This site is an archive. See the current website at www.extension.harvard.edu.

Registration

This page contains content from the 2008–09 academic year. For current information, visit the Harvard Extension School website at www.extension.harvard.edu.

Enrollment Policies

On this page:

Student Information

As part of registration, you must provide your legal name, gender, date of birth, e-mail address, and current postal mailing address. All critical school announcements, such as class cancellations, and most faculty communications are sent via e-mail. An active e-mail address is required if you register for distance education courses.

You are responsible for maintaining accurate contact information (postal address, e-mail address, telephone numbers) with the Extension School. If we receive notice that your e-mail address has been rejected by the e-mail host, we will inactivate that e-mail address in our system. Similarly, we will inactivate a postal mailing address if mail to that address is returned as not deliverable.

You may view and change your contact information through online services. You may also view your biographical information via online services, but to report a legal name change, a birth date correction, or changes to other biographical information, you must submit a biographical change form (download form) with documentation to the Registrar’s Office.

You are responsible for the accuracy of biographical information that you submit online and on all paper forms and applications. Submission of fraudulent information is subject to review by the Administrative Board and may be grounds for disciplinary action.

Course Prerequisites

Prerequisites are listed in course descriptions. Placement tests and proof of English proficiency are required for a number of courses. If you register without having course prerequisites you may be withdrawn. For courses that require writing samples, you must be registered or waitlisted for your materials to be reviewed. For distance education courses, you are responsible for ensuring that you have the necessary computer systems, software (including all software needed to complete course assignments), and Internet access to view the course videos.

Enrollment Status

One credit is equivalent to one semester hour. Full-time enrollment is 14 credits per term or enrollment in a graduate thesis or internship course. Half-time enrollment is 8 credits. Courses for which you have withdrawal (WD), required-to-withdraw (RQ), and administrative withdrawal (WA) grades are excluded from these definitions. Certifications of current enrollment status, including loan deferment certifications, are based on these calculations. If you are enrolled full time, you must comply with Massachusetts immunization regulations.

Maximum credit enrollment. You may enroll in no more than 16 credits per term unless you are a candidate in a degree, certificate, diploma, or health careers program and you receive your program advisor’s approval. If you are not a candidate and you register for more credits than the maximum, you must drop your overload course(s) by the late registration deadline, or you will be dropped from those courses by the Registrar.

Time conflicts. You may not be enrolled in courses that meet at the same or overlapping times unless at least one of the courses is also offered online. If you register for courses with time conflicts, you must drop one or more of the conflicting courses by the late registration deadline, or you will be dropped from those courses by the Registrar.

Registration Confirmation and ID Cards

A registration confirmation is sent by US mail one business day after your registration is processed. You are also sent a confirmation via e-mail if you register online.

Your registration confirmation constitutes proof of registration, and you should have it with you when you are on the Harvard campus. In compliance with security regulations, you may be asked to present your confirmation with a photo ID for admission to certain classrooms in the Science Center, Longwood Medical area, and other buildings on the Harvard campus.

Harvard University photo ID cards are only issued to students who have been admitted to Extension degree, certificate, and diploma programs.

Immunizations

In compliance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Harvard University immunization regulations, if you enroll full time (14 credits) or while on a visa, you must submit proof of immunization against certain communicable diseases. Have a certificate of immunization form (download form) completed by your health-care provider, and submit it to the Registrar’s Office by September 12 for fall and January 23 for spring. The form requires certification of the following immunizations:

Documentation of a positive blood test for immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, and hepatitis B is acceptable in lieu of immunizations.