Government Degree Requirements

• SSCI 100B Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History and International Relations
• 4 government courses
• 1 Engaging in Scholarly Conversation (see on-campus experience)
• 1 government seminar
• 1 research methods
• 1 government elective
  • EXPO 42b Writing in the Social Sciences is an elective option.

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Tip: Seminars offer small-class discussions as well as ample opportunities to connect with faculty and peers while engaging in research. We encourage you to complete multiple seminars.

The thesis is a 9-month independent research project where you work one-on-one in a tutorial setting with a thesis director.

Additional courses for the thesis track include:

• SSCI 497 Crafting the Thesis Proposal in Government, History, and International Relations Tutorial
• GOVT 499AB ALM Thesis in Government (8 credits)

Recent Thesis Topics:

• Lost in Space: Strategic Options to Address Russian Exploit of US GPS Service
• Adversaries to Allies: Albania’s Alignment with the United States
• Subordinate Frames: Testing the Political Effects of Color and Music in Television News
• Stepping up to the Microphone: The Evolution of the White House Press Briefing since 1995
• U.S. Public Approval of Humanitarian Intervention in Somalia and Bosnia: The Role of Partisan Identification with the President

The capstone track focuses on an applied research project and includes the following additional courses:

• A government elective
• Precapstone and capstone (choice of topics below):
  • Equity and the struggle for justice
  • Policy writing and analysis
  • National security writing and analysis (this capstone requires a weekend on campus)
  • Social reform movements in America
  • Deliberative justice
  • Historical biography (you choose a political figure)

Capstone experience. In the precapstone, you gain foundational preparation through critically analyzing the scholarly literature. Then, in the capstone, you execute a semester-long research project with guidance and support from your instructor and fellow candidates.

Capstone sequencing. You enroll in the precapstone and capstone courses in the same topic, in back-to-back semesters (fall/spring), and in your final academic year. The capstone must be taken alone as your sole remaining degree requirement. Capstone topics are subject to change annually.

Recent Capstone Topics:

• Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde: A Comparative Study of Democratic Divergence
• Beyond Legislation: Establishing a U.S. Regulatory Body for Artificial Intelligence
• Navigating Borders and Ethics: A Moral Framework for Climate Refugee Policies

You can choose to concentrate your degree studies in a specific area and earn a certificate along the way.

Graduate Certificates:

• International Relations
• International Security
• Nuclear Deterrence
• Social Justice

For either the capstone or thesis track, 8 of the above courses (32-credits) need to be taught by instructors with the Harvard-instructor designation. The thesis course is taught by a Harvard instructor.

To meet the on-campus requirement, you choose the Standard on-campus option and study with us in the summer. You can easily request an I-20 for the F-1 student visa for Harvard Summer School’s 3-week sessions. For more details, see International Student Study Options for important visa information.

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

• Prior to enrolling in any degree-applicable courses, you must possess a 4-year regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent. Foreign bachelor’s degrees must be evaluated for equivalency.
• If English is your second language, you’ll need to prove English proficiency before registering for a course. We have multiple proficiency options.

To begin the admission process, you simply register — no application required — for the following three, four-credit, graduate-level degree courses (available online).

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

• SSCI 100B Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Government, History and International Relations
  • Before registering, you’ll need to pass our online test of critical reading and writing skills or earn a B or higher in EXPO 42b Writing in the Social Sciences.
  • You have 2 attempts to earn the minimum grade of B in the proseminar (a withdrawal grade counts as an attempt). The proseminar cannot be more than 2 years old at the time of application.
• One government course
• One government, research methods, or elective (e.g., EXPO 42b) course

While the three courses don’t need to be taken in a particular order or in the same semester, we recommend that you start with the proseminar (or the prerequisite EXPO 42b). All three courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, without letting your overall Harvard cumulative GPA dip below 3.0.

If you earn the Harvard Kennedy School Public Leadership Credential, you may apply the credential toward admission and complete additional courses at the Harvard Extension School. Learn more about the public leadership pathway.

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

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

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

Eligible students who submit a complete and timely application will have nice more courses after admission to earn the degree. Applicants can register for courses in the upcoming semester before they receive their grades and while they await their admission decision.

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

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

Withdrawal Grades. You are allowed to receive two withdrawal (WD) grades without them affecting your GPA. Any additional WD grades count as zero in your cumulative GPA. Please note that a WD grade from a two-credit course will count as one of your two allowed WD grades. See Academic Standing.

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

Courses over five years old at the point of admission will not count toward the degree. As stated above, the proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.

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

Potential degree candidates must plan accordingly and submit their applications to comply with the five-year course expiration policy or they risk losing degree credit for completed course work. Additionally, admission eligibility will be jeopardized if, at the point of application to the program, the five-year degree completion policy cannot be satisfied (i.e., too many courses to complete in the time remaining).

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

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