Academic Standing and Enrollment
Academic standing policies
Your academic standing is based on cumulative grade-point average (GPA). You must maintain a GPA of B (3.0) to remain in good academic standing. If your GPA falls below 3.0 (poor academic standing), you cannot transfer to another program or graduate.
If you are in poor academic standing for 2 terms, the Administrative Board for University Extension reviews your records, and, ordinarily, you are required to withdraw from the program.
In addition, you must make satisfactory academic progress, successfully completing at least two-thirds of the classes for which you enroll.
Calculation of grade-point average
Your GPA is calculated using all grades in courses that could count toward the program. Any course in which you receive a grade lower than B− is not accepted for credit toward the program but is counted in your overall average. The first 2 grades of withdrawal (WD) are not included in the GPA. The third and subsequent noncompletion grades, including retired grades of INC and ABS, count as zeroes (the equivalent of a failing grade) in the GPA.
Interim grades of extension of time (EXT) or work in progress (INP) are not counted in the calculation. See Grades for the values used in GPA calculation.
Financial aid eligibility
If you are in poor academic standing or you are not making satisfactory progress, you are ineligible for financial aid. If you are receiving financial aid, be sure to speak to a financial aid advisor before withdrawing from a course. Even 1 WD grade can affect your aid.
Enrollment policies
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All courses must be taken for graduate credit.
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The maximum number of courses you may take is 4 in a fall or spring term, 1 in a January session, and 2 (or 1 8-credit course) at Harvard Summer School.
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No credit may be transferred from other colleges and universities, nor is any credit given for related work experience.
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You cannot be simultaneously enrolled as a candidate in more than 1 program, nor can a course count toward more than 1 program at Harvard.
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If you take courses that do not apply to your program, you may be withdrawn from the program.
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Credit is not awarded for any course that duplicates the subject matter of a previous course taken at the Extension School or Harvard Summer School for which undergraduate or graduate credit has already been received.
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Prospective candidates cannot count toward the ALM more than 3 courses taken before they have earned a bachelor’s degree. ALB candidates must receive approval from the undergraduate program by submitting an e-mail request to alb@dcemail.harvard.edu prior to registration.
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You may not repeat a course to improve your grade point average. A repeated course appears on your transcript but does not count toward the degree or grade point average unless a failing grade is earned. If you need to repeat a required course because you earned a grade below the minimum and there are no alternative courses from which to choose, both grades count toward your GPA.
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Credit is not given for an elementary course in a subject if a more advanced course in the same subject has previously been counted.