This page contains content from the 2007–08 academic year. For current information, visit the Harvard Extension School website at www.extension.harvard.edu.
Overview
Program Director
Sue Weaver Schopf, PhD
Program Director; Associate Dean of University Extension; Lecturer in Extension
Now in its 28th year, the Master of Liberal Arts (Artium Liberalium Magister, or ALM) draws a diverse group of students with a variety of aspirations. Some students are seeking an affordable alternative to standard master’s degree programs, one that can be pursued in the evening and on a part-time basis. Others hope to use the ALM as a stepping stone toward further graduate work (ALM graduates have gone on to doctoral and professional programs at schools such as Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Chicago). Still others choose the ALM to earn their teacher recertification, for career advancement, or simply as a means of personal enrichment.
The program offers 15 fields of study, including interdisciplinary fields. It is a rigorous graduate experience culminating in a thesis that is directed by a member of the Harvard faculty. To ensure they are adequately prepared for graduate study, students wishing to pursue a field of study that differs from their undergraduate major are urged to take at least one introductory-level course in their intended field before attempting advanced courses for graduate credit.
Degree candidates have access to libraries, computer labs, and many other resources that Harvard University has to offer, including courses at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for those who obtain Special Student status.
All students are encouraged to consult with ALM advisors before registering for courses or applying to the program. The ALM degree cannot be completed via distance education, nor does the ALM Program provide I-20s for student visas.
