Spotlight: Distance Education
Four students answer questions about what it’s like to take courses online.
This page contains content from the 2008–09 academic year. For current information, visit the Harvard Extension School website at www.extension.harvard.edu.
Tips for Choosing Courses
We recommend the following tips to help you determine which courses are best for you.
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Read the course descriptions carefully and note prerequisites, including required placement tests. Prerequisites are meant to help you determine if you have the appropriate background knowledge; you are not required to provide proof of prerequisites. Learn more about prerequisites under the Enrollment Policies.
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Review the syllabus when available. Links to course syllabi and websites (if available) are in course descriptions. You can also refer to old syllabi in course listings from previous years via the Extension School archives.
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Preview the books ordered for the course by going to the Harvard Coop.
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Read student evaluations (available in Grossman Library and at 51 Brattle Street).
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See the Dean’s List of Faculty (download list), a list of Extension School instructors who received letters of commendation for distinguished teaching based on high scores from student evaluations.
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E-mail the instructor if you have questions about course content, level, or prerequisites. E-mail addresses can be found in course syllabi or websites.
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Shop the course—if the course does not have a limit on how students can register, visit the class during the first week of the term to experience the instructor’s lecture style, the format of the course, and the course content.