You Belong Here
At Harvard Extension School, we welcome students interested in taking individual courses. You don’t need to pursue a degree or certificate to benefit from all that the Extension School has to offer.
In our classrooms—whether virtual or in person—you can:
- Follow an intellectual passion
- Learn specific skills for a job
- Explore a possible career change
- Prepare for graduate school
- Take the next step to finishing a degree
- Jumpstart your college career
Why Harvard Extension School?
Because you’re ready to learn and won’t let anything get in your way.
- Study with Harvard faculty and industry experts.
- Build knowledge for a better future—at times that work for you, and at your own pace.
- Experience the intellectual rigor of the Harvard classroom, whether online (live synchronous or asynchronous) or on campus.
- See the impact of your education in real time. Your personal development and career advancement begin the moment you step into the classroom—in person or virtually.
- Join a global community of motivated lifelong learners just like you.
Flexible Courses Offered Year-Round
We offer a variety of ways for you to take courses so you can find the option that works best with your schedule. You can find courses that meet online or on campus in the evening, at a scheduled time weekly or a bit more self-paced through the semester. Learn more about our flexible course types.
We offer full-term and short-session courses throughout the year:
- Fall term: 15-week courses from August to mid-December
- January session: 3-week intensive courses
- Spring term: 15-week courses from late January to mid-May
- Summer session: 3- and 7-week options from June to August
Simply Enroll—No Application Required
There is no application process for taking a course.
To get started, simply follow these steps:
- Create a MyDCE account.
- Review our Enrollment Policies.
- Explore our course catalog.
- Understand our Enrollment Requirements and complete those applicable to you and your course of interest.
- Complete preregistration in MyDCE.
- Register for your course.
- Submit your payment by the payment deadline.
- Learn and connect!
Has it been a few years since you were in a classroom?
Returning to school as an adult student can be overwhelming. Our Harvard Extension Ready tool and Career and Academic Resource Center can help you prepare.
Harvard Extension Ready
Harvard Extension Ready is a series of online lessons on core writing skills. It is free, self-guided, and self-paced.
Learn more and get started with Harvard Extension Ready!
Career and Academic Resource Center (CARC)
CARC provides academic webinars covering a wide variety of study and research skills you’ll need to thrive at Harvard Extension School.
Whether you want to learn some effective note-taking strategies, prepare to give a presentation, or understand how to properly cite your sources in a midterm paper, you’ll find what you need in the online CARC resource library.
Visit the CARC website to explore all of these valuable resources and more.
Experience all that Harvard Extension Has to Offer
- Receive college credit. Harvard Extension courses are credit-bearing, can be applied to related Harvard Extension certificates and degrees, and may be transferable to other universities.
- Gain access to skill-building and career webinars, student resources, and Harvard University libraries.
- Develop a diverse network of peers like you—driven, experienced, and committed to growth.
