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Special Options

Faculty Aide Program

If you have a 3.5 or higher GPA you may become a research assistant to a faculty member through the Career and Academic Resource Center’s Faculty Aide Program.

Faculty advisors

In addition to the advising services offered by associate director Stephen Blinn and assistant directors and research advisors George Buckley or Ramon Sanchez, you can request a faculty advisor. See Forms to download the faculty advisor request form.

Special Student status

Special Student status enables you to enroll in a maximum of two Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) courses. All other coursework for the degree must be completed through the Harvard Extension and Harvard Summer Schools. By the deadline, if you have a 3.7 or higher GPA and have completed 24 credits at the Extension School you may apply for special student status with recommendations from Stephen Blinn, associate director of professional programs, and two instructors. This option is only for courses not ordinarily offered at Harvard Extension School or Harvard Summer School.

Application is in two steps:

  • First, submit the Special Student petition (see forms) and schedule an appointment with Stephen Blinn by September 1 for spring 2013 and February 1 for the 2013–14 academic year.
  • Second, after approval by the associate director, submit the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) Special Student Application by October 1 and March 1, respectively. If you don’t meet the deadline or receive approval for the first step, you can’t move on to the second.

Special students courses are taken for a letter grade and count toward your cumulative GPA at Harvard. You pay the full GSAS tuition of $4,697.

Internship

If you are pursuing the capstone track, you have the option to gain practical experience through an internship (100 to 200 hours) worth four credits. To receive academic credit, after you complete the internship you must register for a reading and research course to work with a sustainability and environmental management instructor on an academic paper that is based upon the internship experience.

All internships must be approved by the research advisor in advance of participation. Also, the reading and research supervisor must be confirmed prior to the start of the internship. We encourage you to use the Office of Career Services or the Crimson Careers database to search for internship opportunities, speak to sustainability and environmental management faculty, and reference CARC’s environmental career links. For more information download the internship approval form (See Forms). 

Study abroad

Harvard Summer School offers study abroad opportunities for eight credits. Generally, the application deadlines are in February and March. Before applying, consult the program office in December to determine which study abroad courses can be applied to your degree. Applicable programs are not offered every summer. The program will not accept courses that are not preapproved.