Harvard Extension School is proud to announce a range of exciting updates for the upcoming academic year.
Our on-campus degree requirements have changed, we launched microcertificates and two new graduate degree programs, and we are offering several accelerated learning opportunities.
Keep reading for more details and information so you don’t miss out on these developments!
Enhanced Online & On-Campus Program Experiences
In an effort to make programs as flexible and inclusive as possible, Harvard Extension School (HES) now offers its graduate degree programs predominately online, complementing the online coursework with an experiential learning course in person at Harvard.
The on-campus courses, each designed to foster active learning relevant to a specific program’s field, range in length from two weekends to three weeks. Students will have the opportunity to engage with peers, instructors, and the broader University campus — building connections and skills for real-world impact.
“We have always been committed to removing barriers and expanding access to a world-class education,” said HES Dean Nancy Coleman. “By offering online courses paired with an immersive purpose-driven on-campus experience, we can provide adult learners from around the globe with a unique opportunity to engage in rigorous academic programs while benefiting from the vibrant Harvard campus community.”
Introducing Microcertificates
Microcertificates are a new way to build expertise in a specialized area while lowering the cost and time barriers to earning a credential. The two-course microcertificates — offered in topics in business, sustainability, and technology — can be completed in a semester or two.
“Students have let us know they’re looking for credentials they can earn relatively quickly to demonstrate knowledge and skills to employers,” said Anne Dwojeski-Santos, director of certificates and non-degree offerings at Harvard Extension School. “We also know that employers are increasingly looking for evidence of continued learning and staying atop the latest developments in their field when hiring. We’ve worked with faculty experts to develop tightly curated curricula that will allow students to engage deeply with material and build their expertise.”
Microcertificate courses are stackable toward a related graduate certificate or degree. So students can advance their career, showcase their expertise to a potential employer, explore a new field of interest — or kickstart a longer academic journey.
No application is required for microcertificates. You simply register for your first course.
New 7-Week Courses
In addition to courses offered during our 15-week fall and spring terms, as well as the 3-week January session, a selection of full-credit courses will run in a condensed half term, for 7 weeks during the fall or spring.
Samples include:
- Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
- Introduction to Computer Science with Python
- Academic Writing and Critical Reading
- Financial Accounting Principles
- Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution
- Management Consulting
Check out these half-term courses in Course Search and Registration.
New Master’s Degree Programs
To respond to shifts in the technology market, HES has introduced graduate programs in Systems Engineering and Computer Science.
The systems engineering curriculum covers a broad range of topics, including cloud infrastructure, multitier servers and applications, and enterprise architecture. The computer science program teaches the theories and applications of computer technology. Both include an experiential capstone project.
Spring Registration Opens Soon
Registration for the spring term opens Monday, November 6. On Thursday, October 16, you may complete the preregistration steps in the MyDCE student portal and start saving courses to your registration cart.
Browse courses ahead of time via Course Search and Registration, and learn more about the steps to course registration.
