This page contains content from the 2007–08 academic year. For current information, visit the Harvard Extension School website at www.extension.harvard.edu.
Undergraduate Distance Education
Distance education courses have enhanced my undergraduate experience. Without the obstacles of time and place, I can enroll in courses that I couldn't have attended otherwise. I can incorporate more courses into my schedule and progress with my degree more quickly.
—Jeannie Marie Phillips, ALB candidate
One of the advantages of being a Harvard Extension School undergraduate degree candidate is becoming part of the larger Harvard community and using the many resources available on campus, including the world’s largest academic library. As a result, we don’t offer an undergraduate degree entirely online; we offer a blended undergraduate degree program.
You can earn our degree through any combination of online and on-campus courses with the requirement that you must complete a minimum of 16 credits in on-campus-only courses. One of these courses must be the required expository writing course for admission (EXPO E-25 or EXPO S-20). If you live far away or are an international student, you may complete the 16-credit residency requirement by completing two eight-week summer sessions through the Harvard Summer School (perhaps one session at the beginning of your studies and one at the end). Housing and 1-20s are available through the Summer School. If you plan to be in residence for only 16 credits, you must complete the residency approval form and schedule a meeting with the program director.
See the degree course search to find online courses that count toward the degrees. You should also confirm that your computer has the proper software and hardware to view the streaming video. See Distance Education for information about the technology.
