Is this degree right for you?
Program director Henry Leitner discusses the benefits in a Q&A with the director.
Student Profile
- Total students: 300 degree candidates
- Age range: 21–62 (average: 36)
- Full-time students: 94 percent part time (1 or 2 courses per term), 6 percent full time
- Degree completion: 5 years average (5-year required deadline)
- Retention: 87 percent
- Global impact: students representing 33 US states and 22 countries
- Sampling of companies: Bank of America, Disney, Fidelity Investments, Harvard University, MIT, IBM, Microsoft
- Sampling of occupations: application developer, consultant, information security architect, software engineer, web developer
Overview
The Graduate Program in Information Technology is designed for IT professionals with solid programming experience or a strong background in mathematics.
Gain specialized IT training
You acquire deep technical and theoretical knowledge in 1 of the following concentrations:
• Software engineering • Mathematics and computation • Digital media arts and sciences • Information management systems
Learn about the concentrations and review the degree requirements.
Choose online and on-campus options
Although the degree cannot be earned entirely online, there are a range of online and on-campus courses.
Consider your career possibilities
Our alumni hold a variety of high-level positions in the IT field. The following are just a few examples.
- Director of Information Systems, National Baseball Hall of Fame
- Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Patrina Corporation
Learn from a faculty of experts
Below are a few of our expert faculty members; see the computer sciences courses for more.
- Harry R. Lewis, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard
- Michael Mitzenmacher, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard
- Hanspeter Pfister, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science at Harvard
- Margo Seltzer, Harvard College Professor and Herchel Smith Professor of Computer Science at Harvard
Earn a Harvard degree
The degree is the Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies with a concentration in information technology.
The diploma, in Latin, reads:
Universitas Harvardiana (Harvard University)
Magistri in Artibus Liberalibus Studiorum Prolatorum (Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies)
On your résumé, the degree may be listed Master of Liberal Arts, Information Technology, Harvard University Extension School.
Admission
Before applying, you must have completed 3 courses from the program curriculum and earned at least a B in each. Read about admission criteria and how to apply in Admission.
The Harvard Extension advantage
Being a student in a Harvard Extension School program has its perks. In addition to privileges afforded you by a Harvard student ID card, you have access to academic workshops, career counseling, early registration, and more. See Candidate Perks.