Degree Requirements
General requirements
To earn the ALM, students must:
- Complete 9 courses and a thesis (40 credits).
- The area proseminar
- 6 in the field of concentration, at least 1 of which is a graduate seminar
- 2 electives outside the field of concentration; 1 must be a graduate seminar or writing-intensive course
- The master’s thesis
- Note: Course requirements vary for the concentrations in biology, clinical psychology, literature and creative writing, and psychology. See requirements below.
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Earn a grade of B– or higher in each course (B or higher in the 3 required for admission) and maintain an overall average of B in all ALM courses, which can only be earned at Harvard Extension School, Harvard Summer School, or as Special Students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
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Complete 8 of the 10 courses with Harvard instructors. In fields in which fewer Harvard instructors may be offering courses, students should choose electives that are taught by Harvard instructors. Courses marked with the HI attribute in the degree course search fulfill this requirement.
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Spend at least 2 semesters in residence during which students complete the proseminar, field seminar, and at least 1 other on-campus-only course at Harvard Extension School or Summer School. No more than 6 online or online-option courses may be counted toward the degree. Summer School study abroad programs do not count toward the residency requirement, although students may count a maximum of 8 credits from a study abroad program toward other ALM degree requirements.
Find courses that satisfy requirements
Use the degree course search.
Field-specific requirements
Literature and creative writing field
For this field students must complete CREA E-100r, 4 additional courses in creative writing, and 3 in English or any foreign literature, 1 of which must be a seminar.
Biology and psychology fields
A graduate-level course in statistics must be completed at the Extension School or the Summer School with a grade of B or higher before submission of the thesis proposal. STAT E-50, STAT E-102, or an approved Summer School course fulfills this requirement. For biology concentrators, this course may count either as a field course or an elective. For psychology concentrators, it counts only as an elective. Before commencing any ALM coursework, students who have already completed a graduate-level course in statistics elsewhere with a grade of B or higher may petition to waive this requirement by passing the ALM statistics exam. Those receiving a waiver take another course as a field course or an elective, depending on your field.
Clinical psychology field
Students must complete the proseminar; a statistics course; 6 psychology courses (1 of which must be a graduate seminar) to be comprised of 4 with a clinical focus (including PSYC E-1240 Abnormal Psychology and the field placement course PSYC E-380, see below), and 2 in human psychology; and 1 elective course in one of the following: neurobiology, medical anthropology, psychological approaches to literature, or an upper-level course in statistics or psychology research methods (not SSCI E-100a).
Field placement in psychology. PSYC E-380 is a limited-enrollment course required of all clinical psychology concentrators and an optional field courses for psychology concentrators. Candidates must have completed at least 6 courses toward the ALM degree to enroll. Participants devote 150 hours to work in a laboratory or human services setting of their choosing. Because the fieldwork takes place in research, or a clinical or agency setting, most placements require some of the hours to take place during normal business hours. Enrolled students can expect to spend more concentrated time during the January semester break, both in the classroom and orienting to the field, followed by weekly work in the field and biweekly seminar meetings. Students who are interested in this course must begin discussing specific placement options no later than Thursday, October 1, 2009, and must apply for permission to enroll by Sunday, November 1, 2009. Note: it is expected that students will be actively involved in identifying and arranging the actual placement.
See the Requirements Summary for an easy reference and downloadable worksheets.
Writing-intensive courses
Writing-intensive courses offer the opportunity to develop writing skills in the context of a particular academic discipline, and they all feature common elements. Students:
- Develop core writing skills, as defined by the instructor, in the discipline of the course
- Complete multiple writing assignments of varying lengths, at least 2 of which must be revised
- Produce a minimum of 10 to 12 pages of writing, exclusive of the required revisions, over the course of the term
- Meet at least once in individual conference (in person, by phone, or electronically) with the instructor or teaching assistant to discuss writing in progress
- Receive detailed feedback on their drafts and revisions, on both content and expression