bizan PhD, Lecturer on Psychology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26883 | Section 1
Description
What obstacles do single, low-income fathers face to becoming and staying involved in the lives of their children? Why are students in poor schools at increased risk of entering adulthood without all the skills they need to succeed in the workforce and life? Why do children in poverty have higher chances for serious health issues than wealthier children? What difference do kinship versus non-kinship care arrangements make in the lives of children who are in foster care? Why are children subjected to harsh discipline policies at school more likely to go to jail or prison later in life than those who are not? How do strengths and resiliencies of immigrant children go unnoticed in the face of their many challenges? How important are affirming relationships with family and school practices for successfully navigating stigma and bullying of LGBTQ youth? Using theory, research findings and other data sources, and current news, this course focuses on the complex social issues that America’s children and adolescents face both in their immediate settings of family and school and with broader societal values, customs, and laws, and the effects of these issues on their psychological development and well-being.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
PSYC E-1037
Introduction to Lifestyle Medicine
Tracie McCargo PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26958 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on lifestyle medicine, which is the science and application of healthy lifestyles as interventions for the prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, some neurological conditions, and some cancers. It is the evidence-based specialty bridging the science of physical activity, nutrition, stress management and resilience, sleep hygiene, and other healthy habits to individuals through clinical practice in health care. Lifestyle interventions include exercise prescriptions, nutrition prescriptions, stress management and resilience, smoking cessation programs, sleep evaluations, identifying and encouraging social connections, harnessing individuals’ strengths, and using positive emotions such as gratitude and laughter as medicine to empower individuals to reach their optimal state of health and well-being. Starting with Hippocrates and ending with modern medicine, we explore how trends and guidelines in lifestyle choices by individuals and clinicians have shaped and altered the health of the population. This course brings evidence-based knowledge and practical strategies to those professionals aspiring to instill healthful lifestyle behaviors in themselves as well as in their patients, clients, family, and friends.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 9:00am-12:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PSYC E-1038
Health: A Positive Psychology Perspective
Ellen Langer PhD, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Deborah R. Phillips PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16826 | Section 1
Description
Why does it seem that some people are so resilient and content? This course looks at psychological and physical health from the perspective of positive psychology. The major focus is on mindfulness theory and its relationship to stress and coping, illness and wellness, decision-making, and placebos. The medical model, the biosocial model, and a unified mind-body model are compared to examine their role in becoming mindful and thus healthier, happier, and less stressed.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Psychology 1005. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
PSYC E-1038
Health: A Positive Psychology Perspective
Ellen Langer PhD, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Deborah R. Phillips PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26459 | Section 1
Description
Why does it seem that some people are so resilient and content? This course looks at psychological and physical health from the perspective of positive psychology. The major focus is on mindfulness theory and its relationship to stress and coping, illness and wellness, decision-making, and placebos. The medical model, the biosocial model, and a unified mind-body model are compared to examine their role in becoming mindful and thus healthier, happier, and less stressed.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Psychology 1005.
PSYC E-1039
The Art and Science of Empowering People to Change
Beth Frates MD, Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School
Tracie McCargo PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26855 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the theory, science, and real-world experience of behavior change. Throughout the semester, students learn about behavior change basics, stages of change, motivational interviewing, the power of autonomy, appreciative inquiry, goal setting and planning, maintaining motivation, overcoming obstacles, using strengths, accountability, the five step collaboration cycle, group coaching, and positive health practices.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
PSYC E-1050
Introduction to Social Psychology
Holly Parker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13822 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of the major concepts and questions in the field of social psychology. Students have the opportunity to discuss and think critically about a variety of exciting issues, such as the impact of social perceptions on individual behavior, factors that influence how people see themselves, romantic relationships, aggression, and the act of helping others.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-1053
Sex, Gender, and Evolution
Max Krasnow PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16922 | Section 1
Description
Why are there so many different ideas and opinions about what sex and gender are like? Why did so many species evolve to have two sexes? Why is sex dichotomous in our gametes, but continuous in our bodies and behavior? Did we evolve to have a sense of our own gender identity and if so, why? This course takes a deep dive into these questions and more. Classes are organized around group discussion of readings. After mastering the foundational material, students write their final paper, applying the course material and their outside interests and expertise to a topic of interest in this wide field.
Prerequisites: Evolutionary psychology or an equivalent course is recommended. Prior coursework in some combination of introductory genetics, biology, psychology, sociology, and women and gender studies is helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
PSYC E-1080
Schizophrenia
Cynthia A. Meyersburg PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17239 | Section 1
Description
Schizophrenia is a neuro-developmental disorder that approximately one percent of people experience during their lives. Schizophrenia can be profoundly disabling, and even for people who are able to be very high functioning (for example, Professor Elyn Saks), schizophrenia is a difficult disorder to manage. Better understanding the symptoms, risk factors, treatments, and impacts of schizophrenia can provide valuable insight and help to reduce stigma.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
PSYC E-1142
Loneliness: Why It Matters and What to Do About It
Cynthia A. Meyersburg PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Alison Warren, DAOM, PhD(c) Adjunct Assistant Professor, Clinical Research and Leadership, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17382 | Section 1
Description
This course examines loneliness as a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon and significant public health challenge. Despite its prevalence across demographic boundaries, loneliness remains understudied in both psychological and medical contexts. The course provides a comprehensive analysis of loneliness through multiple theoretical frameworks, examining its unique characteristics as a subjective experience that transcends objective social circumstances. Students explore theoretical foundations and contemporary models of loneliness; neurobiological mechanisms and physiological consequences; psychological assessment methods and diagnostic considerations; cultural and sociological dimensions; relationships with chronic stress, depression, and mortality; evidence-based intervention strategies; and public health implications and policy approaches. Special attention is given to emerging research on how loneliness intersects with modern social dynamics, technology, and global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Students develop a sophisticated understanding of both individual and population-level approaches to addressing loneliness. The course integrates recent advances in social neuroscience, health psychology, and clinical research.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent, an introductory course in public health, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 10, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Saturday, October 11, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, October 12, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: September 26, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
PSYC E-1160
The Science and Practice of Peak Performance
Cynthia A. Meyersburg PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Gibson Arnold ALM
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27038 | Section 1
Description
The course combines neuroscience, psychology, and personal development principles to explore the mechanisms and strategies behind achieving optimal performance in personal and professional domains. This interdisciplinary course is beneficial for students interested in enhancing their understanding of human potential, leadership, and growth.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent, or permission of the instructors.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 24, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Saturday, April 25, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Sunday, April 26, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: April 10, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
PSYC E-1240
Psychopathology
Shelley H. Carson PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 10236 | Section 1
Description
We examine a variety of mental disorders from several different theoretical perspectives. We focus on diagnostic issues, epidemiology, causes, gender differences, and treatments of each disorder.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-1246
Mechanisms and Markers of Psychopathology
Mayron Piccolo PhD, Lecturer on Psychology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26983 | Section 1
Description
This course integrates clinical psychology and cognitive neuroscience to explore the biological underpinnings of mental illness. We adopt a systems-level approach, examining the relationship between the function and dysfunction of specific brain circuits and networks and their contribution to mental health disorders. For instance, the brain’s reward system has been linked to diagnoses such as addiction, disordered eating, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and psychosis. Understanding this common neural foundation provides insights into how these disorders are interconnected and how this knowledge can advance treatment options. Throughout the course, we draw on both traditional and cutting-edge methodologies that have produced critical insights and key breakthroughs. Additionally, students create resources aimed at individuals suffering from specific psychiatric disorders to support them as they await treatment.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
PSYC E-1310
Cognitive Neuroscience
Elizabeth Phelps PhD, Pershing Square Professor of Neuroscience, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17071 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with a foundational knowledge of cognitive neuroscience, a field that studies the intricate links between the mind, the brain, and behavior. Students learn basics about brain anatomy and function and the methods used to study how the brain supports cognition and behavior. We explore the various functions of the brain by taking a journey from lower to higher level cognitive processes. We study how we can sense and perceive the world, act in it, remember it, feel about it, control thoughts and behaviors, make decisions, and think about others.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
PSYC E-1310
Cognitive Neuroscience
Elizabeth Phelps PhD, Pershing Square Professor of Neuroscience, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26709 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with a foundational knowledge of cognitive neuroscience, a field that studies the intricate links between the mind, the brain, and behavior. Students learn basics about brain anatomy and function and the methods used to study how the brain supports cognition and behavior. We explore the various functions of the brain by taking a journey from lower to higher level cognitive processes. We study how we can sense and perceive the world, act in it, remember it, feel about it, control thoughts and behaviors, make decisions, and think about others.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
PSYC E-1356
Evolutionary Psychology
Max Krasnow PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26283 | Section 1
Description
Evolutionary psychology is the application of principles from evolutionary biology to the study of human behavior. In this course, we explore the underlying theories in evolutionary psychology and how they have been applied to topics covering the range of human experience, including cooperation, mating, friendship, aggression, warfare, collective action, kinship, parenting, social learning, dietary choice, spatial cognition, reasoning, emotions, morality, personality and individual differences, predator avoidance, hazard management, and culture.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15, or the equivalent; PSYC E-1050 or PSYC E-1240 recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections Fridays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
PSYC E-1440
Sleep and Mental Health
Edward Franz Pace-Schott PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16052 | Section 1
Description
The scientific study of sleep is an area of research that is both highly diverse and among the most interdisciplinary and unifying of topics in psychology and neuroscience. In the past several decades, exciting new discoveries on the neurobiology of sleep have been facilitated by technologies such as functional neuroimaging and molecular genetics. Nonetheless, sleep remains mysterious and controversial and, remarkably, there still is no generally agreed upon function for this behavioral state that occupies one third of our lives. Importantly, sleep science exemplifies the translational approach in biomedical science whereby human and animal research together continually advance the field of sleep medicine. Following an overview on the physiology and behavioral neuroscience of sleep, students choose a topic related to the effects of sleep on mental health to research in depth, to present to the class, and to discuss in a term paper. Topics might include the characteristic abnormalities in sleep occurring in mood, anxiety, psychotic, addictive, autism spectrum, or neurodegenerative disorders. Such changes are increasingly seen as bidirectional, with sleep disturbances contributing to the waking symptoms of these mental disorders. Other topics might focus on the contribution of primary sleep disorders to psychiatric and neurological illness such as the linkage between sleep apnea and depression, circadian rhythm disorders in bipolar illness, insomnia as a risk factor for mood and anxiety disorders, or contribution of nocturnal seizures to neurodevelopmental disorders. Still other topics may focus on the contribution of normal sleep to emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and human performance factors. For those with more neuroscientific interests, topics might include neuroimaging of cognitive functioning following sleep deprivation or the growing interest in trafficking and disposal of abnormal proteins during sleep having a potential role in neurodegenerative illness.
Prerequisites: An introductory psychology course (such as PSYC E-15).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 23 students
PSYC E-1440
Sleep and Mental Health
Edward Franz Pace-Schott PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26426 | Section 1
Description
The scientific study of sleep is an area of research that is both highly diverse and among the most interdisciplinary and unifying of topics in psychology and neuroscience. In the past several decades, exciting new discoveries on the neurobiology of sleep have been facilitated by technologies such as functional neuroimaging and molecular genetics. Nonetheless, sleep remains mysterious and controversial and, remarkably, there still is no generally agreed upon function for this behavioral state that occupies one third of our lives. Importantly, sleep science exemplifies the translational approach in biomedical science whereby human and animal research together continually advance the field of sleep medicine. Following an overview on the physiology and behavioral neuroscience of sleep, students choose a topic related to the effects of sleep on mental health to research in depth, to present to the class, and to discuss in a term paper. Topics might include the characteristic abnormalities in sleep occurring in mood, anxiety, psychotic, addictive, autism spectrum, or neurodegenerative disorders. Such changes are increasingly seen as bidirectional, with sleep disturbances contributing to the waking symptoms of these mental disorders. Other topics might focus on the contribution of primary sleep disorders to psychiatric and neurological illness such as the linkage between sleep apnea and depression, circadian rhythm disorders in bipolar illness, insomnia as a risk factor for mood and anxiety disorders, or contribution of nocturnal seizures to neurodevelopmental disorders. Still other topics may focus on the contribution of normal sleep to emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and human performance factors. For those with more neuroscientific interests, topics might include neuroimaging of cognitive functioning following sleep deprivation or the growing interest in trafficking and disposal of abnormal proteins during sleep having a potential role in neurodegenerative illness.
Prerequisites: An introductory psychology course (such as PSYC E-15).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
PSYC E-15
Introduction to Psychology
Todd Farchione PhD, Research Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 10232 | Section 1
Description
This course is a broad introduction to the field of psychology. Students explore the key figures, diverse theoretical perspectives, and research findings that have shaped some of the major areas of contemporary psychology. This course also examines the research methods used by psychologists across these areas to study the origins and variations in human behavior.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-15
Introduction to Psychology
Todd Farchione PhD, Research Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23862 | Section 1
Description
This course is a broad introduction to the field of psychology. Students explore the key figures, diverse theoretical perspectives, and research findings that have shaped some of the major areas of contemporary psychology. This course also examines the research methods used by psychologists across these areas to study the origins and variations in human behavior.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-1503
The Psychology of Close Relationships
Holly Parker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26580 | Section 1
Description
This course is an exploration of the psychology of close human relationships. We learn about intimate (romantic) relationships and friendships, and the ways in which these two kinds of relationships interact. Other kinds of close relationships (family and work relationships, for example) are integrated into the course, and although they are extremely valuable relationships in their own right, they are addressed secondarily to romantic relationships and friendships for the purposes of this course. Examples of topics include attraction and love, relationship formation and dissolution, relational interaction patterns, relationship satisfaction, and the social context of relationships (the influence of others). Students have an opportunity to explore relationships through readings in the popular press, but ultimately a scholarly, critical examination of the scientific literature serves as the foundation of our learning throughout the course. Students find that the literature contains unexpected findings that can change the way they look at relationships, both from academic and applied, real-life perspectives.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-1505
The Psychology of Decision-Making: Biases, Possibilities, and Organizational Impact
Deborah R. Phillips PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17377 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the science and practice of decision-making through the lens of psychology, behavioral economics, and management. Students explore the cognitive biases, heuristics, and emotional influences that shape decisions and learn how to create value by designing effective decision-making strategies. Anchored in Ellen Langer’s principle the psychology of possibility and enriched by key frameworks like prospect theory, the broaden-and-build theory, and growth mindset, the course connects theory with practice. Students tackle real-world scenarios, participate in negotiation simulations, and analyze decision-making through cultural and organizational perspectives. By the end of the course, students have developed the critical thinking skills and practical tools to address complex problems, lead with confidence, and enhance decision-making processes in their organizations and industries.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 and MGMT E-4000 or the equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PSYC E-1506
Groups and Culture
Bobbi Wegner PsyD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Groops
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26528 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept of groups and culture. It is designed to help students understand key skills that generate cohesion and cooperation, and demonstrate how individuals can come together as a group and function across scale. Drawing on examples of successful organizations and small group experiences, students learn the recipe to positive group functioning and how to create a culture that promotes learning, growth, collaboration, trust, and positive change. Students also learn how to lead a successful small group and translate these skills to larger systems. Students learn about what not to do as well; past flops from groups and organizations are shared, and how to reform a toxic culture is addressed. The course is viewed through the lens of practical application. Students walk away understanding the basic principles of group dynamics, group facilitation, and culture. There are guest speakers from both business and psychology.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-1508
Motivation
Bobbi Wegner PsyD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Groops
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16739 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept of motivation. It is designed to help students understand what motivation is, how it relates to needs, cognitions, emotions, and behaviors. It also covers how to assess and intervene to help people achieve goals effectively. Students learn the different types of motivation, what shapes it, how to assess and measure it, how to make a theoretical formulation on where people are in their readiness for change, how to foster motivation through intervention such as motivational interviewing, and how to promote motivation on an individual and systems level. This course is led by a practicing clinical psychologist and the semester is viewed through the lens of application. Students walk away understanding what to look for, how to ask questions and assess, how to formulate an understanding of an individual’s motivation to change, what tools to use, and how to think about motivation on an individual and systems level. Theory of change is touched upon as well.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-1508
Motivation
Cynthia A. Meyersburg PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25117 | Section 1
Description
Motivation is an internal process that drives behavior. Understanding motivation is essential for effecting change in ourselves and in others. In this course, students learn the theories and empirical research regarding motivation, as well as consider how to apply what they learn to a variety of contexts ranging from improving workplace productivity, enhancing learning in school, changing personal habits, and understanding the behaviors of others.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 65 students
PSYC E-1520
Psychology of Willpower
Rebecca Fortgang PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16417 | Section 1
Description
It’s two in the morning. Will you finally write that paper, or will you give up and go to sleep? You are not the only person who faces dilemmas like these. Self-control is challenging, and everyone struggles with it. How do we find the willpower to do the things we will be happy about tomorrow, and stay away from things we regret? This course brings together insights from psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, and behavioral economics to identify how we can break old habits and forge new ones, resist temptation, and pursue goals. Students learn about the science of self-control and put empirically-supported strategies to the test in their own lives.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 9:45pm-11:45pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
PSYC E-1550
Psychology and Religion in Historical Context
Nadine Weidman PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26866 | Section 1
Description
From Sigmund Freud’s denunciation of the Judeo-Christian god as an infantile delusion to Dr. Herbert Benson’s discovery that meditation can make us healthier, psychology and religion have had a long and complicated relationship. This course examines how psychologists and psychiatrists from the mid-nineteenth century to the present have tried to explain and sometimes explain away religious and spiritual experiences, practices, and phenomena. Is faith in the supernatural an essential human trait a channel to the “superconscious,” as William James argued? Or is it a form of madness? Is religion responsible for humans’ longevity as a species, as evolutionary psychologists claim? Or are religious differences now tearing us apart? If religious phenomena become increasingly subject to to psychological explanation, is there still a place for god in a secular world? We ponder our own answers to these questions as we read those offered by such major scientific thinkers as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, William James, Gordon Allport, Aldous Huxley, Lois Murphy, and E.O. Wilson, and by religious, spiritual, and mystical thinkers from a range of traditions Judeo-Christian, Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
PSYC E-1557
Self and Identity
Alexandra Sedlovskaya PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25118 | Section 1
Description
Our sense of who we are permeates every aspect of our life. This course explores how we develop a sense of self; how we navigate multiple identities, some of which may be conflicting or socially devalued; and how these identities affect both consciously and unconsciously our thoughts, motives, feelings, and behavior. Students engage with classical theories and contemporary research to gain insight into psychological perspectives on self and identity.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-1565
Too Much of a Good Thing? The Psychology of Rewards
Mayron Piccolo PhD, Lecturer on Psychology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26982 | Section 1
Description
How can we harness the power of rewards to improve our mental health and well-being? Is there a fine line between rewards that are beneficial and those that are harmful to our lives? This course examines the complex world of rewards. We explore different categories of rewards (for example, social, monetary, and natural/primary) and uncover how they can be effectively implemented to enhance well-being and mental health. We also discuss the consequences of unbalanced responses to rewards, such as addiction, binge eating, and substance use disorders. Drawing on research from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics, this course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the role rewards play in shaping our lives and our mental health. Throughout the course, we grapple with the delicate balance between constructive and destructive responses to rewards and how this balance affects our pursuit of a fulfilling life.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
PSYC E-1587
Political Psychology: Fake News and Misperceptions
Joseph A. Vitriol PhD, Assistant Professor, Management, Lehigh University College of Business
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17348 | Section 1
Description
At its core, politics is about the psychology of persuasion. Through rhetorical machination, argumentation, and debate, communicators try to influence how citizens think about an issue, candidate, or event. In the age of fake news and alternative facts, where misleading, sensationalized, or disproven information abounds, how individuals arrive at their political beliefs and acquire political knowledge is of central importance. In this course, we step inside the mind of citizens and political elites to explore the psychological processes underlying the persistence and consequences of misinformation for political psychology. We examine interdisciplinary perspectives on mass communication, the structure and function of belief systems and political identity, and strategies for correcting political misperception (which often fail). A major goal of this course is to consider how psychological science contributes to our understanding of politics, and how the study of politics advances our understanding of human nature.
Prerequisites: A background in social sciences, especially psychology and political science, is encouraged but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
PSYC E-1605
The Brain in Psychology I: The Neuroanatomical Basis of Psychological Function
William Milberg PhD, Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14011 | Section 1
Description
This course reviews contemporary neuroscience and neuroanatomy relevant to understanding higher psychological functions. It combines lectures and laboratory methods to help students gain understanding of the topology and connectivity of cortical structures. Students learn how anatomy as viewed through neuroimaging techniques is related to actual brain tissue and the methods through which inferences about the relationship between neural structure and function are made.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
PSYC E-1609
Neuroscience of Learning: An Introduction to Mind, Brain, Health, and Education
Tracey Noel Tokuhama-Espinosa PhD, Educational Researcher
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25122 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of the neuroscience of learning through mind, brain, health, and education science (MBHE), or the intersection of psychology, cognitive neuroscience, health, and education. Fundamental biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors are introduced with an emphasis on critical functions related to learning and achievement across settings, age groups, and concepts, such as epigenetics, sensitive periods, and neuroplasticity. In addition, factors that facilitate and roadblocks that inhibit optimization of learning are explored as we discuss key cognitive constructs (language, attention, memory, executive functions, and affect/emotions) with special attention to comparative cultural influences on neurocognitive processes. These studies are directly applied by students who complete the semester research project, which is conducted in an area of personal interest.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Required sections for graduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
PSYC E-1610
The Brain in Psychology II
William Milberg PhD, Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23820 | Section 1
Description
This seminar is an introduction to the neuropsychological aspects of cognition, personality, and social behavior. Students are introduced to the intellectual underpinnings, assumptions, and methods used in contemporary neuropsychological research and learn how these apply to the classical problems of psychology. As part of the course, students present and analyze recent literature in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience and neuropsychology.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-1605, or the equivalent recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
PSYC E-1620
Brain and Behavior in the Extremes
Vladimir Ivkovic PhD, Instructor in Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26957 | Section 1
Description
What happens to the human brain and behavior when we are exposed to isolated, confined, and extreme environments? Examples include spaceflight; high altitude flights or mountaineering; submersed or underwater activities; and polar, desert, or jungle exploration. In addition to these classical extreme environments, the COVID-19 pandemic placed a large portion of the world’s population in an extreme environment defined by social and physical isolation/confinement, movement and travel restrictions, disruption of personal and professional activities, and novel health risks and behavioral adjustments. This course covers the effects of extreme environmental exposures on major physiologic systems and the resulting neurophysiologic and neurobehavioral performance and (re)adaptation. These topics are augmented by contemporary findings from research studies conducted in operational environments and discussed in the context of history, experimental methods, and research paradigms used in extreme environmental physiology and translational neuroscience. We also review current studies emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss them in the context of transition from every day to a new normal extreme environment, including physiologic, behavioral, and social adaptations. Theoretical concepts and research findings are evaluated relative to their utility in developing functional countermeasures for extreme human habitation as well as methods for clinical treatment of related medical conditions in the general population. As such, this course may be particularly interesting to students pursuing careers in translational neuroscience, psychology, extreme physiology/medicine, and human performance in extreme environments. This course features expert guest lecturers (for example, NASA astronauts and researchers, Antarctic expeditionary physicians, and underwater explorers) and demonstrations of unique experimental methodologies and equipment used in isolated, confined, and extreme environments.
Prerequisites: Prospective students would benefit from completing introductory-level courses in psychology and human physiology prior to taking this course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
PSYC E-1680
The Science of Happiness
Jason Mitchell PhD, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17426 | Section 1
Description
Recent research in the cognitive sciences especially psychology, economics, and neuroscience has begun to examine the factors that promote personal well-being and happiness. One surprising, but consistent, observation has been that many of the things that are widely believed to be crucial for our happiness wealth, material possessions, not missing out, and even good grades not only fail to make many people happy but can actively undermine the sense of well-being. The course begins by introducing some misconceptions that many people might have about what makes for a satisfying life. We examine the psychological biases and other mental quirks of our minds that make it hard for us to identify what actually makes us happy and then discuss what recent research reveals about factors that promote happiness. Importantly, throughout the course, students are invited to apply these strategies in everyday life. In other words, we both discuss what new results in cognitive science suggest to anyone interested in better understanding the factors that promote happiness and also actively put these scientific findings into practice. Along the way, we review historical and cross-cultural views on the meaning of happiness, discuss the limitations of scientific approaches to the topic, and identify aspects of modern life that make it difficult to develop habits that support happiness. Students may only take one of the following courses for degree or certificate credit: the Harvard Summer School course PSYC S-1022, PSYC E-1022 (offered previously), or PSYC E-1680.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Psychology 1060. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
PSYC E-1680
The Science of Happiness
Jason Mitchell PhD, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27085 | Section 1
Description
Recent research in the cognitive sciences especially psychology, economics, and neuroscience has begun to examine the factors that promote personal well-being and happiness. One surprising, but consistent, observation has been that many of the things that are widely believed to be crucial for our happiness wealth, material possessions, not missing out, and even good grades not only fail to make many people happy but can actively undermine the sense of well-being. The course begins by introducing some misconceptions that many people might have about what makes for a satisfying life. We examine the psychological biases and other mental quirks of our minds that make it hard for us to identify what actually makes us happy and then discuss what recent research reveals about factors that promote happiness. Importantly, throughout the course, students are invited to apply these strategies in everyday life. In other words, we both discuss what new results in cognitive science suggest to anyone interested in better understanding the factors that promote happiness and also actively put these scientific findings into practice. Along the way, we review historical and cross-cultural views on the meaning of happiness, discuss the limitations of scientific approaches to the topic, and identify aspects of modern life that make it difficult to develop habits that support happiness. Students may only take one of the following courses for degree or certificate credit: the Harvard Summer School course PSYC S-1022, PSYC E-1022 (offered previously), or PSYC E-1680.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Psychology 1060.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 75 students
PSYC E-1704
Creativity Research: Eccentrics, Geniuses, and Harvard Students
Shelley H. Carson PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15403 | Section 1
Description
Human creativity is essential to our ability to survive and thrive as a species. In addition, creativity in the arts enriches and adds breadth to our everyday experiences. Creativity in the sciences has extended our lifespan, made living conditions more comfortable, and opened the worlds of outer space and inner space to our scrutiny and amazement. This course provides an overview of the major theories, modern research, and current issues in the field of creativity. We examine creativity from different levels of analysis, including biological, psychological, and social levels. We use three different approaches in our examinations: first, we examine empirical research; second, we employ the case-study approach to learn from the lives of history’s most eminent creative achievers; and finally, we use ourselves as subjects to arrive at valuable insights about the creative process. Some of the topics we cover include the definition and measurement of creativity, the nature of the creative process, the creative personality, the role of family life and culture in creativity, the relationship of creativity to IQ, and the relationship of creativity to psychopathology.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
PSYC E-1835
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and OCD-Spectrum Disorders
Cynthia A. Meyersburg PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27105 | Section 1
Description
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can impact children, teens, and adults. Over two percent of people experience OCD at some point in their lives. OCD and other OCD-spectrum disorders (such as hoarding, trichotillomania, and body dysmorphic disorder) can cause disability and suffering. Yet, OCD is frequently misunderstood and misrepresented in the media and popular culture, creating misunderstanding and barriers to treatment. Better understanding the symptoms, diagnostic criteria, risk factors, subtypes, treatments, and impacts of OCD can provide valuable insight and help to reduce stigma. Students may not take both PSYC E-1830 (offered previously) and PSYC E-1835 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PSYC E-1851
Psychology of Anomalous Experiences
Cynthia A. Meyersburg PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26878 | Section 1
Description
Explore the scientific explanations of anomalous experiences such as synesthesia, lucid dreaming, hypnosis, hallucinations, near death experiences, false memories, hauntings, alien abductions, and memories of past lives. In this introduction to anomalous experiences, students gain a greater understanding for how we come to have anomalous experiences.
Prerequisites: A college-level course in psychology or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, March 27, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, March 28, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, March 29, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: March 13, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
PSYC E-1853
Psychosis: Development, Symptoms, and Treatment
Rebecca Fortgang PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26393 | Section 1
Description
Psychosis is among the most mysterious states of the human mind. It is a symptom of several psychiatric disorders, most notably schizophrenia. It can also be experienced temporarily under the influence of psychoactive drugs, sleep loss, or extreme stress. In this course, we discuss the symptoms and phenomenology of psychosis and how it manifests in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Students also learn about the various pathways of its development, with a focus on genetic and environmental influences, as well as possible treatment interventions. Students are challenged to confront their preexisting notions about psychosis and to develop understanding and empathy for those experiencing it.
Prerequisites: An introductory psychology course recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 9:45pm-11:45pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
PSYC E-1865
Psychopaths and Psychopathy
Ellsworth Lapham Fersch PhD, JD, Lecturer on Psychology, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25735 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on criminal as well as successful white-collar and street psychopaths. Topics include definitions of psychopathy and its relation to sociopathy and antisocial personality disorder; neuroscientific and psychological research into causation and treatment; similarities and differences among male and female psychopaths; social and media reaction; and legal responses. The course examines psychological and neuroscience research as well as case studies.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
PSYC E-1870
Law and Psychology
Ellsworth Lapham Fersch PhD, JD, Lecturer on Psychology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16907 | Section 1
Description
This course compares legal and psychological approaches to human behavior and considers their interaction. Topics include criminal, ethnic, and racial profiling; confessions; the insanity defense; civil and criminal commitment; expert witnesses; eyewitness identification and testimony; juries; neuroscience; punishment and rehabilitation; sexual behavior; and victimless crimes. It analyzes the roles of lawyers and of psychologists, in theory and in practice, and focuses on case studies and on research.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
PSYC E-1873
Social Psychology: On and Beyond the Witness Stand
Joseph A. Vitriol PhD, Assistant Professor, Management, Lehigh University College of Business
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27003 | Section 1
Description
Why do eyewitnesses often identify the wrong suspect? What leads innocent people to confess to crimes they did not commit? How do jurors evaluate trial evidence and arrive at a verdict? This course examines the interface between social psychological research and the law to address such questions. We consider scientific evidence and scholarly perspectives surrounding the role of experts in the legal system, the use of social science in the law and public policy, criminal behavior and policing, eyewitness memory and lineup procedures, lie detection and police interrogation, psychology of innocence and false confessions, jury selection and decision-making, judicial and prosecutorial discretion, and sentencing and prison reform. The causes and consequences of racial disparities within the criminal justice system are also examined. This course equips students with a rich and interdisciplinary understanding of how social and behavioral science is used in our legal system and public policies.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
PSYC E-1876
Race, Gender, and Psychology
Nadine Weidman PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26991 | Section 1
Description
From Martin Luther King’s emphasis on the mental damage caused by racism to Betty Friedan’s call for women’s self-actualization, psychology and psychiatry have played central roles in many of the key social and political movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including civil rights and Black Power, feminism, decolonization, and LGBTQ+ rights. Once infamous for reinforcing racial and gender hierarchies, the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior have become crucial allies in these varied struggles for equality and justice. What accounts for this remarkable shift, and what have been the implications for activism of this wholehearted embrace of psychological expertise? How have psychological concepts self, personality, identity, mental health, IQ, and trauma been redefined and deployed toward political ends? This course takes a historical approach to these questions, situating psychology and psychiatry in social, political, and cultural contexts, both in the US and globally, and considers their relevance for the present day. Readings include original works by both scientists and activists, including King, Friedan, Thomas Szasz, Franz Fanon, Ignacio Mart n-Bar , Kenneth and Mamie Clark, John Money, Abraham Maslow, Naomi Weisstein, and Carol Gilligan.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
PSYC E-1877
The Psychology of Cults
Bethany Burum PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27071 | Section 1
Description
In November of 1978, 909 members of the People’s Temple perished in Jonestown, Guyana. In March of 1997, 39 followers of the Heaven’s Gate cult died in a mass suicide, believing that their souls would join a spacecraft following the comet Hale-Bopp. In the 1960s and ’70s, David Berg of the Children of God convinced his followers to abandon their monogamous marriages, encourage pedophilia, and allow their children to be sex trafficked. How do these things happen? This course explores the psychological mechanisms that enable cults to form and to take things to such extremes. What do cults share with other groups (mainstream religions, nations, and everyday social interactions), and what makes them stand apart? In what ways are cults an environment in which many of our psychological tendencies (toward ingroup conformity, heuristic decision-making, and rationalization) are magnified? And what do cults reveal about the profound power of our social environment?
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
PSYC E-1880
Clinical Psychology
Nancy Hebben PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14782 | Section 1
Description
Clinical psychology is a diverse and compelling field that combines science and practice. Clinical psychologists research, assess, and treat mental illness. They work with people to help them adjust to challenges and deal with problems of everyday life. They can develop and use empirically validated treatments to alleviate suffering and to improve functioning. They also can assess human abilities and personality traits. This course provides a broad overview of the field and introduces students to topics such as the history of clinical psychology, professional activities of clinical psychologists, diagnosis and treatment, the role of science in clinical psychology, and current issues and ethics. The course also explores some of the most common mental illnesses. In addition, students learn about graduate degree programs in clinical psychology.
Prerequisites: Coursework in psychology, preferably abnormal psychology.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
PSYC E-1881
Applied Clinical Psychology
Cynthia A. Meyersburg PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26509 | Section 1
Description
Clinical psychology is a diverse and compelling field. Clinical psychologists research, assess, and treat mental illness. They work with people to help them adjust to challenges and heal after losses. They can develop and use empirically validated treatments to alleviate suffering and to improve functioning. They also can assess human abilities and personality traits. This course introduces students to clinical psychology, including topics such as the history of treatment and the role of science in clinical psychology. The course also explores some of the most common mental illnesses. We consider challenges and controversies in the field. In addition, we learn about preparing for graduate school in clinical psychology or related fields.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
PSYC E-1905
Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors
Rebecca Fortgang PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Yeonsoo Park PhD, Research Fellow in Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26973 | Section 1
Description
Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, yet misconceptions and stigma often prevent open conversations about it. This interactive course provides students with a foundational understanding of suicidal thoughts and behaviors from psychological, social, and biological perspectives. Through lectures, discussions, and case studies, students explore the epidemiology of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, the factors that increase risk, and the warning signs to look for. The course also covers protective factors and evidence-based assessment and intervention strategies. Special attention is given to ethical considerations, cultural influences, and media representations of suicide.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, March 6, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, March 7, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, March 8, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: February 20, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
PSYC E-2000
Case Studies in the Lives of Persons
Wynn Schwartz PhD, Lecturer on Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25693 | Section 1
Description
How can we understand and articulate the lives of individuals? How do we empathetically depict a person’s life in a way that honors their behaviors, development, and transformations? People navigate their worlds consciously or unconsciously through various roles and within complex communities, shaping and being shaped by their experiences. This course takes a theory-neutral, descriptive approach that allows for comparative theoretical exploration. Using conceptual tools designed to identify nuanced commonalities, differences, and significant patterns, students analyze selected adult lives and apply these insights in crafting a psychological biography or autobiography.
Prerequisites: PSYC E-15 or equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
PSYC E-2340
Behavior Change Workshop
Rebecca Fortgang PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17317 | Section 1
Description
Absolutely everyone faces challenges with motivation and self-control this is part of being human. This intensive weekend course is designed to help students apply the science of goals, motivation, and self-control to a personal goal. Students are asked to choose one behavior change challenge to target over the course of two weeks (and hopefully beyond), using empirically-supported methods. This course brings together insights from psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, and behavioral economics to identify how we can break old habits and forge new ones, resist urges, and pursue valued changes in our lives.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 17, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, October 18, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, October 19, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: October 03, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,080, graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
PSYC E-2451
Ethical Controversies in Psychology and Neuroscience
Nadine Weidman PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17334 | Section 1
Description
Can brain scans really see your thoughts? Should your brain or your free will be held responsible for your behavior? Should psychoactive drugs be used to enhance our lives even to make us superhuman or only to treat illness? Psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience raise a host of ethical controversies, from their claim to peer into the privacy of the mind, to their applications in the criminal justice system, to their treatment of experimental subjects (both human and animal), to the myriad uses of artificial intelligence. Rather than attempting to determine the right answers, this course explores the scientific, social, and political issues, and the moral and religious values, that these questions involve. Readings include works by scientists, philosophers, historians, theologians, and ethicists. Students enact the roles of stakeholders in in-class debates on issues raised by the present-day technologies of mind and brain.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
PSYC E-300
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation
Mayron Piccolo PhD, Lecturer on Psychology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17339 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates, and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Students must have completed SSCI E-100a with a grade of B or higher to take this course. PSYC E-300 must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to the precapstone course for capstone-track students.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, September 12, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Saturday, September 13, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Sunday, September 14, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Friday, September 19, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Saturday, September 20, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
Sunday, September 21, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 201
This course meets on campus in two consecutive weekends. See syllabus for additional information.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of HUMA E-300, PSYC E-300, and SSCI E-300 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
PSYC E-300a
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation I
Christina Wood Baker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Alexandra Sedlovskaya PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17409 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Students must have completed SSCI E-100a with a grade of B or higher to enroll in this course. PSYC E-300a and PSYC E-300b must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to the precapstone course for capstone-track students. We strongly advise students to complete the two weekends in the same academic year with same instructor (part one in fall and part two in spring).
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, November 14, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, November 15, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, November 16, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: October 31, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of PSYC E-300a, HUMA E-300a, and SSCI E-300a may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
PSYC E-300b
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation II
Christina Wood Baker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Alexandra Sedlovskaya PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27065 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates, and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Only students who have successfully completed PSYC E-300a in the fall with a grade of B-minus or higher may take this course. PSYC E-300a and PSYC E-300b must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to the precapstone course for capstone-track students. We strongly advise students to complete the two weekends in the same academic year with same instructor (part one in fall and part two in spring).
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 10, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, April 11, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, April 12, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: March 27, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of PSYC E-300b, HUMA E-300b, and SSCI E-300b may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
PSYC E-597
Human Development Precapstone
Vladimir Ivkovic PhD, Instructor in Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16885 | Section 1
Description
The study of human development is interested in questions about how people learn, grow, and change. This course focuses on using human development research to improve or support human growth, development, and learning. The final paper of the semester is a written proposal for the capstone project (which includes a literature review, rationale, and stakes). Example capstone projects might include helping a public audience understand scientific findings, creating a professional development workshop on empathy for physicians, writing a curriculum to promote prosocial behavior in preschoolers, or designing a multimedia website to help workers transition into retirement. A successful proposal (which is the final product of the fall semester) is an evidence-based academic paper that convinces an audience not only that a strong need for your project exists, but that your project’s theory of change (that is, how you plan to take your learners from point A to point B) is rooted in the literature on human development and psychology. As students work on their capstone proposal, they are exposed to a broad range of literature on various topics in human development. Students learn to become rigorous consumers of the scholarship on human development. Each week, we examine a different topic, drawing on conceptual frameworks and review articles as well as empirical research.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, psychology who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, PSYC E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
PSYC E-597c
Measuring the Mind: Precapstone in Psychometrics
Max Krasnow PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16604 | Section 1
Description
Psychometrics is just a fancy word for the assessment and measurement of psychological characteristics (skills, abilities, personality traits, knowledge, opinions, preferences, and attitudes). Political pollsters, survey writers, market researchers, teachers and trainers, and many others do this all the time without knowing they are doing psychometrics or that there is a whole field of theory and evidence-based insights into ways of doing it better. In this course, we survey the wide field of psychometrics, including principles of measurement, scale development, reliability and validity, and item response theory.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, psychology who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, PSYC E-599c, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
PSYC E-597d
Psychologist as Educator: Precapstone in Communicating Science Through Public Engagement
Max Krasnow PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16605 | Section 1
Description
Translating scientific knowledge is a vital public service, and there is a large body of psychological and social science research that can have positive effects in people’s lives, such as the psychology of learning and habit change, positive psychology and improving well-being, psycho-education, and avoiding cognitive biases and logical fallacies. However, there are many barriers to effective education of the often technical and complex outputs of scientific research. In this course, we explore principles of learning and education, common barriers to understanding, effective teaching methods, and modes of communication in the modern world. During this course students devise, workshop, and revise a proposed capstone project. A successful proposal for a capstone project is an academic paper that highlights the need for your project and establishes a plan for your project’s implementation. A capstone project includes two components: the project prototype and the academic report. The prototype is a specific product designed to address a real-world problem. Prototypes can take a variety of forms (for example, an in-person workshop, online training, publishable article, application, informational website, book, or printable materials). Capstone projects build on specific interests of each student and are developed in consultation with the instructor.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, psychology, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, PSYC E-599d, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
PSYC E-597e
Theory and Research in Stress and Psychological Well-Being Precapstone
Deborah R. Phillips PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17238 | Section 1
Description
Scholarly writings around stress have uniquely addressed its evolutionary, biological, psychosocial, social, ecological, and cultural implications, epidemiology, maintenance, and management and reduction. The first of a two-semester sequence, the course bridges the science of stress with practical considerations for improving or supporting psychological well-being related to stress. The course culminates in a research paper that serves as the academic proposal for students’ spring semester capstone project. A successful proposal is an evidence-based academic paper that convinces an audience not only that a strong need for the project exists, but that the project’s theory of change (that is, how one plans to take learners from point A to point B) is rooted in the literature on stress. As students work on their capstone proposal, they are exposed to a broad range of literature on various topics on stress. Students learn to become rigorous consumers of the scholarship on stress as well as its relationship with psychological well-being. Each week, we examine a topic and review articles as well as empirical research.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, psychology, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, PSYC E-599e, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
PSYC E-597f
Positive Psychology Precapstone: Theory and Research
Deborah R. Phillips PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17375 | Section 1
Description
Why do some individuals and communities thrive in the face of challenges while others struggle to adapt? This course explores psychological resilience and well-being through the lens of positive psychology. The focus is designing evidence-based interventions that address gaps in current health and well-being applications tailored to specific populations. Students investigate how positive psychology, mindfulness, stress management, belief systems, and decision-making intersect with physical and psychological health. Guided by foundational theories such as the Langerian unified mind-body model and Seligman’s positive psychology, students identify unmet needs within a chosen cohort or demographic. Through reflective journaling, interactive workshops, and stakeholder-focused activities, students craft problem statements, explore relevant theoretical frameworks, and articulate strategies for actionable interventions, culminating on a semester-end proposal to take to prototype in the capstone course. This course emphasizes flexible thinking, situational awareness, and empathy, culminating in the submission of a detailed proposal that sets the stage for prototype development and iterative refinement in the capstone.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, psychology , capstone track, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, PSYC E-599f, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
PSYC E-599
Human Development Capstone
Vladimir Ivkovic PhD, Instructor in Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26505 | Section 1
Description
This course builds upon the foundation in human development established in PSYC E-597 by creating a capstone project that bridges research and practice. The project includes two components: the project prototype and the report. The prototype is the specific product designed according to developmental and learning principles and the report presents the scientific justification of the prototype by explaining the design choices according to the relevant literature. Prototypes can take two different forms. First, they can apply research to practices in order to facilitate learning or behavioral change (for example, curricular materials for an educational program for adolescents to stop smoking, materials for professional development workshops on teamwork). Second, they may communicate scholarship to specific audiences who would benefit from knowing the information (for example, a publishable article or a website explaining current research on emotion function or reasoning about risk for parents and teachers). Projects build on specific interests of each student and are developed in consultation with the instructor. These specialized projects allow the students to seek a practical application in a narrow sub-field of human development, while simultaneously becoming acquainted with new research presented in PSYC E-599 and deepening their understanding of the topics covered in PSYC E-597. The capstone project culminates with a formal presentation of the students’ projects.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, psychology. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, PSYC E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
PSYC E-599c
Measuring the Mind: Capstone in Psychometrics
Max Krasnow PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26192 | Section 1
Description
This course builds upon the foundation established in PSYC E-597c by leading students through the execution of their fall term proposal plan. The final assignments for this term in completion of the capstone are: the capstone prototype (the specific product designed to address the real-world problem identified in the fall term proposal), the capstone report (an academic, thesis-style paper reporting on the capstone prototype), and the capstone presentation (a conference-style, oral presentation of the completed capstone).
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, psychology. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, PSYC E-597c, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
PSYC E-599d
Psychologist as Educator: Capstone in Communicating Science Through Public Engagement
Max Krasnow PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26193 | Section 1
Description
This course builds upon the foundation established in PSYC E-597d by leading students through the execution of their fall term proposal plan. The final assignments for this term in completion of the capstone are: the capstone prototype (the specific product designed to address the real-world problem identified in the fall term proposal), the capstone report (an academic, thesis-style paper reporting on the capstone prototype), and the capstone presentation (a conference-style, oral presentation of the completed capstone).
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, psychology. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, PSYC E-597d, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
PSYC E-599e
Bridging Science and Practice in Stress and Psychological Well-Being Capstone
Deborah R. Phillips PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26926 | Section 1
Description
This course builds upon the foundation established in PSYC E-597e by creating a capstone project that bridges research and practice. The project includes two components: the project prototype and the report. The prototype is the specific product designed according to psychological well-being and learning principles, and the report presents the scientific justification of the prototype by explaining the design choices according to the relevant literature. Projects build on specific interests of each student and are developed in consultation with the instructor. These specialized projects allow the students to seek a practical application in a narrow sub-field of stress and psychological well-being. The capstone project culminates in a formal presentation of student work.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, psychology. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, PSYC E-597e, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course and PSYC E-599F may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
PSYC E-599f
Positive Psychology Capstone: Designing for Strength
Deborah R. Phillips PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27030 | Section 1
Description
The course builds on the foundation of PSYC E-597f to focus on transforming proposals into actionable prototypes that enhance resilience, health, and well-being. Students explore the practical application of mindfulness and positive psychology principles in designing, refining, and presenting their prototypes. The capstone emphasizes usability assessments, feedback integration, and iterative development to align prototypes with stakeholder needs. By the semester’s conclusion, students produce a comprehensive prototype, an academic report documenting its development and theoretical basis, and a presentation. The course helps students to thoughtfully integrate evidence-based strategies into real-world solutions, fostering individual and community well-being through innovation and mindfulness.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, psychology, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, PSYC E-597f, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Students in this course and PSYC E-599E may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
RELI E-1010
World Religions
Aaron Spevack PhD, Senior Research Associate, Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, Brandeis University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16100 | Section 1
Description
This course seeks to introduce students to a variety of religious traditions, texts, and practices through the lenses provided by the academic study of religion. The traditions studied include Islam, Taoism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Rastafari(ism). Topics studied include liminal states and rites of passage, symbols and social belonging, the sacred and the profane, music and trance, and religion and politics. While this course exposes students to some of the most important figures, texts, beliefs, and practices of these traditions, students also develop analytical frameworks of inquiry through which to contemplate and experience religious concepts and practices provided by the various theorists of the academic study of religion along with comparative insider frameworks of analysis.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
RELI E-1058
Enlightenment: Horizons of Human Potential and Flourishing
Chris Berlin MDiv, Instructor in Spiritual Counseling and Buddhist Ministry and Counselor to Buddhist Students, Harvard Divinity School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16941 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the concept of enlightenment in south and central Asian traditions, such as Buddhism and contemplative Hindu beliefs, as well as Western psychological views within transpersonal and humanistic approaches. Themes include theories of consciousness, the distinctions between terms associated with enlightened states, meditation practices, and horizons of ultimate human potential and personal resilience. We also explore these themes in the context of therapeutic well-being and how personal aspirations of transcendence may impact individuals in clinical contexts. Key questions include: how does the understanding of enlightenment provide a view of hope for human flourishing? What practices support such a state? How do the names we give such experiences and their correlate states serve to describe direct experiences of transcendence in meditation? And how might notions of self-realization and higher consciousness impact one’s sense of well-being, flourishing, and ultimate purpose?
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 8:00pm-10:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
RELI E-1060
Religious Dimensions in Human Experience: Apocalypse, Sports, Music, Home, Sacrifice, and Medicine
David Carrasco PhD, Neil L. Rudenstine Professor for the Study of Latin America, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17391 | Section 1
Description
What is religion? Why does it show up everywhere? Using archaeology, religious studies, and social thought, this course studies the major themes in the history of religions including encountering the holy, sports and ritual, crossing borders, sacrifice as creation, pilgrimage and sacred place, suffering and the quest for wisdom, music and social change, and violence and cosmic law. Readings originate from Native American, African American, Latinx/+, Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, and Hindu traditions. The course focuses on the tension between individual encounters with the holy and the social construction of religion. Readings include works by Gloria Anzald a, Toni Morrison, Judith Sherman, Arthur Kleinman, the Popul Vuj, Mircea Eliade, and Michael D. Jackson.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Anthropology 1475. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
RELI E-1080
Spiritual Lives of the Non-Religious
Monica Sanford PhD, Lecturer in Ministry Studies and Assistant Dean for Multireligious Ministry, Harvard Divinity School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26998 | Section 1
Description
How do people who do not participate in or identify with an organized religious tradition continue to lead meaningful, even spiritual, lives? This is the animating question of this course. To answer it, we explore three primary aspects of non-religious lives: beliefs, belonging, and behaviors. We draw on sociological studies, modern psychology, and constructive theological accounts to understand the growing American phenomena of religious un/disaffiliation, which may account for up to half of all Americans by 2070. This course provides an overview of those who describe themselves as atheist, agnostic, humanist, spiritual-but-not-religious (SBNR), or list their religion as “none.” We include those who profess belief in a divine being, spirits, or the supernatural and engage in spiritual practices such as prayer and ritual, as well as those who do not, and explore phenomena such as remixing religion and consumer spirituality. Students also explore their own spiritual lives; religious/non-religious histories, identities, and commitments; their inherited wisdom traditions; where they derive a sense of purpose, meaning, and value; and how they engage (or not) in meaningful ritual and community.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
RELI E-1436
The Spanish Inquisition
Samuel J. Garcia PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26899 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we consider the history and legacy of the Spanish Inquisition, which existed for some 356 years (1478-1834) and operated in both Spain and Spain’s colonies overseas. To this end, we examine not only the historical record itself (for example, transcripts of actual trials and case studies), but also various depictions of the Inquisition found in imaginative media (art, literature, and film). Our subject, then, is the Spanish Inquisition both real and imagined. Why did this institution arise in the first place? How did it survive for as long as it did? And does the legend of the Spanish Inquisition match its history?
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
RELI E-15
If There Is No God, All is Permitted: Theism and Moral Reasoning
Jay M. Harris PhD, Harry Austryn Wolfson Professor of Jewish Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27084 | Section 1
Description
For centuries in the West, Jewish and Christian thinkers (among others) have asserted that moral judgment is impossible without some concept of the deity. So convincing were they that one important character created by Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky was led to express the idea (if not exactly the words) that if there is no God, all is permitted. In more recent times, some thinkers have challenged this assumption and insisted that removing or reducing the role of God is indispensable to proper moral discourse. This course examines the ways in which a concept of God has informed Western moral discourse, trying to help students engage the literature as they confront the basic question of why might one think if there is no God, all is permitted? And why might one think if there is a God, human moral achievement is diminished or impossible? Further, we examine ways in which the differing paradigms actually affect the moral conclusions we might generate and, perhaps most fundamentally, elicit the question, can we have confidence that our moral claims are true?
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1161. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting January 27 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
RELI E-1515
Sports and Religion: Play, Sacrifice, Transcendence, Money, and Gender
David Carrasco PhD, Neil L. Rudenstine Professor for the Study of Latin America, Harvard University
Laanna Carrasco MA, Science Writer and Health Coach
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27049 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the ecstasy and agony of sports from the approaches of anthropology, exercise science, and religious studies. In the last century, sports have moved far away from amateur values into spectacles in massive stadiums where athletes play for championships, fame, money, national pride, and social and personal salvation. Another major change has been the rise of women’s sports at every level of our educational systems and professional leagues. Another key development we explore has been the rise of strength and conditioning, the athlete’s ability to transform the body, and the contribution of fashion technology and body adornment in sport. We also study the capitalist transformation of athletics, the role of sports in transforming poverty, race relations, and gender politics. We examine the lives, religious experiences, and social effervescence associated with Jesse Owens, Coach Prime, Phil Jackson, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Pat Summitt, Simone Biles, Meb Keflezighi, and Abby Wambach. We utilize a multi-disciplinary approach to help students seek a more profound understanding of the religious dimensions of athletics, the body in pain and joy, as well as the collective vitality of teamwork.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
RELI E-1701
Mindfulness, Meaning, and Resilience
Chris Berlin MDiv, Instructor in Spiritual Counseling and Buddhist Ministry and Counselor to Buddhist Students, Harvard Divinity School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16166 | Section 1
Description
Mindfulness is a way of attending to the experience of the present moment with full awareness and without judgment or reactivity. Studies show the benefits of mindfulness include stress reduction, emotional balance, greater mental focus, and increased physical well-being. This introductory course explores the origins of mindfulness in Buddhist philosophy and how it can promote these states, as well as foster greater resilience especially during challenging times. We also discuss its present-day interface with Western psychology, how mindfulness is being applied in clinical contexts, and the role that meaning plays in mindfulness practice and building resilience.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 8:00pm-10:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
RELI E-1702
Compassion, Science, and the Contemplative Arts
Chris Berlin MDiv, Instructor in Spiritual Counseling and Buddhist Ministry and Counselor to Buddhist Students, Harvard Divinity School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25923 | Section 1
Description
Recent research shows significant benefits from cultivating empathy and compassion, ranging from physiological changes and brain biology to psychological and emotional well-being. Mindfulness and contemplative practices in Buddhism that emphasize compassion are also increasingly being integrated into Western clinical approaches for mental health. Other studies document the obstacles to compassion that can arise from experiencing fear and prolonged adversity, making it a challenge for some to value empathy, altruistic behavior, and the desire to alleviate suffering for others. This course draws on trends in mindfulness and the Buddhist view of compassion in theory and practice, as well as on scientific research, to explore how compassion can be applied to clinical contexts as informed by contemplative approaches. We also consider notions of compassion fatigue, self-compassion, compassion training for trauma, and its impact on neuroplasticity.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
RELI E-1730
Mindfulness, Artificial Intelligence, and Ethics: Cultivating the Heart of the Algorithm
Chris Berlin MDiv, Instructor in Spiritual Counseling and Buddhist Ministry and Counselor to Buddhist Students, Harvard Divinity School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26905 | Section 1
Description
Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications have given rise to a myriad of questions about the nature and limits of intelligence, as well as the ethical implications of the evolution of technology for what it means to be human in the age of AI. Alongside these developments, the prevalence of mindfulness in secular society has grown to enhance well-being, flourishing, and insights into mind, suffering, and ultimate agency. This course explores the application of mindfulness to ethical, social, emotional, existential, and developmental frameworks for AI, as well as considers definitions of intelligence and theories of consciousness, agency, and meaning making to better understand human-to-machine interactions relative to human-to-human interactions. Inquiry also draws on the Buddhist roots behind mindfulness including its texts, theories, and practices for exploring the complex worlds of the nature of mind, consciousness, attention, memory, interconnectedness, and the mind-body connection. We also emphasize such themes as empathy, compassion, and creativity on machine learning, as well as practices and design algorithms prizing ultimate human flourishing for multiple settings. Fundamental questions explored include: how can mindfulness enhance our awareness of AI’s impact on our inner lives and society? As our information systems increasingly become extensions of ourselves, how might we individually and collectively contribute to a more mindful, peaceful, and healthy world through these technologies? And as AI becomes an extension of our collective mind, how do we infuse it with empathy, compassion, and ethical responsibility?
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
SOCI E-143
Refugees: Forced Migration in Global Perspective
Danilo Mandic PhD, Associate Senior Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26572 | Section 1
Description
What does it mean to lose your home? Who are refugees? Why are there so many forced migrants in our world? How are they displaced? Where do they travel, and why? This course inquires into the nature, causes, and consequences of contemporary refugee waves in our globalized world. Students survey regional dynamics in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. We examine the particularities of refugees (compared to other migrants) and the changing nature of forced migration since the second world war. Students explore historical precedents to contemporary waves, learn about different host society approaches to asylum, compare government and criminal mechanisms of forced migration, and examine the reasons refugees are the object of increasing suspicion and hostility around the world. Particular attention is paid to the recent European Union crisis, the role of refugee camps in the twenty-first century, and alternative strategies for global asylum management by bridge and destination countries.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Spring 2025 Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Sociology 1186.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
SOCI E-144
Human Trafficking, Slavery, and Abolition in the Modern World
Orlando Patterson PhD, John Cowles Professor of Sociology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26988 | Section 1
Description
We often think of slavery as being a dark chapter in our past, but this is a tragic oversimplification. What defines slavery in the modern world, and what are the moral, political, and social implications of its continued existence? As we explore its underpinnings, we discover that all of us may be in some way complicit in its survival. This course surveys the nature, types, and extent of modern servitude such as transnational and domestic prostitution, forced marriage, labor trafficking and forced domestic labor, child soldiering and other forms of enslavement of children, organ trafficking and other health aspects of trafficking, debt-bondage, and the forced exploitation of other vulnerable groups such as refugees and stateless persons. Throughout the course, but especially in the final part, we examine anti-trafficking and anti-slavery measures and movements and ways in which students can increase awareness or become involved. By the end of our exploration, students are able to trace the moral and ethical arguments surrounding human slavery in its various forms, understand the ways in which this problem still affects so many people, and what can and should be done about it.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1115. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
SOCI E-194
Introduction to Political Sociology
Danilo Mandic PhD, Associate Senior Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26907 | Section 1
Description
Politics is about power and authority. But the production, conservation, and distribution of power and authority occur far beyond Capitol Hill; it features in family dynamics, neighborhoods, schools, welfare policies, social movements, nation-states, and the globalized economy. In this course, we examine such areas using the theoretical framework and analytic tools of political sociology. We ask such questions as: what is power exactly, and how can we measure it empirically? How do class, race, and gender affect power relations? Where did the nation-state as we know it come from? What kinds of social movements are there and how do they produce change? How does capitalism relate to the state and civil society? Where did the welfare state come from, and what kinds are there? Who are the elites and rulers, and how would we know? What are some forces of exclusion or discrimination in democratic society? What is globalization and how do we best explain it? The course is divided into five parts according to the following major themes: foundations, the nation-state, capitalism, democracy, and the big picture of global processes.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Sociology 1023. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 9-10:15 am starting January 26 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
SOCI E-46
The Caribbean Crucible: Colonialism, Capitalism, and Post-Colonial Misdevelopment in the Region
Orlando Patterson PhD, John Cowles Professor of Sociology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17329 | Section 1
Description
Caribbean societies are largely the economic and political creations of Western imperial powers and are among the earliest products of globalization. Though in the West, they are only partly of it, and their popular cultures are highly original blends of African, European, and Asian forms. This course examines the area as a system emerging through genocide, piracy, plantation slavery, colonialism, and globalization, from a situation of great social and cultural diversity to the present tendency toward socioeconomic and cultural convergence. Patterns of underdevelopment and government are explored through national case studies (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti) and selected, region-wide modern issues (hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters; migration and transnationalism; crime and drug trafficking), as are cultural adaptations through studies of Afro-Caribbean religions, folkways, and music. America’s special role in the region is emphasized.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Gen Ed 1019. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting September 3 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
SPAN E-1
Intensive Elementary Spanish I
Douglas Morgenstern MA, Senior Lecturer in Spanish, Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 10266 | Section 1
Description
An introduction to oral and written Spanish for students with little or no background in the language. Assignments involve work with an online textbook and occasional videos. Class sessions focus on additional instructor-supplied exercises, conversation, listening comprehension, and reading. Grammar includes present and past tenses.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
SPAN E-1a
Elementary Spanish I
Catalina Espinosa Villaquirán PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17280 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introductory course in Spanish. The four skills listening, speaking, reading and writing are covered, although particular emphasis is placed on speaking and listening. At the end of the semester, students are able to speak about themselves and their environment; to introduce themselves and other people; to ask questions and provide information about people, objects, and places; to talk about their daily activities and how to organize their time; as well as to express what their present obligations and needs are and what plans they have for the future.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 5-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
SPAN E-1b
Elementary Spanish I
Catalina Espinosa Villaquirán PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 21497 | Section 1
Description
This course is the second part of an introductory course in Spanish as a foreign language. At the end of the semester, students are able to talk about their current activities, their likes and dislikes, as well as to express their feelings and opinions and make comparisons. Their knowledge of the verbal system is also enlarged with the introduction of more irregular verbs and the preterit, which enables them to speak about their past experiences. Core grammar points such as the use of direct and indirect object pronouns and the difference between ser and estar are also covered.
Prerequisites: SPAN E-1a or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 30-May 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $800, undergraduate credit $1,080.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
SPAN E-2
Intensive Elementary Spanish II
Douglas Morgenstern MA, Senior Lecturer in Spanish, Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 20240 | Section 1
Description
This course presents additional language structures, including more ways to express the past, the subjunctive mood, and the future and conditional tenses. Assignments involve work with an online textbook, several feature films and documentaries, and websites from Spain and Latin America. Class sessions focus on instructor-supplied exercises, conversation, discussion, listening comprehension, and reading.
Prerequisites: SPAN E-1, SPAN E-1b, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
SPCH E-100
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Jill A. Slye ALB, MMSc Lecturer, Dental Education Program, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 13666 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the basic principles of public speaking. Students learn how to handle nerves, organize and deliver a formal presentation, and use verbal and non-verbal communication to connect with their audience. During the course, students learn to use their own communication style while adapting their message for a variety of audiences. Students present several speeches in a safe and comfortable environment. Throughout the semester lectures focus on use of language, narratives, vocal variation, basic techniques for public speaking, and effective methods to overcome the fear of speaking in front of a large audience or small group of people.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Friday, December 5, 6:00pm-9:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Saturday, December 6, 9:00am-5:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Sunday, December 7, 9:00am-1:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 48 students
SPCH E-100
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Jill A. Slye ALB, MMSc Lecturer, Dental Education Program, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25036 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the basic principles of public speaking. Students learn how to handle nerves, organize and deliver a formal presentation, and use verbal and non-verbal communication to connect with their audience. During the course, students learn to use their own communication style while adapting their message for a variety of audiences. Students present several speeches in a safe and comfortable environment. Throughout the semester lectures focus on use of language, narratives, vocal variation, basic techniques for public speaking, and effective methods to overcome the fear of speaking in front of a large audience or small group of people.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 9:00am-12:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
SPCH E-120
Advanced Public Speaking and Professional Presenting
Jill A. Slye ALB, MMSc Lecturer, Dental Education Program, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24704 | Section 1
Description
This course covers advanced public speaking techniques for persuasion, effective interoffice communication, and connecting with an audience. Students learn to use their own communication style while adapting their message for a variety of audiences. Students present several speeches and receive peer review. Throughout the semester lectures include a focus on use of language, narratives, vocal variation, techniques for persuasion, and effective communication in the workplace.
Prerequisites: SPCH E-100 or the equivalent. Students must watch the seven short videos on the course website, available the first week of class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Friday, April 10, 6:00pm-9:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Saturday, April 11, 9:00am-5:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Sunday, April 12, 9:00am-1:00pm, 1 Story Street 304
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—on-campus residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 48 students
SPCH E-135
Agreeing to Disagree: How to Discuss, Debate, and Make Your Voice Heard in a Polarized Age
Leslie Schumacher PhD, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27018 | Section 1
Description
We often say to each other today that our society has become incapable of civil debate. But perhaps this is not solely because of our increasing political and cultural polarization, but because we have forgotten the ways that formal debate and oratory were studied and taught in past generations. A quick study of America’s past great leaders shows that most of them benefited from dedicated training in debating, public speaking, and persuasive writing all of which fueled their success. This course is an exploration of the history, current status, and possible future of argumentation and debate, drawing on theories, lessons, and case studies from Plato to Joan of Arc, the Jim Crow South, and the present day. In studying the philosophy and history of argumentation, students practice both creating their own arguments and constructively critiquing others’ arguments. Our class activities and assessments offer multiple ways to engage the course topic, both individually and as part of teams: from a selection of events designed by formal competitive debating societies to consensus-building techniques originating in a variety of academic and professional fields, to the role of performance and aesthetics in speaking, discussing, and persuading.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
SPCH E-135
Agreeing to Disagree: How to Discuss, Debate, and Make Your Voice Heard in a Polarized Age
Leslie Schumacher PhD, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27019 | Section 2
Description
We often say to each other today that our society has become incapable of civil debate. But perhaps this is not solely because of our increasing political and cultural polarization, but because we have forgotten the ways that formal debate and oratory were studied and taught in past generations. A quick study of America’s past great leaders shows that most of them benefited from dedicated training in debating, public speaking, and persuasive writing all of which fueled their success. This course is an exploration of the history, current status, and possible future of argumentation and debate, drawing on theories, lessons, and case studies from Plato to Joan of Arc, the Jim Crow South, and the present day. In studying the philosophy and history of argumentation, students practice both creating their own arguments and constructively critiquing others’ arguments. Our class activities and assessments offer multiple ways to engage the course topic, both individually and as part of teams: from a selection of events designed by formal competitive debating societies to consensus-building techniques originating in a variety of academic and professional fields, to the role of performance and aesthetics in speaking, discussing, and persuading.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Mark Blanchard PhD, Instructor in Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17373 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Richard Joseph Martin PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17292 | Section 2
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Bethany Burum PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17264 | Section 3
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Katherine Arcidy Grisanzio PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17429 | Section 4
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Karen Marie Hussar PhD, Senior Lecturer, Psychology Department, Curry College
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17432 | Section 5
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Katherine Arcidy Grisanzio PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17436 | Section 6
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Richard Joseph Martin PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17441 | Section 7
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Richard Joseph Martin PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25250 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Chloe Jordan PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and Lecturer, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27079 | Section 2
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Kelsey Quigley PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26904 | Section 3
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Kelsey Quigley PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26946 | Section 4
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Mark Blanchard PhD, Instructor in Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27101 | Section 5
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100a
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology and Psychology
Katherine Arcidy Grisanzio PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27102 | Section 6
Description
This proseminar introduces students to basic behavioral science research methods in psychology and anthropology. It teaches them how to read and evaluate research papers and translate their ideas into viable research projects. Topics include library and archival research, scholarly writing and argumentation, descriptive research methods, quasi-experimental and experimental design, ethical issues, and analytical methods. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate statistics and research methods courses are recommended, computer literacy (skills and experience with the internet, Word, and Excel) required. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Michael Tworek PhD, Associate, Department of History, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16485 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Harry Bastermajian PhD, Executive Director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17256 | Section 2
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Doug Bond PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17261 | Section 3
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 16 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Doug Bond PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16062 | Section 4
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 16 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Asher Orkaby PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 14601 | Section 5
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Zachary Bostwick Nowak PhD, Director, The Umbra Institute
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17438 | Section 6
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Stephen Shoemaker PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25710 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 5-24, 9:00am-12:00pm
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Asher Orkaby PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24558 | Section 2
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Ariane Liazos PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26900 | Section 3
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Doug Bond PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26721 | Section 4
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 16 students
SSCI E-100b
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History, and International Relations
Doug Bond PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26903 | Section 5
Description
This proseminar addresses problems and methods related to the study of government, history, and international relations. It stresses the critical analysis of sources, constructing explanatory models, standards of logical demonstration, as well as organizing and presenting research results. Emphasis is on developing both writing and research skills. Students study essential categories of analysis used in history and political science. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b is strongly recommended. In addition, at the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 17 students
SSCI E-116
Human Nature
Joe Henrich PhD, Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17259 | Section 1
Description
In addressing the question of what makes us human, this course examines the origins, evolutionary foundations, and psychological underpinnings of human behavior by synthesizing research from across the social, psychological, and biological sciences. Rather than opposing biological and cultural explanations, this course lays out a framework that illuminates learning and culture within a broad evolutionary framework that permits us to explore kinship, parental love, sibling rivalry, food preferences (such as sugar and salt), incest, altruism, sex differences, social status, homicide, warfare technology, language, and religion. Using a comparative approach, we contextualize human behavior by examining both studies of non-human primates, especially chimpanzees, as well as the full breadth of human diversity, including both ethnographic and experimental data from hunter-gatherers, herders and agriculturalists, and the most unusual of all people from industrialized societies. We also consider how cultural evolution has shaped our genetic evolution, both over our species evolutionary history and in more recent millennia.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1056. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 12-1:15 pm starting September 3 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
SSCI E-121
Dying Well
Jason Bryan Silverstein PhD, Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine and Co-Director, Master of Science in Media, Medicine, and Health Program, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 15512 | Section 1
Description
“How does one go about dying?” the poet Franz Wright asked. “The world is filled with people / Who have never died.” For a matter so inevitable, which the best minds of every generation have tackled, a good death seems increasingly out of reach. As modern medicine racks up victories to ensure healthier and longer lives, a quieter, darker parallel story is emerging in even our finest hospitals: people die anxious and in pain, pursuing long-shot treatments instead of comfort. Why is dying so difficult and how can we make death a better experience for others, and ultimately ourselves? This course examines notions of identity, hope, and what counts as a good outcome through a close reading of Paul Kalanithi’s dying memoir When Breath Becomes Air and Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal. It then turns to how we make sense of suffering, anticipate and practice grief, and care for the memories of the dead through a reading of Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H-Mart and Emily Rapp’s The Still Point of the Turning World. Finally, we consider philosophical reflections on mortality, including if death is bad, how death should change the way we live, and why we ought to strive to live and die with gratitude.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
SSCI E-122
Social Medicine in the United States
Jason Bryan Silverstein PhD, Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine and Co-Director, Master of Science in Media, Medicine, and Health Program, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 25126 | Section 1
Description
If you are sick or hurt, whether you live or die depends not only on biological factors, but social ones: are you wealthy or poor? Do you have a stable home and health insurance? How far away is the closest trauma center or pharmacy? Do people believe your illness is your fault, or even something you deserve? This course explores how social factors create health disparities in the United States. We gain foundational knowledge of key concepts in social medicine, including an overview of health care policy in the United States and the arguments for health as a human right. We then turn to what we can call chronic emergencies: case studies of people and communities who have been denied health care and allowed to suffer and die, because they are poor, uninsured, undocumented, or otherwise social outcasts. Our examples are drawn from across the United States, from the eviction crisis in Milwaukee, to injection drug users in San Francisco, to the people who endure gang violence in Chicago, to the suffering of Mexican migrants in California. We give significant attention to the lived experience of poverty, housing insecurity, addiction, discrimination, and violence. As we encounter these examples, we engage directly with guest speakers from the community. In the final section, we turn from studying how harm falls unevenly to considering how social determinants can be incorporated into action plans; students apply the themes and concepts from the course to explore topics of their own choosing. By the end of the course, students not only have a knowledge of concepts and case studies in social medicine, but also knowledge about how to close the gaps that we study. For premedical students, this course reviews concepts found on the psychological, social, and biological foundations of behavior section of the MCAT, including how sociocultural factors and access to resources have an impact on health.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
SSCI E-125
Who Lives, Who Dies: Reimagining Global Health
Jason Bryan Silverstein PhD, Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine and Co-Director, Master of Science in Media, Medicine, and Health Program, Harvard Medical School
Marty Zeve PhD, Lecturer on Anthropology and Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard University
Salmaan Keshavjee MD, PhD, Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Luke Messac MD, Instructor in Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17428 | Section 1
Description
Health care is never just about medicine. It is about people. It is about those pushed to the margins, whose lives are ground down by poverty, trapped by unjust systems, and devalued by forces that declare some lives worth less than others. This course challenges students to reimagine disease, illness, and injury as biosocial phenomena shaped as much by poverty, racism, and political violence as by pathogens. From rural Malawi to American prisons, from tuberculosis programs to the overdose crisis, we trace the roots of global health inequities and examine the ideologies that sustain them. But this course is not only about identifying failures. It is about how we stand alongside the sick and destitute to fight for a future where health is a human right.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Gen Ed 1093. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting September 2 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
SSCI E-128
Health Inequities and Health Justice in Urban Communities
Flavia Perea PhD, Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26185 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the relationship between health, place, and social location, and how nested factors influence and determine the health of people and communities in urban settings. Emphasizing health as multidimensional, contextual, and socially determined, we explore the history, principles, theories, and frameworks relevant to understanding inequities in health, as well as tools and strategies for advancing justice in health across sectors of civic and community life. We explore how inequity gets under the skin and operates on the body; discuss how racism, oppression, social stratification, and systemic advantages and disadvantages all structure and perpetuate injustice in health; how systems, institutions, and policies influence health. To understand how socio-environmental factors can create pathways to health or disparities, we explore the mechanisms by which poverty, socioeconomic status, education, housing, and the built environment create and sustain inequitable health outcomes in urban communities. Understanding the social conditions people need to be healthy, we turn our attention to approaches for advancing justice in health, with particular attention to root-cause strategies. We explore community development, capacity building, and community mobilization as strategies for building power for health. We discuss health improvement interventions and how community engagement, participatory processes, and cross-sector collaboration can help create and sustain health promoting environments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
SSCI E-140
Pursuing Truth and Justice: Community-Based, Participatory, and Action Research
Flavia Perea PhD, Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16600 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the principles and methods of community-based, participatory, and action research. We engage with various perspectives on the process, practice, and applications of engaged inquiry, with an emphasis on diverse voices, sources, and materials. The course seeks to connect to students’ professional work and personal pursuits outside of their coursework. Through this course, students learn to apply the course concepts and tools to their academic and professional work, as well as to advocacy and organizing efforts they may be engaged or interested with. In the course we discuss various frameworks and systems of knowing and meaning making through the research process; how they are centered on, or the extent they intersect with the pursuit of equity and justice; and pragmatic approaches for moving from theory to practice. We discuss power and privilege in the context of research; perspectives on investigator identity and location; the promise and limitations of engaged inquiry to help advance social change; and the ethics of inquiry with historically and systemically oppressed people and communities. We explore a variety of approaches, including participatory action research (PAR), community-based participatory research (CBPR), and citizen science, and discuss how different approaches for asking questions, methods for gathering and analyzing information, and sharing knowledge can be applied within various engaged research approaches. Ultimately, we critically examine how inquiry that emphasizes equity, collaboration, and reciprocity in the uncovering, integration, application, and dissemination of knowledge can be a tool of liberation and certain methods a strategy for responding to oppression, colonization, and systems of domination.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 8-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
SSCI E-144
Leadership and Politics
John Paul Rollert PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor of Behavioral Science, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
George Jacob Wendt JD, Consultant
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26456 | Section 1
Description
American politics, in general, and presidential campaigns, in particular, hold many lessons for leading for-profit and not-for-profit start-up ventures. Capital must be raised; a large, diverse team must be organized and deployed; and a brand must be developed and sold. The hours are long, the pressure is incredibly intense, and the stakes could not be higher. Succeed, and you are on your way to a plumb job in Washington, DC. Fail, and you are left looking for a job. Accordingly, popular politics provides remarkable lessons in compelling leadership and successful management. This course aims to harvest them by way of an analysis of recent presidential campaigns and contemporary politics. Though emphasis is placed on American politics, lessons may be applied across the public and private sectors. Our readings are drawn from history, literature, philosophy, business, and politics, and in addition to lectures and discussion, the course also features guest speakers from business, journalism, and politics. Students may not take both GOVT E-1353 (offered previously) and SSCI E-144 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, January 5-8, 9:00am-5:30pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 05, 2026
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: International students see important visa information.
SSCI E-145
Race, Gender, and Medicine
Roberto Sirvent PhD, Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine, Part-time, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26898 | Section 1
Description
Why is racism so prevalent in hospitals and other health care settings? What unique challenges do transgender and gender-diverse youth face as a result of recent transphobic laws and policies? How are community organizers advocating for the end of medical neglect, abuse, and torture in prisons and migrant detention facilities? By centering issues of gender, race, and sexuality, social approaches to medicine and public health challenge and expand contemporary debates in the medical humanities. This course provides an overview of the theoretical landscape and social movements that ground recent developments in the field, especially as it engages feminist theory, disability justice movements, critical race theory, queer theory, anti-colonial thought, and trans liberation movements. Special attention is paid to the structuring force of anti-Blackness in various clinical and research settings, the development and racialization of transgender medicine, and what it means to view state violence as an issue in public health and the medical humanities. Students may not take SSCI E-145 and SWGS S-1232 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 30-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
SSCI E-20
Applying to Medical School I
Ryan Si-Wai Lee PhD, Lecturer on Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School and Director of Science Instruction and the Premedical Program, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17314 | Section 1
Description
Applying to health careers programs requires extensive preparation to be a competitive applicant. This course helps students understand the different aspects of an application portfolio and helps them apply these principles to strengthen their own applications. The course covers such topics such as the format of the application process, covering the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) core competencies, study skills for prerequisite exams, how to write a personal statement and other primary application essays, and how to craft an effective activities list.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $250.
Credits: 0
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements. This course meets five times during the term. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 75 students
SSCI E-21
Applying to Medical School II
Ryan Si-Wai Lee PhD, Lecturer on Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School and Director of Science Instruction and the Premedical Program, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26970 | Section 1
Description
Applying to health careers programs requires extensive preparation to be a competitive applicant. This course is a continuation of SSCI E-21 and helps students understand the different aspects of an application portfolio and how apply these principles to strengthen their own applications. The course covers such topics such as the content and approach to situational judgement tests, honing secondary essays to emphasize mission fit, preparing for interviews, conducting mock interviews, and what to include in update letters.
Prerequisites: SSCI E-20.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 27-May 16, 6:00pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $250.
Credits: 0
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements. This course meets five times during the term. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 75 students
SSCI E-300
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation
Michael David Miner PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Doug Bond PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17335 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates, and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Students must have completed SSCI E-100b with a grade of B or higher to take this course. SSCI E-300 must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to precapstone course for capstone-track students.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, September 12, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, September 13, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, September 14, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Friday, September 19, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Saturday, September 20, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
Sunday, September 21, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 201
This course meets on campus in two consecutive weekends. See syllabus for additional information.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of SSCI E-300, PSYC E-300, and HUMA E-300 may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
SSCI E-300a
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation I
Ariane Liazos PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17022 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates, and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Students must have completed SSCI E-100b with a grade of B or higher to enroll in this course. SSCI E-300a and SSCI E-300b must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to the precapstone course for capstone-track students. We strongly advise students to complete the two weekends in the same academic year with same instructor (part one in fall and part two in spring).
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, November 14, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Saturday, November 15, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Sunday, November 16, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: October 31, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of SSCI E-300a, HUMA E-300a, and PSYC E-300a may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
SSCI E-300b
Engaging in the Scholarly Conversation II
Ariane Liazos PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26663 | Section 1
Description
This course trains students in the skills of critically engaging the scholarly literature in their field of study. They learn how to assess the presuppositions, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of scholarly writing in their discipline. After building that foundational skill set, the second portion of the course focuses on how to identify patterns, debates, and schools of thought in the larger body of existing scholarship relevant to the students’ interests, which is an essential precursor of the final goal: identifying gaps or opportunities for future scholarly contributions.
Prerequisites: Only students who have successfully completed SSCI E-300a in the fall with a grade of B-minus or higher may take this course. SSCI E-300a and SSCI E-300b must be completed before registering in the Crafting the Thesis Proposal tutorial for thesis-track students and prior to the precapstone course for capstone-track students. We strongly advise students to complete the two weekends in the same academic year with same instructor (part one in fall and part two in spring).
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 10, 6:00pm-9:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Saturday, April 11, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Sunday, April 12, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: March 27, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $1,720.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire on-campus residency to earn credit for this course. Additional requirements before and after the on-campus session are noted in the syllabus. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information. Students in this and other sections of SSCI E-300b, HUMA E-300b, and PSYC E-300b may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they may do so alongside students in those courses. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 26 students
SSCI E-493
Survey Research Methods
Chase H. Harrison PhD, Senior Preceptor in Survey Methodology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26404 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the theoretical underpinnings and practical challenges of survey research, designed to help students better understand, interpret, and critically evaluate surveys and public opinion polls.
Prerequisites: An introductory course in social science research methods, or appropriate background, is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
SSCI E-494
Advanced Research Methods in the Social Sciences: Historical Approaches
Ariane Liazos PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17267 | Section 1
Description
This course surveys historical approaches to research in the social sciences. The purpose is to teach the theory and application of historical research methods to help students create well-designed thesis or capstone projects. It provides students a sound grounding in a broad range and variety of historical fields and approaches (that is, political, cultural, global, institutional, or gender) with special attention to archival research, document analysis, oral history, and the study of material culture. The focus is on understanding how historians and other social scientists approach original historical research and developing the skills required for primary source analysis. The course is ideally suited for Master of Liberal Arts candidates preparing to undertake historical thesis or capstone research as well as others interested in developing their methodological toolkit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
SSCI E-495
Advanced Research Methods in the Social Sciences: Quantitative Designs
Danielle Truxaw PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17392 | Section 1
Description
This course surveys empirical research methods in the social sciences. The purpose of this course is to teach the theory and application of hypothesis-based empirical research methods to help students create well-designed thesis projects. It gives students a sound grounding in a broad range and variety of approaches, including experimental designs, surveys, case studies, and mixed-methods research, with special attention to sampling, measurement, and threats to validity. The focus is on developing analytical thinking skills, identifying empirical research questions, formulating hypotheses, operationalizing ways to test them, and drawing conclusions based on statistical techniques. Readings are drawn from government, international relations, psychology, and other similar fields. The course is ideally suited for Master of Liberal Arts candidates preparing to undertake empirical thesis research as well as others interested in developing their methodological toolkit.
Prerequisites: Psych E-1900, Stat E-150, Stat E-160 (offered previously), or equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 11:00am-1:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
SSCI E-496
Advanced Research Methods in the Social Sciences: Qualitative Approaches
Richard Joseph Martin PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26901 | Section 1
Description
With an emphasis on qualitative approaches, this course surveys a wide range of research methods in the social sciences. The purpose of this course is to teach the theory and application of these research methods to help students create well-designed thesis projects. It gives students a sound grounding in a broad range and variety of methods including phenomenology, ethnography, case study, grounded theory, and narrative research, with special attention to interviewing, observational techniques, and emergent design. The focus is on developing analytical thinking skills, identifying research questions, and developing conclusions based on the collection and analysis of primary data. The course is ideally suited for Master of Liberal Arts candidates preparing to undertake qualitative thesis research as well as others interested in developing their methodological toolkit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
SSCI E-597b
Identity Precapstone: Theory and Research
Alexandra Sedlovskaya PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17260 | Section 1
Description
This course exposes students to scholarly literature on a broad range of topics in the social scientific study of identity, such as class, gender, race, religion, and sexuality. Readings draw on a variety of methodological approaches, and students are expected to engage with qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research. Students cultivate an understanding of psychological approaches and their relevance to solving real-world problems related to identity, building toward a capstone project in applied research. The course requires a draft, revision, and oral presentation of a written proposal for the capstone project in SSCI E-599b (which includes a problem statement, literature review, identification of sites and stakeholders, and project rationale).
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, psychology or anthropology, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed the engaging in scholarly conversation series (if required), and be in the process of successfully completing all other degree requirements. Candidates must enroll in the capstone, SSCI E-599b, in the upcoming spring term as their one-and-only final course (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 3-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
SSCI E-599b
Identity Capstone: Bridging Research and Practice
Alexandra Sedlovskaya PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26902 | Section 1
Description
This course builds upon the foundation established in SSCI E-597b by creating a capstone project that bridges research and practice. The project includes two components: the project prototype and the academic report. The prototype is the specific product designed to address the real-world problem identified in the fall term proposal. Prototypes can take two different forms. First, they can apply research to design a project that addresses a real-world problem experienced by stakeholders. Second, they can communicate scholarship to audiences who would benefit from knowing the information (for example, a publishable article or a website explaining current research to non-academic stakeholders). Projects are based on specific interests of each student and developed in consultation with the instructor. These specialized projects allow students to seek a practical application of research on identity, while developing their skills designing research-based practice and engaging stakeholders. The capstone culminates with a formal presentation of the students’ projects.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, psychology or anthropology. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, SSCI E-597b, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
STAR E-145
Artificial Intelligence Goes to the Movies: American Science Fiction Cinema and Television
Charlotte Szilagyi PhD
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17404 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the complex ways in which Hollywood has imagined, and responded to, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). At the intersection of science fiction, philosophy, sociology, cybernetics, and futurology, AI has been the focus of Hollywood for a long time. These days, films devoted to the exploration into the disparity between man and machine regularly receive popular acclaim and critical praise for their thematic complexity, gripping visuals, compelling narratives, and arresting soundtracks. At a time when AI has paradoxically moved beyond being a mere thematic concern in Hollywood and the first movies made entirely with AI tools have appeared, imperiling the livelihood of performers and staff, the mission of this course is pressing. First, we examine the iconography of AI in films, including the post-human, transhuman, androids, replicants, robots, cyborgs, synthetic humans, mutants, robotic humanoids, digital humans, simulacra, bio-engineering, virtual realities, biomechanics, digital technology, autonomous existence, sentience, deep fakes, superintelligence, and uploaded consciousnesses. Second, we investigate how films and television series about AI question the human body and reflect on the dissolution of the categories of gender, sexuality, ability, and race. Third, we inquire whether films created by AI can become indistinguishable from those with human authorship and what this means for the progress of culture, human enlightenment, and social justice. Lastly, we probe how films about AI raise questions about the nature of reality, the future of consciousness (human and beyond), and what it means to be human. We examine films and television series including Frankenstein (1931), Man Made Monster (1941), The Invisible Boy (1957), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1964), Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-69), Westworld (1973), Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), Blade Runner (1982), Wargames (1983), The Terminator (1984), Robocop (1987), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), The Matrix (1999), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), I, Robot (2004), WALL-E (2008), Iron Man (2008), Person of Interest (2011-16), Her (2013), Transcendence (2014), Westworld (2016-22), Morgan (2016), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Altered Carbon (2018-20), Jexi (2019), The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021), After Yang (2021), Window Seat (2023), Eternal Recurrence (2023), The Last Artist (2024), DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict (2024), Where the Robots Grow (2024), and Companion (2025).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
STAR E-172
Introduction to German Masterpiece Cinema
Charlotte Szilagyi PhD
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27066 | Section 1
Description
From the moment moving images were first shown in Germany at the exhibition of Max and Emil Skladanowsky’s invention at the Berlin Wintergarten in 1895, German cinema had a meteoric rise with a prolific output. Prior to the Great War, domestic film production made its mark with so-called Autorenfilms, but it was the unparalleled innovation and creativity of Weimar filmmakers that ushered in the golden era of German filmmaking after 1918. The extraordinary experimental play with the possibilities of the medium in expressionist films established Germany at the forefront of the international film scene. During the mass exodus after the Nazis’ rise to power, many filmmakers emigrated to Hollywood, including directors F. W. Murnau, Fritz Lang, Ernst Lubitsch, Douglas Sirk, and Billy Wilder, along with a number of actors, writers, set designers, cinematographers, and composers. Not only were they eagerly embraced by Hollywood, they also went on to lay the foundation of crucial genres such as noir, horror, the gothic melodrama, the political thriller, and the comedy of manners. In the hands of Reich Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels, who preferred a subtle, artistic cinematic style, tightly controlled Third Reich films often became revered at home and abroad for their artistry. Postwar cinema culminated in the avant-garde experiments of the New German Cinema, whose new generation of directors embraced the Oberhausen Manifesto to create edgy, political, and poetic films. Later, post-unification films and exponents of the Berlin School grappled with German identity in the context of an increasingly multicultural reality and globalization, in ways that regularly garner prestige and recognition at film festivals abroad and Oscar wins in Hollywood. In this course, we trace these developments and examine cinematic masterpieces including The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Nosferatu (1922), Metropolis (1927), M (1931), Olympia (1938), M nchhausen (1943), The Murderers Are Among Us (1946), The Bridge (1959), Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Jacob the Liar (1974), Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974), Himmel ber Berlin (1984), Europa, Europa (1990), Run, Lola, Run (1998), Good Bye, Lenin! (2003), Head-On (2004), The Lives of Others (2006), Yella (2007), Toni Erdmann (2016), and Transit (2018) .
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
STAT E-100
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences and Humanities
Stacey Gelsheimer PhD, Senior Lecturer on Economics, Boston University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17311 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the basic concepts of data analysis and statistical computing, both increasingly used in the social sciences and the humanities. The emphasis is on the practical application of quantitative reasoning, visualization, and data analysis. The goal is to provide students pragmatic tools for assessing statistical claims and conducting their own basic statistical analyses. Topics covered include basic descriptive measures, measures of association, sampling and sample size estimation, and simple linear regression. Assignments are based on real-world data and problems in a wide range of fields in the social sciences and humanities, including psychology, sociology, education, and public health. Students may count one of the following courses toward a degree or certificate, but not more than one: MGMT E-104, STAT E-100, STAT E-101 (offered previously), STAT E-102, or STAT E-104.
Prerequisites: No prior data analytic experience required, but a working knowledge of basic high school algebra is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 2-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 106 students
STAT E-100
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences and Humanities
Hidefusa Okabe ALM, Business Analytics Advisor, Evernorth Health Services
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 16833 | Section 2
Description
This course introduces the basic concepts of data analysis and statistical computing, both increasingly used in the social sciences and the humanities. The emphasis is on the practical application of quantitative reasoning, visualization, and data analysis. The goal is to provide students pragmatic tools for assessing statistical claims and conducting their own basic statistical analyses. Topics covered include basic descriptive measures, measures of association, sampling and sample size estimation, and simple linear regression. Assignments are based on real-world data and problems in a wide range of fields in the social sciences and humanities, including psychology, sociology, education, and public health. Students may count one of the following courses toward a degree or certificate, but not more than one: MGMT E-104, STAT E-100, STAT E-101 (offered previously), STAT E-102, or STAT E-104.
Prerequisites: No prior data analytic experience required, but a working knowledge of basic high school algebra is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
STAT E-100
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences and Humanities
Stacey Gelsheimer PhD, Senior Lecturer on Economics, Boston University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 26935 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the basic concepts of data analysis and statistical computing, both increasingly used in the social sciences and the humanities. The emphasis is on the practical application of quantitative reasoning, visualization, and data analysis. The goal is to provide students pragmatic tools for assessing statistical claims and conducting their own basic statistical analyses. Topics covered include basic descriptive measures, measures of association, sampling and sample size estimation, and simple linear regression. Assignments are based on real-world data and problems in a wide range of fields in the social sciences and humanities, including psychology, sociology, education, and public health. Students may count one of the following courses toward a degree or certificate, but not more than one: MGMT E-104, STAT E-100, STAT E-101 (offered previously), STAT E-102, or STAT E-104.
Prerequisites: No prior data analytic experience required, but a working knowledge of basic high school algebra is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
STAT E-100
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences and Humanities
Hidefusa Okabe ALM, Business Analytics Advisor, Evernorth Health Services
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24571 | Section 2
Description
This course introduces the basic concepts of data analysis and statistical computing, both increasingly used in the social sciences and the humanities. The emphasis is on the practical application of quantitative reasoning, visualization, and data analysis. The goal is to provide students pragmatic tools for assessing statistical claims and conducting their own basic statistical analyses. Topics covered include basic descriptive measures, measures of association, sampling and sample size estimation, and simple linear regression. Assignments are based on real-world data and problems in a wide range of fields in the social sciences and humanities, including psychology, sociology, education, and public health. Students may count one of the following courses toward a degree or certificate, but not more than one: MGMT E-104, STAT E-100, STAT E-101 (offered previously), STAT E-102, or STAT E-104.
Prerequisites: No prior data analytic experience required, but a working knowledge of basic high school algebra is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
STAT E-102
Fundamentals of Biostatistics
Amy Tsurumi PhD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 24540 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to statistical methods used in biological and medical research. Elementary probability theory, basic concepts of statistical inference, regression and correlation methods, and sample size estimation are covered. Emphasis on applications to medical problems. Students may count one of the following courses toward a degree or certificate, but not more than one: MGMT E-104, STAT E-100, STAT E-101 (offered previously), STAT E-102, or STAT E-104.
Prerequisites: High school algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 28-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
STAT E-150
Intermediate Statistics: Methods and Modeling
Natasha Prasadini Ramanayake PhD, Associate Psychologist, Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17269 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students gain familiarity with statistical tools used to summarize and describe the world around us and to test theories about how that world works. Understanding statistics and how they are used and misused is vital to assimilating information as an informed citizen and is central in the analyses of data in a variety of disciplines, including the behavioral sciences. The course covers intermediate-level statistics, including descriptive statistics, probability, sampling distributions, and inferential statistics. Topics include correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance and covariance, factorial and repeated measures ANOVA, linear and logistic regression, effect size, and power analysis. Students use statistical software such as R to analyze data and gain experience communicating and understanding research based on data and statistical analyses. Students may only take one of the following for degree or certificate credit: PSYC E-1900 (offered previously), STAT E-150, or STAT E-160 (offered previously).
Prerequisites: STAT E-100, STAT E-102, STAT E-104, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 4-December 20, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
STAT E-150
Intermediate Statistics: Methods and Modeling
Max Krasnow PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2025 | CRN 17357 | Section 2
Description
In this course, students gain familiarity with statistical tools used to summarize and describe the world around us and to test theories about how that world works. Understanding statistics and how they are used and misused is vital to assimilating information as an informed citizen and is central in the analyses of data in a variety of disciplines, including the behavioral sciences. The course covers intermediate-level statistics, including descriptive statistics, probability, sampling distributions, and inferential statistics. Topics include correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance and covariance, factorial and repeated measures ANOVA, linear and logistic regression, effect size, and power analysis. Students use statistical software such as R to analyze data and gain experience communicating and understanding research based on data and statistical analyses. Students may only take one of the following for degree or certificate credit: PSYC E-1900 (offered previously), STAT E-150, or STAT E-160 (offered previously).
Prerequisites: STAT E-100, STAT E-102, STAT E-104, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections Fridays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 02, 2025
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 64 students
STAT E-150
Intermediate Statistics: Methods and Modeling
Adam Smith PhD, Global Business Psychologist, Global Talent Management, TJX Companies
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 27086 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students gain familiarity with statistical tools used to summarize and describe the world around us and to test theories about how that world works. Understanding statistics and how they are used and misused is vital to assimilating information as an informed citizen and is central in the analyses of data in a variety of disciplines, including the behavioral sciences. The course covers intermediate-level statistics, including descriptive statistics, probability, sampling distributions, and inferential statistics. Topics include correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance and covariance, factorial and repeated measures ANOVA, linear and logistic regression, effect size, and power analysis. Students use statistical software such as R to analyze data and gain experience communicating and understanding research based on data and statistical analyses. Students may only take one of the following for degree or certificate credit: PSYC E-1900 (offered previously), STAT E-150, or STAT E-160 (offered previously).
Prerequisites: STAT E-100, STAT E-102, STAT E-104, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 26-May 16, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 54 students
STAT E-150
Intermediate Statistics: Methods and Modeling
Carolyn Gardner-Thomas PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2026 | CRN 23445 | Section 2
Description
In this course, students gain familiarity with statistical tools used to summarize and describe the world around us and to test theories about how that world works. Understanding statistics and how they are used and misused is vital to assimilating information as an informed citizen and is central in the analyses of data in a variety of disciplines, including the behavioral sciences. The course covers intermediate-level statistics, including descriptive statistics, probability, sampling distributions, and inferential statistics. Topics include correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance and covariance, factorial and repeated measures ANOVA, linear and logistic regression, effect size, and power analysis. Students use statistical software such as R to analyze data and gain experience communicating and understanding research based on data and statistical analyses. Students may only take one of the following for degree or certificate credit: PSYC E-1900 (offered previously), STAT E-150, or STAT E-160 (offered previously).
Prerequisites: STAT E-100, STAT E-102, STAT E-104, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 29-May 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 26, 2026
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,600, undergraduate credit $2,160, graduate credit $3,440.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
