Harvard Extension School Profile

Harvard Extension School Basics:

Website: www.extension.harvard.edu
Phone: 1-617-495-4024
Address: 51 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138-3722

Harvard Extension School Academics:

Harvard Extension School students can choose from over one hundred online courses taught by Harvard's distinguished faculty. These classes tend to be challenging and require a significant time commitment. The majority of extension school professors are Harvard affiliates, however there are also teachers chosen from other universities and businesses. No special requirements are needed to enroll in the online courses provided through Harvard Extension School; all courses have an open-enrollment policy. Two certificate programs and two academic citations are available completely online.

Harvard Extension School Accreditation:

Harvard is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, a regional accreditor.

Harvard Extension School Degrees and Programs:

Students can take Harvard’s online courses individually or they may enroll in a degree or certificate program. Students desiring no on-campus work may earn a Certificate in Environmental Management, a Certificate in Applied Sciences, a Citation in East Asian Studies or a Citation in Web Technologies and Applications completely online. Other programs have mandatory residencies.

A bachelor's degree may be completed by taking 4 on-campus courses in addition to online work. Masters programs with limited residencies include: liberal arts, biotechnology, environmental management, information technology, and management.

Harvard Extension School Admissions:

Individual classes at Harvard Extension School have an open-admissions policy. Degree-seeking undergraduate students must complete at least three Harvard Extension courses with a grade of B- or above, meet the expository writing requirement, have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, have a GPA of 2.5 or higher during the past semester at Harvard, and be proficient in English. Degree-seeking graduate students must hold a bachelor’s degree, pass three major-specific extension school courses, have an extension school GPA of 3.0 or higher, and be proficient in English.

Harvard Extension School Costs:

Harvard Extension School tuition ranges from $800 to $1,975 per course. Although this is more expensive than some online programs, many students feel they are receiving an Ivy League education for the price of a state-funded school. Federal financial aid is available for students enrolled in degree or certificate programs.

Interesting Fact:

Although the extension school is part of the university, it is important to note that most employers do not view Harvard Extension School degrees and traditional Harvard degrees as equal. Extension school graduates receive a degree that has “Extension School” written in Latin. According to school policy, graduates do not have to list this detail on their resumes. However, from the employer’s prospective, it is generally considered dishonest not to mention the fact that the degree was earned non-traditionally.